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Jun. 29, 2007
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Reid, Ensign vote opposite

Democrat supports bill; Republican says 'nay'

By BRIAN DUGGAN
STEPHENS WASHINGTON BUREAU

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada, left, and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., attend a news conference Thursday in Washington.
Photo by The Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- President Bush called Sen. John Ensign three times in the past week urging him to support his immigration reform bill. On their final conversation, the Nevadan told the president the bill was fatally flawed and he planned to vote against it.

"I wanted to vote for a comprehensive immigration bill good for the country," Ensign, R-Nev., said Thursday morning, but that was not the one.

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    • A few minutes later, Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., contemplated the ring he wears on his left hand and the watch farther up his sleeve. Both were given to him by his late father-in law, Russian immigrant Israel Goldfarb whose name was Americanized to Earl Gould.

    "My family has been enriched by immigration," Reid said.

    The Nevadans then cast one of the most significant votes of Congress this year. They split, with Reid voting aye and Ensign voting nay.

    The nays prevailed Thursday, blocking the bill on a 46-53 vote and probably shelving efforts to reform the system until after the 2008 election.

    "I am very disappointed that we weren't able to pass this legislation," Reid said.

    "I hope we can get a better bill, but we don't know," Ensign said.

    Throughout the debate, the Nevada senators personified the clashing views on whether legislation formed by a bipartisan group of senators and the White House would solve immigration problems.

    Reid said the bill was not perfect but was a solid step toward securing the nation's borders, providing guest workers for U.S. industry and resolving the futures of 12 million people already in the country illegally.

    "This problem is not going to go away," Reid said. "This legislation was a tremendous step in the right direction."

    Ensign differed. He said the bill would only encourage immigrants to cheat to stay in the country and lacked ways to make sure they went back home when they were supposed to.

    It amounted to "amnesty," he said.

    In Nevada, people with a closer view of the immigration system and the roughly 200,000 illegal residents in the state expressed disappointment at the bill's collapse.

    "People have been very sad calling in. Everybody was down. We haven't recuperated from what happened," said Xavier Rivas, host of the Spanish-language radio show "Lo de aqui .... Lo de alla" -- "Here and There" -- on KRLV-AM, 1340.

    "I am telling people don't be sad, don't be angry, just act," Rivas said.

    Leaders of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce said they will redouble their efforts to register Hispanic voters and pressure politicians to act on immigration.

    "We have 13 (million) or 14 million people who are here in darkness," chamber President Otto Merida said. "They are working. Our employers want them to work, but they are undocumented, and they don't have any rights."

    The bill in the Senate wasn't perfect, but its death represented an opportunity squandered, chamber board Chairman Robert Gomez said. "We've got to get everyone to the table to start working on a bill that will work," he said. "The big failure here is that there's nothing on the table now."

    The nonpartisan chamber is one of Southern Nevada's most politically involved Hispanic groups.

    Chamber members praised both Reid and Bush for their efforts. As business people, they understand the importance of the immigrant work force, while as Hispanics, they are concerned about undocumented workers' situations.

    "Businesses would crumble if all these immigrants were sent home, as some people advocate," chamber board member Alma Garcia Vining said.

    With the immigration bill dead in the Senate, House leaders are unlikely to take up the issue, said Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev. "Without any compromise, the situation is going to get worse," she said.

    Reps. Dean Heller and Jon Porter, both R-Nev., welcomed the bill's failure, saying it was too lenient.

    "I am deeply opposed to amnesty and it is clear that the majority of Nevadans and Americans are also opposed to rewarding those who have entered our country illegally," Heller said in a statement.

    Geremia Veglia, a sociology professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas who studies immigrants, said the strong opposition to the bill illustrates that many Americans view undocumented workers as a wave of "invasion."

    "This is becoming an emotional powder keg and any time people start using emotion to guide their mind, we know what happens: Things go boom," he said.

    Supporters of the bill underestimated public sentiment, said Eric Herzik, a University of Nevada, Reno political science professor.

    Despite sponsors stressing the bill contained $4.4 billion for border security, Herzik said, they were not able to neutralize critics.

    "In terms of public perception, it is still being seen as an amnesty bill," he said.

    "As far as the intensity level and the passions on this bill, we have never seen anything like it" in terms of calls and letters, Ensign acknowledged. "It is not even close to anything you could say was in second place."

    Review-Journal writers Molly Ball and Lynnette Curtis contributed to this report.



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    DJ wrote on July 04, 2007 02:50 PM: So right Shell! Word on the streets is that that's exactly what Mexico is afraid of.

    We Americans handled our business with our over-bearing and corrupt government, the celebration of which event we are honoring today.

    What do you think Mexico's response would have been had the aliens who crowded our streets with "protests" for "rights" had pulled that exact same stunt in their own country? And, why aren't they protesting the conditions THERE, conditions that are so miserable it's worth risking incarceration, family separation, and even death to escape?

    I too am really tired of the finger of blame always pointing at America. We Americans handled our business, they need to handle their's.


    Shell wrote on July 04, 2007 11:24 AM: DJ: Why is it always up to America to take a look at these other countries and do something about it. Why don't the ILLEGAL Aliens all go back to their countries and organize "kinda of like we do" and get the corrupt governments out of power. They have enough people to do it. They are all here. Maybe if we cut all foriegn aid to all of these corrupt countries then we will have enough money to block our borders and hire enough Immigration officers to make the laws that we have in place now work. Maybe that is the answer. Cut all foriegn aid so that we have the money for all of the free medical, schooling and housing that the ILLEGALS need. Otherwise it's back to all of you True Proud Americans keep up the hard work. The ILLEGALS are depending on you.


