IMMIGRATION DEBATES UP IN THE US SENATE, NEW SANCTUARY MOVEMENT LAUNCHED IN THE U.S. (tags)
The US Senate, after a long delay will finally begin debates this coming Wednesday, May 16, on the much-awaited comprehensive immigration reform bill that will decide the fate of more than 12 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. The issue: Amnesty or a guest worker program? Senator Arlan Specter wanted the Senate Bill 2611 to be revived while the White House proposes a very expensive “ temporary guest worker program” The democratic party promised a comprehensive immigration reform that will be favorable to the large immigrant community where it derived its support during the last elections. On the other hand, the traditionally anti-immigrant republican party is trying to win over the conservative sector of the immigrant population by giving a limited reform. President Bush, whose wife is a Mexican, promised an immigration reform bill by the end of this year. Senators Ted Kennedy and John McCain are also bent to revive their own immigration bill that died last year during the Senate debates that gave way to SB 2611 that the Republican controlled lower house killed in 2006. The senate killed the oppressive HR 4437 but gave way to some of its anti-immigrant features in the SB 2611 that did not pass the republican controlled lower house. CDIR Immigrant Rights Update