First Thoughts: Immigration takes center stage

Immigration takes center stage… But passage won’t be easy… Obama thanks Hillary Clinton… Rreading the 2016 tea leaves from the interview… Hagel and the outside groups trying to defeat his nomination… Breaking down the Chambliss and Harkin retirements… And McDonnell and Cuccinelli oppose Virginia’s electoral-vote change.

*** Immigration takes center stage: Exactly seven days since President Obama’s inauguration, a series of events this week suggests that immigration has the best shot at being the first big legislative action -- and potential battle -- of 2013 (outside of the budget, of course). Today, a bipartisan group of eight senators (Democrats Chuck Schumer, Dick Durbin, Bob Menendez, and Republicans John McCain, Lindsey Graham, Marco Rubio and Jeff Flake) are laying out four agreed-on principles to achieve comprehensive immigration reform. Also today, at 11:00 am ET, several organizations pushing immigration reform are holding a press conference at the National Press Club to issue a “call to action” on the subject. And tomorrow, Obama heads to Las Vegas to deliver his own remarks on immigration. The bipartisan group of senators, in particular, is a big deal. Indeed, this appears to be the first time that McCain has signed on to a top Obama legislative priority since the presidential first took office. And here are their four principles: 1) create a “tough but fair path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants that’s contingent on border security; 2) reform the system in a way that helps build the economy; 3) establish an effective employment verification program; and 4) reform the system of admitting future workers. Five of the eight senators (Rubio, McCain, Schumer, Durbin, and Menendez) will appear together today in DC at 2:30 pm to officially unveil their agreement; the other three have scheduling conflicts in their home states.

Gary Cameron / Reuters

Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., questions Senator John Kerry (Not Pictured) during a Senate Foreign Relations Committee confirmation hearing on Kerry's nomination to be secretary of state, on Capitol Hill in Washington, Jan. 24, 2013.

*** But its passage won’t be easy: On paper, passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill should be more than doable. After all, it’s now in both parties’ interest to do so -- for Democrats, it’s delivering on a campaign promise; for Republicans, it’s to avoid again losing the Latino vote by a 71%-27% margin. But remember this: Nothing is ever easy in Washington. For one thing, the devil is in the details, even with these bipartisan principles. How do you create this “tough but fair path” to citizenship? What’s the punishment for undocumented immigrants? How long do these immigrants have to wait to become citizens (and potential voters)? The other obstacle to passage is the House of Representatives. Does Speaker John Boehner -- once again -- allow legislation that might not have the backing of a majority of his GOP caucus to reach the floor? That said, it was notable that House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan on “Meet the Press” yesterday embraced Rubio’s work on immigration reform. “I support and agree with the principles that he laid out about earned legalization. Making sure that you're not rewarding people for having cut in line, but making sure that we can fix this problem.” Ryan added, “Look, immigration's a good thing.”

*** And selling it Republicans won’t be easy, either: The big challenge, in the short term, is going to be for McCain, Rubio, and Graham to sell this compromise as “not amnesty.” (And that’s exactly what Rubio has been doing in conservative-media circles in the past few weeks.) When you read the bipartisan agreement, there is a lot of detail and promise on this issue, including: making sure these folks pay back taxes and fines, making sure they are in the back of the line behind those folks playing by the rules now, and an agreement that these 11 million undocumented immigrants DON’T get a shot at citizenship until certain border security “metrics” are met. Of course, define “metrics” -- that’s among the detail devils.

*** Obama thanks Hillary: For those of you, like us, who followed every twist and turn during the 2008 presidential race, last night's joint Obama-Hillary Clinton interview on “60 Minutes” was extraordinary. And we understand that the interview was all Obama’s idea -- and it was more about thanking Clinton for being his secretary of state these past four years (and keeping the party united) than about 2016. Here’s a thought exercise: Imagine what Obama’s presidency would have been like had Clinton stayed in the U.S. Senate. During the tough times (health care, the debt-ceiling debate), everyone would have looked for any kind of daylight between the two politicians, and Hillary potentially launching a primary challenge would have been a constant story, even if she had no plans on such a move. But what’s been extraordinary is how loyal Obama and Clinton have been to each other. And this line from Clinton explaining why she accepted Obama’s offer to be secretary of state struck us: “I thought, ‘You know, if the roles had been reversed. And I had ended up winning. I would have desperately wanted him to be in my cabinet. So if I'm saying I would have wanted him to say yes to me, how am I going to justify saying no to my president?’ And it was a great decision, despite my hesitancy about it.”

