Thread: King wants immigration bill without 'amnesty'

King wants immigration bill without 'amnesty'

By Tom Brune
Newsday, June 4, 2007

http://www.newsday.com/search/ny-usimmi ... 4200.story

Washington -- Ardent 'amnesty' foe Rep. Peter King said yesterday he will introduce a bill to counter White House-backed legislation that would give quick legal status and an eventual path to citizenship to the 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States.

King (R-Seaford) along with Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) have made it clear they intend to try to block the sweeping 'compromise' immigration legislation facing debate and a vote in the Senate this week should it make it to the House, as its supporters predict it will.

'It's not going to work,' King said on CBS's 'Face the Nation' yesterday morning. 'And no matter how they try to disguise it, it's amnesty.'

King's spokesman declined to release details of his bill. But it represents a challenge to the sponsors of the compromise legislation to round up the 40 to 80 Republican House members while holding on to the bulk of Democratic representatives to approve the legislation.

The House will take up the immigration measure, one of the most sweeping and controversial in decades, later this month.

In helping lead House opposition to the immigration overhaul, King also rejected President George W. Bush's complaint in a speech Saturday that King and other opponents are using scare tactics to frighten voters.

'If you want to scare the American people, what you say is the bill's an amnesty bill. It's not an amnesty bill,' Bush said. And Sen. Ken Salazar (D-Colo.) yesterday on CBS depicted King and other opponents as being part of 'the radical fringes.'

King objected. 'I have to disagree that this is a radical group,' he said, of the measure's opponents. 'People are overwhelmingly against this bill.'

The legislation crafted by key senators and the White House would give the millions of undocumented immigrants a legal status while they apply for visas. They also would have to pay $5,000 and processing fees, learn English and wait eight years before applying for citizenship.

King said he is not for mass deportation of the millions of illegal immigrants here, a task that bill supporters including Salazar have called unrealistic.

'I'm not talking about deportation,' King said. Instead, he urged that the federal government enforce the current laws and go after workplace violations, and illegal immigrants would begin leaving voluntarily.

Despite claims by its sponsors that the pending legislation boosts border security and toughens immigration enforcement, King complained that it actually weakens security.

King noted that measures passed in the last Congress and signed by Bush called for 700 miles of fencing along the U.S.-Mexican border and 41,000 jail spaces available daily for holding illegal immigrants. But the new bill being debated requires only 370 miles and 27,500 jail spaces.

Bring it on King, give em hell!!! We need some of these guys introduceing other bills with no amnesty, attrition through enforcement. Maybe someont actually read the proposal from the American Legion!!

Yes, We need for some Reps. to introduce some 'in Kenne-Bush's face' bills that is opposite of the Senate amnesty.

Introduce the bill that replicates Mexico's strict immigration laws.

Introduce a bill with enforcement like HR4437 and prevents amnesty ever again in the future.

Introduce a bill constructed in closed door back room talks with U.S. Citizens and Legal immigrants.