FAIR Likes Frist's Ultimatum on Immigration Reform Proposals
by Chad Groening and Jody Brown
March 23, 2006
(AgapePress) - - A Washington, DC-based immigration research organization hopes Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist will take charge and introduce a proposal that strengthens enforcement of the border, but does not grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens in the U.S.Last Friday Senator Frist said he would give the Senate Judiciary Committee ten days to come forward with an immigration bill that, at a minimum, offers what he is proposing: a tightening of borders, punishment for employers who hire illegal immigrants, and provision for more visas. Specifically, Frist's plan would increase by almost half over six years the number of Border Patrol agents called for by Congress in 2004; assess civil and criminal penalties of up to $20,000 -- as well as jail terms -- for employers who hire illegal aliens; and more than double the number of employment-based "green cards" and make more employment-based visas available to unskilled workers.
According to Associated Press, members of the Judiciary Committee agreed to do their best to come up with a substitute to the Tennessee lawmaker's proposal by his deadline: March 27. At least one Democratic member of that committee, Ted Kennedy of Massachusetts, has criticized Frist's bill for not addressing what to do with illegal immigrants who are already in the country. AP says a majority of the committee members favor a "guest worker" program that would allow employed illegal aliens to remain in the U.S., at least temporarily, instead of being deported.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is pleased with Senator Frist's move. But FAIR spokesman Ira Mehlman says it is unfortunate that none of the current proposals for immigration reform effectively protect American workers.
"There is McCain-Kennedy [bill], which is absolutely awful," says Mehlman. "There's the Kyl-Cornyn bill, which is somewhat less awful but still a long way from protecting American workers." In addition, observes the FAIR spokesman, Judiciary Committee chairman Senator Arlen Specter "came up with a piece of legislation that was almost as bad as McCain-Kennedy, but not quite."
Any guest worker amnesty proposal, he says, would undermine American workers if enacted. That is one reason Mehlman is hopeful that if the committee cannot iron out the differences among the three measures, Frist will put forth his own.
"If they can sort of keep a stalemate going here, then perhaps Senator Frist will come along next week with an enforcement-only bill," which he says FAIR would encourage. "But there's all sorts of rumors spreading around that maybe it's going to be enforcement only, but maybe he's going to include some kind of amnesty/guest worker provision."
Frist, notes Mehlman, has not ruled out the possibility of including "a massive guest-worker program and some sort of amnesty for illegal aliens."
According to the FAIR spokesman, the majority of Americans want an immigration bill that is focused on enforcing U.S. immigration laws and adopting policies that encourage illegal aliens to return to their home countries.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has taken a swipe at a GOP immigration bill passed in December by the House that she says is at odds with the Bible. Speaking at a news conference in Manhattan on Wednesday (March 22), Senator Clinton took issue with the measure because it would make it a federal crime to offer aid to illegal immigrants.
"It is hard to believe that a Republican leadership that is constantly talking about values and about faith would put forth such a mean-spirited piece of legislation," she said. "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."
The New York Times says Senator Frist's proposal mirrors the legislation passed by the U.S. House.
