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Senate panel vote signals Republican support for immigration reform
The Hill ^ | 05/09/13 | Alexander Bolton

Posted on 05/09/2013 4:16:23 PM PDT by neverdem

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday adopted a substitute amendment to immigration reform legislation with a strong bipartisan margin, signaling which Republicans are most likely to support the bill.

Only four Republicans voted against the substitute amendment, which expands the legislation to 867 pages and increases funding for implementation of reform by $900 billion. It passed by a margin of 14-4.

Sens. Chuck Grassley (Iowa), the ranking Republican on the panel, Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) voted against the substitute, which sponsors characterized as a bundle of technical fixes.

Four Republicans on the panel voted for it: Sens. Orrin Hatch (Utah), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), John Cornyn (Texas) and Jeff Flake (Ariz.). Flake and Graham are members of the Gang of Eight, which crafted the bill.

Hatch has been eyed as a possible Republican swing vote, and his vote Thursday showed he is more sympathetic to the legislation than some of his GOP colleagues.

Cornyn’s vote was a surprising split with Cruz. Cornyn has voted in close alignment with the freshman senator this year, a pattern that political strategists attribute to the possibility that Cornyn could face a primary challenge when he runs for reelection in 2014.

About an hour later, in another sign of bipartisan support for the underlying measure, the panel rejected a Republican proposal that would have required that the border be under effective control for six months before the nation's estimated 11 million illegal immigrants are given legal status.

Graham and Flake voted with Democrats to defeat the proposal in a 12-6 vote.

Grassley, who offered the amendment, said the bill as drafted does not require border security before granting provisional legal status to illegal immigrants. He said he offered the amendment to ensure the nation does not grant a blanket amnesty without securing the southern border, a mistake he says the nation made in 1986.

“I think we’re entitled to make sure because we were so certain in 1986, and we screwed up,” he said. One of the biggest changes in the substitute amendment was that it would increase the funding allocated to implement the legislation from $100 million to $1 billion.

“Our watchword here is to have this bill pay for itself. In other words, we do not want it to incur any costs to the taxpayer, the Treasury or anybody else. That will be a balance. It will be the costs of administering the E-Verify program and the exit-entry visa program, the costs of strengthening the border and the costs of just administering the new immigrants who will be coming here,” said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), a member of the Gang of Eight and a sponsor of the substitute amendment.

Schumer said he was heartened by the early show of Republican support.

“I think they know it’s a good proposal,” he said in an afternoon press conference. “I was very heartened by kind words by John Cornyn and even Ted Cruz on different parts of the proposal.

“There wasn’t too much animus or name-calling or anything else,” he added. Grassley’s amendment would have applied border security strategies to the northern as well as the southern border.

Republicans criticized the bill for not requiring operational border security before putting illegal immigrants on a pathway to citizenship.

“I just want to make clear that there is no border security trigger currently in the bill and what Sen. Grassley’s proposal would [do is] impose an effective trigger to do what we all know needs to be done, and we want done, which is provide operational control of the border,” Cornyn said.

Schumer said creating fully operational control of the entire southern border is virtually impossible, but security can be dramatically increased. “Does that mean if one radar is broken on one part of the border, that you can’t begin legalizing the people who are here?” said Schumer.

“Operational control deals with having a person in each place,” said Schumer. “If you want to have the whole federal budget [spent on] border patrol, you could probably have 100-percent control.”

Schumer said aerial drones could substantially increase border security by enabling law enforcement to pick up illegal immigrants after they’ve traveled as many as 50 miles into the United States.

Earlier in the hearing, the panel approved six Republican-sponsored amendments to improve border security.

The committee also approved on a bipartisan voice vote an amendment sponsored by Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Cornyn to block the creation of a land-border crossing fee.

The Judiciary panel has devoted Thursday, the first day of its mark up to the section of the bill, Title I, devoted to border security.

Advocates on both sides of the debate weighed in on the controversial bill.

The National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council, an organization representing local law enforcement officers, criticized the border-security provisions in the bill.

The group reported that illegal border crossings have soared in anticipation of Congress passing immigration reform.

Thousands of unaccompanied children, runaways, and families now attempt to illegally enter the United States in hopes of receiving legalization,” it wrote in a letter dated Thursday. “This trend will surely continue after enactment as S. 744 provides no commitment of stronger border enforcement for at least five to ten years following the initial legalization phase.”

A group of conservative leaders, including Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax reform, issued a statement Wednesday in support of the legislation.

This story was posted at 11:28 a.m. and last updated at 2:05 p.m.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; cornyn; flake; graham; grahamnesty; hatch; illegalaliens; lindseygraham
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To: neverdem
... increases funding for implementation of reform by $900 billion. ... sponsors characterized [the amendment] as a bundle of technical fixes.

