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Homeland security chief predicts bipartisan progress on immigration

Secretary Janet Napolitano today mentioned that an immigration bill could ultimately get through Congress.I think she also mentioned Dream act,but I'm not sure.

Quote:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said today she was optimistic that bipartisan immigration reform would, at some point, get through Congress.

“This is not a new issue,” she said in a meeting with the editorial board of The Dallas Morning News. “It’s just putting together a comprehensive package that covers the immigration issues from A to Z. ... It’s a priority for both me and the president.”

Napolitano was in Dallas to address a convention of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

She said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York, would do the heavy lifting for an immigration bill in the Senate, where the process would start.

And she expressed hope that the effort, which last year was derailed in Congress, would not be as contentious as it was under former President George W. Bush.

She did not say when a bill would ultimately be considered. At present, Congress and the White House are consumed with health care reform. So, she said, changes to the national immigration policy are probably down the road -- though she has had met with Schumer on the issue.

“There is a bipartisan recognition that the current law is outdated and needs to be brought up to date with our current needs,” she said.

Napolitano, a former governor of Arizona, has dealt with the effects of illegal immigration for much of her career in public service.

She said an immigration bill should focus on:

-- Developing or bolstering the penalty structure for employers who repeatedly hire illegal immigrants.

-- Stamping out new tactics that human traffickers and money launderers are using to exploit the border.

-- Developing programs that would allow seasonal workers to legally enter the country.

-- Updating the visa process to allow students with so-called "intellectual capital" to remain in the country.

Napolitano said there must to be a way to deal with illegal immigrants in the country and their desire for citizenship, including having them to pay fines and taxes, and ensuring that citizenship is not extended to those with criminal records.

“Nobody is in favor of amnesty,” she said. “I’ve been dealing with this immigration issues for a long time. We need a law that needs to be updated.”

Napolitano said she is already working within existing laws to deter employers from hiring illegal immigrants.

“A lot of the illegal immigration in our country is economically motivated,” she said. “There are employers who consistently and intentionally evade our immigration laws, so they’re helping create that demand.”