The immigration reform bill of Senators Durkin and Schumer is ready to go forward. Millions of people, not only illegal aliens but their families, many legal and U.S. citizens are anxiously awaiting a first move forward. But as has been experienced, in the Health care debate, the problem again begins with the Republican Party.
Democratic Sen. Charles E. Schumer said Wednesday he and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham are “getting real close” to a finalizing a bi-partisan agreement on a comprehensive immigration reform and overhaul of the broken immigration system.
Schumer, however, make it clear that the two major unresolved issues are finding a second Republican sponsor as well as finding unions and business “on the same side” regarding how to handle low-skill workers into this country (translated as a guest worker statute).
According to Schumer locating more than one Republican to sponsor the bill — something Graham feels is important to its success— has been difficult. There are “four or five prospects we’re working on,” including John Cornyn of Texas.
Schumer sated that “We will not pass an immigration bill unless it’s bipartisan,”
Graham seemed somewhat disillusioned as Republicans ignore the severity of the immigration problem. “There’s not a whole lot of appetite for immigration reform right now” among moderate Democrats and Republicans, Graham said.
A meeting for this past Monday with President Obama was canceled and has been re-schedule to this Thursday. In Graham’s opinion “the president is going to have get more involved.”
Democrats are having pressure placed upon them to complete some type of statement prior to the “March for America” scheduled for March 21, 2010 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. There has to be some type of movement to correct the broken immigration laws. Too many family’s are having their lives destroyed with the current immigration system. This is especially true for the children who were brought there by their parents without any understanding of the effect of their illegal immigration.
At a March 8 press conference conducted at the National Press Club the coalition of immigration advocacy groups warned that Latino voters are growing extremely frustrated and disallusioned.
Angelica Salas, executive director of Humane Immigration Rights of Los Angeles said that “Millions of citizens and new Americans voted for change, and what they got, as far as immigration is concerned, is more, much more, of the same.”
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