McCain, Kennedy team on immigration plan
McCain, Kennedy team on immigration plan
Mike Sunnucks
The Business Journal
Arizona Republican Sen. John McCain is working with Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., on a wide-ranging immigration reform package that could include a guest worker program, expedited processing of backlogged visa and green card applications and a pathway to legal status for undocumented workers already in the U.S.
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McCain and Kennedy's offices say the effort is still being finalized.
But Roll Call editor Morton Kondracke writes that the McCain-Kennedy plan will have a way for illegal immigrants already in the U.S. to obtain legal employment status and citizenship.
Kondracke said in a recent column that the proposal allows law-abiding, working undocumented immigrants who pay a fine and go through a background check to apply for green cards and perhaps citizenship.
That proposal will run into opposition from conservatives in Arizona and nationally who vehemently oppose any immigration measures that smack of amnesty for illegals already in the U.S.
Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl and Texas Sen. John Cornyn are also working on their own set of changes that will include tougher border security and immigration law enforcement including against employers who illegally hire undocumented migrants.
Valley Congressmen J.D. Hayworth and Trent Franks joined other conservative Republicans in a Thursday letter to congressional leaders opposing any "amnesty" and immigration amendments to an $81 billion supplemental spending package for Iraq and Afghanistan.
McCain's work with Kennedy on the immigration front comes on the heels of the senior Arizona senator formulating guest worker plans with Arizona U.S. Reps. Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake (both Republicans).
McCain is also considering a run for president in 2008.
McCain's immigration effort could gain backing from Hispanics as well as business interests in Arizona and nationally who favor guest or temporary worker programs. The move could hurt McCain with conservatives who already differ with the maverick senator on other issues, including campaign finance reforms, oil drilling in an Alaskan wildlife refuge and repeal of estate taxes.
The Arizona Republican was approached last year by Democrats, including presidential nominee John Kerry, and asked switch parties and join their presidential ticket. McCain declined and was a top supporter of President Bush's re-election bid. Bush favors a temporary worker program for immigrants.
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stor ... st=b_ln_hl
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I had hope McCain would run for prez, but now hope he will just crawl back in a hole. :oops:
