Thread: Supporters of immigration bill guardedly optimistic

Who is answering these questions?

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Posted on Sat, May. 26, 2007

Supporters of immigration bill guardedly optimistic
By DAVE MONTGOMERY
Star-Telegram Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON -- A White House-backed immigration bill remains fundamentally intact after supporters beat back amendments during the opening week of Senate debate.

But will it stay that way when senators resume work June 4?

Here's what to expect as Congress grapples with one of President Bush's top domestic initiatives.

Q. Critics have pummeled the bill. Can anyone claim victory after the opening round of debate?

A. Bush and the bipartisan group of senators who crafted the compromise are guardedly optimistic after the first week. Their goal is to defeat any amendment that could kill the entire bill.

Q. Will the bill pass?

A. The White House and Senate sponsors appear to have the momentum. But opponents hope to regroup during the Memorial Day break. Some senators who lean toward supporting the bill may reconsider if they face opposition from constituents.

Q. When would the Senate vote on final passage?

A. Late in the week of June 4.

Q. If the bill passes the Senate, what happens next?

A. The House, also controlled by Democrats, would go to work on passing a bill before Congress leaves for a monthlong recess in August. The issue would ultimately play out in a conference committee that probably wouldn't start work until this fall.

Q. Will any immigration legislation pass Congress, and will it look anything like the Senate bill?

A. It's impossible to predict whether Congress can deal with an issue as hot as immigration, particularly with the 2008 presidential election ahead. The debate in the Senate is only a first step, and the battle in the House will be just as acrimonious. House leaders have indicated that they'll craft their own bill.

Q. Have there been any significant changes to the bill since the Senate started debate?

A. The most significant was an amendment by Sen. Jeff Bingaman, D-N.M., that cut the guest-worker program from a maximum of 600,000 to 200,000 annually, well below what businesses say is necessary to fill a chronic shortage of low-skilled labor.

Perhaps more significantly, the bill's sponsors say, the amendment eliminated a clause that would have enabled the government to raise or lower the cap on workers to meet future economic needs. Sponsors plan to try to restore the clause after the recess.

Q. What's in store when the Senate returns?

A. One early battle looms over an amendment by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, that would deny legalization to illegal immigrants who have ignored deportation orders or returned to the U.S. after being deported. Sponsors say the amendment's retroactive application would prevent thousands of illegal immigrants from stepping forward, undercutting a core intention of the bill.

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, also a Texas Republican, wants to require illegal immigrants to return home before they can be eligible for Z visas. Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., and several other Democrats are pushing amendments to soften the bill's impact on family reunification.

Key provisions

The Senate bill would:

Enable most of the nation's 12 million illegal immigrants to stay in the country legally under renewable Z visas after paying fines and fees, learning English and passing criminal-background checks.

Allow them to apply for legal permanent residency -- green cards. But they would have to return to their home countries to apply and would have to get in line behind millions of current green-card applicants, a wait of at least eight years. They also would have to pay additional fines and fees.

Provide a temporary guest-worker program for unskilled foreign workers who would be given two-year visas that could be renewed twice. They would have to go home for a year between their two-year stays in the U.S. and would have to leave for good after a total stay of six years. Their immediate families could accompany them for only one two-year stay.

Allow at least a third of future immigrants to be admitted under a new merit system based on factors such as education, skill level and English proficiency. The bill would also pare down family-based immigration by eliminating future visas for certain extended family members such as adult children and siblings.

Require that tough border security and enforcement measures be in place before the guest-worker and legalization programs take effect.

dmontgomery@mcclatchydc.com
Dave Montgomery reports from the Star-Telegram's Washington Bureau. 202-383-6016

http://www.star-telegram.com/national_n ... 15501.html

Provide a temporary guest-worker program for unskilled foreign workers who would be given two-year visas that could be renewed twice. They would have to go home for a year between their two-year stays in the U.S. and would have to leave for good after a total stay of six years. Their immediate families could accompany them for only one two-year stay.

