Senate Democrats Address Immigration - With Biometric ID
by Spencer S. Hsu,Washington Post
Senate Democrats outlined plans yesterday to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, including a requirement that all U.S. workers verify their identity through fingerprints or an eye scan.
Speaking on the eve of a White House summit with congressional leaders on immigration, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said a national system to verify work documents is necessary because Congress has failed to crack down on unscrupulous employers and illegal immigrants with fake documents.
"I'm sure the civil libertarians will object to some kind of biometric card -- although . . . there'll be all kinds of protections -- but we're going to have to do it. It's the only way," Schumer said. "The American people will never accept immigration reform unless they truly believe their government is committed to ending future illegal immigration."
By announcing his plans, Schumer, who chairs the Senate's main immigration subcommittee, ushered in what President Obama has signaled will be his next major legislative campaign, after the economic stimulus plan, health care and energy.
Schumer said legislation should secure control of the nation's borders within a year and require that an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants register with the government and "submit to a rigorous process to convert to legal status" or face immediate deportation. Rejecting the euphemism "undocumented workers," he said: "Illegal immigration is wrong -- plain and simple."
A senior White House official said Obama is open to all of Schumer's proposals, including his ID plan, saying that "he wants to listen, he wants to talk. All of it is on the table."
Hispanic leaders and immigrant advocates have pressed Obama to fulfill a campaign pledge to tackle the issue this year. In response, House and Senate Democratic leaders voiced new optimism this week that a deal can be struck before election season heats up next spring.
"I think we have the floor votes to do it," Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Tuesday. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) added that action could begin "as early, perhaps, as this fall."
Seeking to build momentum, Obama will meet today with at least 20 House and Senate members from both parties, officials said. But White House aides have worked to lower expectations, noting Congress's inability to deliver legislation to former president George W. Bush in 2006 and 2007, and vowing to proceed with debate this year only with strong bipartisan support.
"The president wants to make it clear he is serious," a senior White House official said yesterday. "He also wants to make it clear he's going to need strong partnership and leadership on both sides of the aisle to get the right policies moving."
Key Republicans reacted cautiously, saying they would work with Obama if he thinks a deal is possible.
"What we need now is not another photo op at the White House," Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), the ranking Republican on Schumer's panel, said Tuesday. "What we need is a plan from the president of the United States."
In pushing Congress to tackle the subject for the third time in four years, advocates say a bigger Democratic majority, Republican unease over the party's waning support from Hispanics and public demand for solutions will deliver a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate.
But the plan faces obstacles, opponents said, including rising competition for jobs in a collapsing economy, and continued resistance to granting "amnesty" to illegal immigrants.
"Every Democrat that's in a competitive district knows that will be the question next year: Why did they vote for more foreign workers while 14 million workers are unemployed?" said Roy Beck, founder of NumbersUSA, a group that advocates for limiting immigration.
Also unclear is what backing might come from business groups. Schumer's priorities did not include expanding a guest-worker program, which employers sought. Instead, Schumer said that any deal must also create mechanisms to attract highly skilled immigrants, control the flow of low-skilled immigrants and protect native-born workers.
A system to access legal workers "is non-negotiable from a business point of view," said Tamara Jacoby, president of the ImmigrationWorks USA lobby, adding: "But we're open to a discussion of what that legal mechanism should be."
-----
Got comments? Email me, dammit!
Permanent link for this article which can be used on any website:
Senate Democrats outlined plans yesterday to overhaul the nation's immigration laws, including a requirement that all U.S. workers verify their identity through fingerprints or an eye scan.
Speaking on the eve of a White House summit with congressional leaders on immigration, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said a national system to verify work documents is necessary because Congress has failed to crack down on unscrupulous employers and illegal immigrants with fake documents.
"I'm sure the civil libertarians will object to some kind of biometric card -- although . . . there'll be all kinds of protections -- but we're going to have to do it. It's the only way," Schumer said. "The American people will never accept immigration reform unless they truly believe their government is committed to ending future illegal immigration."
By announcing his plans, Schumer, who chairs the Senate's main immigration subcommittee, ushered in what President Obama has signaled will be his next major legislative campaign, after the economic stimulus plan, health care and energy.
