Posted on 05/09/2007 2:52:35 PM PDT by kellynla
WASHINGTON — Staring down a deadline to make a deal on immigration, Republican and Democratic senators skirmished Tuesday over how to reach their goal of a comprehensive fix of the issue.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., insisted Tuesday that the Senate will begin a two-week immigration policy debate next week even though the bipartisan team scrambling to achieve a deal with the White House has yet to do so — and appears increasingly unlikely to finish its work in the coming days.
"They've had ample time to come up with some type of an alternative," Reid said.
If no deal is struck, he said, he intends to bring up the immigration bill approved by senators last year. If an agreement is reached, it could be substituted for the old bill.
But Republicans criticized the Democrat's insistence on going forward, saying Reid should give the bipartisan negotiators more time to develop a bill palatable both to immigrants' allies and those who favor strong enforcement of laws against illegal immigration.
The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Republican threatened obstruction if Reid re-introduces the bill passed by the Senate last year.
"There may be a filibuster there," Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said Tuesday.
Talks to revive old bill Other Republicans didn't go quite as far but made clear that if their only choice is to vote on last year's legislation, even its GOP authors will vote against it.
"There is no use going to a bill that will not carry the day," said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C. "The only thing that will solve immigration, fix the problem, would be a bipartisan new bill."
Last year's bill is a non-starter for many Republicans in part because it is viewed as more lenient than the proposals under discussion.
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, among the senators engaged in marathon, closed-door talks for two months with White House emissaries, urged Reid to back off his plan.
"The talks are not there yet," the Texas Republican said. "This is a very complicated subject, and if it takes a little more time to get something where we know what the consequences would be, I think we should take more time."
Said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.: "This is far too important to have what is, in effect, an artificial deadline kill the bill."
Graham said he was cautiously optimistic that a deal could be reached, but others engaged in the talks were more pessimistic. Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., assessed the chances as "less than 50-50."
The senators, reluctant to publicly discuss their negotiations, have reached tentative agreement on a plan to give the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants a chance to eventually become citizens.
In a concession to Republicans, legalization wouldn't begin until the government meets goals such as the hiring of more Border Patrol agents and creation of a tamper-resistant identification document.
Illegal immigrants would have to wait up to 13 years to gain legal status under the compromise, which has yet to determine the size of the fines they would pay or whether they'd have to return to their home country to apply.
The negotiators also have reached agreement on creation of a temporary worker program, allocating 400,000 visas annually for foreigners to work in the United States.
ping
So that’s why Harry turned down the invite to the dinner for the Queen..
Contentious issue
“Among the biggest sticking points: Whether to reduce the legal immigration system’s decades-old focus on family reunification in favor of a GOP-backed model of bringing in immigrants with essential skills and education.
Such a move would be opposed by immigrant-rights groups, the Catholic Church and others who insist family reunification should remain central to U.S. immigration policy.
The House has largely been on the sidelines in the immigration debate, awaiting Senate action before taking up its own legislation.
Several conservative Republicans joined by one Democrat, Heath Shuler of North Carolina, cautioned the Senate Tuesday against approving what they termed “mass amnesty on an unprecedented scale.”
Illegal immigrants should be deported, not placed on a path to eventual citizenship, said Rep. Lamar Smith, R-San Antonio.
“Some even want to sell citizenships to lawbreakers to the price of a fine. And I would oppose that,” said Smith, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee.”
No problem congress critters, just use OKLAHOMA’S new immigration laws and your jobs over.
For 1001 time,
We don’t need any new laws...
what we need is ENFORCEMENT of existing laws.
Pay for two walls, one for northern border and one for the southern border and get it done!
And hire enough BP to guard the walls 24/7.
We need both enforcement and a change in the law.
Existing immigration laws allow in far too many legal immigrants whom it would be in our best interest to keep out, i.e. people little captial or education and few marketable skills who merely happen to be related to someone residing here. Existing immigration laws, in other words, are causing us to import hoardes of future democrats.
The statement in the article that republicans are pushing to a move away from family reunification as the primary citerion for awarding new immigrant visas is very encouraging.
But I agree that enforcement should be the priority. We can't even begin to discuss the types of people we want to let in and keep out until we are actually able to keep them out.
Said Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz.: “This is far too important to have what is, in effect, an artificial deadline kill the bill.”
An artificial deadline... Haven’t I heard this somewhere before? /sarc
Patriots. Your taking your eye off the pinata....With Sr. Spector and Don Grahmn invovled....”comprehensive amensty” is at your border...
We should be so lucky.
sw
Yeah, she speaks English. Who cares what she thinks?
No amnesty.....EVER!!
If we import 50 million peasant socialists from Mexico and Central America, this country with its tradition of the rule of law and individual rights is finished. Period!
It looks like ways are underway to kill it. That bill should be used during the next Presidential campaign. Let’s see what people think about this.
ping
BTTT
That's exactly what most of the candidates are afraid to talk about too much, except for their side-stepping use of the word "comprehensive". None of them want to talk about the details of this outrageous bill because they know their base will scream bloody murder.
I see that a lot of churches are now engaged in politics. Shouldn't that affect their status? Some lady was talking about having a lot more churches become sanctuaries for illegals, just like the one in Chicago did. I think the heads of those churches should be arrested for obstruction of justice, and for harboring criminals. I know, I'm just dreaming. LOL
too bad the churches in the country of origin of these immigrants’ didn’t have as much interest as the ones in America...
then we wouldn’t have to take care of other countries’ problems...
all these protesters need to protest at home where their problems originate!
If this insane bill ever gets passed, I have a feeling that millions of illegals will tell the gov to stick it!
No one is enforcing the laws now, so who will enforce them when such a bill is passed?
That's why last year House members had town hall meetings about the Senate bill and that didn't go anywhere. McCain isn't going anywhere either. Where's that fence also?
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.