By JULIE HIRSCHFELD DAVIS, Associated Press
Writer
May 25, 2007
WASHINGTON - Lawmakers are bracing for political blowback
from liberal and conservative critics of a broad immigration
reform measure that's on hold as they head home for a weeklong
break.
Supporters and opponents said they would use the time off
to influence senators who will face major immigration votes
when they return to complete the bipartisan measure. The bill
would legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, tighten border
security and mandate that employers verify they are hiring
legal workers.
"As we head into the Memorial Day weekend, members of
the Immigration Reform Caucus will go back to their districts
and remind their constituents about the long-lasting damage
passing an amnesty bill would have on our efforts to address
illegal immigration," said Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., a
vocal opponent of the measure.
A coalition of organizations actively pressing for passage
of the bill including labor, Hispanic advocacy and religious
groups also was planning a strong push to encourage lawmakers
who support it not to back down.
"They're going to be targeted by a small but loud anti-reform
minority," said Clarissa Martinez of the Coalition for
Comprehensive Immigration Reform. "They must not buckle
under the pressure."
Lawmakers have already begun hearing vocal opposition to the
measure.
"I have learned some new words from some of my constituents," said
Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., an influential conservative who is under
intense criticism in his border state for crafting a bipartisan
deal to create a guest worker program and a path to citizenship
while tightening border security.
The Senate began considering the bill this week and will return
to it in June.
The measure includes conservative-backed initiatives such
as the worker verification program to prevent illegal immigrants
from getting jobs, and a new point system to prioritize skills
and education over family in deciding who can immigrate in
the future.
Liberals decry the point scheme as unfair to families and
are vehemently opposed to a guest worker program that would
allow laborers to come to the U.S. for temporary stints without
a guarantee they would be able to stay and eventually gain
citizenship.
But it also includes a long-sought liberal priority: granting
legal status to the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
Conservatives view that as an unacceptable amnesty program.
President Bush, who has made enactment of an immigration measure
a top domestic priority, said he wasn't surprised at the tenor
of the debate, and he urged lawmakers to look beyond it and
deliver him a bill anyway.
"We've been through immigration debates in this country,
and they can bring out the worst sometimes in people," Bush
said. "But the question is, will members of Congress rise
above politics?"
Backers of the deal said they were confident about facing
their constituents over the break.
"I look forward to going back home and standing up for
what I believe to be the right answer, listening to criticism.
But time is on our side because our product is better than
those who want to do nothing," said Sen. Lindsey Graham,
R-S.C.
Some lawmakers were uneasy, however, about trying to explain
the complex bill to voters.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the minority leader, said opposition
from the political extremes is "pretty obvious from the
phone calls that all of us are getting."
However, he added, "the American people would like us
to do something."
There's wide support for the changes proposed in the immigration
legislation, according to a New York Times-CBS News poll conducted
May 18-23 and released on Friday.
Two-thirds of the 1,125 adults polled said they supported
letting illegal immigrants with good job records and no criminal
histories win legal status. That was supported by roughly equal
proportions of Republicans, Democrats and independents.
Another two-thirds also said they supported creating a guest
worker program for future immigrants. Of those who favored
it, more than half said the guest workers should ultimately
be allowed to apply for citizenship, if their job records are
strong and they don't commit crimes.
Three-fourths supported stronger penalties against those who
employ illegal workers, while eight in 10 said the government
should strengthen border security.
Half favored giving more of a priority to job skills and education,
while a third said immigrants with families in the U.S. should
be first in line for entry.
The telephone survey had a margin of sampling error of plus
or minus 3 percentage points.
Architects of the bill planned to spend next week in intense
negotiations on proposed changes that could upset their delicate
bipartisan deal and doom its chances for passage.
These include Republican-backed limits to the legalization
program for unlawful immigrants and modifications sought by
Democrats to give foreign family members of permanent residents
and U.S. citizens more opportunities to join their relatives
in the U.S.
___
Associated Press writer Alan Fram contributed to this report.
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