Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Source: Associated Press: U.S. Senate Advances Immigration Bill

This just in, damn I’ve always wanted to say that, no not really except when I’m joking around. The U.S. Senate just passed comprehensive immigration reform with a 68-32 vote. Two votes short of Leader Reid’s goal of seventy votes but still a veto proof majority. Not that President Obama would veto a bill that he supports but this bill will be sent over to. Speaker Boehner and the U.S House of Representatives and immigration reform is now in their court.

The question will be can the House pass anything at all as it relates to immigration reform. Let alone something that could pass a Democratic Senate with a solid Democratic majority. But the House should pass a bill like this for both practical and political good reasons. The political reasons are obvious, Republicans are getting hammered by Democrats when it comes to Latin Americans. And for the GOP to broaden its base and remain a major party in the future they are going to have to make serious progress with Latin Americans. Who are Catholic and tend to be somewhat culturally Conservative as well as small business owners which should. Put them on the Republican playground. But the practical reasons are that this is a good bill. That will accomplish everything that so-called Conservative-Republicans say they want in immigration reform. Which is to secure the border and deal with the eleven million illegal immigrants without giving them amnesty.

This bill tightens the border by finishing the fence on the border and putting more resources into border-security. As well as clamping down on employers that hire illegal immigrants with what’s known as E-Verify. So employers will know whether potential hires are in the country legally or illegally. But instead of attempting an impossible mission by trying to deport eleven million illegal immigrants. It says that we have all of these workers in the country illegally doing jobs that we need people to do for the economy. That Americans will not do who’ve only committed one felony while being in the United States. Entering the country illegally and says these workers can stay in the country. If they come out of the shadows, pay a fine based on how long they’ve been in the country illegally. Plus whatever back taxes they owe and have to get a probationary residency card that says they are in America on a. Probational status that as long as they are meeting the requirements of their probationary residency. They can continue to live and work in the United States.

Am I expecting this current bill to become law, no. Do I think it’s dead, no because there is a Bipartisan coalition in the House as we speak working to produce their own bill. Which includes Representative Paul Ryan whose in favor of a comprehensive approach to. Immigration reform but the question is whether the Neoconservatives over there will allow. Speaker Boehner to move on anything like that without facing serious negative consequences to that. And the House ends up passing nothing at but we’ll see what happens over there. And if House Republicans can get their act together and work with House Democrats to give them the votes. They need to pass a final immigration reform bill.