Thread: Senate passes Sessions' immigration bill

March 14, 2008
Senate passes Sessions' immigration bill

WASHINGTON -- The Senate passed Sen. Jeff Sessions' measure Thursday that would toughen laws on immigration, add funding to complete more fence along the Mexican border, increase the National Guard presence on the border and train more local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws.

"This Senate has repeatedly voted on issue after issue after issue that would move us to a lawful system of immigration but for one reason or the other those votes have not been translated into action or funding," said Sessions, R-Mobile. "As a result, we have not made the progress we should have made."

Sessions tacked his amendment onto the budget resolution, a non-binding bill that lays out the fiscal priorities of the federal government. His amendment also would include funding to expand a program that arrests and imprisons all people convicted of illegally crossing the border and deportation of illegal immigrants who are convicted of felonies.

Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., opposed the measure, saying the National Guard is stretched thin serving in Iraq, Afghanistan and handling state weather emergencies. Many provisions in Sessions' bill already have been tried, he said.

"They have not succeeded."

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Tuscaloosa, also voted for the measure, which passed 61 to 37.
-- Gannett News Service
http://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/app ... 009/NEWS02

This sounds like GREAT NEWS, but what happens now?
Does the bill go to the House, or will it be sent to committee for another 2 years?
Will this bill survive as is or will it be watered down, or be declared unenforcable?

I hope congress concentrates on getting this amendment passed and see to it it is ENFORCED.Congress passes immigration bill after immigration bill but then the laws are not enforced.

If this amendment does pass then there would not be a need for the SAVE Act which gives businesses 4 years to comply with not hiring IA's law already on the books instead of being held accountable NOW as they should be.

Sessions bill is I believe the Senate version of the SAVE Act in the House....either way...this is VERY, VERY GOOD NEWS. Immigration reform didn't occur b/c the Senate stubbornely insisted on including amnesty for illegal aliens. Nothing came from the Senate w/o amnesty and that is the sole reason it d/n pass. Now, there is no reason not to support this bill....it doesn't contain amnesty and any Senator who opposes it ...looks like a big fool b/c this is all about enforcement and border security and law enforcement....who is against that? I'm excited that we have two strong bills in both the Senate and the House. No wonder LA RAZA is just rabid about it.

Can someone clarify if this was the US Senate or was it the Alabama Senate???

Originally Posted by Texan123

Can someone clarify if this was the US Senate or was it the Alabama Senate???

U.S. Senate

This is very good news!!!

You know, if Jeff Sessions doesn't have a fan club, he really should because the guy is a rock star.

I'd love to see him run for prez someday........and actually win too

The problem is the bill will probably be vetod if it did get signed it will never get funded, I applaud Sessions for trying but they are just not serious enough yet, if this was sure to be a done deal every pro illegal group would be screaming right now and it would be all over the news.

Here is the La Raza viewpoint on this -translated. Anyone have more info on the last paragraph? Are they talking about 287g? My town and county applied last year -does this mean we have more of a chance getting it?


Senate approves anti-immigrant amendments

Maribel Hastings | March 13, 2008

Although they have no legal weight, some say that worries supported

WASHINGTON, DC - As part of a budget resolution, the Senate approved several amendments republican listed "anti-immigrant", including one that sets mandatory minimum sentences (including prison) who are convicted of illegally crossing the border.

Another Republican amendment reduced by $ 670000 funding for the Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (EEOC) present claims against policies that promote the use of English only. Its author, Lamar Alexander, Tennessee Republican senator, said that the amendment is intended to avoid the "balkanization" of the United States.

Although it must be made clear that the budget resolutions passed last night that both houses of Congress have no weight of law, pro-immigrant groups categorized by concern that the amendments have been approved in the Senate.

It is a prelude, they say, of what can anticipate the rest of the election year and there is always the possibility that some of the amendments are realized.

Denotes how, especially the Republicans, are still trying to exploit the immigration issue for political purposes, especially in an election year, told La Opinion Clarissa Martinez, an analyst with the National Council of La Raza (NCLR).

For example, in 61-37 vote, the Senate adopted the amendment by Senator Alabama Republican Jeff Sessions, which groups six elements, among others, to expand Operation Streamline the 20 sectors border processing imposing mandatory minimum sentences and those who cross the border illegally. Currently, crossing the border illegally is a misdemeanor the first time and a subsequent felony.

The Sessions amendment also calls are completed 700 2006 6000 National Guardsmen on the southern border, and provides funds for training and to be reimbursed to state and local police agencies that cooperate with the federal government in the conduct of migrant work.

Sessions noted that the Senate has approved measures to implement laws that they are not implemented because they are not allocated funds, but that it is time to show more than words to implement immigration laws.

But according to Martinez, "the manoeuvres of the Republican senators are directed to the political aspect, continue to fuel the anti-immigrant segments of the Republican electoral base."

"It is worrying that a vote has been so high, but we must also understand that it is not yet a law and we are confident that these efforts to be heavy-handed measures that do not solve the problem are being put at risk," added Martinez .

In fact, although the Senate approved the amendment by Sessions, also approved the amendment 53-45 vote in the Democratic Senator from New Jersey, Bob Menendez, which, among other things, creates a reserve fund for border security and the implementation of laws inside the country.

But adds that you should go to the magnet of the problem: employers who contraran undocumented which increases the civil and criminal penalties against employers who knowingly hired undocumented.

The Senate also approved an amendment to the Republican senator from North Carolina, Elizabeth Dole, which increases the memoranda of understanding between the federal government and states to the local police and lead estales migrant work.

Geeez that was hard to read but yes "Fedup" I do believe I heard that is the 287g program, I watched part of the Senate last night.

What shocked me was the Menendez amendment, he must be getting alot of pressure form his state.