The Washington Post reports the Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing today on "comprehensive immigration reform."
According to the Fort Worth Star Telegram, Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Labor Secretary Elaine L. Chao will testify at the hearing and are expected to outline the Administration's latest plans for an immigration reform. The Star Telegram also reported White House Press Secretary Scott McClellan suggested that President Bush may now be advocating a more comprehensive approach to immigration reform that includes a temporary worker program as well as "steps to strengthen our border and improve the interior enforcement of our immigration laws."
This comes after Karl Rove held numerous meetings with congressional leaders.
The administration has assembled a coalition of business interests to help advance its immigration reform proposals. Business Week suggests that the administration may find itself in the middle of another fight between business groups and conservatives over immigration reform. According to Business Week, one of the administration's allies in the immigration reform battle, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, will be highlighting the McCain-Kennedy legislation today at an event co-sponsored by American Immigration Lawyers Association, League of United Latin American Citizens, Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods, the National Association of Home Builders, and other fans of the administration's guest-worker idea.
The Washington Post article reported that Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist believes that the entire package of immigration issues is too much to swallow at once, and that lawmakers should start with border security and law enforcement issues. Business Week reports the President will have a chance today to argue that has been accomplished:
In an afternoon speech at the White House signing ceremony for the Dept. of Homeland Security appropriations bill on Oct. 18, President Bush is expected to praise the U.S. Border Patrol for its capture of 1.1 million aliens along the border with Mexico over the past 12 months. He will also propose more border agents, aircraft, and dollars for the effort, aides say.
Yesterday, the Manhattan Institute, a business think tank, released a survey finding Republicans support a combination of strict enforcement and partial amnesty. The poll also found half of those surveyed want even legal immigration cut or halted altogether, versus only 8% that want it increased. In addition, by 56% to 39%, favor a plan that would tighten border enforcement, penalize businesses that hire illegals, and deny eventual citizenship to those in the U.S. illegally. By 49% to 39%, they also favor sending formerly illegal guest workers home after five years. The poll of 800 likely Republican voters was conducted October 2-5, 2005 and has a margin of error of ±3.5%. The poll results are available here.
The Manhattan Institute claims the survey found 72% favor an earned legalization immigration reform plan that would:
Provide resources to greatly increase border security,
Impose much tougher penalties on employers who hire illegal workers
Create a system in which illegal immigrants could come forward and register, pay a fine, and receive a temporary worker permit, and
Provide these temporary workers with a multi-year path to citizenship, if they meet certain requirements like living crime free, learning English, and paying taxes.
The key to comprehensive immigration reform is how any proposal deals with the millions of illegals already here. A proposal perceived as rewarding those who came here illegally will not garner the support of conservatives because it will only encourage more illegal immigration.
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