Thread: McCain says his amnesty farce will be out next week

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

McCain says immigrant bill out next week

Susan Carroll and Billy House
The Arizona Republic
May. 6, 2005 12:00 AM

Sens. John McCain and Edward Kennedy plan to unveil their bipartisan plan for sweeping immigration reform next week, setting up what could be a raucous summer of debate over whether to allow some undocumented foreign workers in the United States to apply for permanent residency.

Other key provisions of the measure include tightening enforcement of immigration laws, stemming the flow of illegal immigration and penalizing employers who ignore hiring laws.

"We intend to introduce a comprehensive immigration-reform bill because we believe that any real control of immigration has to be addressed in a comprehensive fashion," McCain, an Arizona Republican, said Thursday during an appearance with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff at the U.S. Border Patrol station in Douglas.

In Washington, Democrat Kennedy's spokeswoman Laura Capps confirmed that the Massachusetts senator plans to join McCain in announcing the bill at the U.S. Capitol next week.

"It's a complicated issue, and a lot of people have strong opinions," Capps conceded of the anticipated battles ahead. But, she added, "I know we'll have a lot of support from other lawmakers, from both parties."

Neither senator has yet publicly outlined details of his proposal.

But advocates for immigrants as well as proponents of tougher immigration laws who say they have talked with McCain and Kennedy staffers expect the measure to include:


• A program to allow some undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for several years, have jobs and pay taxes to remain in this country with renewable visas that also could put them on a path toward earning permanent residency. Those immigrants would be required to register for the program and pay a fine or fee.


• A plan to improve regulation of the future flow of undocumented migrants into the country.


• A mechanism to expedite visas for the spouses and children of legal immigrants.


• An enforcement system that would have more teeth in it, including fines for employers who hired foreign workers illegally.

There are an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.

President Bush has asked Congress to pass legislation that would make the country's undocumented foreign workers eligible for renewable three-year visas allowing them to remain in the United States. Bush says such a program would benefit undocumented foreign workers and employers and improve border security.

But he has offered few other specifics for his plan, which he first floated in January 2004.

The McCain and Kennedy bill would join a raft of reform bills already proposed or being planned, at a time when many conservative lawmakers insist that providing undocumented workers a pathway to citizenship amounts to amnesty for lawbreakers and is something they won't support.

Immigration reforms taken up in Congress this session thus far have focused more on toughening border security and enforcement.

That includes a Senate and House agreement this week to attach the "Real ID" provisions, new national standards for states to meet in issuing driver's licenses, to a bill for additional military spending in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The House passed that supplemental spending measure Thursday, and the Senate is expected to take it up next week.

But Michelle Waslin, director of immigration policy at the National Council of La Raza, said many lawmakers from both parties also have acknowledged that a more comprehensive approach needs to be taken on immigration reform, beyond tightening border security and immigration enforcement.

Because of that, she said that the timing for what McCain and Kennedy propose next week is good and that "their bill is a perfect transition after the Real ID."

Angela Kelley, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum, another immigrant advocacy group, added that any comprehensive reform of immigration laws will need significant support from both parties to pass. She said that is why many view McCain's teaming with Kennedy on a plan as having a greater chance of success than other efforts.

Kelley also said recent floor debates in Congress have reflected that there does exist wide agreement that the immigration system is broken and that many lawmakers know it's time to address the issue beyond just tightening the border.

"The president would be smart to at least give this a hug, I think," Kelley said of the McCain-Kennedy effort.

But not everyone agrees, and tough going for the legislation is predicted.

Dan Stein, president of the Federation of American Immigration Reform, a group that advocates improved border security to stop illegal immigration, called the anticipated McCain-Kennedy proposal an "amnesty bill" and said that "the best you can say about it is that it'll be the only thing less popular than Bush's Social Security plan."

"Why should we conform our immigration laws to the will of lawbreakers who've been willing to crash the borders?" Stein asked.

Boy these clowns learn nothing from nothing do they?

