Thread: McCain, Kennedy Unveil Legal Path For Immigrants

http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... immig.html

Legal path for migrants
McCain, Kennedy unveil sweeping reform bill

Billy House
Republic Washington Bureau
May. 13, 2005 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - Millions of undocumented workers in the United States could come out of the shadows by registering with the government and paying fines or fees of at least $2,000 to begin earning permanent residency under the most sweeping immigration-reform bill in two decades.

The bill introduced Thursday was dubbed the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" by its bipartisan group of sponsors, led by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. It would create a temporary-work visa program for foreigners to fill jobs requiring few or no skills, for up to six years.

The legislation was touted as ensuring tougher enforcement of laws at the border and in the workplace while speeding the process of reuniting immigrant families. In addition, Mexico and other countries would be encouraged to enter into agreements to play a more active role in helping prevent illegal immigration into the United States, including promoting more economic opportunity back home.

House sponsors Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, and Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., joined McCain and Kennedy on Thursday in casting the legislation as a comprehensive approach to immigration reform and national security.

They also said they believe it is consistent with the broad principles that President Bush said he'd favor in a temporary-worker plan to "match willing employers and willing workers" from other countries. In fact, Bush has offered few specifics for what he wants in such a proposal.

Immigrant advocates and some business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said they welcomed the measure as a broad approach to immigration reform that goes beyond the piecemeal efforts of the past.

But the legislation faces an uncertain future because of stiff opposition from groups that want tighter immigration controls - including many Republicans who hold a majority in the U.S. House - and that oppose giving legal status to people who've entered the country illegally.

There is, however, widespread recognition in Congress that the current immigration system is broken, despite disagreement over priorities.

"I want an immigration system that says we're not going to look for people who come to mow our lawns, and wash our dishes and clean our babies' behinds and raise them. Those aren't the people we're concerned about," Gutierrez said. "We're concerned about drug dealers and smugglers on our borders."

But Arizona Republican Rep. J.D. Hayworth, who supports tighter controls on immigration, criticized the bill as a "bad idea not only because it creates a transparent path to amnesty, but also because it would reduce work opportunities, depress wages and lower worker protections for Americans."

"I believe that when the disturbing details of this proposal are considered, Congress will see the light and join the overwhelming majority of Americans that want the federal government to enforce our present laws against illegal immigration," Hayworth said.

Bush administration spokesman Taylor Gross on Thursday offered no clue as to how the new bill was being received at the White House.

"The president is glad to see this contribution to the discussion on immigration," Gross said, though he added, "We understand a number of other members are working on proposals, as well, and we look forward to working with members of both parties to pass a bill that meets the president's principles."

McCain assured that the measure "is not, I repeat, NOT, an amnesty bill," noting that, "The reality is there is an estimated 10 (million) to 11 million undocumented people living and working in this country. It would be impossible to identify and round them up and send them back to the countries from which they came."

Insisted Kennedy: "This bill does not provide a free pass to anyone. This bill does not put those who have been illegally here in the United States at the front of the line."

The legislation aims to enable undocumented workers to come forward to apply for one of two new visas - called an H-5B - for work status as a "non-immigrant."

Under this visa, they could not only work in the United States for up to six years, but also could travel abroad.

To obtain this status, workers would have to submit to fingerprinting and other background checks, pay processing fees, back taxes and a $1,000 initial fine. The worker's spouse and children also could apply.

After six years, the worker would be limited to five more years to make it through the waiting list for a green card.

To eventually apply for this permanent resident status, the worker also would have to pay an additional $1,000 fine, undergo more criminal checks and a medical exam, register for selective service, and work to become proficient in English. The spouse and children also could apply for permanent status.

The bill also would create a new temporary visa to allow foreign workers to enter the country, dubbed a H-5A visa. All applicants would have to show they had a job waiting for them and pay a fee of $500, in addition to clearing all security, medical and other checks. These visas would be "portable" to other jobs, and the total number of applicants initially would be capped at 400,000 annually. Employers who apply for foreign workers would first have to advertise those jobs on a national electronic database and give priority to U.S. workers.

