Senate Committee Passes Immigration Bill

Most of the bill seems quite fair. In fact I was very impressed at how fair it is. The bill doesn't make it easy to become a citizen, but it makes it possible for millions of undocumented aliens.

Immigrant supporters claimed their first major victory since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks after a bipartisan group of senators approved legislation that would give millions of illegal immigrants a chance at citizenship.

Unfortunately, there seems to be one small part of the bill that may blow up in those aliens' faces.

The most contentious provision would permit illegal aliens currently in the country to apply for citizenship without first having to return home, a process that would take at least six years. They would have to pay a fine, learn English, study American civics, demonstrate they had paid their taxes and take their place behind other applicants for citizenship, according to aides to Kennedy, D-Mass., who was instrumental in drafting the legislation. [emphasis mine]

If a person has illegally entered this country and has found work there are several laws they've broken. I seriously doubt such people would file income tax returns.

Think about it. They are illegally in the country. They probably haven't had social security taxes withheld which also puts their employer in jeopardy. If they drive, they have undoubtedly done so without a license. Almost all worked in the US illegally. These people needed to stay as invisible to government as possible. Paying taxes would have exposed them.

Now the bill goes to the full Senate and that little part about the taxes may get excised. I hope so. They could provide for retroactive income tax payments which might be a financial blow, but wouldn't prevent the aliens' ever being allowed to become permanent residents.

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