Entries for May 18, 2007

It's going to be fascinating to watch the progress, or lack of progress, of the immigration compromise hammered out by Sens. Edward Kennedy and Jon Kyl. They're an interesting pair of partners. The first bill that Kennedy floor-managed as a senator was the immigration act of 1965, some 42 years ago. Last year, he and John McCain worked out the details of the bill that passed the Senate on May 25 by a 62-to-36 margin. That was described as a "comprehensive" bill, with border security, guest-worker, and legalization provisions. It was vocally opposed as "amnesty" by many on the right. Kyl voted against it. What Kennedy and Kyl appear to have agreed on--there's no text available yet, as far as I know--answers some of the objections on the right. Guest workers will be limited to two years and will then have to return to their country of origin for one year before they can come back for another two-year stint. Family reunification will be limited, at least in some circumstances, to the immediate family--no aunts, uncles, cousins, or grandparents. There are trigger provisions that keep the legalization sections from coming into effect until border security is improved in certain ways. And illegal heads of household would have to return to their country of origin--"touchback"--and pay a $5,000 fine before they could receive legal status.