USA Today: Public favors giving illegal immigrants a break

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-04-18-illegal-immigrants_N.htm

By Kathy Kiely, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON — While Congress and the White House remain divided over what to do with the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the USA, a new poll shows the American public appears to have reached a consensus on the question.

A USA TODAY/Gallup Poll taken last weekend found that 78% of respondents feel people now in the country illegally should be given a chance at citizenship.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who is drafting legislation to grant illegal immigrants an opportunity to stay in the USA, said: "As with so many issues, the American people are ahead of Washington on immigration reform. They know that only a plan that offers a path to earned citizenship will fix our broken system."


Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., left, and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., right, worked on a bipartisan compromise to overhaul U.S. immigration laws, giving some illegal immigrants a path to citizenship and creating a temporary worker program.


Disagreements about the fate of the nation's illegal residents were a major factor in the deadlock that kept Congress from enacting an immigration bill last year, despite the support of key Democratic and Republican leaders, as well as President Bush. The president and members of his Cabinet, including Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff, have said it would be prohibitively expensive to deport all the nation's illegal residents.

But many conservatives strongly oppose to putting illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship. "You'd be rewarding them for breaking our laws," said Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif.

Supporters of a plan to give illegal immigrants a chance to stay in the USA expect smoother sailing for legislation in a Democratic-controlled Congress. Both Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., have said they want to work with Bush to enact legislation this year. Reid has set aside the last two weeks of May for debate on an immigration bill; House Democrats hope to act before the August recess.

FULL STORY AT LINK.

[w4rma]

1. Wow. Way to twist the results of a poll.

Most people want illegals to have a chance at citizenship, but the majority idea is to send them to the back of the immigration line and give them a chance that way instead of rewarding them for breaking U.S. law.

[amandabeech]

2. Frankly, I'm surprised that fewer people have become advocates

of legalizing illegal immigrants considering that most stories in reputable newspapers favor such an action. I read the Washington Post on a fairly regular basis, and I can't recall seeing a story dealing with any drawbacks of repeated legalizations.