Cornyn could offer alternative farm immigration measure
By Eunice Moscoso | Thursday, November 1, 2007, 03:33 PM

Sen. John Cornyn, a Texas Republican, said Thursday that he is working on an alternative to an immigration bill known as AgJobs, shorthand for the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act. The AgJobs bill would give thousands of illegal immigrant farm workers a chance to work in the United States legally and a path to citizenship.

Cornyn said his plan would include a guest worker program for agricultural workers but no pathway to citizenship.

It is unclear whether AgJobs will get a vote in the Senate. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the measure’s chief sponsor, may try to attach it to an upcoming farm bill.

If it comes up, Cornyn may offer the alternative.

“It’s somewhat up in the air now,” Cornyn said, in a conference call with reporters.

The Texas senator also said that he would prefer to pass a broader immigration reform rather than “sector-specific immigration proposals.” http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-gen/blogs/austin/immigration/entries/2007/11/01/cornyn_could_offer_alternative.html

[quote="alex1234"]I agree with Alex...

We're taking the wrong attitude towards this:

If we follow your logic, then why should Americans care to support our DREAM Act at all since it doesn's directly benefit them?

What you said is just selfish.

I'm calling. Not as much as for Dream, but I'm calling. On one hand, I hope this passes, because I know some deserving people who would be affected. However, if it does pass, I will be pissed as hell at the people who didn't vote for Dream and then voted for this. If it DOES pass, though, then that could open up a new pathway for dream.

I get that some of you would be pissed if it passed, too, for that reason, but think about it. What if these people were your parents?

Quite interesting, people in the immigration forum in Univision.com were saying the same thing about the dream act....why should I call blah blah...it's not going to help me...blah blah...

You know what guys if you don't support then fine. I'll support it 150% Or more. I'll start calling in the morning.. Better than just doing nothing at all.. :roll:

I support it. If it passes, it'll make DREAM look even better.

you people are not looking at the big picture: if agjobs passes, it will send indications to every member of congress that this congress can pass some reasonable and sane immigration measures. thus a revised and fine tuned dream act might make it again to the floor. in other words, agjobs passage will make members comfortable to tackle immig. issues again. however, failure of agjobs will outright wipe out any immig. ambitions of members for this and next year.

Agjobs Next Week?
 

The Senate is scheduled to take up the Farm Bill on Monday, November 5, so if Agjobs is going to be tried, it will happen as an amendment sometime next week.

How many cosponsors?

Not sure, THOMAS doesn't have any Senate Amendments posted yet.