U.S. Senate Kills Immigration Reform Bill
In voting to reject the proposed immigration reform bill today, the Senate effectively killed any chance of meaningful reform until 2009.
The Senate drove a stake today through President Bush's plan to legalize millions of unlawful immigrants, likely postponing major action on immigration until after the 2008 elections. The bill's supporters fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to limit debate and clear the way for final passage of the legislation, which critics assailed as offering amnesty to illegal immigrants. The vote was 46 to 53 in favor of limiting the debate.As I wrote on TalkLeft today, I'm glad. I want the next bill to provide more protections and fewer sanctions for the undocumented among us. Am I really in the minority? When I read the news coverage, it seems dominated by those in the Lou Dobbs and Tom Tancredo school of exclusion and punishment. Surely there must be people out there who believe as I do that we all came here from somewhere else and America has benefited over the centuries from our presence. Isn't there anyone who still feels a patriotic shiver when reading Emma Lazarus' words on the Statue of Liberty?
"Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door."If so, let us hear from you. If not, tell us why.
Comments
Submitted by C Stevens (not verified) on Mon, 2007-07-09 10:26.
The Immigration Bill was just flawed. Maybe most of us came here from "somewhere". Some of us are at least part Native American. And those of us who came here from "somewhere", if we passed by the Statue of Liberty as you mentioned, did so legally. That's what a large number of us are asking for - legal immigration and law abiding citizens: tax paying, driver's license holding, insurance paying, English-speaking, conforming, American flag flying, legal contributing members of our AMERICAN country. Is that really too much to ask to better their lives? REALLY? Because in any other country, that's what they'd ask. At least. Perhaps the editors of 5280 would like to know what the rest of America is saying about immigration at MSNBC's Gutcheck in America.
Submitted by Erin Rosa (not verified) on Thu, 2007-06-28 15:53.
I agree that the legislation had many problems, but I still looked at it as supremely better than what we have now. Regardless, it's an insane idea—and downright reprehensible—to think the Untied States can continue to criminalize the estimated 12 million people who are already here. Something has to change, and it's just a shame it won't be until 2009.
