Eight senators negotiating immigration reform reach agreement on path to citizenship
Eight senators negotiating immigration reform reach agreement on path to citizenship
By John Mariani | jmariani@syracuse.com The Post-Standard
on March 11, 2013 at 1:50 PM, updated March 11, 2013 at 1:51 PM
The eight Republican and Democratic senators working on immigration reform have agreed in private on a pathway that some 11 million illegal immigrants could take toward citizenship.
The group, which includes New York Democrat Charles E. Schumer, has been meeting behind closed doors to craft an immigration reform bill, but aides familiar with the talks gave the Los Angeles Times the details of the proposed pathway to probationary legal status:
"... the bill would require illegal immigrants to register with Homeland Security Department authorities, file federal income taxes for their time in America and pay a still-to-be-determined fine. They also must have a clean law enforcement record."
Achieving probationary legal status would allow immigrants to work. It would not let them receive federal public benefits, including food stamps, family cash assistance, Medicaid and unemployment insurance, the Times reported.
The Times said the senators still must resolve questions such as how long illegal immigrants would have to wait before they apply for permanent resident status and how many visas to issue to guest workers with desired skills.
They also are considering how to pay for beefing up border security.
In a separate article, the Times reported that current and former border authorities questioned whether current security measures are sufficient. While the flow of illegal immigrants across the Mexican border appears to have slowed, critics contend that may be due to a lack of jobs in the U.S. because of the recession.
The senators had hoped to have a draft ready by Congress' Easter break but it now looks like it may take until April to get answers to technical questions and compile cost estimates.
The other Democrats in the group beside Schumer are Michael Bennet of Colorado, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois and Robert Menendez of New Jersey. Its Republican members are Jeff Flake and John McCain, both from Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and Marco Rubio of Florida.
The plan appears to match the framework laid out by President Barack Obama and supported by Rubio, Washington Post blogger Jamelle Bouie said. But, Bouie added:
It’s still too early to say if something like this will pass. Democrats, who want a comprehensive immigration bill, are likely to support the gang of eight’s proposal. The problem lies with Republicans, who are divided."
While some Republicans and conservatives remain skeptical that support for immigration reform will result in more votes from the Latino community, other Republicans mulling a White House bid "are eager to pass something," Bouie said.
"So Republicans may end up agreeing to the emerging framework — which would be a real breakthrough for the chances of passing real immigration reform, albeit less ambitious than liberal supporters might like."
What do you think about the eight senators' pathway toward citizenship? Please leave a comment below.
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Gang of Eight Report Progress on Illegal Alien Status
By United Press International March 11, 2013 12:27 pm
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Senators developing a bipartisan immigration reform bill say they've agreed on how to give legal status to the 11 million illegal immigrants already in America.
An aide said the bill would require illegal immigrants to register with the Department of Homeland Security, file federal income taxes, pay an as-yet undetermined fine and have a clean law enforcement record, the Chicago Tribune reported Monday.
Once they have probationary legal status, immigrants would be allowed to work but would be barred from getting federal public benefits, including food stamps, family cash assistance, Medicaid and unemployment insurance, the aide said.
The Gang of Eight's draft largely aligns with President Barack Obama's call that a path to earned citizenship be part of an immigration reform package.
Immigration advocates expressed guarded optimism about a possible breakthrough.
"Nine months ago, people would have thought you were nuts to say that four Republicans and four Democrats were working on a way to legalize 11 million people," Angela Kelley, an immigration expert at the Center for American Progress, told the Tribune.
The length of time illegal immigrants would have to wait before they could apply for permanent resident status and eventually become citizens is still up in the air, the Tribune said.
The delay for permanent resident status likely could be at least 10 years, aides said.
Also unresolved are such issues such as the number of visas that should be issued to high-tech and other guest workers, how to track visitors' departure, and how to pay for more border patrol officers, fencing and other security measures, the aides said.
The bipartisan group had hoped to have a finished bill available for consideration by the Senate Judiciary Committee before the Senate takes its Easter recess March 22.
However, aides told the Tribune that remaining issues require more technical advice and cost estimates that could delay delivery until early April.
Members of the group are Republican Sens. John McCain of Arizona, Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, Marco Rubio of Florida and Jeff Flake of Arizona and Democrats Sens. Charles Schumer of New York, Dick Durbin of Illinois, Robert Menendez of New Jersey and Michael Bennet of Colorado.
» Gang of Eight Report Progress on Illegal Alien Status » News -- GOPUSA
