Posted by
Catmman on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 4:30:23 PM
Don't like my title, too bad, I'm from Texas.
Seems that 4.4 billion dollars in the amnesty-that-isn't-but is bill which was promised and touted and dangled to conservatives, pundits and opponents of the bill - that money the President, Tony Snow, Kennedy and others screamed would be there and used to begin enforcment of border security - can be used to implement other portions of the legislation which doesn't include border security enforcement, primarily the 'Z' visa.
Posted from MichelleMalkin:
DeMint’s office issued this press release on a CRS report that contradicts the shamnesty crowd:
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina) released Wednesday a report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS) which says the new Senate immigration bill contains a major loophole in border security. Supporters of the bill say it provides $4.4 billion in immediate mandatory spending for border enforcement, but according to the CRS analysis, the funds could also be used immediately to implement the amnesty provisions bill.
“This is just another example of how this bill claims to do one thing but does something else entirely. It’s another example of an empty promise being used to buy votes for amnesty,” said Senator DeMint. “The supporters of this bill have been running around trying to convince people that this money will be used to secure the border first, but now we know that’s not the case. If you read the fine print, the bill says this money can also be used for amnesty.”
Here’s the conclusion of the CRS report:
In response to your question concerning whether the $4.4 billion in funding appropriated under the Immigration Security Account could be used to fund the processing of Y or Z visas under Titles IV and VI of S. 1639, S. 1639 appears to require that the trigger mechanisms be funded first. Receiving, processing, and adjudicating applications for the Z visa authorized by Title VI of the Act is one of the trigger mechanisms outlined in Section 1; this means that funding from the Immigration Security Account could be used for this purpose. Section 2(C) would allow DHS to expend any funds remaining after the trigger mechanisms have been fullyfunded on certain activities, including theimplementation of the programs authorized in Titles IV and VI of the Act. Thus, it appears that funding for the Y visa (and other programs) authorized by Title IV of the Act could only be made available through the Immigration Security Account once the trigger mechanisms had been met. However, S. 1639 does not explicitly stipulate whether the certification required bySection 1 would have to take place prior to fundingbeing made available for the additional purposes outlined in Section 2(C).
Instead of building the fence/wall, hiring agents and other enforcment actions, that money can be used for implementing the 'Z' visa.
For live-bloggin of Senate debate (what debate, Reid isn't letting the Republicans do anything) head on over to
Michelle's site.