Thread: Nevadans may be key to new push on immigration

Nevadans may be key to new push on immigration
Reid, Ensign are on opposite sides of an issue important to labor, business interests
By Timothy Pratt

Sat, May 30, 2009 (2 a.m.)

Nevada has stood out during four years of congressional efforts to overhaul immigration law because the state boasts several heavyweight supporters of far-reaching changes in the federal system — the Culinary Union and the hospitality industry, in addition to the highest ranking member of Congress.

Nevada is also home of a key opponent of the most significant change backed by those other heavyweights: Republican Sen. John Ensign, fourth in his party’s leadership as chairman of the U.S. Senate Republican Policy Committee, which shapes policy on important issues, including immigration.

He wasn’t as prominent in June 2007, when he opposed the last comprehensive bill that focused on illegal immigration.

Nevada’s other senator, Majority Leader Harry Reid, supported that failed bill, including its key aspect — a path to legalization for many of the nation’s estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants. That provision continues to be the sticking point for Ensign.

The prospect of a potentially decisive face-off between the state’s highest ranking elected officials is not lost on a local coalition of labor unions, nonprofit organizations and immigration lawyers set to launch a renewed push for change Monday.

The effort draws into focus the unique roles of Nevada’s two powerful senators on this international issue and highlights immigration’s importance to the state’s future.

Monday’s announcement in Las Vegas is to include representatives of the 55,000-member Culinary Union and the 11,000-member American Immigration Lawyers Association. About 2,800 members of the lawyers group will be in town next week for their annual convention. Other news conferences are planned for 20 states across the nation, as well, to set the stage for President Barack Obama’s June 8 meeting with congressional leaders on the future of immigration law.

Pilar Weiss, political director of the Culinary, often underscores that Nevada is unique on the national landscape because its main employers and largest union back an approach that includes not just increased border security and expanded visas for workers but amnesty.

A Pew Hispanic Center study estimated that as recently as 2008, Nevada was tops in the nation in the percentage of illegal immigrants in the workforce, with 170,000 workers lacking documentation, or 12.2 percent of the state’s total.

Nevada industry and union leaders embraced the comprehensive approach in the 2007 bill for reasons including keeping families of employees together to ensuring a future flow of employees. Reid, Weiss says, has responded to the will of those constituents.

Ensign’s position, she adds, is “puzzling.â€

Reid is done in Las Vegas. Paycuts of 20% or more are being forced on Americans, while illegal aliens are still working. People are pissed.

It is a well known fact Las Veas casinos hire IA's so why has ICE not asked to see their employment records ? Is ICE complicit in Las Vegases hiring of IA's ? I think so.