Navarrette: Amnesty Bill Divides Both Sides of Debate
“Thanks to the “border surge” amendment sponsored by Republican Sens. Bob Corker and John Hoeven, what we got was a bill that will do some good for about half of the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States. According to policy analysts, only about 6 million are likely to qualify for legal status, be able to afford the fees, clear background checks or stick around long enough to reap a benefit,” says Ruben Navarrette Jr.
“As amended, the Senate bill specializes in division. It splits Republicans between those who want to make amends with Hispanics and those who think Hispanics are a lost cause for the GOP. But the bill also splits the immigration reform coalition. It divides Mexican immigrants with a stake in the outcome from self-righteous Mexican-Americans who are comfortable taking risks with legislation that doesn’t affect them as much as it does other people.”
George W. Bush to Assist Amnesty Push
“When House Republicans file into the Capitol on Monday to start thrashing out a response to the Senate’s landmark immigration bill, former President George W. Bush will be presiding over a ceremony for new U.S. citizens at his newly minted library in Dallas. In a keynote address to mark the center’s first major policy event, Bush will argue that overhauling the nation’s immigration laws will be good for the country. A panel discussion titled ‘What Immigrants Contribute’ will follow,” the LA Times reports.
“Bush is not necessarily a role model for the new generation of Republican lawmakers. Many lean more to the right and reject a basic tenet of immigration reform — a long-term path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million people in the country illegally — in a package with tougher border security and guest-worker programs.”
Tea Party Readies for Amnesty Fight
“After spending weeks dealing with the fallout from the IRS targeting scandal, Tea Party groups are starting to focus their energy on the immigration bill — a development that could imperil President Obama’s hopes for a speedy approval. Before adjourning for the Fourth of July holiday break, the Senate easily approved its version of the legislation. The bill now rests with the House, where Republicans say they will take up their own version,” Fox News reports.
“But House lawmakers already are hearing conservative calls to slow things down. And if the debate leaks into August — when Congress takes a nearly month-long recess — the prospects could get even more wobbly. The Tea Party, during the 2009 August recess, famously helped stall ObamaCare by storming town hall meetings and other events.”