Stick a Fork in the Immigration Bill?

The vote early this morning to put a time limit on the guest worker program was a bad omen for the proposed immigration reform legislation, but today's failed vote to cut off debate might be the end of the road. There is one more opportunity to cut off debate coming up tonight, and Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) is warning that a repeat of this morning's vote will kill the bill:

“The bill’s over with. The bill’s gone. I mean what else can I do?” he asked reporters. “Should we spend more time on this so we don’t get to debate gas prices, so we don’t have to chance to vote on whether or not Alberto Gonzales should stay on as attorney general?”

Immigration Bill Now Makes English the National Language

Late last night the U.S. Senate voted 64-33 to adopt an amendment to the comprehensive immigration reform bill that declares English to be the national language of the United States. Called the "S.I. Hayakawa National Language Amendment Act of 2007," after the California legislator who was an outspoken advocate of enshrining English as an official language, the amendment also declares that there is no affirmative right to receive government services in languages other than English, except where required by federal law.

The effect of the amendment is not so severe as forbidding that any government functions be carried out in any language other than English. Instead, a government agency can opt to provide services in other languages under the proposed law, but citizens do not have an affirmative right to ask that they do so. It doesn't override existing federal statutes, which mandate use of other languages in certain situations involving, for example, health care and judicial proceedings. The amendment also calls on federal agencies to “preserve and enhance the role of English as the national language of the United States of America.”

The national language amendment, introduced by Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), came too late for most print publications to include it in their coverage of the immigration debate. Also too late for the print editions was passage on a 49-48 vote of an amendment introduced by Sen. Byron Dorgan (D-NE) that puts a five-year limit on the new guest worker program. Dorgan's amendment reflects concern that the guest worker program will depress wages for the domestic work force. This change is a serious blow to the chances for passage of the overall bill, since the guest worker program is the part of the grand compromise that brought in big business support for the plan.

McCain (R) Agrees with Bill O'Reilly That "White, Christian, Male Power Structure" Must Be Protected

The bigotry underlying the right's objection to the proposed immigration overhaul is laid bare in this exchange between presidential contender Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) and Fox "News" host Bill O'Reilly, the video of which was posted on YouTube by the McCain campaign. The relevant part is about one minute into the segment:

Here is the text (emphasis added):

Bill O'Reilly: But do you understand what the New York Times wants, and the far-left want? They want to break down the white, Christian, male power structure, which you're a part, and so am I, and they want to bring in millions of foreign nationals to basically break down the structure that we have. In that regard, Pat Buchanan is right. So I say you've got to cap with a number.

John McCain: In America today we've got a very strong economy and low unemployment, so we need addition farm workers, including by the way agriculture, but there may come a time where we have an economic downturn, and we don't need so many.

[crosstalk]

O'Reilly: But in this bill, you guys have got to cap it. Because estimation is 12 million, there may be 20 [million]. You don't know, I don't know. We've got to cap it.

McCain: We do, we do. I agree with you.

OH-8: Boehner (R) Calls Immigration Proposal "A Piece of Sh*t"

Hotline reports that Ohio Congressman and House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-West Chester) had this to say in a private meeting with Republican activists last night:

"I promised the President today that I wouldn't say anything bad about ... this piece of shit bill."

Ah. That explains the cryptic public statement of yesterday, which didn't explicitly reject the bill but echoed the objections of conservatives who oppose it.

Immigration Compromise Taking Fire From All Sides

The proposed comprehensive immigration reform bill, devised behind the scenes by U.S. Senators including ultra-conservative John Kyl (R-AZ) and ultra-liberal Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and praised by the White House since it's unveiling last week, may be headed for a floor vote as early as this week. In brief, the compromise would establish a path to citizenship for many of the 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country, although one that is slow, arduous and expensive (among other requirements, applicants must pay a $5,000 fine). A guest worker program would be established to allow a limited number of aliens to work in this country legally but without any chance for citizenship, and the system for applying for immigration visas would be adjusted to emphasize job skills and education (including the ability to speak English) over family relationship to current U.S. citizens (at least beyond the narrow family circle of spouses and minor children). Chances for Senate approval are apparently slim and declining, however, as opponents from various camps turn up the volume on their criticism.

The New York Times reports today that business groups, although supportive of concepts underlying the compromise, are increasingly unhappy with the specifics. In particular, they don't view the skills-and-education point system as targeting their particular employment needs as effectively as the current employer sponsorship of work-related visas. A spokesperson for Hewlett-Packard wrote that that “a ‘merit-based system’ would take the hiring decision out of our hands and place it squarely in the hands of the federal government.” Also, employers are displeased that the bill would require them to check a federal data base on employment eligibility for all existing as well as potential employees.

On the other hand, the Washington Post today details objections from groups supporting immigrant communities, who complain that the guest worker system is immoral because it will lead to a subordinate class of people without rights, and that the emphasis on ability to speak English favors some immigrant nationalities over others, and that the dilution of the long-standing policy in favor of family reunification is "an anti-immigrant drive to end cultural diversity."

As the legislative process draws out, and GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has already declared that it cannot be finished before the Memorial Day recess, more and more rank-and-file legislators will take public stands against the proposal. For example, last week freshman Ohio Congressman Zack Space (D-Dover), who won the strongly Republican 18th Congressional District in the wake of the Bob Ney scandal, issued a press release emblazoned with the headline "SPACE RAILS AGAINST IMMIGRATION COMPROMISE THAT WOULD OFFER AMNESTY TO MILLIONS OF ILLEGALS." Momentum against the proposal can only be expected to build over time.

UPDATE: Add Rep. Deborah Pryce (R-Upper Arlington) to the list of vocal dissenters among the rank-and-file in the U.S. Congress. Hat-tip to the new Dispatch political blog, The Daily Briefing.