Thread: Dissension strains immigration coalition

Dissension strains immigration coalition
Lawmakers' deal could fall apart as both parties try to get provisions changed

http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a ... -1/LOCAL17

May 19, 2007

WASHINGTON -- The fragile coalition that produced this week's immigration deal risks being picked apart by forces across the political spectrum as the measure begins moving through Congress.

Lawmakers want to revise key elements, such as letting millions of illegal immigrants stay in the U.S., favoring skills and education over families and setting out the terms of a new temporary-worker program.

Any one of the changes has the potential to sink the whole measure, which was unveiled with fanfare Thursday but was still being drafted late Friday.
Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, who helped negotiate the compromise, called it "very well-balanced" and cautioned against revisions that could upset the framework.

"You take something out and you're creating a problem throughout the system -- you may think that you're only tweaking one part," Gutierrez said in an interview. "We've got to be very careful as to what is proposed to change."

As the White House and proponents in both parties began laboring to sell the agreement to the public, interest groups launched elaborate efforts to alter major pieces of the complicated proposal.

"We're going to fight like mad to fix the parts we don't like," said Tom Snyder, the national political director of UNITE HERE!, a service workers union composed largely of immigrants.

Senate leaders huddled privately to plot strategy for next week's debate, which is likely to feature Democratic efforts to kill or substantially shrink the temporary-worker program and Republican attempts to prevent illegal immigrants from staying indefinitely in the U.S. without applying for permanent residency or citizenship.

Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he doesn't know whether the measure can make it through the Senate.

Liberal activists who call the measure a good start but object to major parts have "a couple of bites at the apple" to change it as it makes its way to President Bush's desk, said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum.

"It's been hatched in the backroom at the 11th hour. It's now going to be debated in the light of day," Sharry said.

If they don't succeed in reshaping it, the groups that have been among the strongest proponents of an immigration overhaul might desert the deal.

"We're not sure that our support for moving forward will continue to be support if the bill that approaches the finish line has these kind of problems in it," said Cecilia Munoz of the National Council of La Raza.

There's broad agreement on some elements of the plan, such as improving border security and workplace enforcement and allowing some way for the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants to earn a path to citizenship.

But the plan's cornerstones are among its most controversial elements.
It would allow the millions of illegal immigrants already here to gain legal status virtually immediately and keep it indefinitely through a new "Z visa" that could be renewed repeatedly. Those seeking permanent legal residence or eventual citizenship would face long waits and have to pay fees and fines, and their heads of household would have to return to their home countries.

Some conservative Republicans want to limit the amount of times Z visas could be renewed.

For the benefit of many of our newest visitors/members...

Remember that, from our perspective: "No bill is better than a bad bill"

Let the dissent run rampant. In the meantime, do more enforcement!


Thanks for posting this Kate. We should watch closely the disparate perspectives which are being played out in the opposition.

I hope their fragile coalition sputters and explodes. Their senate bill is a disgrace to sanity.

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