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Democrats May Write Own Immigration Bill
"In order to win Senator Kyl's support, the White House has proposed an immigration reform bill that is unfair and unworkable. The net effect is that the White House is pulling, slowly but surely, this whole process to the right," the top Democratic official said.
Bipartisan talks continued Thursday, with Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez meeting in Reid's Capitol office with key Democrats and Republicans.
  People rally to support immigration reform outside the U.S. Courthouse in Las Vegas, Tuesday, May 1, 2007. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) (Jae C. Hong - AP) The Immigration Debate
The Washington Post's coverage of the immigration issue, from the politics of revising the nation's immigration laws to the impact of illegal immigration on the U.S.-Mexico border and the Washington region.
» Bills: Side-by-side comparison» Key Facts: Reform Proposals» Map: A Widespread Issue» Special Report: Full CoverageLife Along 'La Linea' The U.S.-Mexico border is at the forefront of a growing debate over U.S. immigration and border security reform. |
But leaders already are discussing what to do when _ not if _ the bipartisan talks collapse.
One top aide said Democrats have "a number of options on the table for once the Kennedy thing breaks down."
Immigration advocacy groups that represent some of the party's core constituencies are voicing deep worries that in their zeal for a bipartisan compromise, Democratic negotiators led by Kennedy _ a trusted voice on immigration _ may give away too much.
"Senator Kennedy is the absolute acknowledged leader on immigration," said Cecilia Munoz of the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic American advocacy group. "But there is tremendous pressure on him not to go too far."
A breakdown in the talks would be a major setback in the effort to remake immigration laws this year, a key priority for Bush and one that enjoys strong public support. Any such measure would need bipartisan support to clear Congress and be signed by the president.
Reid's plan reflects his predicament on immigration: Democrats relish the prospect of accomplishing a broadly popular solution to the complex issue, but they fear alienating some of their core supporters in search of a deal that could draw the necessary GOP support.
Menendez said Democrats must make some concessions to get a compromise.
"If I was writing the bill my own way and had the votes to achieve it, some of those things would be anathema," Menendez said. "But if at the end we have an immigration system that makes sense, then that's a huge success, and we have to consider it."
