Thread: Our Opinion: Best chance at reforming immigration

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/index.php? ... 05b4_edits

Our Opinion: Best chance at reforming immigration



A bipartisan immigration reform bill introduced in both houses of Congress represents the best opportunity yet to achieve real, comprehensive immigration reform.

The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act has the support of two Senate heavyweights - John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. In the House, it is supported by Jim Kolbe and Jeff Flake, both Arizona Republicans, and Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.

Previous immigration reform efforts have been doomed because they were undertaken by one party only. Other bills have tried to deal with only narrow aspects of the multifaceted immigration issue. This bill corrects both deficits and is an honest recognition of the problem.

There has been hope for immigration reform since President Bush said it is one of his major concerns. But Bush has been disappointingly slow to say what he is looking for, and nothing has happened.

Under the bill, people now in the United States illegally could come forward and apply for a work visa. Workers would have to pay a $1,000 fine and submit to background checks. Visas would be valid for up to six years.

At the same time, those workers and others not in the country could apply for green cards allowing them to remain in the United States and work permanently.

The bill works to toughen enforcement at the border and in the workplace.

At the border, there would be increased technology, anti-smuggling initiatives and other steps to reduce illegal immigration. And other countries - most notably, Mexico - would be encouraged to be partners by promoting more economic opportunities at home for their own citizens.

In the workplace, employers could check a potential employee's status electronically. Employers would be required to use the system, and there would be stiff fines for knowingly hiring someone in the country illegally.

There will be opposition from those who want illegal immigrants deported immediately and required to return home to obtain a visa. But that is impractical. The goal is to encourage illegal immigrants to come forward and be part of the system so we know who is in this country and can check their backgrounds.

If this bill is to have any hope of passage, it must be aggressively backed by Bush. His support has been tepid, with a spokesman saying only that the president "is glad to see this contribution to the discussion on immigration."

Bush should embrace this bill and work vigorously to obtain its passage. It is a major step in the right direction.

Send your responses to letters@tucsoncitizen.com

Fat chance!
jp, you are kidding aren't you. McCain-Kennedy bill, hahahahahaha.

Butterbean, not my Opinion, this is the papers. That is why I probvided the email address to the editior. So folks can let them know what they think about this article.

I sent a Letter to the Editor of the Tucson Citizen opposing McCain Kennedy Bill. Everyone do the same!!

A bipartisan immigration reform bill introduced in both houses of Congress represents the best opportunity yet to achieve real, comprehensive immigration reform.

BEST OPPORTUNITY TO ACHIEVE.................AMNESTY
Let's get real here, ok? OK
it's
COMPREHENSIVE AMNESTY for MILLIONS

Yep....and they are reporting that it is only 10,000,000 when I believe it is 50,000,000 and growing rapidly.

JP: Thanks for supplying the address for the TUSCON CITIZEN. I sent them two scathing letters-to-the-editor; one about Senor McCain and the other about Senator Chappaquiddik. I've worked for a lot of newspapers and magazines over the years and I can tell you this: Don't under-estimate the power of letters-to-the-editor. Even if they don't print your letter. If an editor gets 10 letters about a subject, he often uses that to gauge how the other half-million readers feel about it.

Acebackwords, Precisely. I love them newspaper folk. They are not all owned by giant corporations yet are they?