House vs. Senate: battle royal: the Bush-Kennedy guest-worker/amnesty locomotive is headed for a "brick wall"; liberal immigration advocates wilt as public outrage grows.(IMMIGRATION)

The battle for immigration reform and border security has now shifted from the congressional cloak rooms to the congressional districts, and from Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., to Main Street, U.S.A.

The Senate's passage, on May 25, of S. 2611--a "comprehensive" bill that included amnesty and guest-worker provisions--broke a congressional deadlock that had been hanging fire since last December. The Senate bill will now have to be reconciled with the House-passed bill, H.R. 4437. The House bill provides much-needed border security and stricter enforcement measures against illegal immigration, but does not include the dangerous amnesty, guest-worker, and immigration quota increases that are central to S. 2611. If and when the Senate and House conferees reconcile S. 2611 and H.R. 4437 into a new version, known as a conference report, then both houses must vote on this version before it would become law.

At this point, key House and Senate leaders on this issue publicly appear to be at an impasse, unwilling to yield on their major differences. This process could stretch out until a "lame-duck" session after the elections in November. However, it could also change very quickly, especially since President Bush has already put the White House's considerable resources behind the Senate version and is now personally campaigning for it.

The Battle Lines

Naturally, the major liberal media organs have lined up behind the Senate version. The New York Times editorially praised the Senate vote on S. 2611 as "an immigration victory" and said, "Americans should be proud of what the United States Senate did this week." The Times extolled the Senate bill as "thoughtful," "humane," and "realistic." The Senate vote, the Times noted, "has given the cause of immigration reform a lot of momentum, which it will need since it is now heading for a brick wall: the House of Representatives."

Opinion polls, as well as reports from congressmen fresh from town hall meetings with constituents, indicate that voters overwhelmingly favor the House's approach and are outraged with the Senate's proposals to vastly increase legal immigration levels while also rewarding those who have flouted our laws. With November elections fast approaching, even some of the most liberal immigration advocates are jumping onboard the "brick wall" bandwagon. As the Washington Times reported on May 25, "Liberal House Republicans are taking an increasingly tough stance on immigration reform and are more determined than ever to delete the portions of the Senate bill that grant citizenship rights to more than 10 million illegal aliens."

The Washington Times went on to report on the rude awakening of Rep. Christopher Shays of Connecticut, who was correctly identified as "one of the most liberal Republicans in Congress." The Times story noted that Shays made an abrupt about-face on the issue after repeatedly running into a buzz saw at meetings in his district. "There is not much tolerance for allowing people to become citizens who came here illegally," Shays reportedly said.