Plan to send immigrants home is defeated

Source: Associated Press

The Senate on Wednesday killed a Republican proposal to require all adult illegal immigrants to return home temporarily in order to qualify for permanent lawful status in this country.

The vote was 53-45 to table an amendment by Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, that was one of several proposals designed to respond to conservatives who decry President Bush's immigration bill as a form of amnesty.

The bill could grant lawful status to as many as 12 million illegal immigrants as long as they passed background checks and paid fines and fees. Heads of household seeking permanent legal residency would have to return home to apply for green cards, however.

Without her amendment, Hutchison said shortly before the vote, "the amnesty tag that has been put on this bill will remain. It is the key issue in the bill for the American people."

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070627/ap_on_go_co/immigration_congress

I agree with there being some requirements that have to be met to obtain citizenship but sending the bread winner home is a bad idea. I think it was meant to do harm to the family of illegals and nothing else so I'm glad it was dropped and I hope that it will stay dropped too.

Kay Bailey Hutchison that should be all you need to know

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2005/10/23/gop-sen-kay-bailey-hutch_n_9372.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kay_Bailey_Hutchison

Webb, Coleman want changes in bill, could kill it if they don't get them
(snip)
Consider two senators, Minnesota Republican Norm Coleman and Virginia Democrat Jim Webb.

Each has an amendment he wants added to the bill. Each has indicated if he doesn’t get what he wants, he’ll likely vote no.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19444984/