REP. KING ZINGS ALIEN 'AMNESTY'
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REP. KING ZINGS ALIEN 'AMNESTY'
By GEOFF EARLE
December 27, 2006 -- WASHINGTON - Retooled immigration legislation that could get a vote in Congress by spring amounts to "amnesty" for millions of undocumented workers, Rep. Peter King (R-L.I.) fumed yesterday.
"I just have no support for this at all," King told The Post. "This is clearly amnesty."
King was responding to word that a bipartisan bill is being prepared for consideration by the new incoming Congress.
According to a Senate Democratic aide, Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) have already opened "preliminary" discussions with two House members over the revised legislation. Negotiators are considering scrapping a complicated proposal that would require an estimated 7 million illegal immigrants now living in the United States to jump across the border before returning to apply to become citizens.
That provision would also mean that illegals in the country for less than two years would not be guaranteed a slot in a guest-worker program.
Congress also may nix a border fence that many conservatives say is needed to stop the flow of illegals.
Legislation to build the fence passed Congress and signed by President Bush this year. But it hasn't been fully funded, and can be amended by a new law.
Most Democrats oppose the fence, as does Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, who prefers a "virtual" fence in some areas.
But conservative Republican opponents of easing the path to citizenship for illegals lost major clout in the elections. "The fact that the Democrats are controlling Congress will definitely make it easier" to pass, said King.
But Democrats in conservative districts won't be "enthused" about supporting a bill that could be a political liability, he said. "The dynamics have certainly changed for the better!" crowed the Senate Democratic aide.
Critics said the original Senate bill is unworkable because of its provisions based on how long illegal immigrants have been in the United States.
Many illegals don't have the documentation to establish which provisions would apply to them.
