Hil has a holy cow over immigrant bill
BY MICHAEL McAULIFF in Washington
and HELEN KENNEDY in New York
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITERS
Thursday, March 23rd, 2006

Sen. Hillary Clinton used the Bible yesterday to belt Republicans who back a tough new immigration bill she said was not only un-American, but un-Christian as well.

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scriptures," Clinton said. "This bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan - and probably even Jesus himself."

The House bill, which comes before the Senate next week, is causing a huge political ruckus and spreading panic in immigrant communities. More than 100,000 people recently marched against it in Chicago.

Sponsored by Rep. James Sensenbrenner of Wisconsin and New York's Rep. Pete King, the sweeping border security bill includes a measure that would turn the nation's 12 million undocumented aliens into instant felons, along with anyone who employs them or otherwise assists them. Those found guilty of being or helping an illegal alien could face five years in prison.

The Catholic Church says the measure would make a priest who counsels an illegal alien into a criminal. Clinton and a fellow New York Democrat, Rep. Jose Serrano, said the two of them would probably be considered felons under the law.

In December, Democrats who oppose the entire bill - and are eager to tar their foes with it - helped defeat an attempt to reduce the penalty to a misdemeanor.

"Talk about hypocrisy," King said. "The liberal, left-wing Democrats did this, voting to make it a felony."

He shot back at Clinton's attacks, saying, "I hope Sen. Clinton is a better legislator than she is a theologian.

"I don't think Jesus would have defended alien-smuggling gangs. I don't think Jesus would favor hundreds of immigrants dying in the desert," King said.

Sensenbrenner has promised the felony provision will be dropped, but in the meantime, Democrats hope to use the bill to paint Republicans as extremists.

"Sensenbrenner and those who stand with him are going to pay a political price," Clinton said at a midtown press conference, flanked by a multicultural coalition of immigration advocates.

The Bush administration supports the legislation, which would also mandate a 700-mile fence along the Mexican border, but is also pushing for a guest worker program.