*** Reading the 2016 tea leaves: Still, the interview did provide some tea leaves to read about 2016. After all, here was the president conducting his first joint media interview with someone other than his wife. It was an affirmation of Clinton’s work, especially after her contentious testimony last week on Capitol Hill. “Well, the main thing is I just wanted to have a chance to publicly say thank you, because I think Hillary will go down as one of the finest secretary of states we've had,” Obama said. It was a reminder that Vice President Joe Biden isn’t the heir apparent, if Clinton decides she wants to run for president four years from now. And lastly, it was evidence that the Democratic Party -- at least right now -- is more united than ever. We were disappointed that so little time was devoted to some of the key foreign policy decisions this tandem made together, including the decision to oust Hosni Mubarak, among other issues.

*** Hagel and the outside groups trying to defeat his nomination: On Thursday at the Senate Armed Services Committee, Chuck Hagel has his confirmation hearing to be Obama’s next defense secretary. And yesterday, the New York Times noted that Hagel’s confirmation battle is the first to be fought in the Super PAC/post-Citizens United era. “The media campaign to scuttle Mr. Hagel’s appointment, unmatched in the annals of modern presidential cabinet appointments, reflects the continuing effects of the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision, which loosened campaign finance restrictions and was a major reason for the record spending by outside groups in the 2012 election... While the campaign against Mr. Hagel, a Republican, is not expected to cost more than a few million dollars, it suggests that the operatives running the independent groups and the donors that finance them — many of whom are millionaires and billionaires with ideological drive and business agendas that did not go away after the election — are ready to fight again.”

*** Breaking down the Chambliss and Harkin retirements: In the past 72 hours, two U.S. senators -- Republican Saxby Chambliss of Georgia and Democrat Tom Harkin of Iowa -- announced they wouldn’t be seeking re-election in 2014. That means we now have four retirements (John Kerry, Jay Rockefeller, Chambliss, and Harkin), and other ones potentially in the works (Frank Lautenberg, Tim Johnson, maybe Thad Cochran or Mike Enzi). Politically, perhaps the most significant story we’ll be following after these retirements is to see how the GOP primaries in Georgia and Iowa play out (West Virginia, too, for that matter). Do Republicans coalesce around the more electable candidate, or does the most conservative candidate win? One other thing to watch: Chambliss has the ability to be a wild card on legislation -- his retirement statement criticized both Obama and Congress -- and Harkin might be a little more free to vote on contentious legislation (like gun control) than he would have if running for re-election next year.

*** Obama’s day: Besides all of today’s immigration news, President Obama and Vice President Biden are holding a meeting this morning with police chiefs from around the country -- including from Aurora, CO, Oak Creek, WI, and Newtown, CT -- to discuss reducing gun violence. Also today, at 1:40 pm ET, Obama will welcome the Miami Heat to the White House to celebrate their NBA championship from last season.

*** McDonnell, Cuccinelli oppose electoral-vote change: Lastly, both Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) and GOP gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli have come out in opposition of the Republican effort in the state to change how Virginia’s electoral votes are awarded. Folks, the effort in Virginia is dead. The question is whether Republicans in other states -- like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin -- are still thinking about pursuing the change. As Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker told Newsmax, per NBC's Sarah Blackwill: “It's an interesting idea. I haven't committed one way or the other to it. For me, and I think any other state considering this, you should really look at not just the short-term but the long-term implications. Is it better or worse for the electorate?”

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Once again Congress and Obama are ignoring the top issues affecting all legal US Citizens, the budget and debit. When April arrives they will kick the can down the road again because they didn't have time to address the important things. Obama will have his priorities done and there won't be any leverage to get him to do a balanced budget and a plan to reduce the debit to zero.

  • 7 votes
Reply#52 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:25 AM EST

So, you can't do two things at the same time? Like walking and chewing gum, I guess!

    #52.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:39 AM EST
    Reply

    Why is it that immigration is more inportant that the budget???????

    • 6 votes
    Reply#53 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:27 AM EST

    Are you unable to multitask? Guess you don't need that skill to work for minimum wages...

      #53.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:37 AM EST

      Herron... you sound like a miserable old frustrated liberal POS !

      • 1 vote
      #53.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:51 PM EST
      Reply

      Simple saying would apply here, "Take care of what you have"

      Can America take care of what they have? No, then why acquire more?

