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Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate

By Jeralyn, Section Civil Liberties
Posted on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:11:48 AM EST
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The Hagel-Martinez compromise immigration bill touted by Senate leaders yesterday failed by a 38 to 60 test vote today.

It's just as well. Had it passed, it would have gone on to the house to be reconciled with Sensenbrenner's H.R. 4437 and the Democrats would likely have compromised on keeping some of that bill's excessively punitive provisions.

Frist's bill also failed, garnering even less votes.

My view: Take the punitive provisions out. Let families stay together. Then let's talk about a bill.

Should a bill pass, when it comes time to appoint conferees to reconcile the House and Senate versions, AILA is recommending that the Senate conferees include every member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Although we believe this compromise has the potential to bridge the divide in how to deal with the current undocumented population, we believe that no deal can be finalized unless and until there is agreement that the compromise will be protected from damaging amendments on the Senate Floor. There must also be agreement that the compromise will be protected through any House/Senate conference committee. We believe the best way to ensure that is for the Senate Leadership to agree that the entire Senate Judiciary Committee will compose the Senate side of any conference committee.

Notwithstanding our strong support for this compromise, we note that other provisions in the legislation directed at the rights and liberties of both documented and undocumented immigrants remain of significant concern. We will continue to work with Members in both chambers to remove or ameliorate those harmful measures as the process continues to advance.

Massive protests are planned for Monday. The debate could resume on April 24 when the Senate reconvenes.

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    Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate | 10 comments (10 topical)
    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#1)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:47:35 AM EST
    I see it is important to protect the immigrants and their families as well as the corporate employers who rely on near slave labor to increase their profits. It is not important to have a safe secure border, uphold the rule of law, and of course it is ok to throw the middle class and their standard of living under the bus. This position makes absolutely no sense.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#2)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:52:41 AM EST
    Can't say I didn't see this coming. The GOP has nothing to gain from such a bill. If the Dems take back the House this year we might see another bill before 2008. All in all the GOP made themselves look like a bunch of unorganized asses.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#3)
    by rigel on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 09:54:41 AM EST
    this is political theatre in the purest sense. and Jade, xenophobic americans have been saying exactly those things since nearly the inception of the country.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#4)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 10:04:33 AM EST
    It's a sad day when you are xenophobic because you want legal immigrants and fair play, living wages, decent working conditions for everybody rather than a caste system. I don't care if 20 Million immigrants are allowed to become citizens. They must however come here legally to do it. If they are here illegally, they have to go home and can immediately come back legally. I don't care how many immigrants come her to live. Once here they should recieve a fair and living wage (at least $10/hour), they need decent working conditions (an open field is not a bathroom) and reasonable benefits. The deal is bad for the illegals and even worse for our country's real family values.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#5)
    by rigel on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 10:11:48 AM EST
    jade: i was responding mainly to the alarmist "throwing the middle class under the bus" which is arguably caused more by ballooning consumer debt caused by moneyed corporate entities gaming the political system than by illegal immigration. the immigration "debate", such as it is, has little to nothing to do with the shrinking middle class. and in case you hadnt noticed, "uphold the rule of law" seems to be a code phrase, in this context, for "lock up those goddamn beaners" in many parts of the country. maybe if you had chosen a different phrase, one less directly tied to overtly racist, jingoistic douchebags like those in the minuteman project, i wouldnt have called you a xenophobe.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#6)
    by Slado on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 10:33:27 AM EST
    "excessively punitive" This is an example of the other extreme on this debate. I assume this refers to enforcing laws and keeping new illegals out. Or holding people responsible to the rule of law. A compromise is what's neded on this issue. We can't let em all in and we can't kick them all out. We need to start enforcing the laws on the books, beef up security and then figure out what to do with the ones that are already here.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#7)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 11:58:15 AM EST
    Sorry, illegal immigration and the illegal workforce are one-half of the problem that has thrown middle class people under the bus. Good jobs are exported to other countries and the remaining jobs are given to the illegal work economy at severely depressed wages, deplorable working conditions, no benefits, no safety net, nothing. So not only does the middle class have lower wages as a result and less opportunity, they have to shoulder the tax burden for schools, healthcare, prison costs, etc. for members of the illegal work economy. How would you feel if you were in another country waiting for your turn to immigrate legally and 20 Million line jumpers were allowed to get in the front of the citizenship line. Not any more fair than allowing a group of line skippers at an amusement park to stay in the front of the line and ride the ride after they are caught. I am not advocating punishment, or deportation, just go home come in legally if you want citizenship. In other words get in your rightful place in line.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#8)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 12:24:52 PM EST
    It is quite obvious our government is more concerned with the 2 week vacation starting today.The fringe benefits that go with being an elected offical are what's important to the ex lawyers who run this country.The burden falls on the middle class the backbone of this country but don't fret a silent killer awaits and it is called voting. Both the republicans and democrats in office are failures and bad liars to boot..

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#9)
    by Che's Lounge on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 12:34:16 PM EST
    I am not advocating punishment, or deportation, just go home come in legally if you want citizenship. In other words get in your rightful place in line. Again the frustration is directed at those most powerless to change it. Large groups of people such as these are not the problem. They are the symptom. You can build all the fences you want and make illegal immigration a felony but it won't solve the problem. In fact, it will bring down the standard of living for the middle class. 1. Raise the minimum wage. 2. Organize migrant workers in all industries into trade unions so that businesses cannot pay slave wages, only legal immigrants will be taken in and the economy will benefit. Unfortunately this means the real culprits, big business, will not reap their usual record profits. Now we have the congressional idiocy we are witnessing. Protect profits, even if it kills us.

    Re: Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate (none / 0) (#10)
    by Talkleft Visitor on Fri Apr 07, 2006 at 01:03:48 PM EST
    I must admit, as long as the abominable dr frist manages to make an ass outta himself, the day's not a total loss. He carves up the animals, cuts up the animals. What a ghoul. What a fool. What a tool.

    Immigration Compromise Bill Fails in Senate | 10 comments (10 topical)