This is outrageous, and a sign of what's wrong with these people. Almost a TRILLION EFFING DOLLARS is a "technical fix." I'll bring the feathers, someone start cooking up the tar.

21 posted on 05/09/2013 5:27:51 PM PDT by Cyber Liberty (I am a dissident. Will you join me? My name is John....)
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To: neverdem

Other than adding trillions to our national debt, how does this amnesty fiasco help Americans? Do these foghorns work for US or for the foreign nationals and terrorists illegally entering the country?


22 posted on 05/09/2013 5:39:44 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (America is the root cause of violent crime in Mexico. - Barack Hussein Obama Jr.)
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To: neverdem
Each and everyone here needs to call their congresscritters and express the fact that the borders MUST be sealed to keep illegals out. They might even explain that ANYONE crossing the border without proper papers is an illegal alien - weather a Mexican wanting the largesse here, or a mulsim set on bring down this country.

We HAVE rules for gaining entry legally. We are NOT enforcing them. We haven't since Pres Eisenhower gathered up nearly all of them and sent them by ship back to deep Mexico.

Anytime the rules aren't followed the result in chaos.

23 posted on 05/09/2013 5:57:03 PM PDT by momf
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To: momf

<....”the borders MUST be sealed to keep illegals out”.....>

That is never going to happen momf.....it’s not in the plans of either party, nor will it be....they will make just enough tweeking to be able to say they “won” the tweeks....but the border closing is only, and will forever simply be given,.... lip service.


24 posted on 05/09/2013 6:04:12 PM PDT by caww
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To: neverdem; alarm rider; Alex1977; at bay; Babsig; BILL_C; bnelson44; ColdOne; DesScorp; G.Love; ...
Uber RINO Lindsey Ping
"Republican by day, Democrat by night."


Want on or off this ping list?
Just FReepmail me.

h/t to martin_fierro for the graphic

25 posted on 05/09/2013 7:12:22 PM PDT by upchuck (To the faceless, jack-booted government bureaucrat who just scanned this post: SCREW YOU!)
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To: neverdem

I sent the following letter to both of my senators:

Dear Senator _________,

I am opposed to S. 744, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act and strongly encourage you to vote against this bill when it comes to a floor vote in the Senate. Politicians from both political parties are treating American citizenship as though it were a prize to be won on a TV game show. It is not. In no other country on earth is illegal immigration treated as lackadaisically as it is here in America. In Mexico, illegal immigrants are first sentenced to a term in prison before being deported to their home country. They are not rewarded with offers of citizenship, reduced or even free college tuition or access to public health and welfare institutions as we currently do with illegal immigrants.

Many claim that the illegal immigrants only seek a better life in America and are doing no harm. However, simply coming uninvited to America is a crime because they are ignoring and violating both our national sovereignty as well as our existing immigration laws. In addition, for many to obtain work, they purchase forged Social Security cards or other false documentation indicating that they are legal residents of the United States. These forged/falsified documents are violations of federal laws to which members of both political parties turn a blind eye.

The fact is that by refusing to enforce existing laws and imprisoning or deporting illegal immigrants, we are encouraging more to come. Many more. And, come they have bringing diseases, crime and questionable backgrounds that are increasingly burdening law enforcement. In many places, the “catch and release” programs only encourage additional crimes and are an insult to American citizens who would not be eligible for the same treatment. And, none of these equate to the drain that illegal immigrants have placed on our social, health and welfare services that have caused many cities and states to increase taxes in order to be able to continue providing these services to the American taxpayers who pay for them.

Above all, Senator, I have reached my limit of being treated like a foreigner in my own country. Everywhere I turn, there are Spanish language commercials on radio and television channels as well as Spanish billboards, and both English and Spanish labels on items available on store shelves. More often than not, because many store stocking positions are held by Spanish Speakers, it is not uncommon for an item to be placed on a store shelf with the Spanish label to the aisle and the English label to the back of the shelf.

Finally, I would also ask why the federal government requires that election ballots be printed in both English and Spanish? One of the requirements of a naturalized American citizen is that he/she be able to speak, read and understand conversational English. That being the case, why is it necessary to print election ballots in any language other than English? The taxpayers could save a lot of money each election if ballots were printed only in the traditional language of the United States, English!

Thank you, Senator.


26 posted on 05/09/2013 7:16:01 PM PDT by DustyMoment (Congress - another name for anti-American criminals!!)
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To: AdmSmith; AnonymousConservative; Berosus; bigheadfred; Bockscar; ColdOne; Convert from ECUSA; ...

27 posted on 05/09/2013 7:30:01 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Romney would have been worse, if you're a dumb ass.)
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To: Mortrey

(Anyone else sick to death of Rubio’s self-promoting radio commercials?)
******************************************************************
I’m sick of Rubio’s radio commercials, his TV commercials, his self-serving obsequiousness to Schumer, his B*ll Sh*t interviews with Rush & Hannity, his one-after-another flow of fund raising solicitations mailed to me and, most of all, I’M SICK AND TIRED OF RUBIO HIMSELF. He’s every-bit the narcissist that Obama is.