      All our elected officials needs to be removed and We the People need to take back our country, but I am afraid we are running out of time.

      Keep the laws simple.

      No more lobbyists.

      Do what is best for America not special interests groups.

      Clean up our inner cities.

      Take care of our abandoned children and pets.

      Quit raping America please elected officials. You have forgotten that we pay your high salaries.

      There should be no bi lingual jobs this is America and English is the language.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#54 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:32 AM EST

      Lets see, we take 10 million +/- illegals and immediately throw them onto the broke social security rolls and welfare rolls. What does that do to the legal residents who are unemployed? The blacks especially are quiet about this and they are the most unemployed. They will also have to share their welfare bucks. Where is the NAACP, Jesse, Al and the rest of the so called leadership? The illegals get in state tuition in a lot of state colleges but the legals pay for it. More pandering to a block of voters. Make them all legal and in 10 years we will have 10 million more illegals waiting for the same thing. This is a joke on the taxpayers.

      • 3 votes
      Reply#55 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:35 AM EST

      35 straight months of private sector job growth under Obama. Go cry in your Old Milwaukee!

        #55.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:38 AM EST

        Traditional Welfare, which used to be a monthly check, no longer exists. Social programs which subsidize living expenses took the place of traditional Welfare. Further there is a lifetime cap on receiving Welfare. Nope, the immigrants won't go on Welfare.

        What they will do is create an immense black market in America. It's what they did in their home countries to survive and it's what they will do here to survive. And they will take advantage of the now expanded social safetynet programs so they don't have to spend their own money made in the black market [not taxed] for basic necessities.

        Exactly what happened in Greece where virtually no one pays taxes, a immense black market, and a completely bankrupt country.

        • 1 vote
        #55.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:50 AM EST

        If you wipe something out to zero and then grow it back to 10% of where it was before its an abject failure, no matter how many ignorant people such as yourself believe otherwise. Its like when Romney was criticized by the morons, oops Progressives, for not growing jobs in Massachusetts, which of course you cannot when full employment is 5% unemployed and you have 3.5% unemployment. Typical POrogressive, make up a lie to fool yourself and then sneer at those smarter than you who don't believe it.

        • 2 votes
        #55.3 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:53 AM EST
        Reply

        Why do the bimbos and bimbettes on FOX always FAIL to mention that the ONLY time AMNESTY was given to illegals was when RONALD REAGAN did it?

        • 1 vote
        Reply#56 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:36 AM EST

        Probably for the same reason they don't report that GOP presidents let in most of the illegals, that Obama is deporting the criminally violent illegals at a faster rate than GOP presidents and that illegal population is lower now than under George Bush.

        • 2 votes
        #56.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:42 AM EST

        Every single point you listed is a lie.

          #56.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:54 AM EST

          No, there all true Skibum. Look it up.

            #56.3 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:57 AM EST
            Reply

            If you look at a graph of legal and illegal immigration from non-English countries and how their numbers have increased in America over the last 30 years and compared it to a graph showing how our debt has grown, wages have decreased and jobs lost you'll fins they're the same exact graph. The more immigration, the faster America declines and inevitably fails.

            • 2 votes
            Reply#57 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:40 AM EST

            Obama has deported more in 4 years than GW did in 8. Why was GW so bad at his job?

            • 1 vote
            #57.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:42 AM EST

            Illegals total about 15m people, only a portion of whom have jobs, That's hardly enough to move wages downward or increase then national debt.

            Look to outsourcing for the former and 2 wars for the latter.

            Believe it or not, immigration is a good thing. That's how our country became as powerful and affluent as it is.

            • 2 votes
            #57.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:45 AM EST

            If your refering the the massive immigration into America from Western Europen in the early 1900s, that is not why America became powerful and affluent.

            It helped to have a large class of low wage workers to work in the factories. It made Carnegie, Vanderbuilt, Rockefeller, Du Pont, a very rich men, but it didn't make America powerful and affluent.

            What made America powerful and affluent was economic policies after WWII in which America was a semi-closed economy, in which the Federal Government became the single largest buyer of American goods and services, from taxes people paid, thus allowing private businesses to employ people in high paying jobs, that otherwise a private business would not employ or even need to employ.

            That and the fact that WWII saw most of the industrial capabilities throughout the world were destroyed during WWII and basically America was the only country with manufacturing capabilities. Thus we sold massive amounts of raw materials to those countries who's manufacturing capabilieis were destroyed to rebuild them.

