Senators discuss comprehensive immigration changes
WASHINGTON (AP) - Two senators on opposite sides of the aisle are proposing comprehensive changes to the immigration laws that would include a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the United States.
Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, who promoted similar proposals on separate Sunday's news shows. said that no path to citizenship would be available until the country's borders were secure.
Only then could those in the U.S. without authorization "come out of the shadows, get biometrically identified, start paying taxes, pay a fine for the law the broke," Graham said on CBS' "Face the Nation." ''They can't stay unless they learn our language, and they have to get in the back of line before they become citizens. They can't cut in front of the line regarding people who are doing it right and it can take over a decade to get their green card."
Schumer told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he and Graham have resumed talks on immigration policy that broke off two years ago and "have put together a comprehensive detailed blue print on immigration reform" that has "the real potential for bipartisan support based on the theory that most Americans are for legal immigration, but very much against illegal immigration."
Graham, however, made no mention of working with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, refugees and border security.
Immigration policy, largely ignored during President Barack Obama's first four years in office, has re-emerged as a major issue as Republicans seek ways to rebound from their election performance. More than 70 percent of Hispanic voters supported Obama, who has been more open than Republicans to comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws.
Three days after Tuesday's election, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said it was time to address immigration policy. He urged Obama to take the lead in coming up with a plan that would look at both improved enforcement of immigration law and the future of the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Boehner, however, did not commit to the citizenship issue.
Graham said that the "tone and rhetoric" Republicans used in the immigration debate of 2006 and 2007 "has built a wall between the Republican Party and Hispanic community," causing Hispanic support to dwindle from 44 percent in 2004 to 27 percent in 2012.
"This is an odd formula for party to adopt, the fastest growing demographic in the country, and we're losing votes every election. It's one thing to shoot yourself in the foot, just don't reload the gun. I intend not to reload this gun when it comes to Hispanics. I intend to tear this wall down and pass an immigration reform bill that's an American solution to an American problem," he said.
Both senators said the overhaul would include developing a secure document to assure employers they're hiring people authorized to work in the country, and allowing legal immigration for needed workers at all skill levels. The path to citizenship would require immigrants to learn English, go to the back of the citizenship line, have a job and not commit crimes.
Graham said the overhaul would have to be done in such a way that "we don't have a third wave of illegal immigration 20 years from now. That's what Americans want. They want more legal immigration and they want to fix illegal immigration once and for all."
In exit polls on Tuesday, The Associated Press found 65 percent favored offering most illegal immigrants workers in the United States a chance to apply for legal status, more than double the number who said most should be deported. Even among Republicans, the party associated with crackdowns on illegal immigration, about half favored a path toward staying in the U.S.
Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York and Republican Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, who promoted similar proposals on separate Sunday's news shows. said that no path to citizenship would be available until the country's borders were secure.
Only then could those in the U.S. without authorization "come out of the shadows, get biometrically identified, start paying taxes, pay a fine for the law the broke," Graham said on CBS' "Face the Nation." ''They can't stay unless they learn our language, and they have to get in the back of line before they become citizens. They can't cut in front of the line regarding people who are doing it right and it can take over a decade to get their green card."
Schumer told NBC's "Meet the Press" that he and Graham have resumed talks on immigration policy that broke off two years ago and "have put together a comprehensive detailed blue print on immigration reform" that has "the real potential for bipartisan support based on the theory that most Americans are for legal immigration, but very much against illegal immigration."
Graham, however, made no mention of working with the chairman of the Senate Judiciary subcommittee on immigration, refugees and border security.
Immigration policy, largely ignored during President Barack Obama's first four years in office, has re-emerged as a major issue as Republicans seek ways to rebound from their election performance. More than 70 percent of Hispanic voters supported Obama, who has been more open than Republicans to comprehensive overhaul of immigration laws.
Three days after Tuesday's election, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said it was time to address immigration policy. He urged Obama to take the lead in coming up with a plan that would look at both improved enforcement of immigration law and the future of the estimated 11 million people living in the country illegally. Boehner, however, did not commit to the citizenship issue.
Graham said that the "tone and rhetoric" Republicans used in the immigration debate of 2006 and 2007 "has built a wall between the Republican Party and Hispanic community," causing Hispanic support to dwindle from 44 percent in 2004 to 27 percent in 2012.
"This is an odd formula for party to adopt, the fastest growing demographic in the country, and we're losing votes every election. It's one thing to shoot yourself in the foot, just don't reload the gun. I intend not to reload this gun when it comes to Hispanics. I intend to tear this wall down and pass an immigration reform bill that's an American solution to an American problem," he said.
Both senators said the overhaul would include developing a secure document to assure employers they're hiring people authorized to work in the country, and allowing legal immigration for needed workers at all skill levels. The path to citizenship would require immigrants to learn English, go to the back of the citizenship line, have a job and not commit crimes.
Graham said the overhaul would have to be done in such a way that "we don't have a third wave of illegal immigration 20 years from now. That's what Americans want. They want more legal immigration and they want to fix illegal immigration once and for all."
