Utah race stirs calls for a deal on immigration

Houston Chronicle ^ | June 29, 2006 | Gebe Martinez

[Dane]

Utah race stirs calls for a deal on immigration After Bush ally scores a victory in GOP primary, one lawmaker pushes comprehensive bill

By GEBE MARTINEZ

WASHINGTON - With President Bush's immigration policy surviving fierce criticism in a Utah congressional race, lawmakers on both sides of the debate turned their attention Wednesday to finding a compromise on immigration legislation.

Those who oppose Bush's call for immigration reform — which includes a guest worker program and legalization opportunities for millions of illegal immigrants along with tougher border security — saw five-term Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, survive a tough primary challenge after allying with Bush on the issue.

Cannon defeated businessman John Jacob 56 percent to 44 percent on Tuesday after Jacob, an opponent of Bush's immigration plan, tried to make the race a referendum on the issue. Most House Republicans want a bill that calls only for tougher enforcement of immigration laws.

Cannon's victory was celebrated by Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind., who discussed with Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney on Wednesday his plan to tighten borders first and then leave room for consideration for other immigration programs.

He proposes that after two years, illegal immigrants would have to go home briefly to have their backgrounds and job status checked before being allowed re-entry to the United States. The Senate bill does not require most of the 12 million illegal immigrants to go home.

Pence said Cannon's victory indicates that "those of us who are calling for tough border security measures in some kind of a comprehensive bill can know that we're standing on a sure foundation of support among Republican voters."

White House spokesman Tony Snow, noting Cannon's win, said Americans want comprehensive reform. "The president remains determined to get all of the pieces addressed at once in legislation, and not to do it piecemeal, but to have comprehensive reform," he said.

But Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who formed a group that targeted Cannon for defeat, said the primary nonetheless showed that immigration is a tough election-year issue. "If it takes the president's participation in a safe Republican district to get elected, he's got a lot of work cut out for him," Tancredo said.

House Majority Leader John Boehner of Ohio declined to say whether House Republicans would compromise their "enforcement only" stance for "enforcement first."

And House leaders said Cannon's win adds no momentum in the House to Bush's immigration policy. "The vast majority of our conference believes that strengthening our border, securing it and enforcing our laws are critical steps in the process of cleaning up the problem that we have," Boehner said.

[Arizona Carolyn]

They have a great Sheriff in Laredo and he runs a tight ship. He is on Television quite a lot these days saying he is concerned the violence in Nuevo Laredo will spread to his area and he won't be able to handle it with his budget and staff.

[Tribune7]

Then maybe it won't turn out like Philly.

[curiosity]

Spence's "privatized amnesty" is non-starter.

Correction, it's a privatized amnesty with a vacation included!

[mthom]

Youd better get started on your material for attacking Sensenbrenner. He'll be your next target.