Immigration Bills May Split Republicans

Sheriffs from Texas, from left, Arvin West, Oscar Carrillo and Clint McDonald, attend a congressional hearing on border security. (By Melina Mara -- The Washington Post)

"We're pleased that Chairman Specter is taking a comprehensive approach to immigration reform," said White House spokesman Erin Healy, using the catchphrase for legislation that deals both with border security and employment opportunities.

But Specter's search for a compromise has been rewarded with attacks from both sides of the immigration divide. The editors of the conservative National Review editorialized yesterday that Specter would offer amnesty to more than 10 million illegal immigrants and their families, then create a "permanent underclass" by keeping them in the United States as exploited "non-citizens."

Tancredo called Specter's bill "an unmitigated disaster."

"Words almost fail to describe the threat this bill poses to our national and economic security," he said. "By legalizing the millions upon millions of illegal aliens in the country, Specter makes a mockery of our laws and crushes our already strained legal immigration system."

Kennedy, who wrote a rival bill with Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), called Specter's bill "a non-starter," saying the guest worker program needed to be an avenue toward citizenship and suggesting that the uncapped number of visas in Specter's legislation would be an invitation to exploitation. McCain declared himself "disappointed."

In an election year, when some Republicans fear they could lose their hold on Congress, the issue is equally bedeviling. Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman has warned his party that an anti-immigrant stand could jeopardize years of outreach to Latino voters, a position seconded by Kennedy in his hunt for GOP support for his bill.

"The people on the other side are going to have to decide whether they want to alienate a whole, growing constituency in this country," he said.

But to Tancredo and his allies, who are facing mounting constituent anger over what they see as a border crisis, such threats ring hollow. Business groups, organized labor and religious organizations may have united to back a broad guest worker program, but opponents say the interest groups are no match for the anger of ordinary voters. Even Specter conceded yesterday that the term "amnesty" has become a political pejorative that will be difficult to escape.

"This issue has now achieved a level of preeminence in the minds of America that it will be a factor in the election -- it has to be," Tancredo said. "The political consequences of failure will be dire."