Like many an NFL wide receiver these days, the illegal alien advocacy lobby is planning its end zone celebration in anticipation that the new Congress will quickly enact a sweeping amnesty program for tens of millions of illegal aliens. Not so fast. The ball hasn’t been thrown, and so far the new Congress isn’t even looking in their direction.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform’s analysis of the 110th Congress’s freshman class finds that many of the new Democratic members campaigned on platforms that included tough border and workplace enforcement, and opposition to amnesty for illegal aliens (no matter what the party leadership wants to call it). Not many of the new members are anxious to chalk up an amnesty for 12 to 15 million lawbreakers as their first legislative achievement.
Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), though personally committed to an amnesty program, has not included passage of an amnesty bill on her list of legislative priorities when the Democrats officially take power in January. The putative Speaker is a seasoned political pro who seems to understand that, for the swing voters who helped put the party over the top in 2006, an illegal alien amnesty program holds all the allure of signing Terrell Owens.