Thread: CIR introduced today in Congress, ALIPAC Mentioned

Immigration reform bill introduced today in Congress
In a matter of minutes in Washington D.C., U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez and dozens of other members of the House plan to introduce the first comprehensive immigration reform legislation of the current Congress.

The bill's official name is the "Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009."

We don't have details yet. As soon as a copy of the bill is available we will post. But it clearly will provide a path toward legalization for estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S.

Immigrant advocates have been rallying for weeks around the legislation, authored by Gutierrez, a lawmaker from Illinois.

"Congressman Gutierrez knows that the American people want their leaders to step up and solve tough problems, and he has done amazing work with his colleagues in the House to introduce legislation that finally puts us on a path toward a common sense immigration system that works," Rich Stolz, campaign manager for Reform Immigration FOR America, said in a statement today. "America needs comprehensive immigration reform now, and Reform Immigration FOR America is building an enormous coalition across the country to push Congress to act."

But will Congress actually act? It's a tough environment right now to pass any kind of major legislation in Congress, let alone one as intensely controversial as immigration reform. Look no further than the brutal year-long odyssey to pass health care reform.

It will take a long time to just heal from the battle wounds and divisions resulting from the health care debate. And, of course, let's not forget what's staring everyone in the face: We have the mid-term elections next year.

Getting members of Congress to back CIR next year will likely take a Herculean lobbying effort.

UPDATE:

Here's a response from Americans for Legal Immigration PAC:

A national immigration enforcement advocacy group is warning members of Congress that the public backlash against the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Amnesty bill to be filed by Congressman Luis Gutierrez today is going to ignite an unprecedented political fire storm which will cost many members of Congress their jobs in 2010.

"People feel shocked and completely betrayed that any elected official would propose legalizing illegal immigrants, stopping local police from enforcing immigration law, and stopping increased border security when we have over 15 million Americans out of work," said William Gheen of Americans for Legal Immigration PAC (ALIPAC). "The backlash on this bill is going to dwarf the rancor and contentiousness of the healthcare debate and for good reason. The current push for Amnesty is a prime example of how disconnected Washington has become from the views and opinions of average Americans.

http://blogs.chron.com/immigration/arch ... ref_2.html


ALIPAC or William Gheen Mentioned in Posts:
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Since when has Willie Gheen been right about anything? That loser regularly sends out emails asking for $$$ because his "PAC" is close to death. But, it must be a nice way to pay the bills (scaring seniors into sending you cash).

I have to say, though. Seeing how the Obama White House has handled Health Care reform, I am not too optimistic about them being very useful at passing immigration reform (especially with the unemployment rate at 10%).

But we shall see. I have been waiting a couple of years for this battle and its going to be a good one. This time around, the pro-migrant side is well prepared.

Posted by: note2self at December 15, 2009 12:02 PM
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William Gheen is right on target. The anti amnesty crowd is one of the most bi-partisan one in the political spectrum. This, like all the major agendas before congress now, are driven by the progressive liberals. The majority of Americans are against the health care bill, cap and trade and now CIR yet the progressives are still shoving it down our throats.

If you disagree with them they tell you that you are ignorant and don't understand, you see it on this blog all the time. They don't govern for the people, they govern by their ideoligies and the citizens are fed up with it.

For those that think the economy will take a hit if they are removed, that won't happen. The economy might take a small hit in the beginning then it would begin to flourish because more Americans are working. This country became great without illegal aliens and can do it again.

Posted by: Bearded at December 15, 2009 01:08 PM
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"Bearded" has it right and "note2self" is the root of our demise. Pull the weeds by their roots.

Lets go America, this is our country, and it's our job to take it back and rebuild it.

Immigration reform bill introduced in Congress

Ken McLaughlin
kmclaughlin@mercurynews.com
Posted: 12/15/2009 06:18:04 PM PST
Updated: 12/15/2009 06:18:05 PM PST

Congress still hasn't passed health-care reform, but the next white-hot issue has already dropped into its lap — immigration reform.

For the first time in two years, a measure billed as "comprehensive immigration reform'' has been introduced in Congress.

The bill, filed Tuesday by Rep. Congressman Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., incorporates most of the provisions of a measure introduced in June by Rep. Mike Honda, D-Campbell. At last count Tuesday night, it had 89 co-sponsors.

Honda's bill focused on legal immigration issues such as eliminating visa backlogs and giving green-card holders the same rights as citizens to bring their spouses and children to the U.S. But Gutierrez's bill is much more sweeping. It includes a provision that would allow the country's 12 million illegal immigrants to legalize by paying a $500 fine, learning English and passing a criminal background check. It would also require employers to check a federal database to verify the immigration status of job applicants.

In 2007, the last time Congress grappled with the issue, a bipartisan Senate bill sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz, and the late Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., failed when Republicans blocked votes over the amnesty issue.

But Democrats think immigration reform has a better shot this time around.

"Now we have the White House,'' Honda said Tuesday. "And now we have leadership in both houses that want to see it happen.''

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, says she will let the Senate take up the issue first after Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., files his version of the immigration reform bill after the holiday break.

Opposition ready

Groups that favor decreased immigration were quick to pounce on the legislation.

"It certainly has everything in there for every special-interest group — from amnesty for illegal aliens at the bargain-basement price of 500 bucks to increased family-based immigration to increased employment-based immigration,'' said Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform.

But Silicon Valley activists on Tuesday held a news conference on the steps of the federal building in downtown San Jose to hail the measure.

One speaker, 20-year-old Mayra Salvador of San Jose, broke down in tears as she explained how her undocumented status has prevented her from visiting her dying grandmother in Mexico. A student at Evergreen College who left Mexico with her parents at age 5, Salvador said that unless she is given legal status she will not be able to get a job or financial aid to continue her education.

"Although I was not born in this country, I feel that I am from here,' 'Salvador said. "I grew up here and learned everything that I know. Here is where I first learned to read and write. Here is where I have been given the opportunity to become someone by graduating from high school and attending college.''

Contact Ken McLaughlin at 408-920-5552.

http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_14004792