http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/14760867.htm

Posted on Wed, Jun. 07, 2006


Sessions fights proposed compromise immigration bill


Associated Press

WASHINGTON - Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions continues his outspoken views on the immigration debate underway in Congress as lawmakers in the House and Senate try to hammer out a compromise bill. The Mobile Republican yesterday released an updated analysis on the Senate legislation that passed May 25th.

The analysis shows that the current measure would increase legal immigration by almost 300 percent of today's rates. He said that translates to 53-point-one (m) million green cards by 2026. Sessions compares that to the 18-point-nine (m) million allowed by current law.

He also predicts 80 percent of those allowed under the bill to be low-skilled or family based immigrants from 2007 to 2016. Session said after that the number would jump to 85 percent.

President Bush says he remains optimistic that Congress can agree on an immigration compromise. At the same time, he acknowledges getting a House bill limited to enforcement reconciled with a Senate measure that includes a guest worker plan will be hard work.