Posted on 05/17/2007 10:16:31 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON - A bipartisan group of senators reached agreement with the White House Thursday on an immigration overhaul to grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border against new ones.
One of the key negotiators, Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., said he expects President Bush to endorse it.
The deal came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with Bush's Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences.
It set the stage for what promises to be a bruising battle next week in the Senate on one of Bush's top non-war priorities.
This is a breaking news update. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican and Democratic senators huddled Thursday trying to close in on an immigration compromise to grant quick legal status to millions of undocumented immigrants while fortifying U.S. borders against new ones.
A group of lawmakers that has been haggling over the terms of agreement for weeks were reviewing language negotiated Wednesday night in efforts to nail down a deal. Among the final sticking points was a stubborn dispute over how much family ties count toward green cards under a new "point system." The plan prioritizes advanced skills and education levels for future immigrants.
Two of the lead negotiators, Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Lindsey Graham (news, bio, voting record), R-S.C., booked time for Thursday afternoon in the Senate's radio-TV gallery for an announcement.
But Kennedy said some were hanging back as an agreement inched closer.
"There are just some people who don't want to close on this. There comes a time in every negotiation where people have to close," Kennedy said. "Today is it."
Kennedy said Thursday was likely the last chance for a compromise before senators scattered for a three-day weekend.
"The immigration reform legislation has come to a boiling point," Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said just before going into Thursday's meeting. "We've tried to come to a consensus and I think we are very, very close, but every time we grasp it, it eludes a final resolution."
If no deal emerged, Senate Democrats were to vote Monday evening to bring up an immigration measure that passed last year over the objections of most Republicans, who have said they will block it. That would be a highly partisan start to the immigration debate, which divides the two parties and exposes fissures within their ranks.
Even with a bipartisan agreement, the immigration debate could easily devolve into a free-for-all in the unruly Senate.
Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., has said he wants to complete a bill before Memorial Day, and President Bush says he wants to sign one by summer's end.
Two alcoholic man-boys out to destroy the Republic.
Lose in '08! No kidding!! How about:
Conservatives Lose for a generation as 20,000,000 new 'instant citizens' flow at least 60/40 to the Donks in elections.
Republicans lose everywhere as conservatives revolt in anger at the sell out.
Lose the culture war as dumbed down 'lowest common denominator' becomes the rule everywhere, as it has in California public schools.
Lose our language. Press 2 for English.
Lose our culture.
Lose our jobs as there are now 3x more people who can claim 'past historic discrimination' despite the fact they just arrived in the USA to allow them to step ahead of native born non-hispanics. (Affirmative Action).
The GOP losing this election is the LEAST of our problems. They, at least, deserve what they get if they let this attrocity through. We, on the other hand, are being screwed against our will. The polite name for that is 'rape' and it's a pretty good description.
Yeah! Maybe jorge bushamante will veto. Ya think?
What's left remaining won't be for long. When you have politicians like Jon Kyl who run on a no amnesty platform then do a 180 as soon as they're elected I can't see how many will hold out. Why should they and what's the point of it?
Frankly, virtually all the major cities are gone. NY, Chicago, LA and Miami, to name a few, are now dominated by illegals. Electorally, demographically, this is the death knell for the GOP, quite aside from the idiotic internal politics this course represents.
I didn’t vote Democrat in 2006, but I did withhold votes from two Republican nominees for the kind of thinking you expressed here. Of course, it was mathematically meaningless.
Indeed, if this thing is signed into law, I think I will need to arm up in anticipation of Latino-on-White violence. (And guess which one I am?)
I spit on each and every person who voted for this.
Imagine that FR is now tolerant of people going from one thread to another calling for "Impeachment of President Bush" and "Bush is a traitor". Those are very dark days on FR for people like you and me.
There’s a biblical analogy here, but I can’t recall all the details. King Hezekiah was told his country would collapse, but it would be after his own death. Hezekiah was so grateful that the deluge would come after he was deceased.
Unlike every previous immigrant group, they are coming in by the millions every year, are close to their native country, have easy access to every form of media in Spanish, and get Spanish translations for everything, including voting, at the expense of taxpayers.
