"submit to a rigorous process to convert to legal status" or face immediate deportation

[J. Mujica]

Senate Democrats Address Immigration

By Spencer S. Hsu
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 25, 2009



Senate Democrats outlined plans yesterday to overhaul the nation's
immigration laws, including a requirement that all U.S. workers verify
their identity through fingerprints or an eye scan.

Speaking on the eve of a White House summit with congressional leaders
on immigration, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (N.Y.) said a national system
to verify work documents is necessary because Congress has failed to
crack down on unscrupulous employers and illegal immigrants with fake
documents.

"I'm sure the civil libertarians will object to some kind of biometric
card -- although . . . there'll be all kinds of protections -- but
we're going to have to do it. It's the only way," Schumer said. "The
American people will never accept immigration reform unless they truly
believe their government is committed to ending future illegal
immigration."

By announcing his plans, Schumer, who chairs the Senate's main
immigration subcommittee, ushered in what President Obama has signaled
will be his next major legislative campaign, after the economic
stimulus plan, health care and energy.

Schumer said legislation should secure control of the nation's borders
within a year and require that an estimated 12 million illegal
immigrants register with the government and "submit to a rigorous
process to convert to legal status" or face immediate deportation.
Rejecting the euphemism "undocumented workers," he said: "Illegal
immigration is wrong -- plain and simple."

A senior White House official said Obama is open to all of Schumer's
proposals, including his ID plan, saying that "he wants to listen, he
wants to talk. All of it is on the table."

Hispanic leaders and immigrant advocates have pressed Obama to fulfill
a campaign pledge to tackle the issue this year. In response, House
and Senate Democratic leaders voiced new optimism this week that a
deal can be struck before election season heats up next spring.

"I think we have the floor votes to do it," Senate Majority Leader
Harry M. Reid (D-Nev.) told reporters Tuesday. House Majority Leader
Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) added that action could begin "as early,
perhaps, as this fall."

Seeking to build momentum, Obama will meet today with at least 20
House and Senate members from both parties, officials said. But White
House aides have worked to lower expectations, noting Congress's
inability to deliver legislation to former president George W. Bush in
2006 and 2007, and vowing to proceed with debate this year only with
strong bipartisan support.

"The president wants to make it clear he is serious," a senior White
House official said yesterday. "He also wants to make it clear he's
going to need strong partnership and leadership on both sides of the
aisle to get the right policies moving."

Key Republicans reacted cautiously, saying they would work with Obama
if he thinks a deal is possible.

"What we need now is not another photo op at the White House," Sen.
John Cornyn (Tex.), the ranking Republican on Schumer's panel, said
Tuesday. "What we need is a plan from the president of the United
States."

In pushing Congress to tackle the subject for the third time in four
years, advocates say a bigger Democratic majority, Republican unease
over the party's waning support from Hispanics and public demand for
solutions will deliver a filibuster-proof 60 votes in the Senate.

But the plan faces obstacles, opponents said, including rising
competition for jobs in a collapsing economy, and continued resistance
to granting "amnesty" to illegal immigrants.

"Every Democrat that's in a competitive district knows that will be
the question next year: Why did they vote for more foreign workers
while 14 million workers are unemployed?" said Roy Beck, founder of
NumbersUSA, a group that advocates for limiting immigration.

Also unclear is what backing might come from business groups.
Schumer's priorities did not include expanding a guest-worker program,
which employers sought. Instead, Schumer said that any deal must also
create mechanisms to attract highly skilled immigrants, control the
flow of low-skilled immigrants and protect native-born workers.

A system to access legal workers "is non-negotiable from a business
point of view," said Tamara Jacoby, president of the ImmigrationWorks
USA lobby, adding: "But we're open to a discussion of what that legal
mechanism should be."