Reid and Clinton to Fight Frist on Immigration
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As the Senate prepares to tackle the most sweeping
immigration reforms in years, a top Democrat vowed Wednesday to do everything
in his power, including filibuster, to thwart Majority Leader Bill Frist's
proposed overhaul.(snip)
“If Leader Frist brings a bill to the floor that
does not have the approval of the Judiciary Committee, it will not get out
of the Senate,” Reid told reporters at the San Ysidro border crossing,
a few steps from Tijuana, Mexico.Reid said the overhaul must include heightened border
enforcement, a “guest worker” program and a “path to citizenship”
for the estimated 11 million people in the United States illegally. He called
legislation by Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R- Ariz., a
“good place to start.”(snip)
Frist unveiled a bill last week that sidesteps the
question of temporary work permits. It would tighten borders, punish employers
who hire illegal immigrants and provide more visas.
It's being touted as the education of Harry Reid, but coming from
Nevada it's unlikely Harry needs to be told the troubles we're in over border
security. Nevada comes in third, behind California and Arizona, on illegal immigration,
with one of the largest growing Hispanic populations in the country. At least
these are things touted about the state. The casinos and construction businesses
are a perfect way for illegal aliens to disappear, and Las Vegas itself is about
as porous a city as you're ever going to see. And if you don't know already,
not even Hispanics want illegal aliens to get a free ride. Just look at what
happened to Arizona's Prop 200, where 47% of Hispanics voted for the mandatory
I.D. cards.
So, neck deep in trouble on all fronts, next week Senator Bill
Frist is going to do the mother of all change the subject tricks by announcing
a bill that shines a spotlight on an issue that's been festering with the American
public for years. I've covered the McCain-Kennedy bill before, which has gotten
the most favorable comments, so here is a paragraph about it. Sorry, no link,
as it has become inoperable, using a link instead to my original post on the
subject.
This legislation would require an illegal
alien to pay all the regular fees in order to become legal, as well as a $1,000
fine allowing him/her to join the guest worker program. Then, after six years,
the worker would pay another $1,000 for a green card. Its sponsors say the
bill's fines and fees signify an admittance of wrongdoing, and therefore cannot
be considered, as critics charge, an amnesty bill. The bill would also require
workers to carry a tamper-proof ID card. Employers who hire workers who don't
have a card would be fined double the previous amounts. As an example, those
who knowingly hire an undocumented worker (first incident) would now be fined
not less than $500 and not more than $4,000. Previously, those amounts were
$250 and $2,000. Subsequent violations would incur higher fines. (source)
Here's how the AP lays out Frist's bill:
_Require all employers to verify the identity
and immigration status of their employees through an electronic system._Assess civil penalties of between $500 and $20,000
against employers for each illegal immigrant they hire and criminal penalties
of up to $20,000 per illegal immigrant hired and up to six months in jail
for engaging in a pattern of employing illegal workers._Add 4,400 Border Patrol agents over six years to the
10,000 Congress provided for in the intelligence reform law passed in 2004,
and 1,000 more immigrant smuggling investigators over the next five years._More than double the number of employment-based green
cards, from 140,000 to 290,000, and make more employment based visas available
to unskilled workers. It also would free up other visas by exempting immediate
relatives of U.S. citizens from being counted in the annual pool of 480,000
visas, and increase country-by-country ceilings on family sponsored and employment-based
immigrants.
Let's face it, the Republicans are so weak and afraid of scaring the base away
that Frist & Co. have to offer them something. But the bottom line is that
Republicans are simply scared of immigrants and the very notion of diversity,
but no one is willing to suggest a bill that would lock in the Republican base
and make them bubble up with glee, which is to deport the 11 million illegal
aliens already here. That's why Republicans are locked in an illegal alien death match. Team Tancredo talks about it every day, with the
help of right-wing radio, but it's a non-starter, as is the “Illegal Immigration
Enforcement and Social Security Protection Act of 2005,” which fines employers
$50,000 and threatens serious jail time, which is the look at me I'm tough
on immigration fantasy of T.J. Bonner and the feckless weakling David Dreier. There are many pitfalls for Frist and the weak Republicans going forward and it looks like Reid is finally ready to engage.
Harry Reid, talking all over cable yesterday, said we need strong border security,
but we have to offer a way for the 11 million illegal aliens to come out of
the shadows and work for citizenship, even if that path is expensive and difficult.
I'm paraphrasing here, but Reid didn't want to give anyone the impression he's soft on illegal
immigration. His tough stance is another way of saying, hey, this ain't no stinkin'
amnesty.
The bottom line is that both parties have to find a way to explain how the
11 million illegals currently in this country have to be offered a path towards
citizenship. Sure, it sounds logical on it's face because it is, but if you
go around and talk to people, which I've done here and in Los Angeles, what
they call it is amnesty. But Reid's suggestion is working towards citizenship, which won't be a free ride, coupled with penalizing employers.
Of course, that's what has George W. Bush stuck in neutral, scared of going
forward, left or right. He's petrified to sanction his big corporate donors
with penalties.
Governors Janet Napolitano and Richardson have led on the issue, with Napolitano
asking Rumsfeld for troops to guard her border.
Yesterday, Hillary
came out against any bill that felonizes current illegal aliens, using religious
flourishes to make her point. Hillary's language parallels what Catholic bishops
are doing in California, when they say they will not follow any law that keeps
the priests from doing their jobs, which is to aid the sick and the poor. Criminalizing
their jobs is how the Catholic Church is seeing the militancy on immigration.
… “It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding
of the Scriptures,” Clinton said, “because this bill would literally
criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself.”Clinton did not specifically endorse any competing
legislation, including a bill co-authored by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and
Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) and another by Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-Neb.), saying
she hoped the Senate Judiciary Committee would produce a compromise incorporating
the best elements of all the bills and would remove the harsh penalties contained
in the House measure.Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has said
the Senate will take up his proposal to tighten borders and punish employers
who hire illegal immigrants if the Judiciary Committee doesn't complete a
broader bill by next week. …
Needless to say, Frist hopes to change the subject, while making
Democrats nervous about illegal immigration, something Frist thinks will knock
censure, Iraq and everything else off the front pages and be the one subject
that will energize the base for 2006 like nothing else. Obviously, he's also
hoping this will be his presidential ticket. A man can dream, I guess.
Harry Reid is prepared to filibuster any plan of Frist's that doesn't find
some way to strengthen the borders, while also bringing the 11 million illegals
out of the shadows and into a real chance of citizenship, through hard work,
paying fines and earning it.
Reid is smart to be talking tough and getting in Frist's face, because he obviously
knows that no single issue has the chance to hurt Democrats more than illegal
immigration. That said, Democrats sound so much stronger and more fair, with
the weakness and fright of Frist through proposals that felonize hard working
immigrants who only want a chance to get into the system showing the weakness of
Republicans, not to mention what a cowardly lot they are when it comes to diversity.
Very soon, the battle over illegal immigration will be engaged and right-wing
radio will go to work.
Reid, Clinton and others are talking tough on immigration and ready to meet
the Republicans' fraidy cat caucus with matched ferocity. What Frist and the
Republicans are hoping to do is turn illegal immigration into the Democrats'
Dubai port deal. Just maybe Feingold's leadership will inspire Democrats to
stand up and push back. It's time.
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