Immigration and Congress

Our politicians are very divided on how to legalize illegal immigragion for the betterment of our labor force, consumers, national security and international decency. This very important domestic issue is beginning to shape up nicely, I think. As it stands, it seems the main battles are between different Republican factions. There is, of course, the business (fiscal) Republicans who realize that many American businesses need immigrants who are willing to do the lousy work if we ‘white folks' are to maintain our obscenely wonderful standard of living. ....I happen to side with that group - and the President - but not necessarily for those reasons. The other group of Republicans are the harder to define folks who include those driving big wheeled pickup trucks with rebel flags waving, those who live in abject fear of terrorist attacks, those bigots who don't want to see the tanning of our European whiteness, and those fundamentalist Christians who still don't believe that Catholics are actually Christians - and you'd be amazed at how many FC's actually believe that - and how many also flunked history classes in highschool! As to the politicians involved... (I don't even consider the House of Representatives which is always on Darth Vader's side of any issue)... the most malevolent in the Senate is probably Arizona's Senator Kyle who has coauthored a very mean spirited proposal with Texas Senator Cornyn. Their bill, among other denigrating features would exact a $2,000 annual fee to allow a non-citizen worker to earn his paltry $10,000 income - assuming he's lucky enough to get $5 bucks an hour. Reminds me of the protection rackets of Chicago back in the twenties and thirties! Arizona's main Senator, McCain, has co-produced a much more humane plan with Senator Kennedy. I should add that in fairness to politicians I generally don't like, that even Senator Brownback of Kansas subscribed to the McCain bill passed by the Judiciary committee! It seems that the politicians are going to stall the legislation until after the election which may be a good idea since it is at least my hope that the next Congress will become more progressive. In fact, Senator Kyle is being challenged here in Arizona by an active Democrat/businessman who could with a lot of luck and hard work replace this embarrassment to Arizona politics. I certainly know how I'm going to vote! Some of the legislative details are summarized below: Consensus on Immigration Bill Elusive By SUZANNE GAMBOA, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Should they stay or should they go, those 11 million illegal immigrants living in the United States? While that question hangs over a Senate debate on border security and immigration, most senators agree on allowing undocumented workers to stay at least temporarily. The fight is over whether they should have to leave three years to six years down the road. Even senators who oppose providing a path to citizenship to illegal immigrants are willing to grant them temporary legal status as long as they register with the government, pay fines and eventually leave. "Our first obligation is to bring them out of the shadows, make sure we know who they are, why they're here, make sure we have a name and some kind of identification for them," Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist said in an interview with The Associated Press. "Then there will be a period of time, whether it's three years or six years ... but they can continue to work here and at that point in time — that's where the debate is — do they have to go home or are they put on some sort of path to citizenship?" Frist said. As the Senate opened two weeks of debate Wednesday night, Republicans clashed over whether providing a path to legal citizenship would lead to more flouting of U.S. immigration laws. House Speaker Dennis Hastert raised the possibility that a program letting illegal immigrants continue to reside in the U.S. for a period of time might be considered by the House if the Senate approves one. "Our first priority is to protect the borders. We also know there is a need in some sectors of this economy for a guest worker program," Hastert told reporters Wednesday. The House has passed legislation limited to tightening borders and making it a crime to be in the United States illegally or to offer aid to illegal immigrants. However, there is a growing consensus among lawmakers that any merging of the House and Senate measures so that Congress could send a bill to President Bush won't occur until after the November election. "What you end up doing is the House has passed a bill, the Senate passed a bill and everybody declares victory and you don't get anything out of conference between now and the elections," said Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa. Grassley chairs the Senate Finance Committee that is drafting a measure dealing with steps employers would have to take regarding illegal workers. President Bush reiterated support for a temporary worker program as he took off for a meeting in Cancun, Mexico, with host President Vicente Fox and Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper. Bush said workers should be given tamper-resistant identity cards and go to the back of the line when they seek citizenship. "I think it makes sense to have a temporary worker program that says you're not an automatic citizen to help, one, enforce the border; and, two, uphold the decency of America," Bush said Wednesday. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who has proposed with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., allowing illegal immigrants earn a path to citizenship through work, was buoyed by Bush's comments. "We should reject temporary status and required departure because they are bad for business," Kennedy said. "What do we gain if millions of immigrant workers who fuel our economy are required to spend weeks — or years or decades under some plans — waiting outside the United States for permission to continue their work?" Frist dodged the question of what to do about illegal immigrants in the country in the bill he introduced. But other bills that could be offered as amendments tackle that issue. On Monday, Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., shepherded legislation containing the McCain-Kennedy proposal through the Senate Judiciary Committee on a 12-6 vote. He insisted the bill is not amnesty because illegal immigrants would have to undergo background checks, pay fines, back taxes and clear other obstacles before getting on the "citizenship track." They wouldn't have to leave the United States. Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., rail against what they call "amnesty" but would give illegal immigrants six months to register with the government. Those who do, could stay in the U.S., but only for up to five years. They would have to pay $2,000 fines annually for the privilege. Those who don't could be deported. The immigrants who register could return as guest workers, but would have to apply for legal permanent residency — a step to citizenship — from their home countries. Under current law, a person who is in the country illegally for more than 180 days cannot re-enter the U.S. for three years. A person in the country illegally for more than a year cannot re-enter for 10 years. Those prohibitions would be waived for immigrants who register with the government under the Cornyn-Kyl plan. Associated Press Writer Nancy Zuckerbrod contributed to this report.