              #57.3 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:55 AM EST

              Really? Same argument can also be used in support of slavery, since illegal immigrants in every state in America are a net loss and always will be, unless of course you're like California and need more violent criminals, which is now up to 50% illegal immigrants.

              • 1 vote
              #57.4 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:55 AM EST

              Curious that those violent illegal criminals are exactly the people Obama is targeting, and for which the right wing claimed he wasn't doing his job.

                #57.5 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:02 PM EST

                Illegal immigrants won't be a net loss. Not with the coming changes The Federal Government must make that will be very unpopular with the general population, but necessary to keep America solvent.

                Why do you think the Federal Government is so hot to ban military style assault weapons. Best to disarm the population before unpopular changes take place so there isn't open revolt and rebellion.

                • 1 vote
                #57.6 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:11 PM EST
                Reply

                ILL take every hardworking mexican that can swim.. they work 6 days a week who would'nt want those type of people.

                BUT there is a trade..

                Mexico must take every 20 something piereced, tatood street rat that stands on the corner and begs for change.

                One group will risk jail (or death ) for the hope of a job depsite coming from crushing poverty and no education, another had the privilage of overpriced public education system, a poverty status that still means a cell phones enough money for tatoo's piercings and a dog (why do they always have dog's).. and refuses to get a "opressive" job - becuase mommy did'nt hug them enough..

                seems like a no -brainer. send them in, if we can send ours out.

                joshua w morris

                  Reply#58 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:41 AM EST

                  The no brainier is let them fix there own country first before they come trash ours as they have there own.

                  MORONS top many in this country now a days.

                  • 1 vote
                  #58.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:56 AM EST

                  Blue collar,

                  IF they stayed in mexico then they would over throw mexico.. and all that CHEAP nafta labor would come to an end (ie Ford would no longer have anywhere to make trucks).

                  The powers that be realized long ago that to keep mexico the cheap labor capitol then Mexico needs to "vent off" those who will do what it takes to get a job. A closed border creates a boiling pot of very motivated young men, and if you dont let them leave you get a revolution. Mexico needs the illegal immigration more than we do.

                  Its not like Mexico is FOR illegals.. try crossing the border from South ameriaca into mexico.. They use LAND MINES ...

                  joshua w morris

                  • 1 vote
                  #58.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:05 PM EST

                  Been to Mexico

                  I also know you out look is off in some other world, your not thinking right at all.
                  If we allow Mexico to do this then every third world country like them will send all there people here.
                  Then where does that leave us, over run with illegals and cheap labor which will do as it is now, drive this country in to a pit it can never come out of.
                  Stupid thinking is what got us to this point, BUSH stupid thinking.

                  • 1 vote
                  #58.3 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:11 PM EST

                  Nah they wouldn't. If they would, they would have already. Nope, it's in Mexico's best interest financially, to have a large portion of their population go work in America, send money to Mexico, use america's medical care, education, rather than Mexico do it themselves and have to pay for it themselves.

                  The age old method of OPM "Other People's Money" or in this case, Other Countries Money.

                  • 3 votes
                  #58.4 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:14 PM EST

                  sorry blue collar i grew up in texas and been to mexico TONS.

                  i also know the value of a hardworker. mexicans work 5 days a week on a job then the weekend on their own startup biz. You can't get a house built in the SW US if you cant speak spanish.. road construction, warehouse, ect.

                  White kids wont do those jobs.. there to lazy. even mexican kids born here are Unlikely to do them. But new 20 something's from mexico will.

                  AND NO we cant just start paying good wages to encourage lazy american kids..

                  a $50/hr "american built " house means your 250 k house is closer to 750k.. think you can afford that world?

                  did'nt think so.

                  joshua w morris

                  • 1 vote
                  #58.5 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:18 PM EST

                  We can't help the fact that Texas has raised a bunch of lazy kids, I am from the the midwest where our kids still know what a hard days work is.
                  As far as speaking mexican or some other language, for get it, this country speaks ENGLISH and has for hundreds of years.

                  To be truthful I can't see letting in a bunch of lazy mexicans that can't even come here the legal way in to this country just so us good tax paying citizens can fund there stay here.

                  And revange if you like the mexicans so much why don't you just move your unAmerican ass down there.

