I’m sure you’ve all heard by now that the Senate passed their version of the immigration “reform” bill 62-36. One of the public parts of the bill, which (thankfully) still has to go through a conference committee with Jim Sensenbrenner, would authorize construction of 370 miles of fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers.
However, Michelle Malkin has the details on how that means nothing. It seems that Arlen Specter (tell me again why the RNC and President Bush supported him in the 2004 primary) snuck in a provision that Mexico be consulted before any new barriers are built.
As for the rest of the trash that the Senate passed, let’s see:
- Guest-worker program – 200,000 per year with an initial 3-year visa. That visa can be renewed once, and once that “guest” is here for 4 years, they leap to the head of the citizenship line.
- Amnesty for the invaders already here –
- Those here 5 or more years as well as those working on farms for at least 863 hours in 2004-2005 (or willing and able to lie) leap to the head of the citizenship line without going back to where they came from and become citizens in 6 years after paying a modest fine
- Those here between 2 and 5 years (or those not willing and able to lie enough to qualify for the 5-year rule) get citizenship 13 or so years after sneaking out across the border and coming back through a port of entry.
- Those here less than 2 years, not working on a farm, and too stupid/lazy to lie allegedly get deported.
Penalties for being caught here illegally – misdemeanor, and any deportation ordered can be appealed ad nauseum
Other conditions of deportation – a felony non-immigration or 3 misdemeanor non-immigration convictions, which applies to both illegal and legal aliens.
Employers’ actions – they will eventually have to screen new hires’ Social Security numbers, with $20,000 fines per illegal they’re caught with.
All in all, if anything resembling this makes it out of conference committee, it’s over.
