Jun 30 2006
Immigration Compromise
Some Republican Senators have finally appeared to figure out that the disastrous mish-mosh of a comprehensive immigration reform bill they passed will not work. There are hints that a compromise can be reached with the House bill that would stress enforcement first, then later address all the other issues.
They could have saved a lot of headaches by reading this blog, in other words.
Republican Senate leaders are considering how to revive immigration legislation and cut a deal with the more hard-line House, a sign of increasing GOP concern that inaction on the emotionally charged issue could hurt the party with voters in November.
For months, House and Senate Republicans have steadfastly defended their respective positions. The House has insisted on tougher border and deportation provisions only. The Senate, allied with President Bush, has demanded that a crackdown be coupled with an overhaul of immigration laws, including a broader guest worker program and a pathway to legal status for the estimated 12 million people who live in the United States illegally.
House leaders appeared to be winning the standoff. They announced this month that they would hold field hearings on immigration throughout the summer, all but guaranteeing that a bill could not be completed until after the election.
But in recent days, senators and the White House have dropped hints that they are willing to move closer to the House's position — perhaps by agreeing to a two-phase plan that would begin with construction of triple-layer walls, deployment of surveillance aircraft and other means of tightening the border with Mexico.
When those measures are fully funded and operational — a process that could take as much as two years — debate on some version of the Senate's broader proposals would begin.
Which is what we have maintained here for a long time - enforce the border first and a lot of other things are possible.
