Posted on 05/17/2007 11:38:49 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
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WASHINGTON -- The compromise immigration plan unveiled Thursday by a coalition of Republicans and Democrats offers the best prospect for congressional action on the explosive issue this year — perhaps for several years to come.
But the attacks from both left and right that met the proposal suggested the latest push for change, although representing a potential breakthrough, could again end in a stalemate. At the very least, the criticism showed that the bill's supporters would need to do a lot of arm-twisting on both sides of the aisle.
"This is far from over," Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) said, criticizing as "amnesty, amnesty and amnesty" the provision that provides illegal immigrant workers with a path to legal standing and citizenship.
The provisions on citizenship were by no means the only ones to come under fire.
Among Democrats, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada expressed "serious concerns about some aspects of this proposal, including the structure of the temporary worker program and undue limitations on family immigration."
Reid's statement was referring to parts of the measure that would set out conditions for temporarily letting foreign workers enter the United States, and to changes in the provisions that permit legal immigrants to bring family members into the country.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
This is going to be its biggest wall:
HUNTER EXPRESSES “FIERCE DISAPPOINTMENT” OVER SENATE AMNESTY PROPOSAL
I vow to oppose this legislation supported by Senators Edward Kennedy and John McCain. It provides a vast new immigration benefit to millions of illegal aliens who have broken our laws to live in the United States. I opposed the 1986 amnesty act because of this same reason. It proved to be the draw that we predicted it would be. I am deeply disappointed to see history repeating itself.
This package will confirm to the world that the U.S. does not really mean what it says when it comes to immigration enforcement. As a result of the citizenship benefit included in this legislation, despite the fine print, we will see a stampede across our borders.
This vast new amnesty and expansive guest worker program will surely be ridden with fraud and abuse, and ultimately lead to millions of public-assistance-dependent immigrants.
The Senate’s decision to blatantly ignore the Secure Fence Act signed into law last year and only require construction of 370 miles of fence, as opposed to the 854 miles mandated by the law, is a dramatic failure of this legislation. The San Diego border fence has proven that fencing works. The time has come to quickly implement the Secure Fence Act, not retreat from its mandates.
I believe that this package will result in lower wages for America’s already-struggling families by encouraging the importation of cheap foreign labor rather than investing, developing and growing a domestic workforce that will sustain our economy far into the future.
Amnesty is not the answer. Border enforcement must be first and it must be comprehensive. To do otherwise is to repeat the mistakes of the past. This Senate bill is bad for Americans, bad for our workers, bad for law enforcement and, most importantly, bad for national security. I will fight it. Please join with me.
www.gohunter08.com
Okay, time to push even harder.
B-b-b-b-ut I thought the left was in ecstasy over this! After all, Teddy the K supports it!
Gallegly better be correct. I am only a few miles from Simi.
“neither left nor right happy!!!”
We can only hope it stays that way till REAL consevatives take control.
” Illegal Immigrants Question Senate Deal (Too Harsh)”
What a nation of pandering we’ve become.
Isn’t it something that anyone would even consider what those illegal aliens think? Afterall, they are ILLEGAL. They are here breaking our laws, and they should be lucky to stay at all, yet they still whine it is too harsh. What kind of example is America setting by not even holding to its own laws? Anyone can walk into this country at this point, and they may wind up with a path to citizenship, including terrorists and criminals.
1. Enforce the laws on the books
2. Give state and local officials the power to enforce immigration law
3. Illegals have 90 days to get out of the country many will self deport in 89 days
4. Day 90 confiscate everything from pampers to food stamps, bank accounts lemonade stand roach clip etc...
5. No such thing as anchor baby status yes the child is a citizen but cannot enjoy full rights unless mother and father are also citizens as well.
6. I forgot no medication education or compensation take away the incentive for coming here then they will stay on their side of the border.
7. Make Sheriff Joe Arpio of Arizonia Czar of immigration
If this were something in the private sector, or almost any other federal legislation, an environmental impact statement would be required, and/or a budget/tax ramifications study would be required.
The total cost of this bill will exceed the defense budget for all of the next six years combined.
The processing costs will exceed the ICE, CIS, BP budgets for the next two years.
Medical costs for uninsured legalized illegals will exceed the Medicaid budget for each year.
Wage reductions in illegal-serviced industries will cost workers several hundred billion dollars.
Billions of dollars will be wasted on new computer tracking systems that in the end will not work or not be used.
Upon legalization, millions of illegals will be unionized and press for higher wages. They will not get them, because the corrupt businesses will instead bring in a new batch of lower wage illegals to replace them. The now-displaced legalized illegals (gets confusing, no?) will go on welfare at hugh(FRsic) cost to the taxpayer.
The Social Security system will collapse, as will Medicare.
In 2016, Reps. Jenna Bush and Chelsea Clinton and Sen Ted Kennedy will be introducing the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2016 to grant citizenship to the 40 million illegal aliens in the USA, thereby resolving forever (again) the illegal immigration problem.
In other news of that day, the last two members of the Republican Party in Congress will retire and the government will return to a two party system, the Democrats and the Partia de Republica Socialista.
President Bush, Senators Kyl, Reid, Chambliss, McCain, Specter, Graham, et al., will live in luxurious retirement in gated communities at taxpayer expense. You will be displaced from your job, live in devalued homes, pay outrageous taxes, and if you’re a veteran of the Iraq War see your benefits and VA hospitalization cut to finance the illegals mess that has been created.
Isn’t (wasn’t) this a great country?!
>>B-b-b-b-ut I thought the left was in ecstasy over this! After all, Teddy the K supports it!<<
What’s truly scary about this bill is that those who are upset about it on the left appear to be to the left of Kennedy.
This would be unconstitutional under the 14th Amendment. Sorry.
"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
Nothing?
The 14th amendment, if you read it, applied to slaves and children of slaves, not children of illegals.
I have been a card carrying RNC member over the past few years, but since last year I couldn’t bring myself to continue supporting the party—because of this issue.
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