The lamest of lame-duck Congresses shambles along with some more pleasing results.
The Senate on Saturday blocked a bill that would create a path to citizenship for certain illegal immigrant students who came to the United States as children, completed two years of college or military service and met other requirements including passing a criminal background check. The vote, 55-41 in favor of the bill, effectively kills the measure for this year, and its fate beyond that is uncertain.
Most immediately, the measure would have helped grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant students and recent graduates whose lives are severely restricted because they are illegal residents, though many have lived in the United States for nearly their entire lives.
So severely restricted are they that many of them were sitting in the Senate gallery as the Senate clerk called role.
And in other possibly related news:
Authorities continue to comb the rugged southern Arizona terrain during the manhunt for a suspect they say was involved in the deadly gunfight that claimed the life of a U.S. Border Patrol agent late Tuesday night.
“I assure you, that every effort will be extended to bring that suspect into custody,” said Richard Barlow, the Border Patrol deputy chief of the Tucson Sector.
Agent Brian A. Terry was gunned down the frenzied shoot out that involved a cadre that robs illegal immigrants--vulnerable targets-- as they cross the border. One of the suspects was injured during the shoot out and taken into custody, said Barlow. Three more suspects were later apprehended.
Are we blaming the students for the death of Border Agent Terry? Of course not. However, you will not get us anywhere close to the table to begin discussing comprehensive immigration reform until we see some solid good-faith efforts towards comprehensive illegal immigration enforcement which entails securing the border and which we have not to date.
Taking back the Gadsen Purchase territory, once sovereign U.S. land, would be a good start.
Posts
5 comments:
"Most immediately, the measure would have helped grant legal status to hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrant students and recent graduates whose lives are severely restricted because they are illegal residents, though many have lived in the United States for nearly their entire lives."
The estimates I saw were closer to 70,000. I am ok with kids who serve in the military having citizenship. Nowadays, it means they were literally willing to risk death for our country.
Steve
Steve, I am cool with this also.
However, as one who has served, I know you are aware we have a standing program in the armed forces for this already.
The ceremony they have on the deck of the Midway here in San Diego every year for our new uniformed citizens is an awesome event.
We're re-inventing the wheel in that respect and paving the way for Amnesty in all others with this now dead bill.
My opinion is that there has to be a middle or common ground that we all can find. I do appreciate that you've added relevant and intelligent commentary here though.
Just popping in to say nice site.
Hi. I read a few of your other posts and wanted to know if you would be interested in subject of your post.
Post a Comment