                  • 2 votes
                  #58.6 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:05 PM EST
                  Reply

                  The GOP lost their butts last Nov, and Jindel said to the RNC that the GOP had to stop BEING STUPID!

                  They lost HUGE among minorities. They need to change if they wish to survive as a party.

                    Reply#59 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:41 AM EST

                    herron,

                    every CEO in the US wants cheap illegal labor at some point in their company. Be them picking vegitables, mowing grass or serving taco bell. CEO's know the value of cheap illegal labor. AND everyone of those CEO's voted republican.

                    This is not a republican issue...

                    The most ANTI -illegal immigrant political leader the US has ever seen has streets named after hime EVERYWHERE.. Cesar Chavez

                    his union would literally murder illegals in the fields .. he..... correctly .......thought they devalued his food pickers union power to bargin (he was right it did).

                    democrats hold him up as a god, but he was much farther right on illegal immigration than any repuiblican.

                    you people seriously need to read a book.

                    joshua w morris

                      #59.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:12 PM EST

                      revenge, what a bunch of bull s&it

                        #59.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:54 PM EST
                        Reply

                        Two of the members of this group looking for reform are the GOP Senators from a state that actually borders Mexico.

                        I guess AZ is now a hotbed of liberal leftwing marxist socialists from some small county in Europe!

                        MANY of the right wingers even voted for one of those two Senators for president in 2008!

                          Reply#60 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:44 AM EST

                          Is it me or has the over educated became so out of touch with reality that they can't get this simple thing right.
                          It does not take a genius to figure this out.

                          #1 Businesses owners that hired any one that is not legal should be jailed of no less then two years, as well as lose there company and all assets it has.

                          #2 Any officer in the USA should be able to hold any person that is not holding a valid US id with resident or some kind of legal papers that show they are here legally, they are held until immigration comes to verify they are legal.

                          #3 Any person that is here in a illegal way spend two years on a federal road crew fixing our roads and then sent back to there country.

                          #4 Any person wishing to become a worker or citizen shell go threw the same process as all others before have had to go threw, paper work as well as money needed to stay in this country.

                          #5 No person entering this country Legal or illegal will not receive any kind of free medical or food or housing for a period of 2 years from date of entry

                          #6 Any person knowing of an illegal that does not report it will receive 1 year in jail or a fine of $5,000 for not reporting them.

                          #7 Any person or company that does not comply with all federal as well as state regs on hiring of employees will receive a $5,000 fine.

                          #8 Any government worker or person in office of the USA government that knowingly hires an illegal loses his or her job with out any benefits or other money from the country.

                          • 3 votes
                          Reply#61 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:54 AM EST

                          Your forgeting politics.

                          The Federal Government, rather the political parties in power, wants the immigrants here. Their low wage workers. They use government subsidy programs thus become dependent upon them. They will become voters who will vote to keep thos subsidies, thus keep the political party that provides those subsidies in power.

                          That's reality.

                          Doesn't matter what you an American citizen wants. You the individual american, hardly votes. The politicians bank on you not voting.

                          Politics and politicians will spin issues to their favor. They will use media to convince you that what they want is what you want all along, offering government programs as inducement for you to agree with their policies.

                            #61.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:02 PM EST

                            And thus the reason for a new party to come in to light.

                            The blue collar party, which will stand by the American worker and its people and not allow things like this to happen.

                            Its time we took our country back from the greedy over powered pricks that only look out for them selves and there rich friends.

                              #61.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:15 PM EST
                              Reply

                              How appropriate for this law breaking president to preside over a discussion about what to do with a group of aliens who have broken the law to reside, work, go to school, obtain benefits, form gangs, and protest being called out in the country where they are not supposed to be.

                              • 1 vote
                              Reply#62 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 11:56 AM EST

                              You must mean Ronald Reagan, as he was the ONLY US president to grant amnesty to illegals!

                                #62.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:07 PM EST

                                Think objectively, not ideologically.

                                Illegals are here to stay, they won't delf-deport as ROmney proposed.

                                Build a 100 foot wall to prevent more from coming in, deport all illegals held for violent crimes, but don't waste our money identifying, finding, trying, and deporting the 5 year old or the 90 year old or those that have jobs.

                                  #62.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:09 PM EST
                                  Reply

                                  for Democrats, it’s delivering on a campaign promise; for Republicans, it’s to avoid again losing the Latino vote by a 71%-27% margin.

