This is a debate that has been in the brewingat least in the making. I should sayfor decades. Senator KENNEDY of Massachusetts has been speaking out about meaningful immigration reform for decades. It has eluded us. There are A pril 6. 2006 times when we have done temporary things of some value. but we have never come to grips with the fact that the immigration laws in America have broken down. We are in virtual chaos. Borders are out of control. employers are hiring people without adequate enforcement. and there are 11 million or 12 million amongst us who are in undocumented or illegal status. uncertain of their future. This is controversial. We have to come to grips with it. But it is rare in the history of the Senate that we consider a bill that touches so many hearts and changes so many lives in America as this immigration reform. We are literally going to define Americas future with this bill. We are going to make it clear whether we are going to hold to the values that have made us a great and diverse nation.
Keywords matched
undocumented immigration