Immigration Bill Moves Forward

Many were skeptical that this bill would have success today ... I wasn't one of them. I knew that this bill would move forward in the Senate, and that the battle in the House would be where we will make our stand.

The Hill:

The comprehensive immigration reform bill survived a crucial procedural vote Tuesday and took a large step toward Senate passage.

GOP opponents of the measure had claimed that support for the bill was eroding and had hoped that enough former supporters would change their minds to get to the necessary 41 votes to stop the legislation. However, the tenuous coalition that has so far held the compromise together survived its most serious test yet.

However, several amendments remain, both from conservatives and liberals, that could prevent Senate passage.

Take a gander at what Ted Kennedy had to say about the bill, and the citizens of this country.

AP:

"We did the right thing today because we know the American people sent us here to act on our most urgent problems. We know they will not stand for small political factions getting in the way," Kennedy said in a statement following the vote.

The question is: Is he delusional, or has he been drinking?

There hasn't been a poll yet that shows the American people support this bill, and I wouldn't call the majority of American citizens a "small political faction" Teddy.

Several of the Republican amendments slated for upcoming Senate votes would make the bill tougher on unlawful immigrants, while those by Democrats would make it easier on those seeking to immigrate legally based solely on family ties.

We all know what happened the last time Republicans introduced amendments to prevent criminals from getting amnesty.

Here's a list of the amendments via Michelle:

Democrat Amendments

Dodd-Menendez S.A. 1199: would increase the annual cap on green cards for parents and extend the parent visitor visa.

Webb S.A. 1313: Community ties for [amnesty]

Baucus-Tester S.A. 1236: would strike all reference[s] to REAL ID.

Sanders-Grassley S.A. 1332 : prohibits companies that have announced mass lay-offs from receiving any new visas, unless these companies could prove that overall employment at their companies would not be reduced by these lay-offs.

Byrd-Gregg-Cochran S.A. 1344: adds a $500 fee to obtain [amnesty] and sets aside the revenues collected in order to fund border and interior enforcement.

Menendez-Obama-Feingold S.A. 1317: increases family points in merit system

Brown S.A. 1340: requires that before employers can be approved to employ Y-1 workers, they must have listed the specific job opportunity with the state employment service agency.

McCaskill S.A. 1468: increases ban on federal contracts, grants or cooperative agreements to employers who are repeat violators of hiring immigrants who are not authorized to work

Levin-Brownback S.A.1486: gives access to Iraqis to apply for refugee status under existing U.S. law.
Leahy S.A. 1386: protect scholars who have been persecuted in their home countries on account of their beliefs, scholarship, or identity.

Schumer: provides for tamper-proof biometric social security cards

Boxer S.A. 1198: reduces Y visa cap by number of Y workers who overstay

Republican Amendments

Alexander S.A. 1161: requires DHS and the Department of State to notify a foreign embassy when one of their nationals has become a U.S. citizen

Bond S.A. 1255: prohibits green cards for [illegal aliens granted amnesty]

Coleman S.A. 1473: outlaws state and local policies that prevent public officials including police and health and safety workers (except for emergency medical assistance) from inquiring about the immigration status of those they serve if there is “probable cause” to believe the individual being questioned is undocumented.

Domenici S.A. 1335/1258: increases Federal judgeships
Ensign S.A. 1490: redetermines work history for current beneficiaries of social security depending on their citizenship status

Graham S.A. 1465: enforcement. Still being drafted.

Grassley-Baucus-Obama S.A. 1441: strikes and replaces Title III on employer enforcement

Hutchinson S.A. 1440: changes the “touchback” requirement from the time of applying for adjustment of status, as it currently stands in the Senate proposed bill, to the time of applying for the Z visa. Increases the number of individuals required to touchback

Thune S.A. 1174: prevents [illegal aliens] from [being granted amnesty] until all triggers have been met.

Chambliss S.A. 1318: Totalization agreements

Isakson S.A. 1282: Preemption/Home Depot

Graham: Criminal penalties/mandatory minimums for overstays