Talk about misinformation! It's three years and before their second three year term is up, they can apply for citizenship. After living in the US for 5 years you can apply for citizenship.

That's a path to citizenship!

SEC. 403. ADMISSION OF NONIMMIGRANT TEMPORARY GUEST WORKERS.

(a) Temporary Guest Workers-

(1) IN GENERAL- Chapter 2 of title II (8 U.S.C. 1181 et seq.) is amended by inserting after section 218 the following:

SEC. 218A. ADMISSION OF H-2C NONIMMIGRANTS.

`(f) Period of Authorized Admission-

`(1) AUTHORIZED PERIOD AND RENEWAL- The initial period of authorized admission as an H-2C nonimmigrant shall be 3 years, and the alien may seek 1 extension for an additional 3-year period.

Dixie

Immigration tests Democrats' unity

By: Carrie Budoff
May 25, 2007 06:10 AM EST

Only eight Democrats and Sen. Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) voted with Kennedy on immigration legislation.
Photo by AP

The biggest threats to an immigration bill spearheaded by Massachusetts Sen. Edward M. Kennedy have come from within: Twice this week, senators from his own Democratic Party were poised to back amendments that could have killed the fragile compromise.

All day Tuesday, Kennedy and his aides worked the phones, urging senators to defeat a proposal from Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) that would eliminate a guest worker program. Republicans and White House officials who negotiated the bipartisan bill did the same.

A similar scramble ensued Thursday. This time, Kennedy single-handedly closed the deal, pressing Sen. Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii) on the Senate floor to switch his vote.

Kennedy won each time — but lost most of his party.

The tallies revealed the deep misgivings among many Democrats over the immigration bill, stoked by a coordinated challenge from labor unions that have found much to dislike in the measure, particularly a program that could bring thousands of temporary foreign workers into the country on two-year visas.

“We demonstrated to them that there is a divided Democratic caucus on guest workers,â€

The White House and Senate sponsors appear to have the momentum. But opponents hope to regroup during the Memorial Day break. Some senators who lean toward supporting the bill may reconsider if they face opposition from constituents.

It's our duty to make sure they get the message. We must simply tell them, if you vote for this bill, I won't vote for you.

What a crack pot way to pass bills for the greatest country on this earth, this is the most pathetic bunch of losers I have ever seen!! How did we end up with so many dumb politicians! Evidentily we have alot of dumb voters.
for instance Byrd is not such a bad guy and I think a real patriot but for crying out loud I'm scared to death the man is going to kick the bucket right before my eyes.
Then we have Kennedy the murderer and his 1986 diabolical amnesty mess who can't even bend over and pick up his pen, it just goes on and on.
All you can do is shake your head and wonder. And what would have happen if this had happen in the next generation I'm not sure most of them know what fighting to keep your freedom is.
Most of them are so busy working they don't even know what is going on or believe it. They have know Idea of why our ancestors left their home countries and came to America. they just take it all for granted like it will be here for ever You know what they say you don't know what you had until you lose it!!



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To everybody out there hanging in the backround yes you!! we invite you to...
let your voices be heard, Its time to get involved, calls, faxes, and e-mails, post at the link below to let everyone know what you are hearing, it helps our leaders to make decisions on what steps to take next. Lets let congress know what real Americans Want!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... c&p=363412

Check out Operation Bring it Home also and get your home towns involved!!

http://www.alipac.us/modules.php?name=F ... ic&t=63288

If anyone can't find information for contacting senators or not sure what to do, just ask, someone will help you, We have lots 0f nice people just waiting to help you!!

HINT: EASY WAY TO HELP OUT.....When you post on another site with good patriotic Americans leave behind a Momentous message, the link to ALIPAC ( http://www.alipac.us/index.php ).
Any donations to help keep ALIPAC afloat will be much appreciated

According to Tom Tancredo, today, the MOMENT that they step out of the 'shadows' and are 'legal' ........they can apply for Citizenship the next day!

Hardly 3 YEARS, according to Tancredo!

LOOPHOLES