One Year Later, Senate Amnesty Bill is Dead

One year ago today, the Senate ‘Gang of Eight’ introduced amnesty bill S. 744.

After months of backroom meetings and deals cut with special interest groups representing illegal aliens, immigration lawyers, and the employers of foreign workers, the Gang presented a bill that satisfied nearly every stakeholder – except U.S. workers.

S. 744 is titled the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. Despite the title and massive marketing campaign from its supporters, FAIR and the American people know it does nothing to improve border security, the economy, or the current immigration system.

When the bill was introduced a year ago, FAIR was just beginning its annual radio row. Our government relations team quickly combed through the bill and informed our attending hosts and the public about the deception, loopholes, and big business and big labor sweeteners snuck into the legislation.

The bill’s promises and support unraveled over the next few months. Ultimately, it passed the Senate but was so tainted that House Speaker John Boehner and House Republicans did not dare take it up.

Now, a year later, the Senate amnesty bill is dead. This doesn’t mean the fight against amnesty is over. Stopping S. 744 is not enough. We must not allow the House to simply break up the Senate bill and consider its bad provisions one at a time.

We must empower our members of Congress to reassert their authority over immigration policy and stop the Obama administration’s efforts to implement a mass amnesty without the consent of Americans.