Is immigration reform dead yet?

HR36 · June 2007

I heard that the U.S. Senate has suspended work on the big immigration reform bill. I believe that his includes the requirement that employers participate in the government’s existing electronic employment verification system (EEVS). I believe some of the less comprehensive immigration refors are still floating out there and may affect us, like other forms of electronic verification. Does anyone have more details?

Thanks!

SFbay · June 2007

President George W. Bush would love to pass a comprehensive bill but it looks like the bill is on life support. For conservatives the most controversial aspect of the bill is the path to legal status for illegal aliens. Some Republicans may not support any bill that has a path to legal status and some Democrats won't support any immigration bill that has no path. It looks like a significant shift will have to take palce before a comprehesive bill or a enforcement-only bill would be passed.

Kibitzer · June 2007

This one's really hard to figure. Both parties are divided. THe two key players are the President and Majority Leader Harry Read who will have final say on whether the Senate takes up the bill agian. There were rumblings over the weekend about getting the compromise back on track, but Read apparently wants Bush to spend more political capital to get the Republican in line before he'd bring the bill back. The question is, Does Bush have any political capital left to spend?

GoPatsNH · June 2007

Bush came back from Europe vowing to get an immigration bill passed. I guess the question is, what kind of bill will it be? The base of his party has no interest in passing the bill as is because they believe it's "amesty" and it seems as if some of the Democrats are also opposed to certain parts of it. For instance, Gov. Richardson noted that it divides families. Who knows what will happen. While Bush can be perseverant once he has his mind set on something, I don't think his backing of this bill helps the cause...perhaps even the opposite.

fisHRman · June 2007

It doesn't matter what's in the bill as much as a question of will it be enforced, or even will it be enforceable?

BarbieW · June 2007

I read that the Senate is going to take the bill up again this week with a vote possible before their July 4 break. Has anyone heard anything about how the House is likely to vote if the Senate passes the bill?

Kibitzer · August 2007

The comprehensive reform bill has been dead for weeks. But "noncontroversial" parts of the bill are being added to other legislation. The issues that have been taken up are funding for border security, agricultural workers, and citizenship for children who were brought into the US by their go to collere for a number of years. No mention yet of reform of the employer verification system.

Is immigration reform dead yet?

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