With this legislation, a path to citizenship will exist for many.
The 2000+ page Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act has passed the Senate by a vote of 68-32. It provides a path to citizenship for the millions of people in this country illegally, which has been a key part of the Obama administration’s second-term agenda, but also provides substantial funding for border fences and security, frequently a Republican talking point.
Much will be written about the usual horse-race view of politics, whether this is Republicans reaching out or Democrats shoring up their base or whatever, but to our view, the important aspect is that for untold numbers of American immigrants, they finally have hope that their lives, their families, and their hard work here will be recognized with the proud badge of citizenship. That’s as opposed to the existing system of secret immigrant prisons, which, sadly, are probably not going anywhere.
Photo—J. Scott Applewhite/AP
I give the Senate a C- Here’s why: First of all, they didn’t pass anything that has a prayer of getting through the House. Okay, they’re offering a path to citizenship for long-term illegals, whom everybody hires under the table with a wink, whose owners pocket the automatic pay deduction, who don’t pay taxes: they admit that the current system is clearly B.S.; a start. Sign em up, say the senators; someone’s gotta foot social security and medicare bills. But keep em out. Beef up border security; build the Berlin wall like we’re mortal enemies; the China wall, like they’re… Read more »