                                  Dear USA,

                                  The country and its citizens, are not ready for a narco/santa muerte culture that's creeping in to our mainstream. I don't think that Americans will ever embrace such a travesty. How did these left wing radicals get ever elected in the Senate and the Lower House?

                                  • 2 votes
                                  Reply#63 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:09 PM EST

                                  The majority wins.

                                  and the majority happens to be people from Latin America . America of the 1950s where 90% of the population was "white" [hate to use race but there you go], is gone and will never be again.

                                  No more Ozzie and Harriet. No more Leave it to Beaver. No more My Three Sons. It's gone, it can never come back. The politicians don't want it to come back. And your children will grow up in an America that is far different than the one you grew up in.

                                  There is nothing you can do about it.

                                  That's reality.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  #63.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:21 PM EST

                                  That being so, such reality is too distorted. It will lose, wait and see. I don't expect the 50's back anyways, I just don't go for anything that's too invasive, especially from South of the Border!

                                  • 1 vote
                                  #63.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:06 PM EST
                                  Reply

                                  Even as a conservative I recognize that there is no way, NOR is it cost effective to go around trying to deport 11 million people. I am opposed to citizenship for those here illegally. I personally like the guest worker program and always have. It goes without saying that NOTHING should be changed until the border is secure. And if somehow, citizenship absolutely must be a part of the deal, the background check should reveal no criminal activity and NO USE of social services such as food stamps etc.

                                  • 1 vote
                                  Reply#64 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:15 PM EST

                                  define "secured border". Obama has deported more in 4 years, than GW/GOP did in 8!

                                    #64.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:30 PM EST

                                    People who immigrate illegally should never be able to achieve US citizenship. The most that we should ever offer them should be permanent legal residency.

                                      #64.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 1:10 PM EST

                                      My friends a guess worker's visa is indefinite, legal permanent residency is a path to citizenship. I go for a guess worker's visa, if and only if the Borders are definitely secured--meaning no one from South of the Border will attempt any breach--no more no less.

                                      Right now we have a lot of the COYOTE syndrome, and the NARCO traffickers cashing in on illegal immigration, therefore the debate will go on until ourcitizens are satisfied that it is really time to reform the present rules. For now we implement the rules, and not surrender the borders to all the NARCO's and COYOTEs.

                                        #64.3 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:43 PM EST
                                        Reply

                                        @HERRON, Damn pal, give it a rest already. You're going to work yourself into a stroke. Besides, when it's all said and done, who gives a damn what you're spewing? DONT MEAN NOTHIN.

                                        • 1 vote
                                        Reply#65 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:17 PM EST

                                        I must be making you look like a fool, little boy!

                                          #65.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:27 PM EST

                                          Herron, does your mother know that your playing on her computer again. Stick to playing with the little dolls she got you.

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #65.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:56 PM EST
                                          Reply

                                          and now they have brought the image from 11/8/12 back out.

                                          http://nbclatino.com/2013/01/28/hope-and-concern-over-bipartisan-deal-on-immigration-reform/

                                          So what polls are the folks in Washington looking? The ones from We The People or the Latino community?

                                            Reply#66 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:18 PM EST

                                            Herron's not very bright. He just keeps repeating rhetoric that isn't even his....

                                            • 2 votes
                                            Reply#67 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:27 PM EST

                                            Like WHAT? That Reagan gave amnesty to MILLIONS, and McCain and Flake, the two GOP Senators from AZ, are part of this bipartisan group?

                                            What a Gumby you are!

                                              #67.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:29 PM EST

                                              herron... you're beyond stupid.... reagan and the senate and the house gave amnesty to the illegals. reagan did it on the condition the borders would be secured - but pansies such as yourself wouldn't/ couldn't do it.

                                              • 1 vote
                                              #67.2 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 2:57 PM EST
                                              Reply

                                              How many Hispanics are actually in this country? How many are citizens? How many are here illegally? Even if you deported every single illegal, you would still have a huge voting bloc of Hispanic voters. That isn't going to change, regardless of what we do about illegal immigration.

                                              I have read that the estimated illegal population is about 10 million. There are more people than that in almost any large city in the country. Does anyone truly believe that this number is especially significant in the labor pool? Most of these people work at jobs Americans don't want. If you are in competition for a job at Walmart you need to go back to school.

                                              Here's another thing. One the one hand people who don't like illegal immigration claim these people are stealing their jobs and on the other hand they claim that they're lazy welfare recipients. It's really hard to be both. Which is it? Are they stealing your jobs or are they taking your tax dollars? Make up your mind.

