Note: Democratic Leaders will be holding a news conference about this legislation later today.
BREAKING NEWS
American's Voice reports:
Senate Democrats Move Immigration Debate Forward
Proposal Represents a Serious Effort to Solve the Problem, Bring Republicans to the Table
Washington, DC – A new framework for legislation (click to see document) by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Robert Menendez (D-NJ) represents an important step forward in the immigration debate. As the controversy over the Draconian, anti-immigrant law in Arizona continues to build, the initiative by Senate Democratic leaders provides a workable path forward for both parties to come together and enact a lasting federal fix to the problem this year. According to Frank Sharry, Executive Director of America’s Voice:
"The new legislative framework from Senate Democrats looks like a serious and sincere effort to advance a real solution to our broken immigration system. We thank Senators Reid, Schumer, and Menendez for showing leadership on the issue. This is a centrist proposal that draws on the bipartisan negotiations that have been underway this past year. The intent is to bring Republicans into a process that will result in legislation that can be approved in 2010. We hope and expect that fellow Democrats embrace this legislative effort, Republicans come to the table in good faith negotiations, and the White House provides its backing to ensure that immigration reform becomes law this year. While there are some provisions in the proposal that we want to look at further, its positive aspects—from the comprehensive program to register the undocumented and require them to get legal, pay taxes, and study English on their way to becoming full U.S. citizens, to its provisions to reunite families separated by our immigration system—are many. It is a strong proposal that Republicans should take seriously, not dismiss out of hand. As the new immigration law in Arizona – and potential copy-cat legislation in at least seven states – demonstrates, states will take matters into their own hands unless Washington can put aside political gamesmanship and solve the problem at the federal level. And as 80 cities around the country gear up for May 1st rallies and marches calling for immigration reform, it’s clear that the issue will remain front and center around the country."
"For the numerous politicians of both parties who blame the Arizona legislation on federal inaction, now is the time to step up to the plate. Congressional leaders of both parties, as well as the President, know that the only way to end illegal immigration, secure the borders, and prevent future ‘Arizona-type’ laws is to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The Senate Democrats’ proposal is a strong step forward; all eyes are on Senate Republicans and the White House to respond.”
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F.A.I.R. (Anti CIR Hate Group) responds:
Senate Leadership Circulates Amnesty Proposal on Capitol Hill
Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), Immigration Subcommittee Chair Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee Chair Bob Menendez (D-NJ) began circulating a draft amnesty proposal on Capitol Hill. Multiple media sources now report that Democratic Leadership is “dead set” on pushing amnesty legislation, with or without Republican support. Through our sources, FAIR obtained a copy of the proposal and has already poured through it. Our members, activists, and friends will not be surprised that the Reid-Schumer-Menendez proposal closely mimics the 2007 Bush-Kennedy amnesty bill (S.1639). Specifically, the proposal:
. Grants amnesty to illegal aliens in the U.S. (while calling it a “broad-based registration program”);
. Creates an “H-2C” guest worker program for low-skilled workers (with apparently no cap) that contains a path to citizenship;
. Massively expands legal immigration;
. Incorporates the DREAM Act;
. Incorporates AgJOBS legislation that would grant amnesty to millions of illegal farm workers; and
. Preempts state and local laws encouraging immigration enforcement
In addition, the Reid-Schumer-Menendez proposal offers all kinds of promises regarding the future enforcement of our immigration laws. But we know through years of experience and hard lessons that the federal government has broken virtually every enforcement promise it has made to the American people. Now, Senators Reid, Schumer and Menendez go so far as to say: “there will be zero tolerance for illegal entry and reentry into the U.S.” Who can believe this?
No one is against CIR, just the La Raza - Democrat version. If I were a Republican senator I would come to the table with the following list of essential provisions for a bipartisan bill:
ReplyDelete1. Incorporate the essence of AZ SB1070.
2. Mandate E-verify across the board for all employers and all employees; register all aliens detected throught this process.
3. Put miscreant employers on a list for frequent enforcement.
4. Require vigorous and continuous internal enforcement as an essential element of border security.
5. Establish benchmarks based on an objective measure of the number of apprehensions at the border and the extrapolation to the total estimated violations.
6. Reduce the total estimated border violations to less than 50,000 per year before any other actions can be taken.
7. Make border violations a felony punishable by six months working on border infrastructure for first offense, 2 years hard time for the next, treatment as a three time loser for the third.
8. Include a provision to require at least one parent to be a citizen for birthright citizenship.
9. Reduce the total legal immigration quota to the level of the 1970s.
10. Eliminate chain immigrations except for the spouses and children of those who have achieved citizenship.
11. Grant accelerated citizenship to any alien who enlists in the armed forces for not less than 4 years and who serves at least one tour in a combat zone.