Under the bill, a new visa document would be tamper-proof and include biometric information. The system would allow employers to verify electronically that a foreign worker is in the country legally and authorized to work.

Any employer who participates in the program would be required to use this system; the measure would bring stiff fines on employers knowingly violating immigration labor laws.

It also calls for a commission that would evaluate the impact of the legislation on the U.S. labor market

"We need a plan that fairly balances national security, economic reality and worker protections, and I think our bill comes pretty darn close," Flake said.

Added Kolbe: "This is a comprehensive bill that doesn't try to solve the hemorrhaging immigration problem with a Band-Aid. This is major surgery."

McCain said he was optimistic that the Bush administration would work with lawmakers on the immigration proposal and that there would be hearings on it this year.

There was no immediate reaction from Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., who with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is expected to introduce his own bill by the end of the summer to make it easier for foreigners to work in the United States temporarily. But they oppose making it easier for those who already are in the country illegally to gain permanent residence.

Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrant advocacy group, said, "This bill will reconcile the fact that we have hardworking immigrants already here and coming in the future, but insufficient legal channels.

"This bill gets the combination of admissions and enforcement just about right. In contrast to the status quo, it will mean honest admissions policies, tightly enforced," he said.

Randal Johnson, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits, said the nation's immigration and visa policy "must improve our nation's security, address future labor shortages through a temporary-worker program and provide a reasonable mechanism for undocumented workers already here to qualify for legal status."

"While some significant issues remain to be resolved, this legislation meets those principles," he said.

But Jack Martin, special projects director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates improved border security to stop illegal immigration, said, "There's an amnesty component to this, whether they want to call it that or not."

Reach the reporter at billy.house@arizoanrepublic.com or at 1-(202)-906-8136.

This is AMNESTY, PERIOD! America is being sold out to foreigners.

Millions of undocumented workers in the United States could come out of the shadows by registering with the government and paying fines or fees of at least $2,000 to begin earning permanent residency under the most sweeping immigration-reform bill in two decades.

I knew this was all about the money. McCain and Kennedy would rather fine illegals instead of deporting them. Question is what if the illegals said no we're not paying no stinkin fine? Would they still be allowed to stay in the country? Or would the queens of surrender just throw up their arms and say oh you win, go about your business? What's this crap about coming out of the shadows? Why would we want criminals coming out of the shadows? I don't want them coming out of the shadows. I don't want them to feel comfortable or welcomed in this country. Being in the shadows is where criminals belong.

The bill introduced Thursday was dubbed the "Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act" by its bipartisan group of sponsors, led by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. It would create a temporary-work visa program for foreigners to fill jobs requiring few or no skills, for up to six years.

Secure America? What a joke. I just love it when they try to paint an amnesty bill as something that will be good for America. That's like saying we are going to make the streets safer by emptying the prison population. I mean come on here. Who do they think they are fooling? Bipartisan support? Where? I don't see it coming from the American people either conservative or liberal or independent. Oh you mean from one Democrat and one wannabe Democrat who are both traitors to their own nation. We'll you know there is no honor amongst thieves.

Why do we need foreigners to fill low skilled jobs when we have enough able bodied citizens on welfare who could do it for a fair wage?

The legislation was touted as ensuring tougher enforcement of laws at the border and in the workplace while speeding the process of reuniting immigrant families. In addition, Mexico and other countries would be encouraged to enter into agreements to play a more active role in helping prevent illegal immigration into the United States, including promoting more economic opportunity back home.

This is nothing more than window dressing. Like Tom Tancredo once said, no matter how many times you try to put lipstick on a pig, it's still a pig. They haven't seriously enforced immigration laws in 40 yrs so why would we believe that they would do this after yet another amnesty is past? I love how they said that they would encourage Mexico to play a more active role in helping to prevent illegal immigration. That's a laugher. Why would they do this? They have been encouraging invading our country for decades now and why would Mexico stop this if they know we aren't going to be serious in stopping this? Why would Mexico want to encourage more economic opportunity for their own people if they know it's much more easier to just dump their people on us and continue to have their people send billions of dollars back home? That's like watching a criminal committ countless number of felonies and instead of punishing him according to the law, instead you just merely encourage him to not do it again. What do you think the criminal is going to do?

