A Secret Deal On Immigration?

(CBS)  With protesters taking to the streets, and Americans looking to Washington for a solution, never before has immigration reform been tackled this way: Politicians at opposite ends of the debate collaborating in secret to devise a new comprehensive plan.

According to CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson, the group, which includes Democratic Sen. Ted Kennedy and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, has met for hours several times a week since March — with Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff acting as point man for the White House.

How unusual is it for Democrats, Republicans and White House Cabinet officials to be writing a bill together at the start? Sen. Graham said, "I've never done this before. I've been in the Congress now for over 12 years."

CBS News has been told the plan that could be announced next week attempts to please hardliners by spending billions to secure the border first. But all 12 million-plus illegal immigrants could stay. They'd have to register and pay fines for having entered illegally.

To become citizens, they'd go to the end of the line behind those who've already applied.

Under a new merit plan, points would be given for work skills and language: The more points, the faster they can become citizens.

And everyone — even U.S. citizens — would have to prove who they are when applying for a job.

The bottom line: An illegal immigrant here today could remain in the U.S., but would have to wait at least 13 years to become a citizen.

Negotiators agree some critics who call for mass jailings or deportations of illegals will call this compromise amnesty and oppose it, but with the House indicating it will follow the Senate's lead, it's still the last best hope for immigration reform any time soon.

"If we fail, if we cannot get this bill done, then this is it for years to come," Graham said.

That's because once this window of opportunity closes, all sides have said it'll be too close to presidential elections to tackle a subject that's such a lightning rod.

[loveusa2]

Oh yeah. Militias are not racist or terrorists? You better not say that in OKC. The KKK, Stormfront and the Minutemen not Racist? Dont tell all they4ve terrorized.

[lestb35]

No what's not being covered adequately is how neighborhoods especially small towns have been inundated over the past decade and the services are stretched thin and the system is nearly broken in some places. This is what's not being reported. So they've stopped the flow a bit the past year. So what. And you're estimte of 11million is small compared to what I've heard. The militia's are not racist. They're frustrated citizens.

[loveusa2]

The media, especially Dobbs, does not cover the issues. They show the same old tired footage from the 80s. They have these Mexican guys in striped shirts hopping over a barbed wire fence.

ICE reports the rate of people illegally crossing the border has significantly declined in the past year. It took 20 years for the 11M to accumulate to this number. American employers are inviting them here to work and giving them jobs. Most of the 11M have been here over 5 years. 40% are Visa overstays. Many of the Visa overstays are OTMs. Many come from war torn countries and these folks need sanctuary. Our current Guest Worker policies are insufficient for the extreme labor shortages we are facing. Bernanke says the 11M have positively impacted our economy and we would be in a severe recession without them. Bill Gates says we are losing jobs and contracts due to the shortage of H1b visas. Many of the MMs are violent as occured in San Diego and DC. John Tanton a known racist started most of the ANTI groups. None of this is being responsibly reported.

[lestb35]

It's surprising how we're tip-toeing around this issue. The media refuses to call it what it is (except for Lou Dobbs), the politicians make deals in the dead of night, secret bills negotiated, and corporate silence. The people are largely in the dark about this issue.

[loveusa2]

When I study the PROs and the ANTIs, I put them in several different categories. Both groups are comprised of strange bedfellows.

Of the ANTIs, the most intriguing are the recent Legal Immigrants, particularly the ones who have taken years to earn their citizenship. To me, they have the best argument, although not at same as the majority of ANTIs.

Toldyouso, you do have an interesting argument. You obviously have a different perspective than the majority of the ANTIs.

I4ve been studying this issue for about a year. I often debate on a PRO-ANTI debate website called MATT.org I4d be happy to discuss this issue at length on that website.

We have one or two legal immigrant ANTIs and they do have compelling arguments. You may know of the 11M, it is estimated that about 40% are visa overstays. Even thought the media portrays the %u201Cillegal issue%u201D as being a Hispanic jump over the fence issue, it is far more complex. The majority of the Visa overstays are other than Mexican (OTMs). We can discuss this further. I certainly would be interested in learning more about your perspective.

[loveusa2]

When I study the PROs and the ANTIs, I put them in several different categories. Both groups are comprised of strange bedfellows.

