Anti-Immigrant Bill Attached to War Spending Bill

Last week House Democrats criticized the tactics that attached anti-immigration provisions to the Iraq Supplemental spending bill. The REAL ID Act’s immigration language contained many provisions that were rejected when Congress passed the bi-partisan 9/11 reform bill last year. By adding the Sensenbrenner immigration bill to the Iraq spending measure, the combined bill will proceed to the Senate. 

Republicans in the House of Representatives, with support of the Bush administration, approved the Sensenbrenner provisions last month, which would reduce the rights of documented immigrants, allowed for expedited deportation and permit immigrants to be to be deported to countries no matter their punishment practices. 

While the White House supports the bill, it still faces stiff opposition in the Senate. Many Senators are upset that the REAL ID provisions have never been the subject of hearings and that the measures are harsh and would not result in a more secure immigration system. 

By attaching the border security measure to the emergency war spending package, the House ensured the Senate will address it when House and Senate negotiators meet to write a final version of the legislation.



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