It’s gotten so bad that if Al Quada managed to nuke our major cities, they’d kill half the citizens of Mexico and Central America.
Not to worry, the GOP has it all planned out. They'll be just enough votes to ram it through but still allow Brownback and McCain to vote no. Then they can say they were vehemently opposed to this travesty but it's time to move on and give the new bill a chance, that is until the next wave of illegals needs amnesty.
I just did that. I am sick of them. This was a back-door deal with the Whitehouse.
Absolutely. It pisses me off when some pundits ONLY focus on National Security as it relates to the border issue. It is MUCH more then that.
Update..
Bush hails deal on immigration reform
JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS - AP
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070517/ap_on_go_co/immigration_congress
WASHINGTON - Key senators in both parties and the White House announced agreement Thursday on an immigration overhaul that would grant quick legal status to millions of illegal immigrants already in the U.S. and fortify the border.
The plan would create a temporary worker program to bring new arrivals to the U.S and a separate program to cover agricultural workers. Skills and education-level would for the first time be weighted over family connections in deciding whether future immigrants should get permanent legal status. New high-tech employment verification measures also would be instituted to ensure that workers are here legally.
The compromise came after weeks of painstaking closed-door negotiations that brought the most liberal Democrats and the most conservative Republicans together with President Bush’s Cabinet officers to produce a highly complex measure that carries heavy political consequences.
Bush called it “a much-needed solution to the problem of illegal immigration in this country” and said, if approved, the proposal “delivers an immigration system that is secure, productive, orderly and fair.”
“With this bipartisan agreement, I am confident leaders in Washington can have a serious, civil and conclusive debate so I can sign comprehensive reform into law this year,” he said in a written statement. Bush planned to make remarks about the bill later Thursday at the White House.
Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, his party’s lead negotiator on the deal, hailed it as “the best possible chance we will have in years to secure our borders and bring millions of people out of the shadows and into the sunshine of America.”
Anticipating criticism from conservatives, Sen. Arlen Specter (news, bio, voting record), R-Pa., said, “It is not amnesty. This will restore the rule of law.”
The accord sets the stage for what promises to be a bruising battle next week in the Senate on one of Bush’s top non-war priorities.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record), D-Nev., called the proposal a “starting point” for that debate, but added that it needs improvement.
“I have serious concerns about some aspects of this proposal, including the structure of the temporary worker program and undue limitations on family immigration,” Reid said in a statement.
The key breakthrough came when negotiators struck a bargain on a so-called “point system” that prioritizes immigrants’ education and skill level over family connections in deciding how to award green cards.
The immigration issue also divides both parties in the House, which isn’t expected to act unless the Senate passes a bill first.
The proposed agreement would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a “Z visa” and — after paying fees and a $5,000 fine — ultimately get on track for permanent residency, which could take between eight and 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first.
They could come forward right away to claim a probationary card that would let them live and work legally in the U.S., but could not begin the path to permanent residency or citizenship until border security improvements and the high-tech worker identification program were completed.
A new temporary guest worker program would also have to wait until those so-called “triggers” had been activated.
Those workers would have to return home after work stints of two years, with little opportunity to gain permanent legal status or ever become U.S. citizens. They could renew their guest worker visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time.
Democrats had pressed instead for guest workers to be permitted to stay and work indefinitely in the U.S.
In perhaps the most hotly debated change, the proposed plan would shift from an immigration system primarily weighted toward family ties toward one with preferences for people with advanced degrees and sophisticated skills. Republicans have long sought such revisions, which they say are needed to end “chain migration” that harms the economy, while some Democrats and liberal groups say it’s an unfair system that rips families apart.
Family connections alone would no longer be enough to qualify for a green card — except for spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens.
New limits would apply to U.S. citizens seeking to bring foreign-born parents into the country.
Wow, the GOP just guaranteed Hillary’s victory in 08.
I don’t think one could keep McCain or Browback from voting for amnesty — they are truly open borders people, and believe the liberal rhetoric.
One thing is for certain. It is definately way more then 12 million
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