Cracks in Support of Compromise [Amnesty] Immigration Bill Beginning to Show

Like rats deserting a sinking ship both Democrats and Republicans have woken up today to realize they might have celebrated too quickly on Immigration Reform. The most notable is Senator John Cornyn, (R-TX) who was one of the key negotiators for this bill (S1348). Here’s part of his statement, posted on his website:

“I simply cannot, and will not, support any legislation that repeats the mistakes of the 1986 amnesty. So we have to make a basic determination: Will this bill restore respect for our laws? Or will it have the opposite effect, and encourage still more disregard for our immigration and border security laws, placing us within a few years in the same untenable position we’re now in?”

This reversal of support might have to do with the fact that Cornyn is up for re-election in 2008 and his Washington office phone lines have been ‘busy’ for the past two days with angry citizens. I know this for a fact as I’ve been one of those who has been trying to reach him to lodge my dissatisfaction with his support for this useless piece of legislation. He was also in a heated disagreement with John McCain at the 11th hour of the negotiations on this bill.

Cornyn is not alone in second thoughts: “The merit-based point system that was promised is just a shell of what it could have been and what it should have been,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions, (R-Ala), who wants to guarantee that a larger percentage of future green cards are awarded purely based on employment criteria.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, (D-N.D.), wants to strike the temporary worker program, arguing that it harms American workers and depresses wages.

“They’ve probably done more with this announcement to encourage illegal immigration than anything that’s been done in a long time,” said Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Carlsbad, who heads the conservative Immigration Reform caucus in the House.

Rep. Duncan Hunter, who has made calls for tougher immigration policies a centerpiece of his long-shot presidential campaign, delivered a similar message during a meeting with Bush at the White House.

Many in Mexico expressed disappointment Friday with the U.S. Congress’ immigration reform proposal, arguing it doesn’t let enough Mexicans enter the United States legally to work.

At the U.S. Consulate in Monterrey, Mexico, which hands out more temporary work visas than anywhere else in the world, Edmundo Bermudez, a 36-year-old from the northern city of Durango, was especially offended by reports that preference would be given to migrants with degrees and specialized skills. “The United States already has enough people with college degrees. Who is going to cut their tobacco?” asked Bermudez, who has been working intermittently in the U.S. for the past eight years. In Mexico, he makes about $10 a day, while in the U.S. he earns $8 an hour.

So I say let’s keep pissing the Illegal Aliens off and keep calling your Senators and tell them to vote NO on Cloture of S1348 and NO on this terrible bill! Tell them we will kick them out of office in their next election.

Join NumbersUSA and use this Congressional Phone Directory to reach your State Senator in Washington or at their state office. Call all day Monday, leave a voice-mail message, and keep calling. Keep the pressure on — only you can stop passage of this bill!

Posted: 1820PT 05/18/07
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