Immigration News and Updates

lawrence01 · May 10, 2007

immigration deal is near, says specter

by elana schor

may 09, 2007

the senate's bipartisan immigration talks yesterday yielded the first stirrings of a "grand bargain," but the fate of the compromise remained uncertain amid political pressure from interest groups and a potential filibuster.

sen. arlen specter (pa.), the judiciary committee's ranking republican and leader of recent negotiations on immigration reform, took the floor to announce the progress and ask senate majority leader harry reid (d-nev.) for more time before the next week's floor deadline.

"we have come to an agreement on what we have called a 'grand bargain,' which is the outline of an immigration bill," specter said.

sanctions for employers who hire illegal immigrants, thousands of new border patrol agents and a trigger mechanism to tackle border security are all under consideration, specter said. but he warned that reid's plans to call up last year's senate-passed immigration bill-which has lost significant support-as a placeholder could bring the process to a halt.

"[there is a gop] disinclination to support a motion to proceed" to last year's bill, specter said, "raising the possibility that there may be a filibuster there."

lawmakers from both ends of the ideological spectrum believe time is growing short for an immigration bill that can pass both houses before presidential politics take hold. the spring's marathon talks have joined as many as a dozen senators with two cabinet members representing the white house, but few negotiators were openly optimistic until yesterday.

reid's plans remained firm, launching tomorrow with a so-called "rule 14" filing on either last year's committee-passed or senate-passed immigration bill. he urged specter's group to offer language as a substitute or in several amendments to that placeholder measure.

"senators have known for two months" that immigration would come up next week, reid told reporters yesterday. "anyone who thinks two months is not enough time to get ready should get another occupation."

senate gop conference chairman jon kyl (ariz.), an opponent of last year's bill turned white house ally in the negotiations, tamped down talk of a filibuster on the motion to proceed to placeholder legislation-provided that it would be only a stand-in for a complete agreement that has yet to emerge.

click here for full article.

lawrence01 · May 10, 2007

Senate Majority Leader Reid announced that he would bypass the Senate Judiciary Committee and bring the CIR act of 2006 (last year's passed Senate version) directly to the Senate floor on Monday, May 14 for debate besides requests by a few Senators that the debates be delayed.

Source: http://www.shusterman.com/

lawrence01 · May 10, 2007

'bargain' aims to deal with border, then guest workers

posted: 2:20 p.m. edt, may 9, 2007

washington (cnn) -- senators may have mended fences on contentious immigration legislation that sputtered in congress last year, and they will head into next week's debate with what one gop senator called a "grand bargain."

however, it's unclear if lawmakers will pick up where they left off, or if they plan to start anew.

senators from both parties have hammered out an outline for a bill and "have come to an agreement on what we have called a, quote, 'grand bargain,' " sen. arlen specter, r-pennsylvania, said from the senate floor tuesday.

speaking at a wednesday news conference, sen. patrick leahy, d-vermont, urged president bush to join the bipartisan group of senators in ushering a bill through the legislative process.

"the president has got to be personally involved," leahy said. "you cannot just send up cabinet members and ask them to speak with a few members of the president's party and think that's going to get you through. you cannot issue great-sounding press releases on a take-it-or-leave-it basis."

leahy said he believes the president is committed to solving the nation's immigration woes, "but this won't work unless he comes in and talks to both republicans and democrats and makes it very clear that he is behind our efforts."

majority leader harry reid of nevada has set a monday deadline for beginning debate on the issue, but he has not indicated whether senators would discuss the old bill or a new one.

"one of those two things i will bring to the senate floor, and that will be the working document that we will work from," reid said tuesday.

bush and democratic leaders have generally concurred on immigration, much to the chagrin of bush's conservative base, which helped shoot down last year's legislation in the gop-controlled congress.

click here for full article.

bettyboop · May 10, 2007

stupid question i know but does the CIR bill include anything for the lifting of retrogresion?

Sorry for the question but getting very mixed up with different bills etc.

lawrence01 · May 11, 2007

stupid question i know but does the CIR bill include anything for the lifting of retrogresion?
Sorry for the question but getting very mixed up with different bills etc.

Yes, it does. Only question is if it will pass. Its an all or none thing. They have to agree on every aspect of the whole immigration overhaul. If they don't agree on what to do w/ illegals then CIR will not pass. However, it isn't the end of the world it it doesn't pass this year.

A crude analogy (pls. excuse me for this) is that when there is a chance that a whole car be fixed one time and not fix it piece by piece or section by section then you would want to fix it one time. It will be arduous and long but it's really more practical, shorter, and cost-efficient to do so in the long run than having to fix it one part at a time. That's what they are trying to do w/ CIR. However, if they feel that they can't fix it as a whole then they will be forced to fix it bit by bit, as they always have.

If CIR fails this year and they feel that a CIR will not be tackled again by 2009 then they will entertain the recapture bills we have been hearing. They haven't passed any stand-alone immigration-related bills since last year simply because there is a chance to fix the whole immigration system in one sweep via CIR. It isn't just practical to fix just one part of the car then having the whole car fixed anyway in just a short amount of time. This is why there were no immigration-related bills that were passed outside or before CIR.

The immigration debates will definitely happen on May 14 and a Senate version introduced one way or another base on recent reports we posted here.