    Steve wrote on June 29, 2007 08:35 PM: DJ, what Reid and Kennedy understand that by providing amnesty to 12 to 20 million plus ILLEGALS, they then pick up 12 t0 20 million plus voters for the Democrat party. That way, they have a better chance of getting a Democrat into the White House. They know that the ILLEGALS will vote for the party giving them amnesty, welfare, free medical, free education, free legal help, etc. They will never apply for citizenship because then they will be reduced to the level of normal Americans and have to pay taxes, etc.


    Joe C wrote on June 29, 2007 07:38 PM: Here is one way business uses illegal immigrants to displace Americans.
    Iridium Industries in Stroudsburg PA., was raided for hiring illegals. Iridium blames a temp agency called H&T Staffing.
    The temp agency turned out to be a vacant building with no name on the door, and Iridium claimed ignorance. Although other Iridium employees testified Iridium bussed in illegals daily.
    Stroudsburg is a bedroom community, and wages in the area are considerably lower. Iridium received state and other funding promising to offer locals decent pay, and to hire eventually over 300 people. Thirty others area businesses are also under investigation for using the scam.
    Using illegals pay and working conditions are systematically destroyed, absolutely displacing Americans. Exploiting illegals and Americans alike, but the illegal aliens are willing, dispite what effects it has on citizens.
    Reid, Kennedy are unconcerned also, and very close to being traitors to the American people.


    DJ wrote on June 29, 2007 05:27 PM: Steve,

    What Reid and Kennedy DO understand is that they will be personally benefited in a VERY BIG way by this legislation. How? Who knows, but when bull-headed, blind determination repeatedly flies in the face of logic and when personal "insights" trump the will and welfare of the large majority of Americans, there has to be a VERY SIGNIFICANT, personal gain, somehow, somewhere. What else would make it worth it for them to give their constituEnts the equivalent of an "UP YOURS!"?


    usa today wrote on June 29, 2007 04:44 PM: you can all make a difference
    here is a good place to start

    http://forum.minutemanhq.com/phpBB2/

    these forums are great for info and other things

    Vegas has to take a good look at our city consul and county commission , both are full of panderer to la raza


    Harry wrote on June 29, 2007 03:00 PM: Beytovin,
    In 1986 Ted Kennedy voted for that bill stating that it would solve the "undocumented" immigrant problem. It didn't. 21 years before that, in 1965, he did and said the same thing. For 42 years just this one moron keeps supporting bills that give amnesty to illegal aliens and spouting that "this is the way to stop the problem." As we all can see, this does NOT stop the problem and only makes it worse.
    Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce President Otto Merida is full of it when he notes they're "undocumented" and in the dark. They're ILLEGAL and I've got a dictionary I can give Otto so he can find the definition of "illegal."


    Steve wrote on June 29, 2007 02:52 PM: What don't Harry Reid and Ted Kennedy understand about this? It has absolutely NOTHING to do with immigration. It has EVERYTHING to do with ILLEGAL aliens! NO MORE EMPTY PROMISES!!!! SECURE THE BORDERS NOW!!!! NO MORE AMNESTY!!! Kennedy has sneaked 6 amnesties through since 1986 and NONE has done anything about the borders nor about enforcing our current laws!


    Harry wrote on June 29, 2007 02:39 PM: Beytovin,
    In 1986 Ted Kennedy voted for that bill stating that it would solve the "undocumented" immigrant problem. It didn't. 21 years before that, in 1965, he did and said the same thing. For 42 years just this one moron keeps supporting bills that give amnesty to illegal aliens and spouting that "this is the way to stop the problem." As we all can see, this does NOT stop the problem and only makes it worse.
    Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce President Otto Merida is full of crap when he notes they're "undocumented" and in the dark. They're ILLEGAL and I've got a dictionary I can give Otto so he can find the definition of "illegal."


    DJ wrote on June 29, 2007 12:05 PM: #2 When illegals arrange to come here, they risk being deserted by their coyotes once they've paid their dues, they risk being kept as "slaves" to their "sponsors" while their sponsor withholds necessary paperwork for getting around, they're susceptible to all kinds of crimes against them with no recourse and, when they send that hard-fought money home to family, every person along the way takes his cut.

    Now, this is a sad and desperate situation, but WHAT NATIONAL CONDITIONS ARE SO MUCH WORSE THAT THIS RISKY ALTERNATIVE IS PREFERRED OVER THOSE??? Shouldn't we be looking VERY HARD at the conditions in Mexico? Isn't this where a large measure of focus needs to be directed? Not that illegal immigration is justified, but, Mexico is the silent consenting partner profiting from unthinkable sums of money and benefits.

    Of course, Mexico could do nothing without American co-conspirators, enablers, and co-profiteers who're equally culpable for selling out Americans for billions. I believe this critical contributor to the problem needs to be thoroughly and closely examined.

    Why isn't Mexico expected to give a detailed accounting as to why so many refugees are pouring over the border? Why isn't Mexico held accountable for meeting the most basic needs of it's poorest citizens???

    Mexico's egregious neglect of its own citizens is the major culprit behind the current exodus of humanity across it's borders. Change that and the immigration problem will solve itself.


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