Sensenbrenner, Tancredo term Senate immigration bill “outrageous”

June 13, 2006

'The more people see of this Senate bill, the less they like it,” says House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr.

The Wisconsin Republican added “Allowing illegals to collect Social Security benefits based on past illegal work, for instance, is 'outrageous.”

House Republicans see the Senate's immigration-reform bill as nothing more than a “broad amnesty to illegal aliens.” In fact, it is “even worse than previously thought.”

But few provisions of the Senate bill have caused more head-scratching among opponents than a last-minute amendment that requires the U.S. to consult with Mexican officials before commencement of any fence construction along the border. 'I don't know what they were thinking on that one,' Sensenbrenner said.

Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican, said he met last week with a group of hotel executives from Marriott International Inc. who favor increased immigration to bring them more cheap labor to work as hotel maids. He told them about the consultation requirement.

'People in the front of the room were saying, 'No. No. That's not possible,' ' he recounted. 'Really,' he told them. 'I'm not making this up.'

The provision was inserted in the bill moments before it was voted on at the behest of Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, Connecticut Democrat, who said 'It is simply common sense and common courtesy to consult those individuals in our own communities and in affected communities on the other side of the border before constructing a fence.’

Sensenbrenner says there are far more serious problems with the Senate bill. It

• Allows for the discounted in-state tuition rates at state colleges and universities for illegal aliens who reside in those states. Legal immigrants and citizens who reside outside that state must still pay the full price.
• Offers complete amnesty to employers who have illegally hired the millions of aliens and provided the magnet that drew them here in the first place.

While aliens will be fined $2,000 before obtaining citizenship, opponents say it's hardly comparable punishment for the array of crimes the illegals have committed while working here. In addition to sneaking across the border, many have counterfeited documentation, committed Social Security fraud and cheated on taxes.

'An American who commits Social Security fraud ends up going to jail. An American who fails to pay taxes for two years ends up in the federal penitentiary,' Sensenbrenner said. 'An illegal alien who does this gets citizenship.'

Tancredo said he is amazed at how little senators know about illegal entry, considering the importance Americans give it.

'They just trust Ted Kennedy to put this thing together for them,' Tancredo said.