Senate Hearing in Miami

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Miami hearing will focus on armed forces
As immigration hearings opened in San Diego and Philadelphia, plans are announced for the first Florida session -- in Miami.
BY LESLEY CLARK
lclark@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON - The national debate over immigration is about to move to one of the nation's most immigrant-rich cities: Miami.

Sen. John Warner, R-Va., said Wednesday he will hold a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing Monday in Miami as the House and Senate hold dueling hearings across the country in a tussle over divergent proposals over how to rewrite U.S. immigration laws.

The hearings are pointedly aimed at swaying public opinion, and Warner -- who voted for Senate legislation that includes a path to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants -- said the Miami hearing will focus on ``contributions of immigrants to the U.S. armed forces.''

''Yesterday, on July Fourth, a number of service members performing their duties in Iraq were given the oath of citizenship,'' Warner said. ``This serves as a reminder that, throughout our history, immigrants have joined all branches of our armed forces, and in many instances have served with great distinction and valor.''

The Senate in May passed a bill that calls for comprehensive immigration reform, but the House -- which had passed enforcement-only legislation in December -- opted to forgo negotiations for now and hold public hearings. The Senate responded with hearings of its own.

The Miami hearing gives backers of comprehensive reform a chance to showcase Sen. Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who helped write the Senate bill and warns fellow Republicans that they risk alienating a growing group of Hispanic voters by enacting enforcement-only legislation.

The hearing will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in the Chapman Conference Center at Miami Dade College's Wolfson Campus, 245 NE Fourth St., in downtown Miami.

Warner will be joined at the hearing by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and other committee members.

Martinez and Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson, a member of the Armed Services Committee, are expected to attend.

Witnesses will include Marine Gen. Peter Pace, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; David Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Emilio Gonzalez, director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the Department of Homeland Security; Alfred Rascon, a Medal of Honor winner and former director of Selective Service; and Margaret Stock, associate professor of constitutional and military law at the U.S. Military Academy.
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