Immigration Amendments to Homeland Security Bill in Jeopardy

UPDATE: Immigration Amendments to Homeland Security Bill in Jeopardy
Updated Friday, July 24, 2009, 2:34 PM

Two weeks ago, the Senate passed four immigration-related amendments that would ensure the completion of the border fence, mandate E-Verify for federal contractors, permanently extend E-Verify and restart the suspended no-match program. But those amendments are in danger with a looming conference committee and a possible omnibus bill that could replace the bill altogether.

With the House passing a different version of the bill, it was sent to a conference committee where it still sits and waits for further consideration. With time starting to run thin, Senate leaders have began talking about replacing all the spending bills with an omnibus bill.

Since the Senate bill's passing, more than 100,000 people have signed our petition asking Congressional leaders to keep the amendments in the bill. This is no ordinary petition because every time a new name is added to the list, the petition is immediately sent to the White House. If you haven't signed it yet, please do so and then send it to everyone you know. In February, a conference committee stripped an E-Verify amendment from the economic stimulus, and we can't let it happen again.

As the legislative schedule remains packed with health care reform, cap and trade, and all the other FY2010 spending bills, Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin has said it may take an omnibus bill if all the spending bills aren't complete by the August recess. If that happens, the four immigration amendments would be lost with the start of a new all-encompassing bill.



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