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Politics : Actual left/right wing discussion -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: jlallen who wrote (1787)	9/26/2006 12:34:38 PM
From: one_less	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10087

Immigration measures rejected By Nicole Gaouette Los Angeles Times Washington - In a setback to Republican-led efforts to promote an enforcement-only approach to overhauling immigration law, a congressional negotiating committee Monday shunted aside several measures the House passed last week. With Congress rushing to tie up loose ends by the end of this week so that lawmakers can recess to campaign for the November elections, the committee balked at attaching the provisions to a "must-pass" bill to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the next fiscal year. The measures included one that would increase the number of federal prosecutors assigned to help crack down on smugglers of illegal immigrants. Another provision would encourage state and local police to enforce immigration law more strictly. Advocates promoted this measure as necessary to overcome reluctance local authorities often have expressed about exercising their powers in immigration cases. The committee did move forward on a provision that would make the construction of border tunnels a criminal offense, agreeing to add it to the Homeland Security bill. Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., and Rep. David Dreier, R-Calif., sponsored identical legislation that would slap 20-year prison terms on those who build tunnels under the northern or southern border. Separately, the Senate is expected later this week to debate and vote on a House bill that would build a 700-mile fence along the U.S.-Mexico border. The outcome of the vote remains uncertain. On another front, House Republican leaders are pressing for lawmakers to add an immigration measure to defense policy legislation - another "must pass" bill. The proposal would make it easier for federal officials to detain and deport illegal immigrants believed to be gang members. House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., has threatened to block the defense bill unless that immigration provision is attached to it. Hastert and the GOP's other House leaders have sought to make securing the border and strengthening enforcement of immigration laws a major campaign issue. They have emphasized pursuing those goals first in contrast to Senate legislation, which along with enforcement provisions also included creation of a guest worker plan and establishment of a path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants. President Bush has endorsed the Senate approach, but the two chambers have been unable even to begin negotiations on a possible compromise bill. On Monday, Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., expressed hope that the type of sweeping rewrite of immigration law envisioned by the Senate and Bush could be accomplished in a lame-duck session - the window between lawmakers' return to Washington after November's elections and the start of the next Congress in January. A comprehensive overhaul "is more doable in the lame duck session than it is" now because compromise is more likely after this year's elections have come and gone, Gregg said. Gregg added that Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa., who heads the Senate Judiciary Committee, which has oversight on immigration, was key to blocking the House attempts to push a variety of immigration measures onto the homeland security spending bill. Much of that bill already is devoted to immigration matters. More than $21 billion of the bill's $34.8 billion in funding would pay for enforcement of immigration laws and border security - a reflection of the political importance surrounding these concerns.