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McCain: Migrant-reform deal eluding 'Gang of Eight'

#1
03-26-2013, 01:13 PM
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http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/p...eight/2020691/
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PHOENIX -- Sen. John McCain on Monday would not commit himself to a timeline on the release of the comprehensive immigration-reform legislation he and a bipartisan group of senators have been working on for months, saying the negotiations are continuing even during a two-week break for Easter.

McCain, R-Ariz., and the other members of the Senate's "Gang of Eight" left Capitol Hill last week without coming to terms on major points of contention such as the future flow of immigrant workers and border security.

The senators had hoped to introduce the bill when they return the week of April 8, but the unresolved issues could delay that.

"I can't guarantee anything," McCain said after an afternoon town-hall-style meeting with constituents in northwest Phoenix. "We're still in serious negotiations, but we have made progress. We are negotiating now, as we are in recess."

On Wednesday, McCain plans to tour the Arizona-Mexico border with three other members of the group: Sens. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Jeff Flake, R-Ariz.; and Michael Bennet, D-Colo.

The bill would attempt to link enhanced border security with a pathway to citizenship for an estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants now in the United States.

McCain met for more than an hour with a town-hall crowd that was a mix of immigration-reform advocates and skeptics. Immigration topics dominated the discussion.

McCain at times sounded notes of pessimism about the immigration-reform deliberations.

In his opening remarks, McCain said the Gang of Eight is continuing to work to balance border security, legal status and "earned citizenship," but he emphasized that the issue is "difficult and complex," touching on the inflow of foreign workers, agriculture workers and high-tech workers.

The bipartisan group also includes Sens. Dick Durbin, D-Ill.; Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Robert Menendez, D-N.J.; and Marco Rubio, R-Fla.

"Now, I don't know if we can achieve agreement or not," McCain said. "We've been working literally night and day. And we may not succeed. But the other members of this negotiating team, I believe, are negotiating in good faith. We've made progress in a number of areas that I am encouraged by, but there are still areas that we are not in agreement."

After one man in the audience earned applause for saying, "God bless you and the Gang of Eight," McCain responded: "Wait'll we get something done."

When asked when the bill could be expected, McCain said, "I'm hopeful that it would be very soon. Timing is important, that we get it done and that it gets through the committee and the floor and over to the House of Representatives. But I really can't give you a date right now. I've been on the phone most of this morning talking about it and some of the obstacles that we face."

McCain was careful to reveal few details about the contents of the forthcoming legislation, other than to say there was agreement to address the situation of young undocumented immigrants known as "dreamers" who were brought into the country as children.

He stressed that undocumented immigrants who want to pursue citizenship would have to take steps such as paying fines and back taxes, learning English, passing background checks and going to the back of the immigration line.

McCain also declined a 25-year-old dreamer's request to "please drop the i-word" — "illegal" — when referring to undocumented immigrants.

"Someone who crosses our borders illegally is here illegally," McCain said. "You can call it whatever you want to, but it's illegal. I think there's a big difference between someone who does something that's illegal and someone who's undocumented. I'll continue to call it illegal."

After the meeting, McCain suggested that his trip to the border Wednesday with Schumer, Flake and Bennet could have a positive effect on the immigration-reform negotiations.

"I wish every member of the United States Senate and Congress could see the border," McCain said after the town-hall. "Only when you can see the expanse, the difficulties and the challenges of the border, can you really appreciate the need for our border security. And it's not just people who are coming across our border illegally to live here. It is the drug cartels that are smuggling billions of dollars of drugs into this country."
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#2
03-26-2013, 01:22 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ianus View Post
"the issue is "difficult and complex," touching on the inflow of foreign workers, agriculture workers and high-tech workers."

It is the guest worker program that is preventing CIR from being introduced.

We should leave the guest worker program behind and wait until later to address it. Let's focus on legalization and border security first. That is already plenty for a CIR.
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#3
03-26-2013, 03:40 PM
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Srsly, unemployment is still too high.

