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McClatchy
Newspapers
Nov 11,
2006
Election changes immigration picture
by Dave Montgomery
WASHINGTON - If President Bush can find a silver lining in the Democratic
takeover in Congress, it could be this: The outlook for enacting his sweeping
immigration plan, which House Republicans blocked for two years, suddenly
looks brighter.
A 700-mile border fence pushed through the Republican Congress also could
come under renewed scrutiny. Although Bush signed the fence legislation
into law, Democratic leaders opposed the measure and may hold up funds
for the project, which is expected to cost at least $2.2 billion.
"I can't think of another issue that could bring together the Democratic
Congress and the president like immigration," said Frank Sharry, executive
director of the National Immigration Forum, which supports the president's
initiatives. "This election has really changed the immigration debate forever."
Pro-immigration groups such as Sharry's predict that the next session of
Congress will be far more receptive to the most volatile elements of Bush's
immigration plan: a temporary guest-worker program and conditional legalization
for millions of undocumented immigrants now in the country.
Since Bush first revealed his intentions in 2004, those proposals consistently
have collided with resistance in the GOP-led House of Representatives,
which refused to consider a Senate-passed bill that largely embraced Bush's
initiatives.
Now Democrats will take over the House and Senate in early January under
leaders who have expressed support for a comprehensive immigration overhaul.
Presumptive House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., has called for legislation
offering illegal immigrants a "pathway to earned legalization and citizenship"
if they fulfill "tough requirements," such as paying fines and back taxes,
staying employed and learning English.
In a post-election news conference Wednesday, Bush again listed immigration
as a top priority, describing it as "an issue where I believe we can find
some common ground with the Democrats."
"I do think we have a good chance," Bush said.
Nevertheless, while the election may have lowered some of the hurdles for
the White House, Bush still could face formidable opposition among Republicans,
as well as among moderate and conservative Democrats who espoused a get-tough
stand on illegal immigration.
Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., one of Bush's most outspoken critics on immigration,
said he initially was "very concerned" with the outcome of Tuesday's midterm
elections. But after a further race-by-race review, Tancredo said he now
believes that the next session of Congress will feature a strong bipartisan
coalition of Republicans and conservative Democrats opposed to any form
of legalization for undocumented residents.
"I've become a little more hopeful," he said Friday. "Maybe I'm whistling
past the graveyard, but I have this feeling it's not going to happen as
quickly and easily as they [pro-immigration advocates] all were hoping."
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