28 posted on 05/09/2013 7:49:46 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: House Atreides

Plus Rubio is the biggest lying sack of scheiße to come up I95 in a very long time.


29 posted on 05/09/2013 7:51:48 PM PDT by House Atreides
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To: neverdem

These scumbag Republicans who are voting with the Democrats need to be flushed down the toilet.


30 posted on 05/09/2013 7:58:25 PM PDT by Lancey Howard
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To: neverdem

A group of conservative leaders, including Al Cardenas, chairman of the American Conservative Union, and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax reform, issued a statement Wednesday in support of the legislation.


31 posted on 05/09/2013 9:30:39 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: Cyber Liberty

“... increases funding for implementation of reform by $900 billion. ... sponsors characterized [the amendment] as a bundle of technical fixes. “

So we are already starting a trillion dollars in the hole with this before the mass rape of the state and federal treasuries by the new welfare constituency even starts.


32 posted on 05/09/2013 9:34:24 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: momf

I know I sound defeatist but I cannot help knowing, and saying, that it does no good to write to any of our reps anymore. They don’t care about what we want or need. So much has been spent on illegal aliens and now they want to spend billions, maybe a trillion more??? Pandering to the Spanish people is the usual way of doing things now. I don’t believe it will stop until we have turned into just another Mexico.


33 posted on 05/09/2013 10:53:38 PM PDT by kelly4c (http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=2900389%2C41#help)
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To: FlingWingFlyer
Do these foghorns work for US or for the foreign nationals and terrorists illegally entering the country?

I am going to go with option 2.

34 posted on 05/10/2013 12:40:48 AM PDT by itsahoot (It is not so much that history repeats, but that human nature does not change.)
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To: neverdem; Liz; AuntB; La Lydia; sickoflibs

enabling law enforcement to pick up illegal immigrants after they’ve traveled as many as 50 miles into the United States.
___________________________________________

Why not 5 inches ??? 5 feet ???

Would 5 yards not signal the illegal alien intentionly entered illegally ???


35 posted on 05/10/2013 2:06:38 AM PDT by Tennessee Nana
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To: neverdem
Schumer said creating fully operational control of the entire southern border is virtually impossible, but security can be dramatically increased. “Does that mean if one radar is broken on one part of the border, that you can’t begin legalizing the people who are here?” said Schumer.

Since Schumer is a Zionist, he whould be asked why Israel seems able to do this but not the US. He should also be asked why we have a moral obligation to legalize invaders when Israel has no qualms about kicking them out.

36 posted on 05/10/2013 2:38:30 AM PDT by Hacksaw
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To: SeminoleCounty
I am done w the GOP if Illegal Alien Amnesty passes. No sense wasting a vote on a party against border and national security.

This. I will either register Constitutional or American Freedom Party.

37 posted on 05/10/2013 2:39:51 AM PDT by Hacksaw
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To: Hacksaw

Just the other day I go to use my debt card, and I get a “fraud notice” that someone out in California had been using it to pay for their hotel room.

So, WHO got my charge card? WHO USED it ...I only use it in a few stores and on the internet ...well, I know damn well who did ..some illegal POS who works SOMEWHERE and scarfed it while standing at the counter slinging burgers or some such thing.

These people are used to a life of sneaking around, a life of crime, a life of petty theft to survive ...now we’ll have millions more of them with their sticky fingers stealing from us in both big and small ways ...through benefits, through ramming into our cars at night loaded with Coronas, or through identify theft.

These pols don’t have to live on the ground with these people ..they won’t have to share the ER with them, share a hospital room with them ...share schools, or anything else. They will just reap PROFITs from it.

We the People are the ones who will pay ...WE are the ones who should be rioting in the streets over this ...and hanging up these dupes who want to implement it. Saw that rat face Schumer on c-span and it made me want to throw a brick at the TV.


38 posted on 05/10/2013 4:19:10 AM PDT by LibsRJerks (s)
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To: LibsRJerks

Had the same thing happen, recently. The bank reordered my card, a couple of weeks ago. Yet, did not notify me, until after the fact, by the arrival of the new card. Got a letter a couple of days later, informing me of a fraud incident- with no signature on the letter. I’ve been with this account for 32 yrs. It’s a great local bank, though it has changed in the last couple of years. Responsibility is a rare and endangered species.


39 posted on 05/10/2013 4:40:59 AM PDT by RedHeeler
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To: Windflier

I did this morning. I did not mince words and called him a traitor to the US and to Texas. I made it very clear that I will never vote for him again (I did the first time) no matter who he runs against.


40 posted on 05/10/2013 6:49:00 AM PDT by Resolute Conservative
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