FAIR: Senate Employs Subterfuge and Political Pay-Offs to Get Gang of Eight Immigration Bill Over Important Hurdle

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) in response to the adoption of the Corker-Hoeven amendment to S.744, the Gang of Eight immigration bill.

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"In a rare instance of bipartisanship, members of both parties came together today to sell out the interests of the American people. The Corker-Hoeven amendment, sold as the a 'border surge," or the toughest immigration enforcement provisions ever offered, is laden with loopholes, escape clauses, and executive discretion that make it unlikely that any of these promises will be kept.

"To gain support for this deceptive amendment, the Senate leadership loaded the legislation with an assortment of special interests provisions designed to buy the votes of key senators. While virtually every special interest with an interest in immigration policy is now catered to under this bill, the economic and security interests of the American people are being callously sacrificed.

"The bill that is headed for a vote by the full Senate later this week guarantees amnesty to illegal aliens within six months of enactment. At the same time it offers worthless promises of enforcement many years in the future. In fact, the bill as amended by Corker-Hoeven, weakens existing fencing and entry/exit control requirements that have already been enacted, but which have never been implemented.

"FAIR applauds Sen. Jeff Sessions and other senators who have courageously fought for the interests of the American people in the face of intense special interest pressure. Over the coming days, FAIR will work with these members to expose the sham being perpetrated on the American people before the final vote on this disastrous legislation."

SOURCE FAIR