Immigration Reform Bill not likely this year

Immigration Reform bill will most unlikely becomes a law, if at all, this year. Not a welcome news.

House Stalls Immigration Reform; Compromise Bill Not Likely Before November Elections
06.21.2006 2:12 PM EDT Surprise move brings debate to U.S. voters, derails Bush plan.

".. On Tuesday, Republicans announced a proposal to take the issue directly to voters by hosting a series of hearings across the U.S. this summer, a ploy that will likely delay any action on immigration reform until after the upcoming mid-term elections in November, and perhaps until next year.

Last December, the House passed an immigration reform bill that was more law-and-order focused than the competing Senate one, which was passed in May — including the aforementioned felony provision and a call for hundreds more miles of border fencing than the Senate plan (see "Senate Passes Sweeping Immigration-Reform Package").

The details of the July/August immigration road show are still being worked out, but New York Representative Peter King said leaders plan to take them to "the places where we can get the best input," according to a Reuters report.

The hearings are expected to look at the Senate bill and gauge public opinion on the issue of immigration. But it was also clear that House Republicans hope to use the meetings to try to expose what they see as the weak points of the Senate bill and stoke public opposition to that approach — which would implement a guest-worker program that could lead to legal residency — according to The New York Times.

Democrats in the Senate said the unusual call for hearings on already-passed legislation is a blatant delay tactic meant to push compromise negotiations back until after the November congressional elections. "It is now becoming clear congressional Republicans are doing their best to make this a major issue in the campaign," said Democratic Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois. ..."

Tags: Immigration, H1B visa, india, greencard, mexico