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Democrats move Irish immigration bill but GOP blocks it

Senate move seen as first step in battle to pass work visa program

By
NIALL O'DOWD,
IrishCentral Founder
Published Monday, December 19, 2011, 7:09 AM
Updated Friday, January 20, 2012, 2:54 PM

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See more: Irish Immigration  

Senator Patrick Leahy
Senator Patrick Leahy
Photo by Washington Blade / Michael Key


Senator Patrick Leahy (D- Vermont) moved the Irish immigration bill in the US Senate on Friday but Republicans did not allow it to pass.

The move by Leahy, the powerful Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was seen as an opening gambit to try and ensure the bill’s passage in January.

The E3 Irish bill would allow 10,000 Irish to come to America and work legally every year. The bill was created by Senator Chuck Schumer and has overwhelming Democratic Party support. It would also allow waivers for Irish undocumented who wish to apply for it.

Leahy’s bill attached the E3 visa bill onto a bill that previously passed the US House giving more green cards to emigrants from Mexico, China, India and The Philippines.

Two Republicans have signed on to a different bill that would not allow the undocumented waivers. Senator Scott brown and Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois have approved the E 3 provision.

Experts say waivers could still be achieved administratively rather than by the Houses of Congress.

With wide Democratic support, bill supporters are looking for 7-10 Republicans to sign on to give the bill a supermajority of sixty votes.

That would then send the bill back to the House and then to a Senate House conference for discussion.

The earlier bill in the House version passed unanimously without the E3 provision that was included after strong lobbying by Irish groups across the United States and the involvement of the Irish government.

Irish activists are seeking to deliver more republican votes in the weeks ahead with particular focus on Senator Scott Brown delivering party colleagues to agree to pass the bill.

Insiders say the bill has a decent chance of passing with some estimating a 50-50 chance of it becoming law.

​
See more: Irish Immigration , US Politics , Senator Patrick Leahy
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20 Comments

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simplesandy | Dec 22, 2011, 01:45 PM EST
oh and BTW rat I meant to put Illegal in front of the word Mexicans. I suppose you werent smart enough to do that. Guess I shouldnt think people can read my mind. altough you judged me without even knowing me. hmmmm

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simplesandy | Dec 22, 2011, 01:42 PM EST
well mr rat once more you are proof that dems cant have a conversation with anyone unless they call people names and feel they are in the right. FFS!!! get your head out of your arse and look what is happening.both parties are not getting anywhere. this is not rocket science. is there anyone out there who can see whats happening. America is going down and all the dems/ reps can do is sit there worrying about each party's beliefs. there is something wrong and the working persons and too busy to fight to fix it.

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hollabackgurl | Dec 21, 2011, 09:36 AM EST
The GOP are blocking the payroll tax cut in the Senate, so why should we be surprised they are blocking immigration reform for the Irish in Congress. The only way they pass things is if it benefits billionaires, not the nation or its citizens.

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eiriamach | Dec 21, 2011, 09:29 AM EST
More facts about immigration: "THE CLAIM: Poor immigrants cost native taxpayers a fortune in social services. THE FACTS: As a general rule, the federal government reaps a net benefit from illegal immigrants in the form of Social Security payments that the workers are never able to collect because they are not citizens; it is the states, in terms of social services, education and medical services, that pay the bulk of costs associated with supporting the undocumented population. Even so, Robert Rector [senior research fellow at the conservative Heritage Foundation] and Heather MacDonald's [fellow at the conservative Manhattan Institute] claims [that poor immigrants cost $70 Billion per year] are disputed by numerous scholars, including even MacDonald's senior colleague at the Manhattan Institute, Tamar Jacoby. Jacoby, who studies immigration extensively, told the conservative 'National Review' that while individuals might receive more in services than they paid in taxes, 'they are growing the overall economic pie so significantly that that cost pales in comparison.' Jacoby cited a recent study of immigrants in North Carolina that reported that over the prior 10 years, Latino immigrants had cost the state $61 million in a variety of benefits— but were responsible for more than $9 billion in state economic growth. The same point was made in a 1997 National Academy of Sciences study that found 'the less-educated immigrants who impose a fiscal burden are the very same immigrants who provide the economic benefit reported.'..." The benefit from high-skilled European and Asian immigrants is especially significant in terms of economic growth and technological progress.