Why are they talking about "guest workers"?

Raise their wages and Americans will work

Guess worker program = future flow of illegal immigrants
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#4
03-26-2013, 05:33 PM
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Originally Posted by Sonawabich View Post
Srsly, unemployment is still too high.

Why are they talking about "guest workers"?

Raise their wages and Americans will work

Guess worker program = future flow of illegal immigrants
My friend.. You're severely illinformed on the topic, just be quiet... A guest worker program is a must to prevent future illegal immigration.
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#5
03-26-2013, 05:47 PM
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No low-waged guest worker program = no corporate backing = no CIR

It's all about money.
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#6
03-26-2013, 06:29 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Happyman0607 View Post
My friend.. You're severely illinformed on the topic, just be quiet... A guest worker program is a must to prevent future illegal immigration.
No when the border is sealed.
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#7
03-26-2013, 07:03 PM
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Originally Posted by Sonawabich View Post
No when the border is sealed.
Like I said, you're severely ill-informed on the topic. The United States NEEDS cheap manual labor for picking fruits and vegetables to keep the prices of vegetable and fruits affordable for the average family.

They're not going to raise the wage of farm workers because if the farmer has to pay more to get his product to the market, the price has to go up to compensate for his now much higher expenses.. Which goes back to, family's having to pay more and that effects the economy in a negative way. Damn, have you ever taken an economics class?

The bill needs to have a seasonal guest worker program for migrant workers to come from south america to work, get paid less than Americans but more than those back home which they will then use the money in their economy back home (cost of living is much lower, I'd hope you would at least know that). Everyone wins; we get cheap labor; they get better pay than they would at home and they don't have to break the law and overstay.

No need to thank me for the quick and brief economics lesson
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#8
03-26-2013, 08:19 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Happyman0607 View Post
Like I said, you're severely ill-informed on the topic. The United States NEEDS cheap manual labor for picking fruits and vegetables to keep the prices of vegetable and fruits affordable for the average family.

They're not going to raise the wage of farm workers because if the farmer has to pay more to get his product to the market, the price has to go up to compensate for his now much higher expenses.. Which goes back to, family's having to pay more and that effects the economy in a negative way. Damn, have you ever taken an economics class?

The bill needs to have a seasonal guest worker program for migrant workers to come from south america to work, get paid less than Americans but more than those back home which they will then use the money in their economy back home (cost of living is much lower, I'd hope you would at least know that). Everyone wins; we get cheap labor; they get better pay than they would at home and they don't have to break the law and overstay.

No need to thank me for the quick and brief economics lesson
How is that preventing future illegal immigration?

You said it yourself "A guest worker program is a must to prevent future illegal immigration."

You just went on tangent about completely irrelevant topic.
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#9
03-26-2013, 08:45 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Happyman0607 View Post
Ask yourself why do a good majority of people come here illegally?

Could it be for work?

Hmm... Gee... If there was a special low skilled seasonal migrant worker visas that people could easily get to work here legally, that would stop people from coming here illegally seeking agricultur jobs..
Which goes back to my earlier post:

"Not when the border is sealed" (here's an explanation for you: they can't come in and go as they wish when the border is sealed, e.g. sufficiently clamped down)

So all of your jibber jabber/time wasting posts and its all concluded with my earlier post.
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#10
03-26-2013, 08:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sonawabich View Post
Which goes back to my earlier post:

"Not when the border is sealed" (here's an explanation for you: they can't come in and go as they wish when the border is sealed, e.g. sufficiently clamped down)

So all of your jibber jabber/time wasting posts and its all concluded with my earlier post.
It's impossible to eliminate all illegal immigration, no matter what you do to the boarder, over the next 10, 20, 30 years you'd be back at a couple million if there isn't a low skill guest worker program.. This will be my last post replying back to you regards to this topic, I strongly suggest you do some research on future topics before putting your 2 cents in them because for a 26 year old who I believe overstayed their student visa, it doesn't really seem like you got any higher education from it.

You have a wonderful day my friend
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