2006.06.09-10 "No Illegal Left Behind" Roundup;
It ain't over till the fat lady goes back to Mexico.
See previous: ¡¡La shamnistía es muerta!! ¿O es?
Updated and bumped. Original timestamp 2007.06.09.01.01
I am sick and damned tired of hearing that not passing the Bush-Kennedy bill amounts to a "silent amnesty." The hell it does; we haven't forgiven anyone for anything and as long as they're still illegal there's still hope for running them off. Forget the damned fence; they'd probably climb it anyway and there are already way to many of them on this side of it. Start fining and jailing people for hiring people they know or should have known are in the country illegally and the rest of the problem will take care of itself.
I'd probably be getting more done on this and some other posts if I was spending less time on comments at Big Lizards. Who wants to give me a hand over there? Enforcement before amnesty
David Frum
THE SHELVING of the Senate's Kyl-Kennedy immigration bill opens a chance for real reform — reform that respects the wishes and protects the interests of a large majority of the American people.
The next effort to fix the broken system must accomplish four things: Stop new illegal immigrants from entering the country. Induce existing illegals to return home. Reorient immigration policy to favor those who make a net economic contribution to the U.S. over those who do not. And bow to the will of the 70% of Americans who feel that current immigration levels are too high.
Illegal immigration is not some sort of uncontrollable natural phenomenon. It can and should be regulated.
Illegal immigrants come to the United States because the United States doesn't do much to stop them. ...
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Jules Crittenden has an interesting comment on Mr. Frum's piece here.
Below the fold:
- Immigration as a GOP Talking Point in 2008
- Talk of Resurrecting Immigration Bill Begins as Autopsy Goes On
- Dead or just stalled?
- Bush seeks immigration action
See also:
and:
Immigration as a GOP Talking Point in 2008
Hatched by Dafydd
With the deep freeze of the immigration bill, spin season begins now. We cannot afford to wait until the Democrats establish the storyline that the immigration bill died because "Bush didn't push the radical right hard enough;" that would be politically catastrophic for Republicans candidates in the next election, branded as both extremist and feckless.
The best position to take -- and the one that, coincidentally, is closest to the truth -- is that it was Senate Majority Leader Harry "Pinky" Reid (D-Caesar's Palace, 95%), a Democrat, who pulled the plug on the immigration bill... not because there wasn't enough enforcement, but because it was becoming clear that conservative Republicans were making headway in getting more enforcement into the bill.
Democrats were upset at Sen. Ted Kennedy's (D-MA, 100%) deal to expand the list of criminal offenses that would bar illegals from getting a Z visa, which was the only reason that the similar but harsher amendment by Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX, 96%) was defeated. And there were upcoming amendments, e.g., to force the deportation of illegal aliens convicted of crimes within the United States after they served their sentences and a good shot at revisiting the issue of "sanctuary cities" -- either in this bill or (more likely) via other federal legislation. (I can picture the campaign Democrats would have to run against such a measure.)
Republican supporters of the immigration bill were far more amenable to increased enforcement measures than were Democratic supporters; ...
alk of Resurrecting Immigration Bill Begins as Autopsy Goes On
By Shailagh Murray and Jonathan Weisman
Supporters of immigration reform launched new talks to save their tattered bill yesterday, with the chief architects of the bipartisan compromise confident that they could resurrect it -- even as recriminations flew over its stunning collapse.
The rescue mission was dispatched moments after the vote was tallied Thursday night. Sixty votes were needed to end debate and pave the way for final passage, but only 45 senators voted yes. Republican and Democratic negotiators believe they can reach agreement by early next week on the official sticking point: which conservative amendments would be considered before final passage. The list must be short enough for time-conscious Democrats, yet substantive enough for Republicans demanding to be heard.
But a second act will come only if Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) allows the immigration issue to return to the floor. And exactly where Reid stands on the bill is one of the many mysteries left smoldering after Thursday's defeat. ...
Hat tip: Ed Morrissey, who comments on the matter here.
Dead or just stalled?
Paul Mirengoff
That's the question everyone here in Washington is asking about comprehensive immigration reform. Normally, I would say "stalled." This is a situation in which the president and key Senators in his party have reached basic agreement with the opposition party, which happens to control Congress. Their agreement, moreover, has the blessing of the media elite which is egging the parties on with calls for leadership, bipartisanship, and problem solving. Finally, this is double "feel-good" legislation. It's an exercise in reaching across the aisle in the spirit of fellowship, a turn-on for some legislators (or at least some Republican legislators), plus it involves helping people (albeit lawbreakers) in a very direct way.
Normally, in these circumstances the outcome is oh-so predictable. After many chills and spills, the grand compromise is finally reached and legislation is enacted with back-patting all around.
But here, there's a huge problem. ...
Bush seeks immigration action
By Stephen Dinan
President Bush, stung by Thursday's vote to block the immigration bill, is telling Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid to put it back on the Senate's schedule, and the bill's supporters say they think it can be resurrected.
"I urge Senator Reid to act quickly to bring this bill back to the Senate floor for a vote, and I urge senators from both parties to support it," Mr. Bush said in his weekly radio address. The address is usually aired on Saturday, but the White House released it a day early to insert Mr. Bush, who is traveling overseas, into the public debate over the bill.
The legislation collapsed in spectacular fashion Thursday when 38 Republicans, 11 Democrats and one independent voted to filibuster the bill, demanding more time to pass amendments. ...
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