                                                Reply#68 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:27 PM EST

                                                The latest survey of the American population said that most favor some kind of amnesty. This is by a significant margin. Why do you think that is? It kind of surprised me, to tell the truth. I had foolishly believed that the many anti-immigrant posts by the right wing actually represented a majority of the thought in this country. Clearly, it does not. Weird, huh?

                                                  Reply#69 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:29 PM EST

                                                  Hopefully Congress can put the good of the country ahead of politics, and do what is right. Lack of Immigration reform, has been a problem for a very long time. And fixing it, will solve a pile of problems all at the same time. And save money. You would think saving money would be something all could agree upon. These people are coming, legally or illegally. By allowing them to legally come, you atleast get to screen them and weed out the real bad ones. And you have a data base of who is all coming in. Underground trade is always the same, no control, and no clue whats going on. Whether its drugs or people.

                                                  Its always better to be the person working the gate.

                                                    Reply#70 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:32 PM EST

                                                    John McTraitor and George W. "Wrong-way" Bush were pushing this amnesty garbage years ago, and I didn't like it then, and I don't like it now. There has to be some real significant penalty involved with regard to foreign nationals sneaking into our country in defiance of our laws, if they were doing so voluntarily and adults at the time. At the very least, such persons should be forever barred from voting in elections, just as many of our home-grown felons are today.

                                                    • 2 votes
                                                    Reply#71 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:33 PM EST

                                                    Principles for Comprehensive Immigration Reform:
                                                    1) Everybody comes in thru the front door (ports of entry). All back doors are shut.
                                                    (Citizenship by Inheritance from US Citizen parents).
                                                    2) Visitors are tracked for timely exit (Entry-Exit system), and visa overstays are pursued by law enforcement.
                                                    3) Enforcement Metrics are continuously monitored by a non-political, scientific group, and Metrics are published monthly.

                                                    4) Universal E-Verify for all employment, W-2 and 1099. Vertical responsibility for verification across all sub-contracting relationships (extending up all the way to prime contractor). Domestic workers included.

                                                    5) New independent agency (non-political, scientific, surveillance) responsible for Enforcement Effectiveness Metrics. Metrics are measured and publicized monthly. Based on professionally-designed "red-testing" of all control points, including tempting employers with undocumented workers, testing the visa system with overstays, sending people out to cross the border illegally, etc.

                                                    6) Using the Metrics, thresholds are defined for an Enforcement Variance, defining any months when Enforcement Effectiveness has fallen below the threshold (e.g., visa overstays exceeds 0.1% of visitor cohort).

                                                    7) Path to Legal Status. A program where previously illegal aliens can apply for resident status. This program is SUSPENDED during the entirety of any Enforcement Variance. This feedback loop is there to guarantee that the "grand compromise" of immigration reform is held intact: Enforcement is to be kept consistently high over the years, and in exchange, the 12 million can move toward legal status.

                                                    • 1 vote
                                                    Reply#72 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:40 PM EST

                                                    @herron ---Making me look like a fool? How so? You're the one that is working yourself up into a fit for nothin, not me. Besides, I'm not arguing with you, I'm just not paying any attention to what you have to say, that's all.

                                                    • 1 vote
                                                    Reply#73 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:41 PM EST

                                                    The immigration issue. Oh how the teabaggers hate that issue. It drives a wedge right through the middle of the republican party. A path to legal citizenship or as the GOP calls it, amnesty. The hatemongers from the extreme right will be roaring on this issue. This issue will cost them the house after the 2014 mid-terms.

                                                      Reply#74 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:46 PM EST

                                                      Latinos made up 10 percent of the electorate. They haven't taken over the country yet, but unless the Caucasians start popping out those citizens english will be the second language.

                                                      • 1 vote
                                                      #74.1 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:55 PM EST
                                                      Reply

                                                      If your Senators don't propose to end the "Anchor Baby" provision of the 14th amendment then tell them to forget any immigration reform.

                                                      • 2 votes
                                                      Reply#75 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:49 PM EST

                                                      There's a shock.

                                                      Look at the picture on the other article.

                                                      http://nbclatino.com/2013/01/28/hope-and-concern-over-bipartisan-deal-on-immigration-reform/

                                                      We voted for you now wheres our payback?

                                                      • 1 vote
                                                      Reply#76 - Mon Jan 28, 2013 12:49 PM EST
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