Wednesday, December 14, 2005

Illegals bill drops felony provision

the Washington Times

The House Judiciary Committee chairman yesterday backed off his provision to make illegal aliens felons and instead proposed a misdemeanor charge for unlawful presence, angering some Republicans who wanted the higher penalty.

The House is expected to vote today on a border enforcement and employee work verification bill, which calls for more U.S. Border Patrol agents, mandatory database checks of employees' eligibility to work, expanding expedited removal of illegal aliens and allowing sheriffs along the border to help enforce immigration law.

Initially the bill made felons out of the estimated 11 million illegal aliens, thus making them ineligible for legalization. But yesterday the bill's chief sponsor, Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., Wisconsin Republican and Judiciary Committee chairman, said he will amend the bill today to make it a misdemeanor. what you mean "would have made felons" I was under the impression that if you broke federal law, that automatically made you a felon
His spokesman, Jeff Lungren, said the felony requirement actually would have delayed deportation of those now here illegally, while the lesser charge speeds it up.

you know, I just do not get it.

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