Congress rushes to 'secure the border'
Instead of negotiating a broader immigration law, lawmakers seek to boost enforcement a bit at a time.
By ANITA KUMAR, Times Staff Writer
Published September 25, 2006
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON - Congress will avoid tackling major immigration reform this fall and instead will try to limit political damage to members in the November election by boosting enforcement along the border.
Lawmakers are reconsidering some of the same security proposals they looked at earlier this session but will forgo any decisions on citizenship for the nation's 12-million illegal immigrants.
As they head into the final week before their pre-election recess, they will continue to debate proposals to construct 700 miles of fences, increase criminal penalties for smugglers and allow "dangerous" illegal immigrants to be held for months at a time, among others.
Late last week, the House passed three border enforcement bills. The Senate is expected to vote on the fence bill as early as today. If it passes, it will go to President Bush, who said he will sign it into law.
"The state of our borders is a security crisis," House Speaker Dennis Hastert said. "The American people want ... immediate, targeted legislation specifically designed to secure the border, protect our homeland and vigorously enforce our immigrants laws."
A failure to complete what was expected to be landmark immigration reform would be a blow to the Republican-controlled Congress, Bush - who had made the issue his top domestic priority this year - and supporters, who had seen enormous momentum this year.
Only months ago, a congressional debate on immigration helped create an atmosphere of emergency that galvanized the nation and led to huge marches and a nationally televised address by the president.
"What an amazing year," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. "The president and the Senate and the public agree to a historic solution to a problem, and House Republicans vote for a fence? Oh, my God."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who supported a broader approach, said it would be "next to impossible" to finish the bill before November. Bush reiterated his support for a comprehensive solution to the immigration problem recently but said he was not sure when it would happen.
"I don't know the timetable," he said. "My answer is as soon as possible."
Critics accuse House leaders of avoiding a contentious issue that divides Republicans while still trying to show that they accomplished something before heading home to a difficult election that could cost the GOP control of Congress.
"The House Republican majority ... is engaging in a cynical charade that is designed to do one thing: score a cheap political point that can be demagogued in a 30-second campaign ad," said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the second-ranking Democrat in the House.
For a while it seemed that a new proposal by Rep. Mike Pence, a leading conservative Republican from Indiana, could have been the much-needed compromise.
Despite a visit to the White House and growing enthusiasm for his proposal - a guest worker program for illegal immigrants if they go back to their home countries and return to the United States legally - House leaders will not consider anything now but enforcement.
Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for Numbers USA, a group that supports enforcement and not citizenship, called the House proposals "common-sense, good measures."
"They don't have a lot of choice," she said. "They are not going to be re-elected if they go for what's being called comprehensive reform."
Sen. Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who helped write a more comprehensive bill that has now been set aside, said he still supports the earlier approach and is hoping House members will eventually take it up.
"I am concerned," Martinez said. "In the more sober moments I think they know that comprehensive reform is the only answer to securing the border. ... Some may be intractable, and others are willing to talk."
Over the last year, Congress debated the most sweeping immigration legislation in two decades, but lawmakers remain divided on key issues, including what to do about the 12-million illegal immigrants already in the United States.
In December, the House passed a bill that focuses on increasing border security and other enforcement measures, but offers no way for illegal immigrants to become citizens. In May, the Senate approved a more comprehensive bill that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, expend guest worker programs and increase security.
The two sides were expected to begin forging a compromise in the summer but congressional leaders refused to appoint negotiators.
Instead, the House took the unusual approach of holding hearings around the nation to find out what the American people thought of the Senate bill. After 22 hearings in 13 states, the House once again declared the Senate bill flawed.
"While there must be a comprehensive approach to immigration, securing our borders is the first and most pressing problem demanding our attention and action," said Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, the fifth-highest ranking Republican in the House who was in charge of getting feedback from the hearings.
Critics said the hearings were stacked with witnesses who were biased toward the House bill and declared the hearings a sham.
An early sign of trouble: House leaders referred to the Senate bill using the names of Democrats Harry Reid and Edward Kennedy even though many Republicans including Frist support it and it was written by Republicans - Martinez and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.
