Despite, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist saying that immigration reform is probably off the table for this year, the administration is still pushing to get it done this year.
Bloomberg reports the administration has met with Republican lawmakers to press the issue:
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove met with House Republicans last week to reiterate the administration's desire to pass a comprehensive bill this year.
According to Bloomberg, Arizona Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, attended the meeting. Flake, who introduced the McCain/Kennedy bill in the House, said proposals put forward by Rove last week closely tracked the Kennedy/McCain measure.
That's too bad. The McCain/Kennedy proposal is another amnesty program because it would allow illegal aliens to work legally in the country after paying a fine. The president is making a mistake in supporting the McCain/Kennedy legislation over the Kyl/Cornyn bill. Kyl/Cornyn would eliminate the amnesty problem because it creates a guest-worker program that requires illegal aliens to return home before applying to work in the U.S. legally.
Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo, chairman of the 90 member House Immigration Reform Caucus says "it's going to be one hell of a battle:''
It's "possible" the measure backed by Cornyn and Kyl could garner support from a majority of Republicans in the House, while the McCain/Kennedy bill could not, he said.
[. . .]
I think that one is DOA.
I hope Tancredo is right, but you can't rule out anything President Bush campaigns for.
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