Immigration Reform is Dead...

The fight for comprehensive immigration reform is apparently dead, as of Thursday, June 28. The Senate failed (yet again) to bring an end to the debate and vote on the bill. The bipartisan bill, negotiated by several Senators from both parties, was supposed to appease both parties.

The Republicans wanted an enforcement heavy type bill that would criminalize immigrants for being out of status, give local law enforcement agencies the ability to enforce immigration laws and impose stringent laws on immigration violations. The Democrats on the other hands (at least some of them) wanted things like a better system to adjust status for immigrants, ensure due process (right to a day in court etc), better treatment of workers, and the DREAM Act.

Several Republicans and Democrats proposed amendments and once they were voted down, they decided to vote against the motion for cloture, bringing it short of the votes the Democrats needed to get the bill moving.

Now with the debate dead, it looks like it will stay that way until after the 2008 elections. House members said earlier that they would not bring a bill up in the House (not even the STRIVE Act) unless the Senate passes something.

So folks, it looks like after all that hard work, immigration reform can finally be laid to rest until 2009, sadly.