Immigrant bill faces multiple alterations

Immigrant bill faces multiple alterations
By Karoun Demirjian
Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune
Published June 5, 2007

WASHINGTON -- About 30 amendments: That's what stands between a new plan for controlling immigration into the United States and passage in the Senate.

But those amendments -- proposed by Republican and Democratic critics of the bipartisan measure under consideration -- may prove to be a political minefield that lawmakers will have to carefully navigate if they hope to reach the finish line with a bill that can command 60 votes to end any possible filibuster.

The Senate begins voting on the amendments Tuesday, with numerous close votes expected that could be deal-breakers for the senators who crafted the measure and shepherded it through earlier challenges.

Insiders say its fate will depend in large part on whether those senators are able to stick by the amended product.

It appears the debate will come down to two issues: how far to go in disciplining illegal immigrants, and what to do about their families.

Defining crime

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) has offered an amendment to expand the categories of crimes that would prevent illegal immigrants from legalizing their status in the U.S. He says it will help keep terrorists, drunk drivers and gang members out of the country. But most Democrats call this proposal a deal-breaker, saying Cornyn's categories would punish individuals with clean records whose only encounters with law enforcement are those related to their status as illegal immigrants. The office of Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.) estimates that Cornyn's amendment could keep as many as half the agricultural workers expected to receive visas under the bill out of the country.

Family reunification

Four amendments aimed at making the bill more sympathetic to family reunification are pending before the Senate, with a fifth expected this week from Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) -- also a co-sponsor of the other four. Lauded by pro-immigrant groups, these amendments pose special challenges for Democrats because Republicans who have threatened to withdraw their support for the bill if some of them are approved.

One measure, promoted by Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, would increase the number of green cards available to the spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents.

A proposal favored by Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) would do the same for parents of U.S. citizens, and increase the duration of family visitor visas from 30 to 180 days. Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz) has said this measure would be a deal-breaker for conservatives.

Democrats are also taking aim at the bill's proposed points-based system, which would reward applicants with higher levels of education and special skills with preferred immigration status.

Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Menendez are taking double-aim at this system with one proposal to increase the points allotted to family members of those already here, which under the proposed system would earn the fewest points. Another amendment would end the point-based system after five years.

The Senate will consider a bipartisan proposal to expedite more legal immigrant applications in the next eight years. The amendment would change the cutoff date for when an eligible illegal immigrant entered the U.S. from May 2005 to January 1, 2007. It would put green cards in the hands of an additional estimated 833,000 immigrants -- another possible deal-breaker for Republicans.

The Senate is hoping to complete consideration of the amendments this week or soon thereafter; no House action is planned on immigration without Senate passage of a bill.

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kdemirjian@tribune.com