Senate Minority Leader, Mitch McConnell (R-KY) is working on an immigration bill that will satisfy President Bush and Liberal, Ted Kennedy (D-MA), and will offer a path to citizenship for individuals who have broken United States immigration laws.

McConnell’s goal is to have Senate Republicans settle on a “coherent” position first, then approach Senate Democrats, particularly Sen. Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, who likely will be the chief sponsor of the main Senate bill.

Mr. Kennedy said his bill will be based on the one the Senate passed last year when Republicans controlled Congress. That plan also provided for enhanced border security, a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

“There’s a pretty broad desire to have an accomplishment, to do something, even among members who voted against final passage last year. There is still a lot of sentiment that a comprehensive bill would be the right thing to do,” said Mr. McConnell, Kentucky Republican.

The right thing to do would be to enforce the law and put people in the United States illegally on a path to Mexico and to begin enforcing the law in an intense effort, as a priority, to keep borders safe for intrusion and to heavily fine and jail employers who don’t abide the law.

House Republicans refused to vote on it, arguing that granting citizenship to illegals amounts to amnesty and a reward for law-breaking. That was then, this is now and with Democrats in control of the House passage of an “amnesty bill” will be much easier.

Some rank-and-file House Republicans worry their leaders will have a change of heart under pressure from the White House and support the Democrats.

“It is very disconcerting to me because I don’t know where the leadership is on this,” said Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and outspoken critic of amnesty for illegal aliens.

“If the president is going to weigh in on this, I don’t know what [Majority Leader John A. Boehner] and the rest of my leadership are going to do,” Mr. Tancredo said. “We are going to be defense more than offense.”

The House Republican leaders say they remain opposed to granting citizenship rights.

“Leader Boehner opposes amnesty, led the charge against the Reid-Kennedy amnesty bill last year, and continues to oppose amnesty,” said his spokesman, Brian Kennedy, referring to Sen. Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, now the Senate majority leader. “There has been no change in his position.”

Minority Whip Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican, also remains opposed to any immigration plan that doesn’t make border security a priority or that provides a path to citizenship for illegal aliens.

Rep. Brian P. Bilbray, California Republican and chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, is concerned about a repeat of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, which granted amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens but failed to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

“There is a lot of pressure from the White House,” said Kurt Bardella, Mr. Bilbray’s spokesman. “There is this anything-is-better-than-nothing attitude — whether or not it is good public policy.”

It’s now time to get off your hands and write your Representative in the House and Senate to oppose amnesty for anyone in the United States illegally. Be articulate and specifically address your view towards amnesty.

Write your Representive NOW! 

Write your Senator NOW!

**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email stiknstein@gmail.com and let us know at what level you would like to participate.