Bush urges end to immigration stalemate
President George W. Bush urged U.S. senators on Wednesday to break a stalemate over an immigration law overhaul and pass legislation that includes a temporary worker program but avoids amnesty for an estimated 11 million illegal migrants.
Bush said the bill must include a guest-worker program, saying it was not amnesty but will “enable us to more secure the border, will recognize that there are people here working hard for jobs Americans won’t do.” But he said it must not include an amnesty that provides automatic citizenship to guest workers.
In an often heated election-year debate, the Senate is considering a comprehensive bipartisan immigration overhaul passed by the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill would tighten security at the border, toughen enforcement against employers who hire illegal immigrants, create a guest worker program and provide a way for some of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants to become citizens.
The bill is supported by most Senate Democrats, but deeply divides the Republican majority. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee said talks were under way for a compromise that would bring more Republican support.
Talks are focusing on splitting illegal immigrants into groups so that those who have been living and working in the country the longest have an easier path to U.S. citizenship than those who have been in the country less than five years.
It is unclear whether Republicans will be successful and Democrats have moved to force a procedural vote on the Judiciary Committee bill on Thursday.
Sen. Richard Durbin (news, bio, voting record) of Illinois, who is a member of the Democratic leadership, said more than 20 Republicans would have to support the bill, along with a solid majority of Democrats in order to get the 60 votes needed in the 100-member Senate to move the legislation forward.
Democrats said they are open to compromise, but want the basic elements of the bill to remain intact.
“We are interested in expanding the degree of support, but not going to compromise on the fundamental principles,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy (news, bio, voting record) of Massachusetts, a principal author of the legislation being debated in the Senate.
Any Senate bill would have to be worked out with a tough border security and enforcement bill passed by the House of Representatives last December. That bill has sparked nationwide protests by Hispanic groups and their supporters. It defines illegal presence in the country as a felony, instead of a civil offense, and calls for the construction of a fence along the U.S. border with Mexico.
Durbin said the goal is to go into negotiations with the House with a strong bipartisan Senate bill.
House Speaker Dennis Hastert, an Illinois Republican, reiterated that he was open to a guest worker program. “We ought to consider that,” he said.
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