PenceBlog: <b>Pence's no amnesty immigration reform bill draws Congressional support<b> - U.S. Congressman Mike Pence : 6th District Of Indiana

Rick Klein of The Boston Globe writes today that support is building within Congress for Rep. Pence's "middle-ground approach" to immigration reform.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

"One such proposal -- floated by Representative Mike Pence of Indiana, chairman of the conservative Republican Study Committee -- would allow some undocumented immigrants to become guest workers, but would not give them an automatic path to citizenship. Undocumented workers would have to leave the country and apply for guest worker visas. They would also have to apply for citizenship under current rules.

"Pence and other Republicans say they think the party can coalesce around his idea since it fulfills the president's goal of establishing a guest worker program without offering amnesty to those who entered the country illegally. The White House and Senate Republicans praised the proposal as a signal that House conservatives are willing to engage in negotiations, but emphasized that it is strictly a starting point for further talks.

"Kingston said Pence's proposal could also include a blue-ribbon commission that would make further recommendations about the fate of undocumented immigrants who stay in the United States.

"'We've got to consider things like this,' said Representative Bill Shuster, a Pennsylvania Republican. 'To even talk about a path to citizenship is premature until we take care of our borders.'

"Pence's proposal, however, drew a harsh response from some hard-liners in Congress.

"It is an amnesty with a twist: touch base [in home countries], then come back,' said Representative Tom Tancredo, Republican of Colorado.

"Sensenbrenner said a proposal such as Pence's could have merit because it does not contain a special path to citizenship.

"'A guest worker program I think can be on the table if it does not contain an amnesty,' he said. "'I think the American public is entitled to having a vote on a compromise before the elections, so that the voters can go to the polls assessing how their representatives and senators have done on this issue before they decide who to send back.'"

Syndicated columnist Bob Novak also sheds new details about the Congressman's plan in this column.

posted by Pence Press Office # 10:12 AM