This is usually code for the Senate Republicans have either caved in again or we've all been betrayed by McCain.
Posted on 04/06/2006 8:33:43 AM PDT by STARWISE
WASHINGTON - In a last stab at compromise, Senate Republicans and Democrats reported progress Thursday toward agreement on legislation opening the way to legal status and eventual citizenship for many of the 11 million immigrants now in the U.S. illegally.
"There's been tremendous progress overnight," said Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, the Democratic leader, while Majority Leader Bill Frist also expressed optimism that a long-sought compromise might be at hand.
There was no immediate reaction from President Bush, who has made immigration legislation a key priority.
The developments occurred after Frist unveiled a new bill late Wednesday night on the subject as the Senate headed into a test vote on the most sweeping immigration bill in two decades.
In general, the legislation would provide for enhanced border security, regulate the flow of future immigrants into the United States and settle the legal fate of the estimated 11 million men, women and children already in the country.
It was the fate of the illegal immigrant population that proved hardest to legislate, and it has left the Senate on the verge of gridlock for days.
(snip)
Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., as well as other key senators met before the vote to review terms of a proposed compromise.
In general, it would require illegal immigrants who have been in the United States between two years and five years to return to their home country briefly, then re-enter as temporary workers. They could then begin a process of seeking citizenship.
Illegal immigrants here longer than five years would not be required to return home; those in the country less than two years would be required to leave without assurances of returning, and take their place in line with others seeking entry papers.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Both McCain and Kennedy are on board.
This doesn't sound so bad so far. I just hope that the amendment to refuse citizenship to those who have committed felonies passes.
Why do I feel as if we've just been sold down the river? Again.
BOHICA!
Total BS. Amnesty!!!!
The president will make an announcement at 12:30 supportive of the bill.
President Bush will make an announcement at 12:30PM to support the Senate bill.
How does it not sound so bad???
What does BOHICA mean?
People here for less than 2 years have to leave. That's a good first step.
Bend Over, Here I Comes Again
Bend over, here it comes again....
Thanks for the info, Peach. I'll keep my powder dry and hope for a pleasant surprise.
Sell out. 1986 repeats itself.
If THEY all agree there is a real devil hidden in the details.
Because you have been sold down the river again? America 2006.
But can't they come right back? I may have missed something.
Another sell out...depressing.
Unacceptable, the GOP will pay for this treachery in November.
Bend Over, Here It Comes Again.
Ditto. Now I'll leave the thread and let people argue among themselves. LOL
From a thread that got pulled a minute ago: "So far I've only heard that illegal immigrants here less than 2 years have to leave."
That humming sound you hear are the bogus document printers warming up.
this is all just a waste of time and taxpayers' dollars...
we don't need any new bills,
what we need is for GWB & the DOJ to start enforcing the laws already on the books.
What I heard is there is no guarantee they can come back. And if we do real border enforcement, hopefully they won't come back illegally.
This is going to backfire on the Washington lawmakers.
People are fed up. Not just in the border towns but in the midwest, CA and up in ME.
Idiots!!
Sovereignity lost. Ilegals have greater political power than those citizens supposedly enfranchised with the right to vote.
This phrase always makes my nerves a little queezy.
A - M - N - E - S - T - Y ..... Which, when translated means,,,, I'm changing to the CONSTITUTION PARTY.
THIS STATEMENT ALONE SAYS ONE THING TO ME: AMERICA IS SCREWED! AMERICANS GET SCREWED! ILLEGALS WIN! ILLEGALS GET TO STAY! ILLEGALS ARE NOW LEGAL! ILLEGALS CONTINUE TO GET FREE MONEY, FREE HEALTH CARE, AS LEGALS! AMERICA IS DOOMED! TERRORISTS WHO ILLEGALLY GOT INTO THE COUNTRY CAN NOW BE HERE LEGALLY TO BE TERRORISTS! IN OTHER WORDS, AMERICA GETS YET ANOTHER BIG SHAFT FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS OF COMMUNISTS.
So, the longer you've broken the law, the more we're going to reward you?
Please explain to me how that isn't insane?
Also, explain how they are going to verify how long an illegal has been in this country?
Maybe some more belly-achin' would fix it... yes... that might work.
An amnesty by another name. BOHICA.
"Badges? We don' need no steenking badges!"
"If THEY all agree there is a real devil hidden in the details."
Details? The devil is on the very face of the bill- every illegal alien who came here more than 2 years ago gets to stay. And those who have been here less than 2 just need to make a visit to their friendly neighborhood forgerer to get documents showing they've been here long enough.
This is worse than just making them all legal because we're going to have massive document fraud making our laws look like the jokes they are. I'd rather they just be honest with the people that they are selling out the country.
So those that have been breaking the law LONGER, get a pass??
My head hurts.
"A - M - N - E - S - T - Y ..... Which, when translated means,,,, I'm changing to the CONSTITUTION PARTY."
Oh, no if you do that then Hillary we get elected. We have bend over and compromise every bit of integrity we have if our party is going to survive as a viable entity.
It looks like what I wrote in an earlier post on April 1st, '06 has come true. This is what I wrote:
You could require that all workers produce an ID card similar to a credit card for employment. Such a card would be furnished in Mexico; requiring that all Mexicans travel home for the proper documentation. That would cost us nothing. The database derived from such documentation would be forwarded to the United States. Criminals would not get cards.
For the majority of Mexicans, we are not talking long travel times--three hours max. We would set a deadline for all workers to get cards. The bottom line is that no employer could hire a worker without the card.
With the card, the employer tabs in the card number over the phone for worker verification. Any terminated cards would forbid the worker from being hired. With the card you could track where they are working, make them pay income taxes, control voter data bases and set an expiration date which would force all card holders to undergo a naturalization process within a certain deadline--five years, for instance.
Anyone who commits a felony would have their card terminated. The card would have lots of power. With the use of the card, the game would be over for the idea that if you could get enough people to beat the system, you could overload the system. This system would be managed by a simple database system much like what is already used in the membership systems in such retail outlets as Costco. There is no overload of the system. You simply have to get the card to operate in the United States.
Mexico would have to comply with this system. Their economy is dependent on the money these workers send back to Mexico. If Mexico wants that economic inflow, it will cooperate in implementing the system.
Unless there is a severe punishment for businesses that hire the (still) illegals here under two years, why would they leave? Why would they go home to maybe not come back?
This is crap.
This is only acceptable if we seal our borders first so that we can actually control whether these invaders come back in later.
Illegal immigrants here longer than five years would not be required to return home; those in the country less than two years would be required to leave without assurances of returning, and take their place in line with others seeking entry papers.
So, if I steal a car and hide it for five years, do I get to keep it now? ALL illegals should be forced to return home to reapply for entry. Entry should only be allowed AFTER our borders are under control. This proposed part of the immigration bill is a form of amnesty and I am steadfastly opposed.
You mean the more successful criminals get a "get out of jail free" card?
Nice, I'll apply that to paying my taxes.
Also, ICS can't keep up with their workload now. The GAO said there is rampant fraud...and this is going to work with millions of people?
I've got a bridge in Arizona if you're interested.
Then now I know we are in trouble.
They have no idea about the depth of the outrage...
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.