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Updated November 15, 2005
Pressure is building in the Congress to take some action regarding immigration reform. Pressure is building on all sides of issues regarding comprehensive immigration reform. Media coverage across the country is increasing every day. Lobbying groups are intensifying their calls for action.
Sponsors of the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005, Senators McCain and Kennedy in the Senate and Representatives Kolbe, Flake and Gutierrez in the House, worked to capture the high ground with the joint introduction of their bipartisan, bicameral bill on May 12. Their bill is the only comprehensive bill in either the House or Senate, i.e., one that addresses all aspects of immigration reform, not just selected issues. The other significant bills at this time were introduced by Senators Cornyn and Kyl and by Senator Hagel. (A side-by-side comparison of these three bills can be accessed in the Resource Materials at the bottom of this page.)
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) has circulated still another draft bill to his Committee members for discussion in an Executive Session. The Senate plans to recess for Thanksgiving and return in January to take up the Supreme Court appointment. When that has been completed, Senator Specter has indicated that he plans to have the Senate Judiciary Committee ³mark up² an immigration reform bill. This bill may be restrictive rather than pro-active, and may not be comprehensive, given the fact that Senators Cornyn and Kyl are both member of the Committee and are on record as opposing legalization of the current 11 million undocumented immigrants current in the U.S.
The House of Representatives plans to return from the Thanksgiving Recess on December 5 and take up some aspect of immigration reform, more than likely a border security bill that will come out of the House Homeland Security Committee, rather than a more comprehensive bill that would have to come from the House Judiciary Committee. However, talk continues regarding House Judiciary Chairman Sensenbrenner introducing a bill in his Committee.
The Arizona Interfaith Network (AIN) is a member of the Coalition for Comprehensive Immigration Reform and supports the work of the New American Opportunity Campaign (www.cirnow.org). AIN, through its five organizations, is holding Institutes of Public Life on immigration reform across the state in order to build understanding about the need for comprehensive immigration reform and in order to create a broad middle ground of support in Arizona.
Immigration Reform Resource Materials
Arizona Interfaith Network Position on Immigration Reform
Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005
McCain/Kennedy & Kolbe/Flake/Gutierrez Bill
Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act of 2005
Cornyn/Kyl Bill
Comparison of McCain/Kennedy, Cornyn/Kyl and Hagel
Economic Impact of the Mexico-Arizona Relationship
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