I also happen to know that there are a fair number of Republicans who want to move forward. I spoke yesterday to two of my Republican colleagues who said they are willing to sign a letter saying that if anything comes back from conference with anything other than the tax measures that are in this bill. they will not support the conference report. Unlike samesex marriage and flag burning. immigration reform is an issue that affects real people every day. It is a national security issue. It is an economic issue. an issue that my constituents want us to deal with. It is an issue all Americans want us to deal with. Certainly no one wants to do it the way the House did it. by making felons out of immigrants. by making criminals out of humanitarian workers who operate soup kitchens. or the clergy who offer these immigrants religious counseling or. from a Catholic perspective. have them be given the holy sacraments. It is untoward what their bill does. The way the Senate did it. by beefing up security on the borders and forcing employer sanctions and giving out undocumented aliens who are here a way to get right with the law and to have strong employer sanctions. is what the American people want and deserve. The Senate has worked its will. The House has worked its will. It is time to let the conference committee go forward and come up with a product. It is my hope President Bush wont let a few extreme Republicans hold our border security hostage. It is my hope the House leaders will abandon their delaying tactics once and for all. Some have said that the immigration bill is on life support. Well. we Democrats dont believe that. We want to breathe life into this process.
Identified stereotypes
Making felons out of immigrants