In exit polls on Tuesday, The Associated Press found 65 percent favored offering most illegal immigrants workers in the United States a chance to apply for legal status, more than double the number who said most should be deported. Even among Republicans, the party associated with crackdowns on illegal immigration, about half favored a path toward staying in the U.S.
Time for obama to act on behalf of his chosen people.... illegal aliens.
If they are here illegally , then they should be thrown out as soon as possible. Â Of course this won't happen as long as traitor obama and his democrap puppets are in office. Â The prefer siding with the Mexican drug lords instead of being on the side of American citizens. Â Maybe osama obama will be able to get his next job in Mexico. Â After all, he likes them more than he does his own people.
So all you pubes thought the pube party was for you? LOL. Knowing that 70% of the Hispanic voted for a demo only tells the pube party that they are going to change their game plan to include Hispanic. Knowing that by 2040 or so the Hispanic people are going to be the majority is making the pube party pish their pants. Look for the pube party to try and put a latino in office or at least vice -prez which is going to open the doors. Look for the pube party to have another Amnesty program like the darling pube reagan did. I'm glad myself that the pube party represents you republicons. And then you vote for robme thinking that he was going to do something about it? And, the Mexicans are reclaiming their homelands without firing a shot. Â
Looks like our government has gone all haywire recently.
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http://cnsnews.com/news/article/6125-proposed-regulations-and-notifications-posted-last-90-days-average-68-day
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Why should talks of immigration "reform" be any different.
Just like in 1986, the 11 million number will double.
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http://www.thenewamerican.com/usnews/immigration/item/12491-illegals-line-up-for-amnesty-number-eligible-double-original-estimates
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DO YOUR JOBS !!!!
Are illegal immigrants a net drain or benefit to the US economy? Â It's hard to know, but the answer also isn't the slam dunk you might think.
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http://www.wctv.tv/home/headlines/What_Is_The_True_Cost_Of_Illegal_Immigration_161355085.html
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Here's a different take of what I heard suggested Friday. lets legalize ALL illegals right now, today. With these laws to apply to ALL of them: they cannot vote, or receive any [any] free finical aid, food stamps, medical, housing etc... from any state or government agency for a term of TWENTY FIVE years.Â
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To prove democrats hypocrisy, no democrat will stand behind this idea.
 @last boyscout A frequent statement I hear from many is this:  "I paid into Social Security and Medicare my whole life.  That money is mine and I intend to collect every penny".
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If you support this position, then you're on the horns of a dilemma. Â Are social services something that you accrue through participating in the program through payroll taxes, which many illegals do, or are they only provided by virtue of citizenship? Â
@Festivus @last boyscout  Festy, if illegal are here illegally...... then by definition they can not have a SS number or be contributing with hopes ot having a claim some day.  they not only broke the law getting here they are breaking the law AGAIN by working with SOMEONE ELSES SS number. Very simple ABSOLUTELY NO claims for illegals.
Look at those greedy, lazy people in the picture. They all want the government to give them things, and they are right up front with it. This is the future of our country - more and more "takers" and fewer "makers." This is entirely unsustainable, but the majority of the voters just don't seem to understand - or care. We had a good thing going here for a couple hundred years, but our nation is on the downhill slope to perdition.
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It's time to shake the Etch-A-Sketch of history and start a new drawing. Reboot.
 @Altazi ~  Sometimes, I think the same thing, Altazi...  It's so messed up now, I wonder if there's any way to fix it... and like you said, the majority of the voters just don't seem to care... they keep electing / re-electing the same people... Â
Provide more reasons for people to illegally immigrate, and you will get more illegal immigrants.
Reward illegal immigrants, and you will get more of them. Our government is full of idiots.
@Altazi  Actually, I think they "said that no path to citizenship would be available until the country's borders were secure."Â
There is nothing to discuss....sent them home.
WE DON'T NEED REFORM........ We need E verify for all employees and enforcement of current laws.
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If this is done, illegal immigration will take care of itself
@kramr That is the attitude that loses elections (unfortunately). But I do agree.
 @HenryBowman @scared_citizenÂ
Actually, mittens lost because not enough folks turned out to vote for him. B HO had FEWER votes than McaCain got in 2008.
Part of the new term Obama/Trumka partnership will focus on unionizing those 11 million "undocumented" workers.Source? KATU Business section- Labor :Tax the rich,don't touch the safety nets,.Whatever the union wants,the union gets.Obama has more latitude now and he's in deep,deep debt to the AFLCIO and SEIU.
I got a better idea idea. Let's just add Mexico to the union. They're practically the 51st state anyways; half it's popluation resides here already; tons of US companies factories down there as well. Then we can go on spring break trips without a passport and the DEA, FBI, etc  can go head to head with the drug lords down there. Make them change that ridiculous flag so it has a pot leaf instead of an eagle too.
You've all be duped. Deal with it. Congress and the President don't care what the peons think or want.
The most IMPORTANT criteria for immigration is that they be able to pay their own way. NO WELFARE or FREEBIES for ILLEGALS.Â