The White House on the Immigration Reform Bill

December 21, 2005

The White House released a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) on H.R. 4437 (see below for item) strongly supporting Rep. Sensenbrenner’s anti-immigration bill. Rep. Sensenbrenner’s bill ran into rough weather on midday December 16th when it was on life support. It is not unreasonable to believe that the SAP which was widely distributed around the same time rescued H.R. 4437 from the brink of death. According to the SAP, “The Administration strongly supports House passage of H.R. 4437 and appreciates the efforts of the House Judiciary Committee and the Homeland Security Committee in bringing this important legislation to the floor. The Administration looks forward to working with Congress to improve certain provisions in the bill and to implement the many necessary reforms that this legislation provides.”

America is a nation of laws and we completely agree that with House Republicans who believe that it is not right for our laws to be broken with impunity everyday. In that sense, Rep. Sensenbrenner’s bill addresses a pressing problem. However, we disagree with the House Republicans on the correct solution to this properly identified problem.

Pro-immigration Republicans will have to learn that nothing short of concentration camps will satisfy the anti-immigration wing of their party. As discussions on H.R. 4437 progress, we suspect that this unpleasant truth will become increasingly clearer to pro-immigration Republicans. President Bush and his team have been prolific in their professed support for legal immigration over the past 5 years. We believe that the time for talk is over and that this Administration must now walk the walk with pro- immigration legislation.

We welcome readers to share their opinion and ideas with us by writing to mailto:editor@ilw.com.

The White House in its statement of administration policy said:

“The Administration strongly urges the House to pass this important legislation, and we look forward to working with Congress to ensure that certain provisions of the bill do not inadvertently affect operations designed to gain control of the border. The Administration remains committed to comprehensive immigration reform, including a temporary worker program that avoids amnesty, and believes this bill is a positive step toward that goal.”

http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/news/2005,1222-hr4437sap.pdf