In the past two weeks, the House has passed four bills including one that would mandate construction of more than 700 miles of fencing.
Cecilia Munoz, a vice president at the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group, described the latest move as an "attempt by the House to ram through its enforcement-only agenda after playing games this summer."
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican who voted against most of the House proposals, said he hopes Congress will consider a more comprehensive bill later in the year.
"In order to secure a border, we need to have a bill that deals with it in a comprehensive fashion," he said. "I want a bill that really tries to solve the problem."
I found this on the St.Petersburg Times website, and it is interesting to me. The politicians are in a rush to block the Mexican border, but what about the Canadian border. We can have Arab companies own our port s, we can allow free flow of citizens from Canada, but no Mexican's? This is just assinine. I truly believe this is legislation for legislation sake.
Mexican imigration is a problem, but for the Mexicans. Many "entrepreneurs" and businesses hire the cheap labor off of the books, and take advantage of the situation. Had these businesses paid the proper taxes on the labor, there would not be near the jobs for the people to compete for more cheaply.
A great example is here in Alabama. I work with a legal immigrant from Mexico, his name is Renee. He also works the weekends for local "farmers" at a rate of $8.00 per hour. This is hard labor, not just putting around in a farm truck drinking beer. He was asked by his employer to bring two other Mexican's for the same rate. When he did, his employer was furious that they did not speak English. Of course, when some one doesn't speak english, you only have to yell louder for them to understand, right? Well, he was explained that he could get Mexican's that spoke english, but at a higher pay rate. This was unacceptable to him.
This same "farmer" is an outspoken republican against illegal immigrants. This just shows how it is a topic of convenience. As long as people can benefit from others misfortune and ignorance, they will.
I say leave the border open, and penalize businesses cought with illegal labor. Pay proper wages, and the taxes that go along with them. Hell, these same politicians don't have a problem sending our jobs to other countries, why do they have a problem with Mexican's taking jobs here?
By ANITA KUMAR, Times Staff Writer
Published September 25, 2006
------------------------------------------------------------------------
WASHINGTON - Congress will avoid tackling major immigration reform this fall and instead will try to limit political damage to members in the November election by boosting enforcement along the border.
Lawmakers are reconsidering some of the same security proposals they looked at earlier this session but will forgo any decisions on citizenship for the nation's 12-million illegal immigrants.
As they head into the final week before their pre-election recess, they will continue to debate proposals to construct 700 miles of fences, increase criminal penalties for smugglers and allow "dangerous" illegal immigrants to be held for months at a time, among others.
Late last week, the House passed three border enforcement bills. The Senate is expected to vote on the fence bill as early as today. If it passes, it will go to President Bush, who said he will sign it into law.
"The state of our borders is a security crisis," House Speaker Dennis Hastert said. "The American people want ... immediate, targeted legislation specifically designed to secure the border, protect our homeland and vigorously enforce our immigrants laws."
A failure to complete what was expected to be landmark immigration reform would be a blow to the Republican-controlled Congress, Bush - who had made the issue his top domestic priority this year - and supporters, who had seen enormous momentum this year.
Only months ago, a congressional debate on immigration helped create an atmosphere of emergency that galvanized the nation and led to huge marches and a nationally televised address by the president.
"What an amazing year," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. "The president and the Senate and the public agree to a historic solution to a problem, and House Republicans vote for a fence? Oh, my God."
Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who supported a broader approach, said it would be "next to impossible" to finish the bill before November. Bush reiterated his support for a comprehensive solution to the immigration problem recently but said he was not sure when it would happen.
"I don't know the timetable," he said. "My answer is as soon as possible."
Critics accuse House leaders of avoiding a contentious issue that divides Republicans while still trying to show that they accomplished something before heading home to a difficult election that could cost the GOP control of Congress.
"The House Republican majority ... is engaging in a cynical charade that is designed to do one thing: score a cheap political point that can be demagogued in a 30-second campaign ad," said Rep. Steny Hoyer of Maryland, the second-ranking Democrat in the House.