Sens. John McCain and Edward Kennedy plan to unveil their bipartisan plan for sweeping immigration reform next week, setting up what could be a raucous summer of debate over whether to allow some undocumented foreign workers in the United States to apply for permanent residency.

Other key provisions of the measure include tightening enforcement of immigration laws, stemming the flow of illegal immigration and penalizing employers who ignore hiring laws.

Where have we seen this before folks? Oh yeah lets give them amnesty now and then close the borders and enforce the laws later. Horse Huey. We know they won't enforce the laws after the fact. They did this in 86. They lied to us then and they're lying to us now.

"We intend to introduce a comprehensive immigration-reform bill

Comprehensive = Amnesty. I've heard this snake-oil far too many times to be fooled by it.

"It's a complicated issue, and a lot of people have strong opinions,"

No it's not a complicated issue. The laws state that illegal entry into our country is a federal crime, the proper term is illegal alien and the proper punishment for an illegal alien is deportation. What is so complicated about that?

"I know we'll have a lot of support from other lawmakers, from both parties."

What about support from the American people? Do we matter anymore? Don't answer that board viewers.

• A program to allow some undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for several years, have jobs and pay taxes to remain in this country with renewable visas that also could put them on a path toward earning permanent residency. Those immigrants would be required to register for the program and pay a fine or fee.

So McCain and Kennedy would rather illegals pay a small fine than to deport them. How ridiculous is that?

• A plan to improve regulation of the future flow of undocumented migrants into the country.

Meaning they want to make it easier for the invasion to continue.

• A mechanism to expedite visas for the spouses and children of legal immigrants.

Meaning more cheap votes for Democrats.

• An enforcement system that would have more teeth in it, including fines for employers who hired foreign workers illegally.

Which will never be enforced.

Because of that, she said that the timing for what McCain and Kennedy propose next week is good and that "their bill is a perfect transition after the Real ID."

Oh sure, just legalize all illegals so they won't have to worry about those pesky drivers license rules.

dman, I couldn't have said it better myself...What a crock this supposed legislation would be.

Hoist up the battle flag y'all...we're in for great donnybrook.

RR

I hope this one goes down in flames.

"It's a complicated issue, and a lot of people have strong opinions," Capps conceded of the anticipated battles ahead. But, she added, "I know we'll have a lot of support from other lawmakers, from both parties."

Two of most despised Senators in my book....does she really think that one is a Democrat and the other a Republican.....McCain is a RINO.

The other thing both have in common is they both left their first wives when they were having problems.

McCain's wife lost her leg in an automobile accident while he was in the POW camp, and she didn't want to let him know to add to his burdens. So what did he do when he got out, he divorced her.

Teddy's wife was an alcoholic, but people that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.

A program to allow some undocumented immigrants who have been in the United States for several years, have jobs and pay taxes to remain in this country with renewable visas that also could put them on a path toward earning permanent residency. Those immigrants would be required to register for the program and pay a fine or fee.

The INS makes aliens ineligible for visas or admission into the United States that have a communicable disease, have a physical or mental disorder and behavior associated with the disorder, drug abusers or addict, convicted of a criminal act, have committed a violation of (or a conspiracy or attempt to violate) any law or regulation of a State, the United States, or a foreign country relating to a controlled substance, an alien convicted of 2 or more offenses, an illicit trafficker in any controlled substance, an alien who is coming to the United States to participate in prostitution, any alien who has engaged in a terrorist activity, a member of a foreign terrorist organization, any alien who is a stowaway is inadmissible, an alien who is not in possession of a valid unexpired immigrant visa, reentry permit, border crossing identification card, or other valid entry document, any alien who has been ordered removed, aliens unlawfully present after previous immigration violations, unlawful voters, and the list goes on.


Under the current federal laws that are not enforced, "illegal aliens" are precluded from entry into the United States.


why doesn't Congress pardon "legal citizens" for taxes owed and relinguish liens on citizens property?

We don 't need no steenking amnesty (or badges).

I have a novel idea.
Why don''t we just enforce our laws?????