Reuniting immigrant familes? Oh you illegal alien families. So in reality instead of this being an amnesty for 10 million illegals, it's going to be an amnesty for about 50 million? How is this going to be regulated without their being a huge back log? How is this not going to be racked with massive amounts of fraud? This amnesty is a bigger joke then AG jobs.

House sponsors Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, and Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., joined McCain and Kennedy on Thursday in casting the legislation as a comprehensive approach to immigration reform and national security.

Comprehensive? Why don't we have some comprehensive deportations instead? What a concept. I fail to see how rewarding lawbreakers is a benefit to national security. Then again I suppose that these empty suits/skirts thought it was a benefit to national security when 19 hijackers were allowed to overstay their visas and committ their heinous attacks on 9-11. I suppose they believe that giving blanket amnesty to illegal aliens back in 86 which allowed an illegal alien to committ the first WTC bombing back in 93 was great for national security. I wonder if this amnesty will be eligible to be given to illegal alien gang members and drug peddlers. Hey we can't have national security without having a bunch of them running around.

This is comprehensive alright. It's a comprehensive joke and America is the punchline.

They also said they believe it is consistent with the broad principles that President Bush said he'd favor in a temporary-worker plan to "match willing employers and willing workers" from other countries. In fact, Bush has offered few specifics for what he wants in such a proposal.

Why hasn't Bush come out with a plan that would match willing workers who are American citizens with willing employers who will hire them at a decent livable wage? Maybe it's because those willing employers are only willing to hire at a third world wage because they don't want anything to hinder their billionaire status.

Immigrant advocates and some business groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said they welcomed the measure as a broad approach to immigration reform that goes beyond the piecemeal efforts of the past.

All traitors to their country. Another question begs to be asked here. When they say some business groups, why won't they identify who those business groups are? Don't they want America to know that they blatantly hire illegal aliens?

"I want an immigration system that says we're not going to look for people who come to mow our lawns, and wash our dishes and clean our babies' behinds and raise them. Those aren't the people we're concerned about," Gutierrez said. "We're concerned about drug dealers and smugglers on our borders."

Shut your trap you reconquista chump. You act like these illegals are the only ones who are capable of doing these jobs. Who were doing these jobs before they showed up? Typical reconquista doubletalk, unless they are known criminals or terrorists, let em all in.

Bush administration spokesman Taylor Gross on Thursday offered no clue as to how the new bill was being received at the White House.

"The president is glad to see this contribution to the discussion on immigration," Gross said, though he added, "We understand a number of other members are working on proposals, as well, and we look forward to working with members of both parties to pass a bill that meets the president's principles."

Typical chump that doesn't want to take a stand, but just merely wants to pass the buck to avoid taking responsibility. Way to be a leader chump stain.

McCain assured that the measure "is not, I repeat, NOT, an amnesty bill," noting that, "The reality is there is an estimated 10 (million) to 11 million undocumented people living and working in this country. It would be impossible to identify and round them up and send them back to the countries from which they came."

Oh there you have it. It's settled. McCain said it's not an amnesty and there's no way we can round them up and send them home so we should just believe what he says, tuck our tail between our legs and go home happy. This revisionist traitor fails to learn from history. History lesson folks:

When word of the Minuteman Project reached Mexico, a decision was made by someone (or a lot of people) not to confront them. They knew the Minutemen were serious, whereas the American government was not. Something similar happened back in 1955 when President Eisenhower deported more than a million Mexicans (Eisenhowers Operation Wetback). Word got out that the United States wasn't going to tolerate illegal immigration. "It is a simple matter of demonstrating that we are serious about enforcing our laws, and that includes building a huge barrier system, and they will simply stop coming," said Glenn Spencer of American Patrol. The Minutemen should be proud he added.

So doesn't that right there blow McCains false claims right out of the water? I think so.

Insisted Kennedy: "This bill does not provide a free pass to anyone. This bill does not put those who have been illegally here in the United States at the front of the line."

