Immigration

June 28, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) released the following statement on the Senate’s failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform:    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- Washington, DC — Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada made the following statement today after the Senate failed to move forward on the immigration bill.    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- Senator Dianne Feinstein joins Majority Leader Reid and other Senators on Thursday, June 28, 2007, to discuss the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill. To watch the video from the news conference, click here. To listen to Senator Feinstein's remarks, click here.

“This is not a proud day for the likes of Emma Lazarus. She wrote, ‘Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. . . Send these, the homeless . . . to me.’

It’s hard to understand exactly what happened to change things on this bill.    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) today issued the following statement on the immigration bill:

“The immigration problems we have in America today are not going to magically go away. We need to work to resolve these problems.    » read more »

June 28th, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Arlen Specter (R-Pa), ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, made the following remarks at a press conference regarding S. 1689, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007. The U.S. Senate failed to adopt a procedural motion to conclude debate on the bill by a vote of 46 to 53.

Below is a copy of Senator Specter’s remarks:    » read more »

6/28/2007 -- Patti Solis Doyle issued the following statement today:

"For many decades, Cubans have been forced to leave the island, risking their lives to escape Fidel Castro's brutal dictatorship in search of freedom and opportunity.

It is simply wrong to equate people fleeing from communism with terrorists."

Source: Hillary Clinton campaign

SANTA FE, NM -- Democratic Presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson released the following statement today on the failure of the Senate to push the immigration bill forward:

"I am deeply disappointed. You can't solve a problem by ignoring it. We have got to find a way to bridge the divide and bring people together to address the critical problems facing our nation -- immigration, energy, healthcare, education.

"This is the price America pays for divisive leadership. Congress should continue to work on passing immigration reform."

Source: Bill Richardson campaign

June 28, 2007 -- WASHINGTON, DC– U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement regarding the Senate immigration vote:

“I am disappointed that the Senate was unable to conclude its debate on comprehensive immigration reform. However, the American people will not settle for the status quo – de facto amnesty and broken borders,” Senator McCain said.    » read more »

06-28-2007 -- The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee released the following statement today regarding the U.S. Senate’s vote on immigration legislation:

“Today a majority in the Senate made clear this bill shortchanged the American people by failing to end illegal immigration and failing to secure our borders. The bill did not deserve to move forward.    » read more »

Jun 28, 2007 -- Boston, MA - Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the United States Senate's vote on the immigration reform bill:

"The immigration bill failed because the politicians in Washington are out of touch with the American people.

The voice of the people is loud and clear - secure the border, enforce the law and no special deal for permanent residency or citizenship for illegals. America will always welcome legal immigration, but as a nation we also insist on the rule of law."

Source: Mitt Romney campaign

June 28, 2007 -- WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today voted against the Senate immigration bill.

"I voted against the Senate immigration bill because I am not convinced it would fix our broken immigration system and it would most likely repeat the mistakes of the 1986 reform," said Brownback.

The immigration bill failed earlier today on a 46-53 procedural vote that required 60 votes for the bill to advance to a final vote.

Source: Sam Brownback campaign

June 28, 2007 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement after Republicans blocked comprehensive immigration legislation in the Senate:    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- THE PRESIDENT: I thank the members of the Senate and members of my administration who worked so hard on the border security and immigration reform bill. I'm sorry the Senate was unable to reach agreement on the bill this morning.

Legal immigration is one of the top concerns of the American people and Congress's failure to act on it is a disappointment. The American people understand the status quo is unacceptable when it comes to our immigration laws. A lot of us worked hard to see if we couldn't find a common ground -- it didn't work.    » read more »

June 28, 2007 -- "I am very disappointed to learn that Congress will not be able to complete its work on much needed comprehensive immigration reform. We are a nation of immigrants and we should be proud of our country’s tradition and roots.

I believe in comprehensive immigration reform that includes a path to earned citizenship and a process that encourages and promotes self-sufficiency and enables our immigrant population to continue contributing fully to our society. Family reunification should be a priority not an afterthought.    » read more »

June 27, 2007 -- Washington, DC– The following is a statement issued by Senator Jim Webb following the vote on his amendment to the immigration bill, which would have narrowed the scope of the bill’s legalization program and eliminated the touchback requirement:

“My amendment sought a workable middle ground on which to unite the extremes in this highly emotional immigration debate. It was important for me to leave a clear marker in terms of why the immigration bill, as it is currently drafted, holds significant flaws.    » read more »