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“ Democratic priorities are clear: we will fight to get the economy back on track, we will create jobs, and we will help unemployed workers. ” |
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Pelosi and Reid: Spin Doesn’t Change the Mean-Spirited House Republican Immigration Bill
Washington, D.C. – House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid today released the following statement on Speaker Hastert and Leader Frist’s support of the Sensenbrenner amendment, which would criminalize an entire population of immigrants:
“Speaker Hastert and Leader Frist’s statement on immigration this week is a clear reflection that Republicans now feel the heat from the American people on the mean-spirited approach of the House Republican immigration bill, H.R. 4437, authored by Congressman James Sensenbrenner.
“The statement serves to underline a key fact: that the Republican Leaders of both the House and Senate support the criminalization of an entire population of immigrants by expressing support of an amendment that would have authorized 6-month jail sentences.
“No amount of spin by the Republican leadership can change the fact that the Sensenbrenner bill – including the felony provision – was authored by Republicans and ultimately passed by Republicans.
“The fact is that Congressman Sensenbrenner’s amendment, if adopted, would have still criminalized an entire population for the first time in our history, rather than charging presence violations as civil offenses as provided under current law. 11 million men, women, and children, with no exceptions, would still go to jail for up to six months under the revised Sensenbrenner amendment. That is why many Democrats voted against the Sensenbrenner amendment.
“As we consider immigration reform, Democrats believe that we must protect and defend the American people by protecting our borders. As we do so, we must also protect and defend our values as Americans with comprehensive, humane, and realistic immigration reform. It is imperative to our national security, and it is the right thing to do.
“In contrast to these goals, we regret that Speaker Hastert and Leader Frist’s statement indicates that the Republican leadership and their Republican allies support authorizing 6-month jail sentences for an entire population and that turns 11 million men, women, and children—among the poorest and hardest working people in our country – into criminals.
“We are a better country than that. We must work together for real, bipartisan comprehensive immigration reform that protects our borders, honors our values, and that we can all be proud of. The Sensenbrenner bill fails miserably and is antithetical to our basic values as a country. We will continue to vigorously oppose it.”
“ Democrats are united in presenting a New Direction for America, one that will make our nation as strong as its people, one that brings opportunity, security, and prosperity to all Americans. ”
Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