This is an outright lie, but not surprising from a man who got away with murder, literally. How can the media allow this piece of crap to get away with making statements like this that are obviously and blatantly false? I bet if legal immigrants had a choice to either pay a $2,000 fine or fill out countless amounts of paperwork and wait 10 years or more to get into the country, gee what do you think they would pick? This is nothing more than a slap in the face to anyone who's ever obeyed the law and tried to play by the rules.

The legislation aims to enable undocumented workers to come forward to apply for one of two new visas - called an H-5B - for work status as a "non-immigrant."

Non-immigrant? Political Correctness apparently has no boundaries.

Under this visa, they could not only work in the United States for up to six years, but also could travel abroad.

So in other words we'll never be rid of them.

To obtain this status, workers would have to submit to fingerprinting and other background checks, pay processing fees, back taxes and a $1,000 initial fine. The worker's spouse and children also could apply.

I bet they'll be allowed to use their phony matricula consular cards in order to be processed to.

After six years, the worker would be limited to five more years to make it through the waiting list for a green card.

So what if they don't make it, will they be sent home? Doubtful. I love how McQueen and Chappaquidick claim this isn't an amnesty, but yet their bill defines amnesty to a T.

register for selective service

HAHAHA do you think these criminals will lay themselves on the line to serve this country? They won't even work to save Mexico, why would being in America be any different? In fact I don't want these criminals watching my back anyway.

The bill also would create a new temporary visa to allow foreign workers to enter the country, dubbed a H-5A visa. All applicants would have to show they had a job waiting for them and pay a fee of $500, in addition to clearing all security, medical and other checks. These visas would be "portable" to other jobs, and the total number of applicants initially would be capped at 400,000 annually. Employers who apply for foreign workers would first have to advertise those jobs on a national electronic database and give priority to U.S. workers.

This is more window dressing. How are they going to prove that businesses are playing by these rules if they don't even enforce the rules on the books for businesses now? I've yet to hear of any businesses outside of Walmart being busted over the last three years. Has anybody else?

Under the bill, a new visa document would be tamper-proof and include biometric information. The system would allow employers to verify electronically that a foreign worker is in the country legally and authorized to work.

Of course, just legalize them all and nobody will be illegal.

Any employer who participates in the program would be required to use this system; the measure would bring stiff fines on employers knowingly violating immigration labor laws.

Another useless law that won't be enforced.

It also calls for a commission that would evaluate the impact of the legislation on the U.S. labor market

Great another inept bureaucracy that will pump out propaganda at Jorge's whim. More tax dollars down the drain.

"We need a plan that fairly balances national security, economic reality and worker protections, and I think our bill comes pretty darn close," Flake said.

Added Kolbe: "This is a comprehensive bill that doesn't try to solve the hemorrhaging immigration problem with a Band-Aid. This is major surgery."

In other words they are saying we need to be FAIR and COMPASSIONATE to the illegals and the crummy businesses that blatantly hire them. The reality you stupid FLAKE is that illegal aliens are ruining our country. They are bending us over both on an economic and security level. Illegals are stealing our jobs, depressing our wages. We have illegal alien gangs, drug peddlers and criminals running the streets, outnumbering the cops on a local, state and federal level. They are overcrowding our jail cells and detention centers. They are leaving a trial of destruction and despair everywhere they go. They are sucking our system dry of social services. They are leaving us in trillions of dollars of debt. The giant sucking sound can be heard throughout the nation. You Flake boy are aiding and abetting the process. How can you and your cohorts look themselves in the mirror or sleep at night knowing full well that you are scamming the public? I guess it's easy when your a bloodsucking vampire that doesn't see his/her own reflection in the mirror. May god have mercy on your souless bodies.

There was no immediate reaction from Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., who with Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, is expected to introduce his own bill by the end of the summer to make it easier for foreigners to work in the United States temporarily. But they oppose making it easier for those who already are in the country illegally to gain permanent residence.

Gee is that the goal here. Flood congress with as many amnesty bills as they can so that there is too many to count in hopes that one will sneak through congress without notice. This is sad. After 9-11, after all these protests especially from the Minutemen and Hold their feet to the fire, after all the phoning, faxing, emails, etc. What don't these politicans get? We DON'T want amnesty, we want our borders closed, our laws enforced, all illegals deported, a drastic reduction in overall immigration. What part of that don't they understand?

Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrant advocacy group, said, "This bill will reconcile the fact that we have hardworking immigrants already here and coming in the future, but insufficient legal channels.

The only thing illegals work hard at is working the system you moron. There are plenty of legal channels to go through, but bastards like you just want to make it easier and easier for them to be rewarded for circumventing the legal way to do things. Of course coming here legally isn't easy. It's not suppose to be. Apparently there's a reason why we have a legal way of coming here, but some people don't think that the rules should apply to them.

"This bill gets the combination of admissions and enforcement just about right. In contrast to the status quo, it will mean honest admissions policies, tightly enforced," he said.

All lies.

Randal Johnson, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits, said the nation's immigration and visa policy "must improve our nation's security, address future labor shortages through a temporary-worker program and provide a reasonable mechanism for undocumented workers already here to qualify for legal status."

Labor shortages? There is no labor shortage you lying sack of manure. 14 million Americans who can't find a job and would love to have one and probably would have one if it wasn't for people like you who hire foreign criminals to displace them for a cheaper price.

If memory serves we were promised close enforcement of our laws with the amnesty of 86.

I think they need to prove something to the American people. They need to prove that laws will be enforced on a major scale, and with speed, before they dare confront us with something like this new amnesty. Remember the Indians? They were promised this and that and something else and all they ended up getting was a fistful of hot air and captivity. Let's don't allow this to happen again. No MORE concessions to the traitorous government. They need to keep their word. NOW.

We should all write to our legislators today and raise a howl of protest about this bill.

It does not appear that we have yet convinced these grinning buffoons that we the people are SERIOUS. We want immigration reform, we want illegals deported, we want a huge DECREASE in immigration.

There are things that we don't agree about, but I believe we all stand firm on those demands.

RR

We don't want this.....who ARE THESE PEOPLE????

McCain, Kennedy, Gutierrez??? What Three Muskasteer Boat did they just jump off of???

GET THESE BEANHEADS OUT OF OUR GOVERNMENT!!!

We don't want FINES, you MORONS, WE WANT DEPORTATIONS!!!

See guys, this is why we have to be against LEGAL IMMIGRATION as well as ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION for now.

What they are going to try and do is legalize all the illegals so they can say they did something about illegal immigration.

These are all Wolves in Sheeps Clothing....

It's funny really....McCain thinks everyone still likes him and that he has some power....BOY, is he in for a RUDE AWAKENING!!

John McCain, you better get that "limo" gassed up!!!

Does anyone know the # of the bill, other than being called The Security America Orderly By Immig Act of 2005?
Is any group petitioning where I can add my name? I'm hoping nothing has been done on it, except introducing the bill yesterday.

Butterbean...I don't know the bill number either....we need to find it!!

Originally Posted by Judy

Butterbean...I don't know the bill number either....we need to find it!!

I tried the House & Senate Web. I also tried McCains and kennedy's websites. There is nothing.
Funny isn't it?

Yes, it is funny....hmmm....maybe it's a "ruse" to test the waters and it doesn't have a bill number yet....maybe it's just a DRAFT...looking for sponsors. I'll see what I can find on it shortly.

"Solving" the illegal immigration problem by granting amnesty to millions of illegals makes about as much sense as "solving" the crime problem by making rape, robbery, and murder legal. "Gee, whattaya' know, no more crime!" The Kennedy-McCain has got to be CRUSHED. And we have to let them know that anyone that dares to support it is going to be crushed, too. That there will be a heavy price paid. And that we will not forget. This is the battle-line being drawn, ladies and gentlemen. Good ole Teddy Kennedy is about to do to America what he already DID to Mary Jo Kopechne. I read the other day on a post that Bush was "surprised" to find out how much anti-illegal feeling there was out there in America. And anybody stupid enough to touch the wretched Kennedy-McCain bill with a ten-foot pole is going to be in for a big "surprise," too. The telephones are going to be RINGING!