[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 38 (Thursday, March 6, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S1662]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              IMMIGRATION

  Mr. REID. Madam President, we had the opportunity last year to 
debate, at great length, immigration. We spent weeks of Senate time on 
immigration. I appreciate the concern of those interested in moving 
those bills we reported. We knew it was coming. There was a big press 
fanfare that these bills were coming.
  What we tried to do last year, and there was bipartisan support, we 
could not get 60 votes, but we had bipartisan support. We wanted to 
make sure our northern and southern borders were secured. That was 
where we directed our first attention with our legislation.
  We also recognized that all over the country there are issues 
relating to the need for temporary workers. There are people who would 
say: Well, why would someone from Nevada be concerned about temporary 
workers?
  Well, the Presiding Officer comes from a State where agriculture is 
big. But agriculture in certain parts of the State of Nevada is big. We 
are the largest producer of white onions in America; we produce the 
largest amounts of garlic, and, of course, huge amounts of alfalfa.
  With corn being used so much as it is for the production of 
alternative fuel, alfalfa is becoming a very high-quality, very 
important product. So we need temporary workers in the farm communities 
throughout Nevada, but we also need them, on occasion, with our resort 
industry.
  So, No. 1, secure our borders, north and south. No. 2, we need to 
take a look at guest workers, not in Nevada but the whole country. 
There is a need to take a look at them.
  Thirdly, our legislation said what are we going to do with the 11 or 
12 million people who are here who are undocumented? Our legislation 
directed toward that, was it amnesty? Of course not. But what it did 
was set up a process that people who were in the country who were 
undocumented could come out of the shadows. Would they go to the front 
of the line? Of course not. They would go way to the back of the line.
  After having paid penalties and fines, learned English, stayed out of 
trouble, paid taxes, it seems quite fair, after some 13 years or 14 
years, they would be able to have their status readjusted. It is 
important we do that. It is very clear we cannot deport 12 million 
people. I am not sure--maybe some want to do that, but I think, 
realistically, that is not part of what this country is about.
  Finally, what we need to do is take a look at what we did in 1986; 
that is, we established a new setup for immigration, and it was where 
we would have employer sanctions; we shifted it from the Government to 
employers. So we had four basic things in our immigration legislation: 
Border security, temporary workers, path to legalization, and do 
something about employer sanctions that was more meaningful.
  This was a good, strong piece of legislation. There were other things 
in that. But those were the four main parts. So I would hope this 
legislation, which was supported by the President, is legislation we 
could move forward on at some time.
  Everyone has a right to offer whatever legislation they wish to 
offer. I acknowledge that. But I would think that rather than trying to 
piecemeal this legislation with little bits and pieces here, as 
everyone knows, if anything to do with immigration comes to the floor, 
other people who are concerned about certain aspects of border 
security--temporary workers, pathway to legalization, employer 
sanctions--would offer amendments.
  The difficulty we have had getting bills to the floor and having 
legislation proceed has been very difficult. So I wanted everyone to 
know this legislation which was brought to the Senate today, and as I 
repeat, with great fanfare, big press events, if people want to do 
something about legislation on immigration, I do not think this is the 
right way to go. I hope the American public sees this for what it is.

                          ____________________