ceebee
03-24-2006, 06:27 AM
Bush urges all sides to cool immigration fury
Full story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002885611_immig24.html
By James Gerstenzang and Nicole Gaouette
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Thursday urged all sides in the
immigration debate to tone down their rhetoric and engage in respectful
discussion as Congress nears action on an issue that has divided the United
States and the Republican Party.
The Senate is expected to begin consideration of proposals to change
the nation's immigration laws, and key provisions -- particularly those
that would permit foreigners to work temporarily in the United States --
have become the focus of furious disagreement on Capitol Hill, on
conservative talk shows and at political meetings.
The Senate is scheduled to begin debating broader immigration
legislation Monday. Republicans are deeply divided over whether the changes
should address enforcement issues first or whether to take a comprehensive
approach and include a guest-worker program and a way to deal with the
estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living and working in the
United States.
The loudest issue
The vitriol on immigration exceeds the language surrounding other
significant, but less emotional, policy controversies, including changes in
tax laws and the prescription-drug benefit that has been added to
Medicare.
"When we conduct this debate, it must be done in a civil way. It must
be done in a way that brings dignity to the process. It must be done in
a way that doesn't pit one group of people against another," Bush said
after meeting with supporters of his immigration proposal.
Perhaps the loudest congressional voice in the campaign to restrict
immigration has been that of Rep. Thomas Tancredo, R-Colo. Reflecting the
divisions within their party over immigration, Tancredo and Sen. Sam
Brownback, R-Kan., who on nearly all other issues wins strong support
from conservatives, have taken opposite positions on allowing illegal
immigrants to remain in the United States while pursuing legalization of
their status. Tancredo opposes it; Brownback favors it.
Asked about the president's request for civility, Tancredo's spokesman,
Will Adams, offered no apology for his boss.
The congressman, Adams said, has "devoted his political career to
immigration because he thinks it's essential to our national security and
our economic security, and to who we are as Americans. Occasionally, the
debate does get uncivil, but this is a product of it being so
important."
In a news conference Wednesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said a
bill the House approved in December "would literally criminalize not only
every nondocumented immigrant in our country, but every person who
helped, assisted, reached out, [or] otherwise responded in a humanitarian
way to the needs of immigrants."
"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture,
because this bill would literally criminalize the good Samaritan and
probably even Jesus himself," Clinton said.
The House version of immigration legislation focuses solely on border
security and enforcement and does not address the guest-worker program
Bush favors. It includes a provision that would make it illegal for
health-care workers, educators and others to provide assistance to illegal
immigrants.
The House bill was the target of a demonstration and march in Milwaukee
on Thursday, when thousands of people filled the streets to mark "A Day
Without Latinos."
Police estimated more than 10,000 people joined the protests.
Organizers put the number at 30,000.
"We came to work, not to be discriminated against," said Juan
Hernandez, who said his boss gave him and more than a dozen other restaurant
workers permission to join the protest. "We want to be equal."
In the Senate
The Senate appears far friendlier to the idea of a guest-worker
program. While the Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a separate plan
that would put illegal immigrants already in the country on a path to
citizenship, it's far from certain whether the Senate will endorse it.
An initial burst of GOP support in committee last week for an "earned"
legalization plan championed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward
Kennedy, D-Mass., may be dwindling as congressional aides race this
week to hammer out details, some say.
"What looked like such a promising thing last week ... is turning out
to be tough work," said Tamar Jacoby, an immigration expert at the
conservative Manhattan Institute who has closely watched the issue.
Material from The Associated Press and The Dallas Morning News is
included in this report.
Full story:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2002885611_immig24.html
By James Gerstenzang and Nicole Gaouette
Los Angeles Times
WASHINGTON -- President Bush on Thursday urged all sides in the
immigration debate to tone down their rhetoric and engage in respectful
discussion as Congress nears action on an issue that has divided the United
States and the Republican Party.
The Senate is expected to begin consideration of proposals to change
the nation's immigration laws, and key provisions -- particularly those
that would permit foreigners to work temporarily in the United States --
have become the focus of furious disagreement on Capitol Hill, on
conservative talk shows and at political meetings.
The Senate is scheduled to begin debating broader immigration
legislation Monday. Republicans are deeply divided over whether the changes
should address enforcement issues first or whether to take a comprehensive
approach and include a guest-worker program and a way to deal with the
estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living and working in the
United States.
The loudest issue
The vitriol on immigration exceeds the language surrounding other
significant, but less emotional, policy controversies, including changes in
tax laws and the prescription-drug benefit that has been added to
Medicare.
"When we conduct this debate, it must be done in a civil way. It must
be done in a way that brings dignity to the process. It must be done in
a way that doesn't pit one group of people against another," Bush said
after meeting with supporters of his immigration proposal.
Perhaps the loudest congressional voice in the campaign to restrict
immigration has been that of Rep. Thomas Tancredo, R-Colo. Reflecting the
divisions within their party over immigration, Tancredo and Sen. Sam
Brownback, R-Kan., who on nearly all other issues wins strong support
from conservatives, have taken opposite positions on allowing illegal
immigrants to remain in the United States while pursuing legalization of
their status. Tancredo opposes it; Brownback favors it.
Asked about the president's request for civility, Tancredo's spokesman,
Will Adams, offered no apology for his boss.
The congressman, Adams said, has "devoted his political career to
immigration because he thinks it's essential to our national security and
our economic security, and to who we are as Americans. Occasionally, the
debate does get uncivil, but this is a product of it being so
important."
In a news conference Wednesday, Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., said a
bill the House approved in December "would literally criminalize not only
every nondocumented immigrant in our country, but every person who
helped, assisted, reached out, [or] otherwise responded in a humanitarian
way to the needs of immigrants."
"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture,
because this bill would literally criminalize the good Samaritan and
probably even Jesus himself," Clinton said.
The House version of immigration legislation focuses solely on border
security and enforcement and does not address the guest-worker program
Bush favors. It includes a provision that would make it illegal for
health-care workers, educators and others to provide assistance to illegal
immigrants.
The House bill was the target of a demonstration and march in Milwaukee
on Thursday, when thousands of people filled the streets to mark "A Day
Without Latinos."
Police estimated more than 10,000 people joined the protests.
Organizers put the number at 30,000.
"We came to work, not to be discriminated against," said Juan
Hernandez, who said his boss gave him and more than a dozen other restaurant
workers permission to join the protest. "We want to be equal."
In the Senate
The Senate appears far friendlier to the idea of a guest-worker
program. While the Senate Judiciary Committee is considering a separate plan
that would put illegal immigrants already in the country on a path to
citizenship, it's far from certain whether the Senate will endorse it.
An initial burst of GOP support in committee last week for an "earned"
legalization plan championed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Edward
Kennedy, D-Mass., may be dwindling as congressional aides race this
week to hammer out details, some say.
"What looked like such a promising thing last week ... is turning out
to be tough work," said Tamar Jacoby, an immigration expert at the
conservative Manhattan Institute who has closely watched the issue.
Material from The Associated Press and The Dallas Morning News is
included in this report.