Gephardt plan involves legalizing those living in U.S. for over five years and working here for two
NEW YORK — House of Representatives minority leader, Dick Gephardt, is preparing a bill that might legalize millions of illegal immigrants in the United States, The New York Times reported on July 22.
The Gephardt plan involves legalizing illegal immigrants who have been here for five years or more and have worked for at least two of those five. The issue was shelved after the Sept. 11 attacks and may now become a political issue in the November election.
There are an estimated eight million illegal immigrants in the country, three million of them reportedly from Mexico. Legalizing them could fetch the Democratic Party greater support from the Hispanic community that is fast becoming the second-largest group after White Caucasians here.
It would also draw support from other ethnic groups. Former president Ronald Reagan did something similar in 1986, when around three million people became permanent citizens.
At a meeting with Hispanic activists in Miami, Fla., Gephardt, Missouri Democrat, is reported to have told the audience he would soon be bringing in legislation that would allow illegal immigrants with a work history in the country to qualify for legal status. “Our proposal will bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows and into the light of accountability and greater cooperation in our fight against terrorism,” he said at the annual meeting of a leading Hispanic organization, the National Council of La Raza.
Florida is also the state where Governor Jeb Bush, President George Bush’s brother, is being challenged by former U.S. attorney general Janet Reno.
“These guys just want to give away green cards for votes basically without any kind of preventative strategy,” Dan Stein, executive director of the conservative Federation for American Immigration Reform, was quoted as saying. Pandering to the ethnic vote, he said, was “irresponsible.”
Democrats feel putting a cut-off date for entry would prevent any massive influx of illegal residents. However, Republicans are opposed to bringing in any legislation despite the fact that Bush had been discussing this with Mexican President Vicente Fox before Sept. 11.