Of the ANTIs, the most intriguing are the recent Legal Immigrants, particularly the ones who have taken years to earn their citizenship. To me, they have the best argument, although not at same as the majority of ANTIs.

Toldyouso, I understand your plight. I understand your considerations for sanctuary for illegal immigrants from war torn countries. I understand the wait your relatives are experiencing.

One thing is clear, the current immigration policies and Guest Worker programs are not working and there is in fact a need for comprehensive immigration reform.

I post over at MATT.org
I would love to continue this discussion with you over on that site. It is not as cumbersome as this one and we can dialogue. If others are interested in this dialogue, come on over and we can chat.

I4ve been studying these issues for a year now and I am very interested in the recent legal immigrant perspective.

[toldyouso21]

Well, let's be fair on immigration.

Here are a few items in the books as "Immigration Law" you might not know.

1._ There will be NO special bilingual programs in the schools. No special ballots for elections and ALL government business will be conducted in our language.

2._ Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote, nor hold political office, no matter how long they are here.

4._ Foreigners will NOT be a burden to the taxpayers. NO welfare. NO health care or any other government assistance.

5._ Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.

6._ Foreigners may NOT protest; NO demonstrations, NO waving a foreign flag.

7._ If you do come in this country illegally, you will be hunted down and sent straight to jail.

Harsh, you say????

The above laws happen to be the Immigration Laws of MEXICO.
Posted by nikosk1 at 04:16 PM : May 14, 2007

Worth posting again.

[toldyouso21]

Assuming one is not motivated by racist sentiments oneself....


Posted by HotInPhoenix at 04:14 PM : May 14, 2007


I think you may have hit the proverbial nail on the head. Though many will not admit it, they appear to be sympathetic to the plight on a specific demographic (hispanic) and try to cloak it as concern about all illegal immigrants or all "brown skinned people" and label everyone else a racist. The problem is, this group never, ever addresses why it is okay for the 12 to 20 million illegally here now to cut in front of the millions legally waiting in line and they also never seem to want to answer why it is okay for them to ignore or break the law (or as one poster wrote--to justify the law in the 'grand scheme of things') but not okay for the country to do it on other issues.

This is about self righteousness and pretending some are the definitive moral compass for the entire country and as such, can dictate to the rest of us when laws should obeyed and when (because they say so and due to their personal "grand scheme of things) the rest of us should ignore the laws and advocate subversion for the sake of a certain population.

[hotinphoenix]

The issue is what to do with the 12 to 20 million illegals already in this country.

Legally, it doesn't matter whether groups for or against illegal immigration are racist, no doubt elements on both sides are racist.

It doesn't matter, they all have a constitutional right to be racist. But, issues of public policy must be settled based on considerations of law and fact.

The fact is we had an amnesty, and it didn't work. It is irrational to believe that a second amnesty will achieve a better result.

Mexico and Israel, for example, deport illegal immigrants, and they don't have nearly the illegal immigrant problem that we do.

Unless one believes that Mexico and Israel consist of "racist" societies, one cannot be against deporting illegal aliens, too.

Assuming one is not motivated by racist sentiments oneself....

[toldyouso21]

"Now you, once you study the issue for 1 minute cry the same thing. Go to any ANTI site and say that. "

Like most pro illegal immigration posters--you let emotionalism and your self righteousness get in the way of actual dialogue. I have said previously that legitimate avenues to get into this country are acceptable and NOT 1 person has castigated me on that. Like another poster, you appear only to want a fight and want your way and revert to ugliness and silly remarks when it is not forthcoming.. Well...you certainly will not win over many people by being bellicose or ranting. The fact is, you still have not addressed why the people you want take priority over everyone else in the line and are afforded their own special track. From my perspective, as law breakers they should NEVER, ever be allowed citizenship under any circumstances. This is the only way to ensure we do not have 20 year cycles of double digit millions illegally coming here and waiting for their turn at the amnesty bar. As I stated before--you can be as generous as you like--but not if it depends on things that do not solely belong to you. I do see a problem with circumventing the law and with the failure to vet people. I have experienced some of these problems first hand. Perhaps this colors my view--but in the final analysis, I believe we either are a country of laws or not.