Immigration update
June 7, 2007| By Nathaniel Ward
In a preliminary vote this morning, the Senate decided not to proceed to a vote on the immigration legislation. A follow-up vote is expected this evening.
In the meantime, here’s a review of what Heritage experts have been doing to highlight the policy questions involved in this legislation.
- The Senate should spend more time debating the immigration legislation, Heritage Vice President Mike Franc argues in a new video, since it will shape America for generations to come. The bill is being rammed through with minimal debate, as is clear when you compare the length of last year’s debate to this year’s.
- Granting amnesty to the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants now in the country would cost taxpayers at least $2.6 trillion, Heritage expert Robert Rector writes in a new paper. This analysis looks specifically at the consequences of the legislation now before the Congress.
- Heritage’s Matthew Spalding and Israel Ortega highlight an important amendment to the immigration legislation that would “give every Senator the opportunity to affirm the importance of declaring, preserving, and enhancing the role of the English language in the United States.” The amendment was adopted yesterday by a vote of 64-33.
- Heritage visiting fellow Ernest Istook explains that the immigration legislation before Congress would grant amnesty not just to those who crossed the border illegally but to 623,000 people who have ignored court orders to leave the country.
Nathaniel Ward is the Editor of MyHeritage.org—a website for members and supporters of The Heritage Foundation.
