Thread: Lindsey Graham: Comprehensive immigration plan needed

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Article published Sep 27, 2006

Graham: Comprehensive immigration plan needed
Dalia Hatuqa, Washington Correspondent

WASHINGTON -- U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Tuesday urged Congress to steer away from piecemeal immigration solutions and adopt a comprehensive plan that would pave the way for illegal immigrants to eventually get citizenship.

Graham, R-S.C., declined to say whether he will vote against legislation to erect a border fence.

Surrounded by religious leaders and other senators at a Capitol Hill news conference, Graham said a narrow bill that only addresses border enforcement will not solve the root cause of the immigration problem. The measure, already approved by the House, would erect a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border.

"The law regarding immigration is a joke," he said. "(Immigrants) come here for a better life. We have allowed them to come by looking the other way."

Graham said that a large number of undocumented immigrants didn't enter the country illegally through the border, but overstayed their visas.

"You have to do more than border security," he said. "(You must) reform the laws."

In contrast, South Carolina's other Republican U.S. senator, Jim DeMint, already has said he favors an approach to immigration reform that would secure the borders first.

"If there's one thing the American people have made clear, it's that they want our borders secure," he said. "They want to be secure in our homeland."

With the pre-election campaign recess looming, GOP lawmakers are under pressure to get a vote on some type of immigration bill to shore up support from the Republican base for the Nov. 7 elections.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist set up a possible vote by attaching legislation setting guidelines on detainee treatment that the president wants passed to the fence bill. The Senate could vote on the combination bill as early as Friday.

Despite his opposition to a piecemeal approach to immigration reform, Graham would not say how he would vote on the border fence bill.

Instead he said that while national security was a priority, comprehensive immigration reform was crucial. His message was echoed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and Ken Salazar, D-Colo.

Salazar said House approval of three immigration bills last week is a piecemeal approach to immigration that would be futile.

The House legislation would criminalize border tunneling, give local and state governments the authority to enforce federal immigration laws and allow for the detention of certain immigrants longer than six months.

Those measures had been included in a larger House bill passed in December that also would make felons of undocumented workers and those who employ or help them.

In contrast, the Senate immigration reform bill, passed in May, includes a guest worker program. House critics of the Senate version called it too lenient on illegal immigrants.

The two versions have been in Congress for the past year but efforts to reconcile them have stalled.

Graham supports strengthening U.S. borders but also wants to see illegal immigrants get a chance to eventually gain citizenship. He has repeatedly said South Carolina's tourism and agricultural industries have become dependent on the immigrant workforce.

Between 2000 and 2005, South Carolina's immigrant population rose 47 percent, according to the Census Bureau. In Spartanburg County, foreign-born residents made up 6 percent of the county's population, or 16,000 residents.

"We're hoping that the Senate stays tough," said Michele Waslin, director of immigration policy research at the Washington, D.C.-based National Council of La Raza -- a Latino advocacy group.

"We want the Senate to reject the fence bill and the enforcement-only bills," she said. "They are not effective."

Waslin said the fence bill was an election year tactic.

"(The bill) includes a provision that would allow Homeland Security to take all necessary steps to secure the borders," she said. "That's too broad. It gives the federal government license to do anything, which we fear would violate human rights of Americans."

Waslin said she expected Graham to vote against the fence bill.

But others said an enforcement approach is needed. "Guest worker programs have failed to deliver guest workers," said John Wahala, communications director of the Center for Immigration Studies in Washington, D.C.

Wahala, whose research group advocates for the border security approach and limiting the number of immigrants, said the Senate is likely to pass the fence bill.

"The Senate majority leader is taking the temperature of his chamber," he said.

"It seems unlikely that the leader would bring forward this issue if he wasn't confident of its success."

Why don't you let them move into your place Lindsey, you and Ted, My neighborhood is full!!!

How about you take care of your own golf courses you elitiest swine?

I think I've seen this Lindsey Graham in person. It was on a farm, he was inside a pigpen and he was as happy as a lark there.

"The law regarding immigration is a joke," he said. "(Immigrants) come here for a better life. We have allowed them to come by looking the other way."

First of all there is sufficient evidence that many, many illegals are not here "looking for a better life", they are here looking for their next victim.

Second of all "WE" have not allowed them to come by looking the other way, YOU did!

At this point I wouldn't care if Lindsey Graham went to the border and built the the entire 700 mile fence all by himself.......if I were a South Carolinian I still wouldn't vote for him.

"The law regarding immigration is a joke," he said. "(Immigrants) come here for a better life. We have allowed them to come by looking the other way."

You're absolutely right, the Senate has looked the other way. Don't pretend to assume ALL AMERICANS have been looking the other way. Many people have been attempting to get something done in regards to the illegal immigrant problem for years.

Sen. Graham, another bought politicians!