Reid Vows Immigration Reform This Year

[jefferson_dem]

I would love to see this happen but am not terribly optimistic.

Reid Vows Immigration Reform This Year
April 11, 2010 by senatus

Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) “told an exuberant crowd at an immigration rally Saturday in Las Vegas that Congress would start work on an immigration overhaul as soon as lawmakers return this week from a recess,” the New York Times reports.

“We’re going to come back, we’re going to have comprehensive immigration reform now,” he said in a speech to more than 6,000 people, mostly immigrants, gathered downtown.

“We need to do this this year,” Mr. Reid said, drawing cheers from the crowd, which included many Latinos. “We cannot wait.”

Mr. Reid surprised immigrants and advocates with his direct commitment to moving forward with legislation on the volatile issue, with the Senate already divided by the passage of a health care overhaul. Also, as a result of Justice John Paul Stevens’s announcement last week that he would retire, the Obama administration and the Senate will have to focus this summer on winning confirmation of a Supreme Court nominee.

Mr. Reid told the crowd “that he believes he has 56 votes in the Senate in support of the immigration legislation.”

He outlined legislation that would include border security measures and a temporary guest worker program for future immigrants. To gain legal status, illegal immigrants would face “a penalty and a fine, people will have to work, stay out of trouble, pay taxes, learn English,” he said. “It’s not so bad, is it?” he asked the crowd.

http://senatus.wordpress.com/2010/04/11/reid-vows-immigration-reform-this-year/