[Mb-civic] Pressure, Frustration Mount - Washington Post

[William Swiggard]

Pressure, Frustration Mount

By Jonathan Weisman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Tuesday, April 11, 2006; A12

The immigrant demonstrators who flooded the streets of America's cities 
yesterday ratcheted up pressure on lawmakers to complete an overhaul of 
the nation's immigration laws, while raising Republicans' frustration 
with President Bush for what they see as a muddled stand on the issue.

Bush, a former Texas governor, made immigration reform a signature issue 
after winning the presidency, advocating a guest-worker program that 
would offer illegal immigrants and foreign workers access to the U.S. 
labor market. But for months he has refused to get involved in the 
legislative details while Republicans in the House and Senate fought 
among themselves and took very different approaches.

The House, reflecting the anger of conservative districts contending 
with a flood of illegal immigrants, passed legislation in December that 
would build hundreds of miles of fence on the southern border and 
declare illegal immigrants felons, without offering them lawful 
employment, much less a route to citizenship. The Senate is trying to 
fashion a broader solution to address both border security and the fate 
of 11 million to 12 million illegal immigrants already here.

But amid partisan finger-pointing, the Senate left town Friday for a 
two-week recess, having failed to pass a bipartisan immigration 
compromise that appeared to have the support of a clear majority of the 
Senate. The deal also appears to have overwhelming support among voters. 
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll found that 63 percent of those 
surveyed backed letting immigrants who have lived in the country a 
certain number of years apply for legal status and eventually become 
citizens.

In contrast, only 14 percent favored a plan to let illegal immigrants 
work for a limited number of years before having to return to their home 
countries -- an alternative pushed by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Tex.) and Jon 
Kyl (R-Ariz.). An additional 20 percent said illegal immigrants should 
be declared felons and offered no temporary work program, a stand that 
corresponds with the legislation approved by the House.

Many Republicans yesterday continued to blame Senate Minority Leader 
Harry M. Reid (Nev.), who has used parliamentary tactics to block votes 
on Republican amendments and is making demands the GOP sees as 
unreasonable. But they could not hide their frustration with the 
president, either.

When the delicate compromise was announced Thursday morning, Senate 
Republicans said, White House officials had told them that Bush would 
appear on television early that afternoon to strongly back the deal -- a 
move that advocates say could have shored up support and deflected 
opposition from conservatives. Right on time, Bush appeared in 
Charlotte, N.C., at 12:36 p.m., but his message was to exhort senators 
"to work hard."

"I'm pleased that Republicans and Democrats in the United States Senate 
are working together to get a comprehensive immigration bill," he said.

Advocates of the compromise were mystified that the man who first called 
for a guest-worker program would go no further.

"I think it's a fair statement to say the president has provided great 
leadership on the tenor of the debate, the tone of debate. Now it's time 
for him to provide more leadership on the substantive outcome," said 
Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.).

Some conservatives believe Bush betrayed them by launching the debate, 
then letting Democrats such as Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (Mass.) and 
maverick Republicans such as Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) take control of it.

"This administration and the president's decision has had an enormous 
impact on the number of Hispanics who have committed crimes in this 
state," charged Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Tex.), whose Dallas district saw 
as many as half a million marchers on Sunday but whose office is 
fielding phone calls that overwhelmingly reject rights for illegal 
immigrants. "The president is ignoring the rule of law," Sessions said.

White House spokeswoman Erin Healey said she would not divulge internal 
discussions about what the president agreed to say last week, but she 
asserted that Bush has been "very engaged in this issue." She reiterated 
his support for a comprehensive bill that would tighten border patrols, 
toughen the enforcement of laws outlawing employment of undocumented 
workers, and expand a temporary guest-worker program for both illegal 
immigrants and legal foreign workers seeking access to the U.S. labor 
market.

Last night, citing Bush's Saturday radio address, in which he spoke of 
"a promising bipartisan compromise," Healey said Bush had expressed 
"strong support" for the Senate agreement.

With Bush on the sidelines, it may be the demonstrators who will drive 
the process forward.

As he watched tens of thousands of marchers in the streets of Phoenix, 
Rep. John Shadegg (R-Ariz.) noted that the demonstration kicked off with 
a rendition of the national anthem amid a sea of U.S. flags. Shadegg 
voted for the House bill, but he said yesterday's orderly, patriotic 
marches should help the cause of lawmakers from both parties who want to 
temper the bill and add an avenue to legal employment.

"Everybody is frankly astounded at the numbers of individuals who are 
willing to stand up and say they are here illegally," said Rep. Tom 
Price (R-Ga.), whose suburban district is not far from Atlanta, where 
50,000 marched. "If nothing else can give a picture of why we need to 
act rapidly, it's this."

Beyond admiration for the marchers and the belief that the marches will 
spur action, lawmakers are divided over where that action should lead. 
But House Republicans seem to be softening their opposition to offering 
illegal immigrants lawful employment or even citizenship.

"Personally, my views won't change just because somebody takes to the 
street with a sign, no matter how many there are. I have my principles," 
said Rep. Jeb Hensarling (R-Tex.), who backed the House bill. He added, 
however, that "a guest-worker program is part of the solution, not part 
of the problem."

Even Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), the firebrand leader of the movement 
to crack down on illegal immigration, struck a defensive tone. "Today's 
rallies show how entrenched the illegal alien lobby has become over the 
last several years," he said. "The iron triangle of illegal employers, 
foreign governments and groups like La Raza puts tremendous pressure on 
our elected officials to violate the desires of law-abiding Americans 
and to grant amnesty."

Public opinion may be shifting as well. House Republican leaders rushed 
members back to Washington last year for a rare December session, 
convinced that a measure to get tough on illegal immigration would help 
the party battle back against the resurgent Democrats.

But in the new Post-ABC News poll, completed Sunday, 50 percent of 
respondents said they trusted the Democrats to better handle the 
immigration issue, while 38 percent trusted Republicans. A third of 
Americans approved of the president's handling of the immigration issue, 
while 61 percent disapproved. Only his handling of gas prices showed 
lower approval ratings.

Three-quarters of those responding said the United States is not doing 
enough to secure its borders, but they appeared to have rejected the 
argument that immigrants are an economic threat. About 68 percent said 
illegal immigrants are filling jobs Americans do not want, compared with 
29 percent who believe they are taking jobs from Americans.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/10/AR2006041001750.html
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