Franks, Hayworth join effort to pass border package this year
Valley Congressmen Trent Franks and J.D. Hayworth are joining House Republican leaders to try to get package of tightened border security and tougher immigration enforcement passed before the end of the year.

House immigration efforts are expected to include increased border security measures and tougher sanctions against illegal immigrants, smugglers and employers who hire undocumented workers.

They will likely not include a guest worker program favored by Arizona and national business groups, the Bush administration and U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.
Franks and Hayworth have joined other conservative Republicans on a new measure that includes constructing a security fence along the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border as well tighter visa controls, stiffer fines against employers who hire illegals and more detention beds for those caught unlawfully crossing the border.

A number of California GOP lawmakers, including House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter and U.S.. Rep. Darrell Issa, also are in favor of that bill.

Congressional leaders want to get something done on the immigration front before the end of the year to show voters progress on what is expected to be key issue in the 2006 elections, especially in border states such as Arizona, California and New Mexico.
Franks, who represents the West Valley and Colorado River areas such as Kingman, and Hayworth, whose district includes Scottsdale and Tempe, want to see border security and interior immigration enforcement beefed up before other measures such as a guest worker program are considered.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., has said immigration will be one of the first things taken up by his chamber in 2006. McCain, along with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass, and Arizona GOP Congressmen Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe are pushing a guest worker bill, Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl and fellow Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas favor a get-tough immigration approach that also includes a guest worker component but requires illegals already in the U.S. to return to their native countries and reapply for status

The McCain-Kennedy plan requires the estimated 11 million to 15 million illegals in the U.S. to pay a fine and then reapply for legal status on a separate track from those looking to enter the country.

Critics deride the provision as amnesty for undocumented immigrants already in the U.S.

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