Schumer said legislation should secure control of the nation's borders within a year and require that an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants register with the government and "submit to a rigorous process to convert to legal status" or face immediate deportation. Rejecting the euphemism "undocumented workers," he said: "Illegal immigration is wrong -- plain and simple."
A senior White House official said Obama is open to all of Schumer's proposals, including his ID plan, saying that "he wants to listen, he wants to talk. All of it is on the table."
Hispanic leaders and immigrant advocates have pressed Obama to fulfill a campaign pledge to tackle the issue this year. In response, House and Senate Democratic leaders voiced new optimism this week that a deal can be struck before election season heats up next spring.
"I think we have the floor votes to do it," Senate Majority Leader Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Tuesday. House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) added that action could begin "as early, perhaps, as this fall."
Seeking to build momentum, Obama will meet today with at least 20 House and Senate members from both parties, officials said. But White House aides have worked to lower expectations, noting Congress's inability to deliver legislation to former president George W. Bush in 2006 and 2007, and vowing to proceed with debate this year only with strong bipartisan support.
"The president wants to make it clear he is serious," a senior White House official said yesterday. "He also wants to make it clear he's going to need strong partnership and leadership on both sides of the aisle to get the right policies moving."
Key Republicans reacted cautiously, saying they would work with Obama if he thinks a deal is possible.
"What we need now is not another photo op at the White House," Sen. John Cornyn (Tex.), the ranking Republican on Schumer's panel, said Tuesday. "What we need is a plan from the president of the United States."
In pushing Congress to tackle the subject for the third time in four years, advocates say a bigger Democratic majority, Republican unease over the party's waning support from Hispanics and public demand for solutions will deliver a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate.
But the plan faces obstacles, opponents said, including rising competition for jobs in a collapsing economy, and continued resistance to granting "amnesty" to illegal immigrants.
"Every Democrat that's in a competitive district knows that will be the question next year: Why did they vote for more foreign workers while 14 million workers are unemployed?" said Roy Beck, founder of NumbersUSA, a group that advocates for limiting immigration.
Also unclear is what backing might come from business groups. Schumer's priorities did not include expanding a guest-worker program, which employers sought. Instead, Schumer said that any deal must also create mechanisms to attract highly skilled immigrants, control the flow of low-skilled immigrants and protect native-born workers.
A system to access legal workers "is non-negotiable from a business point of view," said Tamara Jacoby, president of the ImmigrationWorks USA lobby, adding: "But we're open to a discussion of what that legal mechanism should be."
-----
Got comments? Email me, dammit!
Permanent link for this article which can be used on any website:
posted by Aaron Turpen @ 7:31 AM
3 Comments:
At 11:54 AM, June 27, 2009 ,
Brittanicus said...
ONLY THE DECISION OF EVERY AMERICAN AND LEGAL RESIDENT, BY CONTACTING YOUR SENATOR OR REPRESENTATIVE WILL PUT A STOP TO AN 8th AMNESTY!
The 1986 Simpson/Mazzoli Immigration bill is--NOT BROKEN--is just has never been enforced. Sen.Ted Kennedy a liberal, would never have voted, assisted in drafting it 23 years ago, if it was broken? NO! It's just another excuse to push through another path to citizenship--or AMNESTY. Obama promised open door sessions, but the Democrat leadership allowed no press or even Republicans to enter immigration reform discussion. President Obama promised transparency when it comes to all major issues and illegal immigration invasion is certainly a flash-point of major issues facing the taxpayer. It's completely beyond any comprehension that Washington, would look for votes to pass this so-called immigration reform, when there are 11 percent jobless Americans and legal residents in our nation?
Sen Chuck Schumer and the usual conspirators are trying to blind-side the American people with a new business illegal immigration extraction tool. Same as all the creations, to pass another AMNESTY. Already his Sen. friend Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, Janet Napolitano have crippled the American Worker, by denying E-Verify in the earlier Stimulus bill. That for a start would have made sure the estimated 300.000 illegal laborers, would not have been hired for infrastructure and construction jobs. Now we are supposed to trust them with their so-called path to citizenship. It's AMNESTY by any other word! It means the US worker gets the-rough-end-of-the pineapple again by our elected officials. 1. How do the hope to process 12 to 20 plus foreign nationals? ALL AT ONCE? What a laugh? 2. Probably the biggest enigma is OVERPOPULATION?
