Sen. John Cornyn to meet with S.A. leaders about immigration
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Sen. John Cornyn to meet with S.A. leaders about immigration reform bill
Web Posted: 06/17/2005 06:05 PM CDT
Gary Martin
Express-News Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON – Sen. John Cornyn will meet Saturday with San Antonio leaders to discuss his proposed immigration reform bill, including a provision giving employers access to a database to check the legal status of potential employees.
Cornyn, R-Texas, is holding roundtable discussions with local officials, interest groups and educators in San Antonio, Austin and Houston as he prepares comprehensive legislation to overhaul the existing immigration system.
"These are people who we want to hear from. This isn't an echo chamber,'' said Don Stewart, a spokesman for the senator in Washington.
Cornyn and Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., said they will file their bill later this month.
The San Antonio roundtable will be held at the University of Texas San Antonio.
Participants include representatives from the city, Bexar County, local lawyers and local law enforcement agencies, the North American Development Bank, SER Jobs for Progress, health care providers and banks.
In Austin, participants include the Texas Farm Bureau, the Texas Department of Health, the city of Austin and the National Federation of Independent Business.
Cornyn met with Houston leaders on Friday.
The senators previously released details of a provision calling for $5 billion to hire 10,000 new Border Patrol agents and 1,000 customs inspectors over the next 10 years.
The employee verification section of the proposed bill would give employers access to a national data bank to check on a prospective employee's immigration status, a measure that has been met with opposition from minority rights groups.
Cornyn said his bill would also include a guest worker provision, although that portion of the bill is still being written.
President Bush has called on Congress to pass legislation that would match willing employees with willing workers and provide protections to undocumented immigrants who risk their lives to enter this county along the 2,000-mile border with Mexico.
A guest worker program is opposed by key Republicans on the House Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, who vow to clamp down on illegal immigration and restrict the number of immigrants entering this country.
Immigrant rights groups also oppose a guest worker programs that don't provide a reasonable path to citizenship for those entering this country to work and enter the labor market.
Democrats and advocates for Hispanic rights have backed a bill by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass. Their bill would create a guest worker program leading to eventual citizenship, as well as granting legal status to undocumented immigrants in this country now.
gmartin@express-news.net