Thread: Advocates hope immigration reform stays on front burner

Arizona advocates of immigration reform are hoping Hurricane Katrina and U.S. Supreme Court nominations do not squeeze out the chances for passage of a border security and guest worker plan this year.




Sources tell The Business Journal that federal immigration and border proposals could be considered by the U.S. House of Representatives this fall.

But court nomination hearings and hurricane relief funding and investigations could delay immigration movement this year in the U.S. Senate.

Still, immigration reform advocates hope the upper chamber can consider legislation before the end of the year and perhaps as soon as the coming weeks.

Before the storm hit and passing of Chief Justice William Rehnquist opened up a second slot on the high court, there was some momentum behind immigration reform, especially from impacted border states.

Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano and New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson (both Democrats) declared states of emergency along the Mexican border and pressed the Bush administration for help with illegal immigration and Mexican drug gangs.

Arizona Republican Sens. Jon Kyl and John McCain have also introduced competing immigration packages.

McCain's plan includes a guest worker package and allows illegal immigrants to apply for legal status after paying a $2,000 fine Co-sponsors to that package include Arizona GOP Congressmen Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake and Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass. Business groups -- including the Arizona Chamber of Commerce & Industry -- and Napolitano support the McCain-Kennedy bill.

Kyl and Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, favor a more conservative proposal that requires the estimated 15 million illegals already in the U.S. to return to their native countries and then re-apply for legal status.

Both measures look to bolster border security and increase enforcement and sanctions against employers who illegally hire undocumented workers.

Whatever comes out the U.S. House is expected to be more conservative and focus more on tougher border security and immigration law enforcement than a guest worker plan favored by business and Hispanic groups and the Senate.

Scottsdale Congressman J.D. Hayworth is among those in the House working on a tough immigration and border security plan.

Valley Republican Congressmen Trent Franks and John Shadegg also favor immigration changes that stress increased border security and a more get-tough approach to illegal immigrants and employers who hire them.
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