For a while it seemed that a new proposal by Rep. Mike Pence, a leading conservative Republican from Indiana, could have been the much-needed compromise.
Despite a visit to the White House and growing enthusiasm for his proposal - a guest worker program for illegal immigrants if they go back to their home countries and return to the United States legally - House leaders will not consider anything now but enforcement.
Rosemary Jenks, director of government relations for Numbers USA, a group that supports enforcement and not citizenship, called the House proposals "common-sense, good measures."
"They don't have a lot of choice," she said. "They are not going to be re-elected if they go for what's being called comprehensive reform."
Sen. Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who helped write a more comprehensive bill that has now been set aside, said he still supports the earlier approach and is hoping House members will eventually take it up.
"I am concerned," Martinez said. "In the more sober moments I think they know that comprehensive reform is the only answer to securing the border. ... Some may be intractable, and others are willing to talk."
Over the last year, Congress debated the most sweeping immigration legislation in two decades, but lawmakers remain divided on key issues, including what to do about the 12-million illegal immigrants already in the United States.
In December, the House passed a bill that focuses on increasing border security and other enforcement measures, but offers no way for illegal immigrants to become citizens. In May, the Senate approved a more comprehensive bill that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, expend guest worker programs and increase security.
The two sides were expected to begin forging a compromise in the summer but congressional leaders refused to appoint negotiators.
Instead, the House took the unusual approach of holding hearings around the nation to find out what the American people thought of the Senate bill. After 22 hearings in 13 states, the House once again declared the Senate bill flawed.
"While there must be a comprehensive approach to immigration, securing our borders is the first and most pressing problem demanding our attention and action," said Rep. Adam Putnam of Bartow, the fifth-highest ranking Republican in the House who was in charge of getting feedback from the hearings.
Critics said the hearings were stacked with witnesses who were biased toward the House bill and declared the hearings a sham.
An early sign of trouble: House leaders referred to the Senate bill using the names of Democrats Harry Reid and Edward Kennedy even though many Republicans including Frist support it and it was written by Republicans - Martinez and Chuck Hagel of Nebraska.
In the past two weeks, the House has passed four bills including one that would mandate construction of more than 700 miles of fencing.
Cecilia Munoz, a vice president at the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy group, described the latest move as an "attempt by the House to ram through its enforcement-only agenda after playing games this summer."
Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Miami Republican who voted against most of the House proposals, said he hopes Congress will consider a more comprehensive bill later in the year.
"In order to secure a border, we need to have a bill that deals with it in a comprehensive fashion," he said. "I want a bill that really tries to solve the problem."
I found this on the St.Petersburg Times website, and it is interesting to me. The politicians are in a rush to block the Mexican border, but what about the Canadian border. We can have Arab companies own our port s, we can allow free flow of citizens from Canada, but no Mexican's? This is just assinine. I truly believe this is legislation for legislation sake.
Mexican imigration is a problem, but for the Mexicans. Many "entrepreneurs" and businesses hire the cheap labor off of the books, and take advantage of the situation. Had these businesses paid the proper taxes on the labor, there would not be near the jobs for the people to compete for more cheaply.
A great example is here in Alabama. I work with a legal immigrant from Mexico, his name is Renee. He also works the weekends for local "farmers" at a rate of $8.00 per hour. This is hard labor, not just putting around in a farm truck drinking beer. He was asked by his employer to bring two other Mexican's for the same rate. When he did, his employer was furious that they did not speak English. Of course, when some one doesn't speak english, you only have to yell louder for them to understand, right? Well, he was explained that he could get Mexican's that spoke english, but at a higher pay rate. This was unacceptable to him.
This same "farmer" is an outspoken republican against illegal immigrants. This just shows how it is a topic of convenience. As long as people can benefit from others misfortune and ignorance, they will.
I say leave the border open, and penalize businesses cought with illegal labor. Pay proper wages, and the taxes that go along with them. Hell, these same politicians don't have a problem sending our jobs to other countries, why do they have a problem with Mexican's taking jobs here?
posted by Snappy | 9/25/2006 10:32:00 AM
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