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eiriamach | Dec 21, 2011, 09:00 AM EST
To free up your mind from the lies tossed around by Repug opponents of this bill, visit SPLC's "Getting Immigration Facts Straight" page and check out their links. The US will not lose jobs if we increase immigrant visas. "THE [GOP] CLAIM: Undocumented immigrants are 'stealing' American jobs." "THE FACTS: A 2006 Pew Hispanic Center study, 'Growth in the Foreign-Born Workforce and Employment of the Native Born,' found no evidence that the large increases in immigration since 1990 have led to higher unemployment among native Americans. The center examined census data on the increase in immigrants in each of the 50 states, comparing those figures to state jobless rates and participation in the labor force by the native born. Although immigrants tended to be younger and less educated than native workers, the report found 'no apparent relationship between the growth of foreign workers with less education and the employment outcome of native workers with the same level of education.' These findings were in line with those of most economists, who have failed to find a link between immigration and job loss. 'The big message here,' said University of California economist Giovanni Peri, who conducted a similar study in California, 'is there is no job loss from immigration.'" Don't just repeat the toxic drivel you hear from FOXyNews. Get the facts!

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Gabbie166 | Dec 20, 2011, 10:19 PM EST
So what's new?? The GOP blocks everything the Dems try to get passed unless they can tack something onto the bill that they want.

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Ratslayer | Dec 20, 2011, 04:50 PM EST
Well, Simpletonsandy, thank you so much for reaffirming the absolute truth that MOST Republicans, right-wingers, tea-baggers, whatever, are Racists. (You wrote: ``has no one noticed the mexicans have over stayed their welcome".) WTF?! The only group of folks in the US who have overstayed their welcome are the anti-worker, Fox News-loving and middleclass-hating Repugs who think income inequality is just dandy and poor, at-risk Americans should have more 'skin in the game.'

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simplesandy | Dec 20, 2011, 11:43 AM EST
excuse me mr ratslayer, before you go making assumptions please know your facts. how rude for you to speak without thinking. I am rep and I love the Irish. what fools some people can be .as for opening the doors of USA they are already open. has no one noticed the mexicans have over stayed their welcome

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Mike7571 | Dec 19, 2011, 10:33 PM EST
Let's be real, no one should support a bill that helps out illegal immigrants, Irish or otherwise. They are criminals and need to be dealth with accordingly. Take out that provision, and you would have support of enough on both sides to get it to pass.

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Ratslayer | Dec 19, 2011, 05:08 PM EST
Republicans hate the Irish. Then again, Repugs hate anyone who isn't part of the 1 percent. Bloody political terrorists.

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hollabackgurl | Dec 19, 2011, 04:07 PM EST
It's like the GOP are determined to be on the wrong side of everything: history, civil rights, immigration reform, economic reform, justice.

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Leonextra7 | Dec 19, 2011, 02:53 PM EST
I'd be very careful about supporting HR 3012. This bill is the work of and Indian immigration lobby group – Immigration Voice - and has been crafted by and for their exclusive benefit. The word on their site is they are hoping to use Irish support as a "booster rocket" to get the bill through the Senate. They will happily discard that booster once it has served its purpose, with or more likely without the E3 provision. If passed, HR 3012 will divert 75% of Employment based green cards to Indian nationals for generations, so without the E3 this bill will in fact, be a huge impediment to future irish migration and should be opposed.

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cillowen | Dec 19, 2011, 02:43 PM EST
gomer piles party keeps on giving - may they rot in hell.

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FastEddy | Dec 19, 2011, 01:31 PM EST
" ... has overwhelming Democratic Party support. ..." And it has overwhelming Republican support as well, by itself. The demofascists attached this to the wrong bill, which is just more stupid spending by democrats.

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merefalow | Dec 19, 2011, 12:44 PM EST
i dont think any country that cant provide work for its own people should allow emigration, especially mass uncontrolled emigration like the last,NEW LABOUR PARTY UK,LET IN,WHATEVER NEW LABOUR WAS?A BLOODY DISASTER THEY WERE,WHEREVER THEY COME FROM,IRELAND; MEXICO;WHERE EVER,DARK SIDE OF THE MOON,MOST DEVELOPED COUNTRIES OVER POPULATED NOW,AND CANT HANDLE MORE DEMANDS ON THEIR SOCIAL MEDICAL HOUSING,ETC ETC.

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