Compromise immigration reform legislation stalls in Senate

Posted: 4/13/06

Compromise immigration reform
legislation stalls in Senate

By John Hall

Texas Baptist Communications

WASHINGTON—Just one day after celebrating a “huge breakthrough,” the U.S. Senate rejected an immigration reform bill brought forward by leaders of both parties.

Legislation hailed as a compromise with broad support and brought forth by Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., and Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., reportedly failed by nearly the same vote a Democratic-led bill did a day before. It garnered only 38 of the needed 60 affirmative votes.

The April 7 vote puts any Senate action regarding immigration reform at least two weeks back. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., said the judiciary committee would again commence work on the issue when it returned from an Easter break, but Frist would not commit to placing the issue back in front of the Senate because of a crowded legislative schedule.

Republicans and Democrats quickly blamed each other for turning immigration into a partisan issue.

During a Catholic prayer breakfast, President Bush again called for immigration reform.

“An immigration system that forces people into the shadows of our society, or leaves them prey to criminals is a system that needs to be changed,” he said. “I’m confident that we can change—change our immigration system in ways that secures our border, respects the rule of law, and, as importantly, upholds the decency of our country. As the Congress continues this debate, its members must remember we are a nation of immigrants. And immigration has helped restore our soul on a regular basis.”

Suzii Paynter, interim director of the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, said the Senate vote is the reason a commission should be formed to create larger consensus on immigration. That group should include leaders from the House of Representatives and Senate, as well as other stakeholders.

“This is an indication that we need something like a presidential immigration commission,” she said.

The CLC joined more than 50 evangelical groups to call for comprehensive immigration reform. Paynter said reform needs to be a balance of “security and solutions”—protecting the border and creating avenues for undocumented residents to become citizens.

The defeated bill divided undocumented workers into three groups and outlined a plan for each group to attain citizenship.

The House has passed a bill that specifically targeted enforcement of the country’s borders but did not deal with making any undocumented residents citizens.