Stephen Dinan reports in today's Washington Times that federal officials themselves predict that the controversial proposed Senate immigration bill, if implemented as written, would stem annual illegal immigration by only 25 percent:
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said in its official cost estimate that many guest workers will overstay their time in the plan, with the number totaling a half-million in 2017 and reaching 1 million a decade later.
This admission, up front, that this bill won't secure the border has added more fuel to an already incendiary debate:
Bob Owens says the bill will "provide hogs with pilot licenses," while Captain's Quarters says:
Any immigration bill has to succeed at two tasks: stop illegal immigration by securing the border, and reach a resolution of some kind for the millions of illegals already here. According to the CBO, this bill won't do either very well. All it does is reduce annual illegal immigration by 25% -- which is not nearly enough.AllahPundit at Hot Air:
The Center for Immigration Studies cites the Census Bureau for the figure that 500,000 new illegals enter the country annually. If that trend holds and the amnesty bill reduces the flow by 25%, then you're still looking at 3.75 million total by 2017.Don Surber recounts a brief history:
In 1986, we had 3 million illegal aliens. We gave them amnesty.Blue Crab Boulevard:In 2007, we have 12 million aliens.
They are not all Mexicans. They come from all over. The Russian mafia, for example, is well represented in LA and NYC.
But we're trying amnesty again and anyone who disagrees is a racist.
Don Surber is reporting that Mitch McConnell will not step away from this monstrosity. And the fallout will be very, very ugly when the voters have their say. Both parties are going to suffer from this little fiasco.Say Anything:My advice: Call. Your. Senators. Make it very clear that you want the problem of illegal immigration solved - but securing the border is the first order of business.
What's not taken into consideration here is the idea that granting any sort of amnesty to the illegals already here will encourage more illegal immigration.New England Republican:
Politicians define success as bill passage and could care less about the ultimate results. This is why President Bush repeatedly says he'll sign anything they put on his desk. But take a moment and think about how reckless a statement that is. If the bill gave a Z-Visa to bin Laden, our president basically said he'd sign it. This whole thing just boggles the mind.
