Washington – After failing to pass a broad immigration bill two weeks ago, senators who want stronger border security plan as early as today to get what they want one piece at a time.
Senate Budget Committee chairman Judd Gregg, R-N.H., plans to introduce an amendment adding $1.9 billion in border-security money to a $106.5 billion spending bill paying for the Iraq war and hurricane recovery.
Gregg’s amendment would provide for, among other items, new detention centers and additional border agents, said Don Stewart, spokesman for Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, author of one of the Senate’s immigration reform bills.
“There will be several (spending) bills that will focus on border security funding and putting some real money into a real problem,” Stewart said.
Using the Iraq bill, called an emergency supplemental, is appropriate, he said, because “the border is in fact an emergency.”
Sen. Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., has signed off on the Gregg amendment, said Frist spokesman Elie Teichman, who confirmed the $1.9 billion amount. Gregg’s office did not respond to several requests for comment.
Frist remains committed to passing a comprehensive immigration bill by the end of May, Teichman said. Many political analysts, however, are skeptical that will happen.
Democratic Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., will not try to block the amendment, spokesman Jim Manley said.
“Everyone supports border security, but we still need comprehensive immigration reform,” Manley said.
A similar approach to passing immigration measures piecemeal could be attempted in the House, which passed a border security bill in December.
“There have been discussions since at least December about what our options are if Congress is unable to produce a broad immigration bill,” said Will Adams, spokesman for Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who leads the group that favors a border-security-first approach.
“Border security is too important to wait another year, so we hope to move forward with strong legislation even if we have to pass provisions piece by piece.”
