Dems blasted for border bill

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40765.html


Dems blasted for border bill
By: Carrie Budoff Brown
August 6, 2010 04:06 PM EDT

Advocates of comprehensive immigration reform blasted Democrats on Friday for pushing a $600 million border security bill through the Senate, accusing them of trying to placate Republicans and conservatives who will never be satisfied with the government’s enforcement efforts.

“It is really unfortunate, misguided and a major political misstep,” said Deepak Bhargava, executive director of the Center for Community Change, an immigrant rights group. “There will need to be a lot of repair work by the Democrat leadership with the immigrant advocacy community.”

In an unexpected move Thursday night, Senate Democrats won approval of a $600 million bill that includes money for 1,500 new border personnel, a pair of unmanned drones and military-style bases along the border. The bill by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.), which fulfills a request from President Barack Obama, heads to the House for a final vote as early as next week.

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Schumer and McCaskill told reporters in a conference call Friday that the bill paves the way for consideration of a comprehensive reform bill.

“My view is that we had a whole lot of people, both moderate Democrats and Republicans, who said they wouldn’t consider comprehensive reform until we did something about the border,” Schumer said. “It is smart, it is tough, it not punitive. It furthers the ability to get comprehensive reform done.”

But advocates said Republicans outsmarted Democrats, calling their bluff by agreeing to pass the bill Thursday night. Schumer had introduced the bill only a few hours earlier, leading advocates to surmise that the Democrats never expected the GOP to accept the measure.

“They ate the Democrats’ lunch,” Bhargava said of Republicans, adding that the immigrant advocacy community was in “shock.”

The sharp criticism from immigration groups underscores the divide between advocates and congressional Democrats on political strategy.

Advocates want Democrats to remain focused on passing a comprehensive reform bill that includes a legalization program for 11 million undocumented immigrants, as well as a temporary worker program, an employment verification system and border security measures.

Passing a stand-alone border bill eliminated a bargaining chip for Democrats, they said. Republicans won't consider any measures other than those that boost enforcement. And since Democrats do not have the numbers to move a comprehensive overhaul on their own, they are trying to meet Republican demands — in hopes that the GOP will accede to a broader reform early next year.


Advocates are skeptical that the strategy will ever work.

“If the Democrats try to feed the beast of enforcement that Republicans seem to be fixated on, they are never going to satiate that appetite,” said Angela Kelley, vice president for immigration policy and advocacy at the Center for American Progress. “I don’t know if Schumer thinks this is the candy that coaxes them back to the table, but it’s sort of like my fourth grader — there is never enough candy in the world to make her happy.”

Indeed, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) argued for even tougher border security, acknowledging only that the Schumer-McCaskill bill is a “step in the right direction.” And Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who vowed he wouldn’t consider a comprehensive reform bill until he is convinced the border is secure, said he’ll push for more funding to tighten enforcement.

"I believe we have a lot more to do, but this will contribute to our effort to get our border secured," McCain said on the Senate floor.

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), the only Republican still willing to work with Democrats on a comprehensive bill, told POLITICO last month that the passage of a stand-alone border security bill would help break the logjam.

Immigration reform advocates argue that stopping the flow of undocumented immigrants requires more than just tougher border security, which has already been enhanced in recent years. The number of border agents has doubled in the past five years, while apprehensions have dropped, according to government data.

“The irony, of course, is that the U.S.-Mexico border is in fact safer than ever, our spending on border security is the highest in U.S. history, and illegal immigration rates are at a historic low,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a pro-reform group. “Nevertheless, Democrats are charging towards the red flag waved by the Republicans who mindlessly repeat the mantra of border security first.”

Napolitano said the administration has reached out to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to encourage her to put the Senate bill up for a vote next week.

The Senate bill includes $300 million for 1,500 additional Border Patrol agents, Custom and Border Protection officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement personnel; $196 million for Justice Department programs; $32 million for two drones; and additional money for things like communications equipment and new facilities.

The Senate bill, which does not add to the deficit, would be paid for by hiking fees on so-called chop shops — foreign companies that use U.S. visa programs to import cheap labor from countries like India. Firms with more than 50 percent of their employees on H-1B work visas would be affected.

The Dems did this unanimously without a plan for a legalization plan, and they still expect that the immigrant community keep them in power? LMAO.

I don't think Democrats understand the Republicans, their is nothing that they can do appease them. The Democrats just gave up an important card that they could have played, a border enforcement bill. The Republicans don't have any more reason to work with the Democrats to try to pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform, D.R.E.A.M. Act or Ag jobs for that matter. These Democrats must have shit in their heads. Now they expect Latinos to still go out and vote for them? lol give me a break. We are getting F... by both parties.

no you idiot....the dems just put the republicans on the hot seat. if the GOP still refuses on immigration reform in the future, it wont be because the dems dont care about border security. dems just gave them a heads up, that they have taken a step forward. now the ball is in GOP's court. if they back down, we know whos responsible.

Please, don't insult people, it is my opinion. Democrats could have solved this problem by working on a CIR bill with lots of border enforcement. Yet they have continued to offer B.S. blueprints among other myths. The ball has been in the Republicans court for the longest and yet they continue to do nothing. They are going to back down and most of us have known who is responsible, the GOP, and some democrats. My point is that they could have used the border enforcement card to urge Republicans to work on CIR, but they didn't and with that they still expect Latinos and other immigrants to vote for them?

since im white and i dont speak espanjol... can some of you tell me why in the world u assume that republicans are waiting for a latino vote!... their demographic has always been upper/middle class income white middle aged families!!!... with a mix of hypocritical latinos who forgot they swam here long time ago and now they the SHYT...

I never said Republicans were waiting for a Latino vote.

well, i dont think THEY assume, but u assumed that they would... jerk

By them i meant Democrats. And what is it with everyone insulting other people? Come on how old are you? If you don't like what i wrote don't read it, block me, or do what you got to do but don't be immature.

when we insult here, we do it in a way... don't feel insulted... acting immature sometimes is a stress killer.

but im sooorryyyyyyyy geez

http://washingtonindependent.com/940...gration-reform

So if they know this, then why are they refusing to deal with the dream act since they know CIR is not possible this year.