12. Establish a process for employers to present irrefutable proof that they have offered all of their jobs currently held by illegals or vacant to citizens at a living wage and with a hiring preference to no avail, allowing foreign labor only to that extent.
13. Require real fluency in English before anyone can be considered for citizenship, not just the knowledge of a few words and phrases.
14. Establish a rigid set of criteria for immigration decisions and appeals.
15. Pay operators of detention facilities on the basis of throughput rather than detainee days.
16. Embed immigration judges or jops in detention facilities charged with making the intial decision within 24 hours of the detainee's arrival and allowing only 1 week for an appeal.
17. Eliminate family separation as a basis for immigration decisions; minor children, regardless of citizenship, must accompany parents under a removal order.
18. Prescribe and provide a funding mechanism for enforceing provisions regarding fluency in English, payment of back taxes and a fine and any other conditions imposed for a pathway to citizenship.
19. Tailor the number of visas to the precise needs of our economy.
20. Focus visas on those who are most likely to be assets to our economy.
21. Deny birthright citizenship to anyone who enters the U.S. legally or illegally with the intent of delivering a child.
22. Specifically authorize the individual states to enact whatever additional legislation might be require in their judgement to control illegal entry and the employment of illegal aliens.
23. Provide for the immediate removal to detention facilities of anyone unable to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they are in this country legally; this is not a court proceeding. It is a simple examination and verification of documentation, ssns, names, green cards tax forms and drivers licenses.
25. Asssets of those under a removal order will be confiscated to the extent necessary to defray the cost of their removal.
That's at least a beginning of a CIR bill.
"the Reid-Schumer-Menendez proposal closely mimics the 2007 Bush-Kennedy amnesty bill (S.1639). Specifically, the proposal:
ReplyDelete. Grants amnesty to illegal aliens in the U.S. (while calling it a “broad-based registration program”);
. Creates an “H-2C” guest worker program for low-skilled workers (with apparently no cap) that contains a path to citizenship;
. Massively expands legal immigration;
. Incorporates the DREAM Act;
. Incorporates AgJOBS legislation that would grant amnesty to millions of illegal farm workers; and
. Preempts state and local laws encouraging immigration enforcement
In addition, the Reid-Schumer-Menendez proposal offers all kinds of promises regarding the future enforcement of our immigration laws. But we know through years of experience and hard lessons that the federal government has broken virtually every enforcement promise it has made to the American people. Now, Senators Reid, Schumer and Menendez go so far as to say: “there will be zero tolerance for illegal entry and reentry into the U.S.” Who can believe this?"
Sounds like a fair assessment of this proposal. It just a warmed over version of the previously discredited proposal of 2007 and 2008. The Democrats need to get real about CIR.
We all need to remember Ted Kennedy's statement in 1986:
"This amnesty will give citizenship to only 1.1 -- 1.3 million illegal aliens. We will secure the borders henceforth. We will never again bring forward another Amnesty Bill like this."
That's the problem with your side, Ultima. You are never willing to compromise.
ReplyDeleteYou will not be satisfied until you MASS DEPORT (call it attrition, suppression, etc) all 12M here. You want Arpaio like sweeps in all Latino neighborhoods. You, like the Arizonians previously interviewed, JUST DON'T CARE how many Latinos are racially profiled. Then, you want to go even further. You want to DEPORT all Citizen children, through their 20s, to go with their deported parents, stay in Detention Centers with them so you can provide your crony dollars to your crony private prison owner friends.
As long as your side remains unmovable on your unrealistic, racial profiling, mass deportation stance, then we will have to go around you and pass CIR at a partisan level.
CIR is a compromise. A COMPROMISE!
ReplyDeleteThere is stern wording in the bill I disagree with; including raids, the use of detention centers, etc.
As a True, Caring and Compassionate American, I am willing to compromise.
Why aren't you???
I said I would bring these items to the table just as Schumer, et al will bring their proposals to the table. The negotiations and compromises follow.
ReplyDeleteI have no cronies in the detention centers. You have a relative working there who would lose her job if we closed them up. My proposals reduce detention time to a minimum and grants quick immigration and appeals decisions.
I believe I could reach a compromise agreement with a reasonable person who is willing to put his or her country first. I even think it would be an interesting exercise if you and I were challenged with that task and sequestered until we had agreement. Won't happen but it would be interesting
I see my proposals as the same distance from the center as Schumer's. If that basic proposition was acceptable to the Dems, the Republicans would participate but they know from the health care bill that everything they propose would be rejected. That's neither compromise nor bipartisanship. I don't really umnderstand and probably never will why so many citizens are willing to sell out their countries to illegals. Don't Hispanic citizens understand that it will be their jobs, their quality of life, their standard of living that will be compromised by converting America into Mexico Norte. And make no mistake about it that is where we are headed unless our brown citizens begin to realize that simple fact and begin to act accordingly like loyal American citizens that put the national interest and the preservation of the national character as the last best hope of mankind first.
