A major immigration bill is expected to be introduced by powerhouse Sens. John McCain and Edward Kennedy today in Washington, kicking off a fractious policy debate that’s likely to shape the remainder of President Bush’s second term.
The bipartisan proposal by the venerable senators would dramatically rewrite the country’s immigration laws, legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants and opening the biggest flow of low-skilled workers into the country since a post-World War II program ended in 1964.
McCain has been working with the White House on the language of the bill, experts say, leading some to suggest it has the quiet backing of the president.
It also is likely to be the first salvo in a debate that will stretch on for months, even years. The bill’s supporters say it’s unlikely any major reform will be enacted before 2007.
“It’s ambitious, which is a good thing. … You can’t have a small answer when you have a big problem,” said John Gay, vice president of the International Franchise Association, which represents major hotel and restaurant chains.
Neither McCain’s nor Ken nedy’s staff would confirm details of the bill before its release. Final language of the bill was still being negotiated late Wednesday, but sections were described to The Denver Post.
Among the bill’s major provisions:
After a criminal background check and medical examination, most of the 8 million to 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country would be allowed to apply for a new visa legalizing their status. They would have to pay $2,000 in fines and processing fees for having originally entered the country illegally. After six years, those workers and their families could apply for permanent residency.
A guest-worker program would allow employers to import 400,000 foreign workers in its first year. After that, the cap would be adjusted annually. The cap could change no more than a fixed percentage a year, sources said, and those workers could eventually apply to reside in the U.S. permanently.
A new system would be designed that would require employers to electronically verify whether their workers are in the country legally and eligible to work. Fines for employers caught hiring illegal workers would double.
The debate over how to fix the growing influx of illegal immigration has proved both complicated and contentious.
Prior to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Bush promised to make revamping the country’s immigration system one of his biggest priorities, but those efforts were derailed by security concerns after the attacks. A second attempt by the White House to push the issue lost steam during last year’s presidential campaign.
But there is also growing pressure for lawmakers to act. And many said Bush is determined to make immigration reform part of his presidential legacy.
Hundreds of illegal immigrants die sneaking into the U.S. through the southwestern desert each year. Hospital emergency rooms are racking up huge bills from illegal immigrants who can’t get insurance. Homeland security officials say that the growing number of illegal immigrants creates security concerns that could be alleviated by bringing them out of the shadows.
“Given this country’s security needs, given its economic needs, and given our nation’s family and community needs, we have to reform our system so we can be a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws,” said Angela Kelley, of the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigrant advocacy group in Washington.
But creating a coalition of Democrats and Republicans that can push reform through Congress is likely to be difficult.
Many unions and their Democratic supporters are wary of creating a new class of cheap foreign workers that could further erode U.S. wages. Conservative Republicans have vowed to oppose any form of amnesty that rewards illegal immigrants.
“Bipartisan doesn’t mean anything, because immigration doesn’t split between the Democrats and Republicans very well. The opposition is likely to be bipartisan as well,” said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports dramatically cutting immigration levels.
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“This Congress is definitely in the get-tough mode on immigration,” said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who said he opposes the McCain-Kennedy bill.
The new bill tries to address some of those political realities, supporters say. It calls for a commission that would study the impact of the legislation on the U.S. labor market and could call for an adjustment of the cap on new guest workers or other key provisions. Employers who apply for foreign workers will first have to advertise those jobs on a national electronic database, and give priority to U.S. workers.
Staff writer Michael Riley can be reached at 303-820-1614 or mriley@denverpost.com.