Once the process is rolling, do you think that the people waiting on the other side of the fence are going to go home. That's the biggest joke on the American worker, the US people? Then what about absolutely insaneness of family unification? Millions more will enter the pipeline? They would eventually have to call our troops back from Germany, Japan and South Korea--TO HOLD BACK THE STAMPEDE. We cannot and should not enter into any more AMNESTIES, as it will cause devastation on our open lands.
Urban sprawl with all its ugly ramifications of clogged traffic, unavailability of potable water and a failing infrastructure and even worse--chronic poverty than we already have in the inner cities? We cannot afford the costs that have been estimated to be around $2.5 trillion dollars, just to process whoever is here already--according to the Heritage Foundation. If these people want to come here, then they should return first, to their homelands and arrange all the processing from the other-side of our make-believe sealed border? We are already supporting undesirables in our federal and state prison system that should be addressed. Then their is the annual costs of babies born here to illegal immigrant woman. Only children of at least one citizen or naturalized American should be allowed instant citizenship, not an infant born of any illegal alien female? Immediately they can access every one of the 60 means tested benefits, for low income citizens.
Have you any idea of the price taxpayers will pay, for the hundreds of thousands of family members who can enter once sponsored under the family unification law? All the impoverished sick will descend on hospitals for dialysis and other acute illnesses, that will barrel the federal government into a financial crisis.
Only a very few of these people already here have a high school diploma, speak English or even understand our culture. The majority come here to work, not assimilate in the mainstream America like the immigrants of yesteryear. Billions of dollars are transfered to foreign banks each year, not into the nations treasuries to circulate throughout the population?
At 11:55 AM, June 27, 2009 ,
Brittanicus said...
If our politicians just worked for the AMERICAN PEOPLE FOR A CHANGE and ignored the special interest lobby, they could enforce E-Verify on a national scale. Not voluntary but as a permanent application, for every worker new and longterm hires. Without much money being spent for deportation, the E-Verify tool would overtime start to extract illegal labor by ATTRITION! Illegal families would pack their possessions and leaving our country, making room in the workplace. Because E-Verify has a near a hundred percent success rate and working, the pariah employers who hire cheap labor are trying to kill it with the help of their associates in Washington. No illegal alien worker would show his face at the Social Security office, where rehiring issues could be resolved. Public spirited US workers could inform a well funded ICE and inform of illegal activity in their work location, for all those who seem to have something to hide.
AS illegal immigration is such a far reaching issue and contains so many traumatic relevant problems, including language, culture that effects all of us, there just isn't enough room to itemize everything that could be an irreversible impact on our daily lives? Read the answers at some of these websites including NUMBERSUSA, JUDICIAL WATCH, CAPSWEB, UNIPAC, AMERICANPATROL. and of course contacting your Senator and Congressman
At 11:51 AM, June 28, 2009 ,
Aaron Turpen said...
I have a better idea: END WELFARE.
Remove the welfare issue from illegal immigration and you've solved nearly every problem that illegal immigration causes.
Easy. Plus, none of us have to give up any of our rights to privacy or become part of the machine to accomplish this.
Wow... how rough is that?
What is the impact of illegal immigration on the work place? Hmm... Negligible. Why? Because they take the bottom-tier jobs that nobody else takes.
Want those jobs back in American hands? Kill the minimum wage and child labor laws. Allow teenagers to work as much as they'd like and allow employers to pay what they're worth instead of some arbitrarily required dollar figure that puts people out of work instead of "raising living standards."
Do those two things and you've completely solved the illegal immigration problem. The only illegals coming here at that point will be criminals. They can be treated like all other criminals in this country.
Easy, simple, and freedom-promoting.
Of course, none of these ideas are popular, especially with King Obama in office, so your happy totalitarian plans will be more likely to be implemented instead.
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home