I have used the term "msss deportation" only to make the point that it is logitically feasible. I had some distant German cousins who died in the aftermath of WW II perhaps as a result of the mass deportation of Germans from the East back to the heartland with little in the way of food or clothing. They were allowed one suitcase. Many died on the journey in the winter of 1945-46. I am not in favor of anything like that even without the draconian conditions imposed in Germany. That's what I call mass deportation.
ReplyDeleteThis is certainly an area where compromise is possible. The stumbling block is always: "How can we secure the borders if violators have every reason to believe they will be home free once they escape the immediate environs of the border?" That is is our present situation because we do not have any effective internal enforcement.
I have no particular interest in deporting all illegal aliens if they are not holding jobs Americans would do and if they have shown an interest in becoming Americans in every sense of the word, including observing and supporting all of the laws on the books.
But the precondition has to be that the borders must be secure first as proven by objective measures and by the subjective opinion of all border patrol agents in a confidential survey.
That has been a frequent proposal but generally has been given only lip service or has been turned down or not funded. I place no trust in any of our politicians to do what they say they will because they have so many ways to avoid doing so.
How can CIR be a compromise when the opposition has not even come to the table or seen the proposal yet? That's a funny definition of a compromise!
ReplyDeleteThe proposal represents only one sides point of view. If there are to be compromises, they are yet to come but I suspect Reid, et al will take your position and say this is a compromise bill. It isn't!
I am a true, caring, compassionate American but my country comes first. I do not place it second in line to illegal aliens or foreign workers whereever they come from. I suspect there are a few citizens of India who come in through Canada who could be identified with a law like SB1070. Canadian or other anglos would be more difficult but a start could be made with something like SB1070. They wouldn't have to be dark skinned to fall under suspicion, especially if a statistical sampling of those coming across the border turned out to be illegal.
ReplyDeleteOur caring, compassionate nature is evidenced in the 25 or 30 charities we support, some of which undoubtedly benefit illegal aliens in this area. We tend to think of illegals as individuals and on that basis have no objections to them given certain conditions. In the millions, it is a different story.
ReplyDeleteThe Boycott to Arizona is growing with Great Furor.
ReplyDeleteMany Latino Businesses are closing and deserting Arizona. You can see the videos.
Great Cities are boycotting Arizona : these are strongly considering measures against Arizona : New York, Washington D. C., Dallas, Austin, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Sacramento, Oakland, St Paul Minn. ... etc ... etc ...
Four million Legal Mexicans visit Arizona as tourists each year ....
Condemnations are raining from the President of the USA, the Cardinal of Los Angeles, the Sheriff of Pima County bordering with Mexico and containing Tucson Arizona, the second largest city after Phoenix, the Mayor of Phoenix Arizona, Republican Mayor Michael Bloomberg of New York, Bishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa, all are ashamed and embarrassed of this ugly law.
In my site RACIALITY.COM you can find many videos of these people condemning Arizona :
Raciality.com
Vicente Duque
El Duque wrote,"Condemnations are raining from the President of the USA, the Cardinal of Los Angeles, the Sheriff of Pima County bordering with Mexico and containing Tucson Arizona, the second largest city after Phoenix, the Mayor of Phoenix Arizona,..."
ReplyDeleteThis is but a pitter patter of rain from those who have an ax to grind whether it is to keep their collection plates full or achieve re-election by their His-Panic masters. You should focus on the 70% of Arizona residents who approve of this measure. But then, since you are from a Latin culture, perhaps you don't believe in democracy unless it serves your purposes.
Dee wrote, "CIR is a compromise. A COMPROMISE!
ReplyDeleteThere is stern wording in the bill I disagree with; including raids, the use of detention centers, etc."
We have a lot of stern wording already in the federal statutes but they are meaningless under the Obama Administration because he has abandoned his oath of office and refuses to enforce the law. Why would any reasonable person expect raids to be reinstated after passage since they currently stand abandoned. Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice shame on me!
If they have no plans to enforce the law, why not put everything in there that we require and be done with it?
"Anti CIR" is a misnomer based on the presumption that there is only one possible approach to immigration reform. I provided a list of reforms equally qualify as CIR or more so!
I believe CIR will PASS this year; just like Healthcare Reform.
ReplyDeleteWhen CIR is passed, sb1070 becomes null/void. RACIAL PROFILING IS AGAINST THE LAW! (REMEMBER RULE OF LAW)
ReplyDelete