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NY Senators Say They Do Support Immigration Reform

Hardbeatnews, NEW YORK, N.Y., Mon. Mar. 6, 2006: New York Senators, Chuck Schumer and Hillary Rodham Clinton have both reiterated that they are in support of immigration reform that will help the millions of undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. {I'd like to help them leave the country}

The reaction from their offices comes following an editorial last week by HBN, questioning the absence of the senators at the John McCain immigration reform rally on February 27 as well as their general stance on the issue.

Jennifer Hanley, a spokesperson for Senator Clinton, explained that the senator’s absence at the rally was due to the fact that she was in Amsterdam, NY at a seniors’ health forum on February 27 and later in the day, she was in Albany, NY, addressing the New York Conference of Mayors.

But Hanley stressed that, "Senator Clinton strongly agrees with Senators McCain and (Ted) Kennedy that our current immigration system is badly in need of reform.”

Additionally, Hanley explained that the senator has yet to sign on to the Secure America Act bill because, “While there are provisions of their bill that she supports, theirs is one of several proposals, some of which have merit and some of which raise serious concerns.”

She did not elaborate on the concerns but added that, “Senator Clinton looks forward to the Judiciary Committee’s deliberations in the coming weeks to see if they can craft a bill that continues our American commitment to welcoming immigrants and properly provides for our homeland security.”

Meanwhile, Risa B. Heller, press secretary for Senator Schumer, explained that the senator was in Washington on the 27th, putting forward a bill against the Dubai Port deal in the Senate. But she stressed that the senator “has long been a supporter of fair and balanced immigration reform.”

“Though he has not signed onto any bill yet in the Senate, he looks forward to working on legislation that will secure our borders, provide a path to earned citizenship and rationalize the flow of legal immigration that is the lifeblood of our city, economy and nation,” Heller stated.

Their comments come as the Senate’s Judiciary Committee, on which Schumer also sits, gets ready to work on a full immigration bill that could be presented for a vote in the full House by March 27. – Hardbeatnews.com