Legislative Link
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Looking tough in the Senate
On Thursday, the Senate approved an appropriations bill that will add 1,000 new border patrol agents and 1,700 new immigration detention center beds. The $32.8-billion funding bill was for the Department of Homeland Security's operations in the new fiscal year. The bill passed 100 senators to 0.
Still 'on hold' is the comprehensive immigration reform bill passed nearly two months ago. Neither the House or the Senate have moved forward on setting up a conference committee to reconcile it with the House bill (HR 4437). Instead both houses of Congress have been holding public hearings around the country.
On Thursday, an amendment to the appropriations bill that was authored by Senator Kyl and passed by the Senate will add 1,700 bed spaces, bringing the total number for 2007 to the 27,500 requested by Homeland Security (with the Senate and House bills the ultimate total could be more than 100,000 beds).
This Senate bill will have to be reconciled with a similar bill passed by the House passed in June. It will be interesting to see how quickly the conference committee for this bill will be put together. Congressmen and women desperately need to look like they are doing SOMETHING on immigration to show constituents that they are worthy of re-election in November.
Also on Thursday, the Senate passed a border tunnel measure sponsored by California Senators Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer. As the Los Angeles Times reports, it imposes a 20-year prison sentence for building or financing a cross-border underground passageway and would jail for 10 years landowners who displayed a reckless disregard for the construction or use of a tunnel on their land.
So even if comprehensive immigration reform bills die in this Congress, Senators and Representatives are still taking steps to beef up enforcement. Yet truly comprehensive reform that looks at the entire immigration system seems to have died a long time ago (or was never born).
|
 |
Search site
Sara Ibrahim
Human Migration and Mobility/Project VOICE Policy Impact Coordinator
SIbrahim@afsc.org
Atom Feed
Recent Posts
Main page
In Senator Specter's backyard
Round II of immigration hearings
Senator Cornyn tries to sneak one by
Colorado ups the ante
The Roadshow Continues
Another plan?
Theater in San Diego (or Where are the leaders?)
Hearings scheduled
Utah votes
New Delay Tactic: Public Hearings
Earlier Posts
Week of... March 26, 2006
April 02, 2006
April 09, 2006
April 16, 2006
April 23, 2006
April 30, 2006
May 07, 2006
May 14, 2006
May 21, 2006
May 28, 2006
June 04, 2006
June 11, 2006
June 18, 2006
June 25, 2006
July 02, 2006
July 09, 2006
July 16, 2006
July 23, 2006
July 30, 2006
August 06, 2006
August 13, 2006
August 20, 2006
August 27, 2006
September 03, 2006
September 10, 2006
September 17, 2006
September 24, 2006
October 01, 2006
October 08, 2006
October 15, 2006
October 22, 2006
October 29, 2006
November 05, 2006
November 12, 2006
November 19, 2006
November 26, 2006
December 03, 2006
December 10, 2006
December 17, 2006
December 24, 2006
January 07, 2007
February 04, 2007
February 25, 2007
March 04, 2007
March 18, 2007
March 25, 2007
April 22, 2007
April 29, 2007
May 06, 2007
May 13, 2007
May 20, 2007
May 27, 2007
June 03, 2007
June 10, 2007
June 17, 2007
June 24, 2007
July 15, 2007
July 22, 2007
July 29, 2007
August 05, 2007
August 12, 2007
August 19, 2007
August 26, 2007
September 09, 2007
September 23, 2007
September 30, 2007
October 07, 2007
October 14, 2007
October 21, 2007
October 28, 2007
November 04, 2007
November 11, 2007
November 18, 2007
November 25, 2007
December 02, 2007
December 09, 2007
December 16, 2007
December 30, 2007
January 06, 2008
January 13, 2008
January 20, 2008
January 27, 2008
February 17, 2008
February 24, 2008
March 09, 2008
March 16, 2008
March 23, 2008
March 30, 2008
April 13, 2008
April 27, 2008
May 25, 2008
June 01, 2008
June 15, 2008
June 22, 2008
June 29, 2008
|
Email this page
^ Top of page