Thread: Senate Set to Slug It Out Over Immigration Bill

Senate Set to Slug It Out Over Immigration Bill

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB ... in_tff_top

By SARAH LUECK

WASHINGTON -- The Senate faces a contentious debate next week on immigration, with backers of a compromise overhaul bill hopeful it will hold up.

The landmark immigration bill, the outcome of talks between congressional leaders and the White House last month, has stirred deep passions on both sides. During a recess last week, many senators' offices were bombarded with phone calls, emails and visitors critical of the legislation, while supporters organized their own postcard drives, rallies and opinion pieces in local newspapers.

The measure would tilt policy toward immigrants with skills, lay out a path for illegal immigrants here to gain citizenship and beef up border security.

Next week, the Senate is set to vote on more than a dozen amendments, including ones aimed at allowing more relatives of immigrants to join them in the U.S. and making it harder for illegal immigrants already here to gain legal status.

Some of the changes, should they pass, could be detrimental to the fragile compromise bill, which may come to a final vote at the end of the week or the following week. Still, business groups, immigrant-rights advocates, Senate aides and administration officials say the legislation has momentum.

"If we don't get there, the reality is pretty ugly," said Commerce Department Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in a briefing Friday. "Ultimately, I believe logic will prevail. It will pass the Senate, it will pass the House...there will be a bill on the President's desk."

In a further sign that passage is expected, business lobbyists and others seeking changes in the bill already were starting to make their cases in the House, which would take up the issue after Senate passage. The Bush administration was pushing hard for a top business priority: increasing the number of laborers who would be allowed in each year under a new temporary-worker program.

It remains to be seen whether discussions with constituents during the break shook any senators' support for the deal. Many of those most closely involved in negotiating the compromise were prepared for vociferous criticism.

"Clearly the reception to the immigration bill is mixed," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), in an email. Her office has received tens of thousands of emails, letters and postcards on the issue. She said there are "large numbers of people who are supportive" and another group "strongly opposed."

Republican Sen. Johnny Isakson, one of the negotiators, said about two-thirds of the people from his home state of Georgia who have contacted him are supportive or have misconceptions about the bill that can be cleared up. The rest are strongly opposed and "don't want to talk about it," he said. He said he won't decide whether to vote for the bill until the end of the debate.

Some of the proposed amendments would mean big changes. One from Sens. Barack Obama (D., Ill.) and Robert Menendez (D., N.J.), would eliminate after five years the merit-based system created under the bill to decide which future immigrants would become permanent residents. Many Democrats have criticized the system for shifting too much emphasis away from family ties in favor of high-demand job skills and advanced education.

But the merit system, for many Republicans, is a central part of the bargain.

Democrats also will have to fend off challenges to what many consider the most important part of the bill: a legalization program for most of the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. An amendment from Sen. John Cornyn (R., Tex.) would expand the types of crimes that would bar those immigrants from gaining the legal status created in the bill. Critics say Mr. Cornyn's proposal is overly broad and would greatly reduce the pool of applicants.

Mr. Cornyn, who has been critical of the bill, said immigration "overwhelmed every other issue" brought up by constituents as he toured his state during the recess. "They don't think Washington is listening to them, and they're very frustrated," he said. "If other members of the Senate are hearing what I'm hearing...I think the momentum is shifting the other way."

Senators haven't been hearing only criticism. In 23 states, the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, an alliance of immigrant-advocacy, religious and labor groups, ran ads, sent postcards and held rallies supporting action. In South Carolina, agricultural-industry groups ran print ads supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from that state who is backing the bill. "Thank you...for being a statesman -- not a politician," the ads said.

An op-ed by the archbishop of Denver appeared in the Rocky Mountain News on Thursday, backing Sen. Ken Salazar (D., Colo.) for his work on the bill. "The compromise is not ideal," wrote the Most Rev. Charles J. Chaput. But it "does push a vital reform process forward."

"If we don't get there, the reality is pretty ugly," said Commerce Department Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in a briefing Friday. "Ultimately, I believe logic will prevail. It will pass the Senate, it will pass the House...there will be a bill on the President's desk."

NO Gutierrez if this bill passes you are going to see UGLY

What is ugly to you Gutierrez? Chertoff doing his Job maybe, you must have heard his threat huh!!!
Don't worry the only way our laws are going to get enforced is to get rid of the problem "Chertoff the incompetent Mr. do nothing"

Senators haven't been hearing only criticism. In 23 states, the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform, an alliance of immigrant-advocacy, religious and labor groups, ran ads, sent postcards and held rallies supporting action. In South Carolina, agricultural-industry groups ran print ads supporting Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from that state who is backing the bill. "Thank you...for being a statesman -- not a politician," the ads said.

Listen up Senators, the people have the power of voting, not business groups and organizations. If you vote to give illegal aliens, legal status, we WILL vote you out of office.

Democrats also will have to fend off challenges to what many consider the most important part of the bill: a legalization program for most of the 12 million illegal immigrants already in the U.S. An amendment from Sen. John Cornyn (R., Tex.) would expand the types of crimes that would bar those immigrants from gaining the legal status created in the bill. Critics say Mr. Cornyn's proposal is overly broad and would greatly reduce the pool of applicants.

tHESE flaming morons actually put in print that they want the POOL OF APPLICANTS coming from CRIMINALS

This is outrageous!!!

Isakson's either deluded or a liar. Take your pick.

My guess is that Isakson is a liar.

note, how the special interests are already lobbying the House. Not too early for us to do this too!

We simply MUST get these people to stop thinking in the vein that "a bad bill is better than no bill." It is not. Once this bill passes, and the illegal immigrants are legally on this soil, it can't be undone. It would likely become a constitutional issue at that point and any effort to change it would engender a challenge that would keep it in the courts for the next several generations.

Our mantra must be to build the fence first. After our borders are secured re-visit the other issues one step at a time.

Originally Posted by Nouveauxpoor

We simply MUST get these people to stop thinking in the vein that "a bad bill is better than no bill." It is not. Once this bill passes, and the illegal immigrants are legally on this soil, it can't be undone. It would likely become a constitutional issue at that point and any effort to change it would engender a challege that would keep it in the courts for the next several generations.

Our mantra must be to build the fence first. After our borders are secured re-visit the other issues one step at a time.

Exactly, Nouveauxpoor!

Senate Set to Slug It Out Over Immigration Bill

http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB ... in_tff_top

"Clearly the reception to the immigration bill is mixed," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), in an email. Her office has received tens of thousands of emails, letters and postcards on the issue. She said there are "large numbers of people who are supportive" and another group "strongly opposed."




Surely, Feinstein recognizes that her state has one of the largest bodies of illegal immigrants in the nation and that fact is reflected in the numbers supporting the bill. She should look at those numbers realistically. I have completely lost my innoccence over how devious these senators will behave to justify their vote for this bucket of trash.

"If we don't get there, the reality is pretty ugly," said Commerce Department Secretary Carlos Gutierrez in a briefing Friday. "Ultimately, I believe logic will prevail. It will pass the Senate, it will pass the House...there will be a bill on the President's desk."

Sadly, it sounds like the passage of this bill has already been predetermined.....