This is it. If CIR passes, all is well. If it fails we can expect the recapture bill (stand-alone bill) will be entertained since there is no more chance for CIR until 2009, amid US Presidential elections in 2008.

english_nurse · May 11, 2007

sigh, politics are so complicated

suzanne4, RN · May 11, 2007

A key thing is that nurses are not guest workers. They are not under the temporary work permits such as the H1-B. So guest worker issues do not affect nurses. This is the point that I am trying to make.

I am sure that some of you do not like hearing this, but you only want the green card. Do not go for anything less.

fruity · May 12, 2007

A key thing is that nurses are not guest workers. They are not under the temporary work permits such as the H1-B. So guest worker issues do not affect nurses. This is the point that I am trying to make.
I am sure that some of you do not like hearing this, but you only want the green card. Do not go for anything less.

If nurses will not be part of CIR...where it'll be? when are we going to be tackled.....aren't they going to inject some issues concerning nurses on the debate?

lawrence01 · May 12, 2007

democrats postpone immigration vote to give bipartisan deal more time

by associated press

friday, may 11, 2007 - updated: 01:14 pm est

washington - agreeing to give a fitful set of bipartisan talks more time to yield an immigration deal, senate majority leader harry reid said friday he would delay a vote on the issue until next week.

the move postponed - at least for a day - what was shaping up as a partisan clash over immigration after weeks of negotiations between the white house and senators in both parties designed to strike a broad compromise.

with that agreement still elusive, reid is planning to force debate next week on an immigration measure that passed the senate last year with wide democratic backing but opposition by a majority of republicans. gop senators have promised to block that move, saying they will only accept a new bipartisan compromise.

"some of the senators feel that there’s a breakthrough that could take place" in talks over the weekend and early next week, said reid, d-nev., adding that he would "reluctantly" postpone the test-vote, which he had set for tuesday. he has now set the vote for next wednesday.

sen. mitch mcconnell, r-ky., said the move would "give us the maximum opportunity to piece back together the bipartisan agreement that we thought we almost had a week or so ago."

click here for full article.

lawrence01 · May 12, 2007

democrats postpone immigration vote to give bipartisan deal more time
by associated press
friday, may 11, 2007 - updated: 01:14 pm est
washington - agreeing to give a fitful set of bipartisan talks more time to yield an immigration deal, senate majority leader harry reid said friday he would delay a vote on the issue until next week.
the move postponed - at least for a day - what was shaping up as a partisan clash over immigration after weeks of negotiations between the white house and senators in both parties designed to strike a broad compromise.
with that agreement still elusive, reid is planning to force debate next week on an immigration measure that passed the senate last year with wide democratic backing but opposition by a majority of republicans. gop senators have promised to block that move, saying they will only accept a new bipartisan compromise.
"some of the senators feel that there's a breakthrough that could take place" in talks over the weekend and early next week, said reid, d-nev., adding that he would "reluctantly" postpone the test-vote, which he had set for tuesday. he has now set the vote for next wednesday.
sen. mitch mcconnell, r-ky., said the move would "give us the maximum opportunity to piece back together the bipartisan agreement that we thought we almost had a week or so ago."
click here for full article.

this news just shows that the us congress (at least majority of them) do like a cir bill be passed this year.

healthcpg · May 12, 2007

This is a great news for all! Have faith all of you! US never fails. It may take time but they always come through at the end. I hope all those who are trying to come to the US are truly hard working people, and not get to the US and six months after leave their facility. Hospitals are having a lot of problem retaining their foreign workers, after spending thousands of dollars getting them to the US.

lawrence01 · May 12, 2007

president bush prods bipartisan immigration deal

posted: 11:29 a.m. edt, may 12, 2007

washington (ap) -- president bush, promoting bipartisan immigration talks as they reach a critical stage, said saturday that republicans and democrats are building consensus that could produce a bill this year.

"i am optimistic we can pass a comprehensive immigration bill and get this problem solved for the american people this year," bush said in his weekly radio address.

bush used the address to put pressure on senators as they prepare to hold a vote on the contentious issue next week. signing an overhaul into law would be viewed as a marquee domestic achievement for the president.

he has dispatched two members of his cabinet, homeland security secretary michael chertoff and commerce secretary carlos gutierrez, to capitol hill for almost daily closed-door meetings with a handful of republicans and democrats to cut an immigration deal. the group is eyeing a tuesday deadline for a compromise.

"these meetings have been productive. we've been addressing our differences in good faith, and we're building consensus. both republicans and democrats understand that successful immigration reform must be bipartisan," bush said.

sen. edward m. kennedy, d-massachusetts, thanked bush for "addressing the nation on this critical issue and emphasizing the common goals that we share.

"the american people will be watching and waiting to see if the senate can come together on immigration reform and strike the right balance between strengthening our security and our economy and enacting laws that uphold the humanity and dignity of those who come here seeking a better life," kennedy said.

both sides have an interest in addressing the topic, which polls show is among americans' top concerns. it's also a top issue for hispanic voters, a fast-growing segment of the electorate that is being hotly contested by the two parties.

"the politics are pointing to action. what's difficult is that squaring the circle on the policy differences between the two parties is hard," said frank sharry, the executive director of the national immigration forum.

"politically it makes sense for the key players to get it done this year, and before the next election season kicks in," sharry said.

click here for full article.