Thread: White House Floats Immigration Proposal

White House Floats Immigration Proposal

By DAVID ESPO
The Associated Press
Wednesday, March 28, 2007; 8:29 PM

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration floated elements of an immigration plan on Wednesday that would make it harder for millions of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship than under legislation passed by the Senate last year, according to officials in both parties.

These officials said the administration also suggested barring future guest workers who enter the country legally from bringing family members with them _ a proposal unlikely to survive intact.

The officials spoke on condition of anonymity, saying they were not authorized to discuss about elements of a plan that was not yet public.

President Bush and Democratic leaders of Congress have both pledged to seek a compromise on immigration legislation this year, and the administration's point men, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, sat down in the Capitol with key senators of both parties for an initial meeting.

Efforts to pass compromise legislation last year collapsed when Republican lawmakers objected to a Senate-passed bill that created a path to citizenship for many of the estimated 11 million to 12 million men women and children in the country illegally. Bush spoke favorably of the measure, even making a prime-time televised speech at one point backing a plan to allow millions of immigrants an eventual chance at citizenship as part of a comprehensive approach to the issue.

But conservative critics attacked it as amnesty, and it died last fall when the expiring Republican-controlled Congress adjourned without taking final action.

Administration officials have been meeting privately in recent weeks with key Republicans, including some who opposed the 2006 legislation, in hopes of forging a general agreement within the party.

As described by several officials, the proposal would allow currently illegal immigrants to stay in the United States under a new Z visa. They could apply for so-called green cards, taking their place in line alongside men and women who are in the country legally and want citizenship, and would be required to undergo periodic background checks while waiting.

Immigrants possessing green cards have lawful permanent residency status.

The length of their wait would depend on the number of green cards available _ a feature that officials in both parties said would mean millions of illegal immigrants would have to wait far longer than under the Senate bill of last year. "It takes longer and they've got to go through the same channels as everybody else," said one Republican who had been briefed on the administration's proposal.

Under last year's bill, immigrants in the U.S. longer than five years could apply for citizenship without leaving the country. Those in the U.S. for more than two years but fewer than five would be required to go to a border point of entry, but they could return quickly as legal temporary workers while their citizenship application was pending.

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As described by several officials, the proposal would allow currently illegal immigrants to stay in the United States under a new Z visa. They could apply for so-called green cards, taking their place in line alongside men and women who are in the country legally and want citizenship, and would be required to undergo periodic background checks while waiting.

They just don't get it! Enforce our laws! Make them leave! Don't give them a path to citizenship or a visa card so they can keep hanging on. They are going to turn them illegal aliens with a green cards! Rewards for the criminals!!!!!!!!!

Do they think we are stupid or something?

Dixie

As described by several officials, the proposal would allow currently illegal immigrants to stay in the United States under a new Z visa.

I don't think so!

Dixie wrote:

Do they think we are stupid or something?

They may think we are stupid, but I think they are insane...it just getting sillier and sillier! Z cards, green cards, here and have to leave, here and get to stay. Can someone make sense of this for me!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it's a stupid shell game! They keep spinning hoping we won't catch on.

I think their drinking that cool aid again!!

As described by several officials, the proposal would allow currently illegal immigrants to stay in the United States under a new Z visa.

Cool! A new Zorro Visa.





Everybody is going to want one!

Very cool CountFloyd!

I think they are tryin' to wear us down, confuse us til we throw up our hands in despair!!! Not gonna work!

Yes, I agree olivemyboy.

The bill has hundreds of superfluous pages of filler material and endless tweaks on existing laws. Burying the details in even greater complexity creates more problems than are solved.

Simply enforcing the existing laws would deal quite well with about 90% of the problem.

Be suspicious - very suspicious.

Phred wrote:

Simply enforcing the existing laws go deal quite well with about 90% of the problem.

Be suspicious - very suspicious.

You betcha, it's simply suspicious because they won't simply enforce the law.

I wish someone on our side would write a immigration bill for a change, wouldn't it be nice to see what it would look like!!