Brownback
Brownback Votes Against Senate Immigration Bill

WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Sam Brownback today voted against the Senate immigration bill.

"I voted against the Senate immigration bill because I am not convinced it would fix our broken immigration system and it would most likely repeat the mistakes of the 1986 reform," said Brownback.

The immigration bill failed earlier today on a 46-53 procedural vote that required 60 votes for the bill to advance to a final vote.
 
 

Gilmore
Statement on today’s immigration vote from former Governor Jim Gilmore

The American people, who have a very strong sense of right and wrong, knew from day one this bill was not what its sponsors said it was -- and that it was the wrong solution for the immigration challenges facing our nation.

They understood the only compromising this legislation did was compromise their economic and national security.  The American people stood up and made their voices heard.

We simply cannot afford to provide amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants while the American people struggle to make ends meat.
 
 

Giuliani
Statement from Rudy Giuliani Regarding Today’s Senate Immigration Vote

New York City – The Rudy Giuliani Presidential Committee released the following statement today regarding the U.S. Senate’s vote on immigration legislation:

“Today a majority in the Senate made clear this bill shortchanged the American people by failing to end illegal immigration and failing to secure our borders.  The bill did not deserve to move forward.

“As I have said before, this bill – which I believed was based more on compromise than on principle – failed to do several basic things, including: securing our borders, creating a uniform tamper-proof ID card for all foreign workers and students, establishing a single nationwide database of foreigners, and mandating the full implementation of a biometric ‘check in-check out’ system.

“The legislation was a hodgepodge at best, and I believe it would have ultimately made our country less secure.

“I urge the President to use the authority and funds at his disposal to do everything possible to end illegal immigration and secure our borders.”

Hunter
Presidential Candidate Duncan Hunter’s Statement on Immigration Bill

La Mesa, CA. - By a vote of 46 to 53, the U.S. Senate voted today not to proceed with debate on legislation providing amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants presently living in the United States.   Following the Senate’s vote, Presidential Candidate and U.S. Congressman Duncan Hunter (R-CA) made the following statement:

“From the very beginning of the immigration debate, the American people were clear in their strong opposition to granting amnesty to more than 12 million illegal immigrants.  While this flawed piece of legislation should never have been considered in the first place, I commend my colleagues in the Senate who positioned themselves with the American people and rejected this amnesty bill.

“The idea that amnesty must be accepted in order to achieve secure and enforceable borders is absurd.  The effort to provide citizenship benefits to millions of illegal immigrants failed -- not once, but twice.  It is time that we abandon the concept of rewarding those who have broken our laws and take action to secure our borders and enforce existing immigration laws.  This is what the American people have been demanding and this is what they deserve.

“Executing one existing law in particular, the Secure Fence Act, would go a long way to bringing a greater element of security to our Southern land border.  By constructing double-layered security fencing across the major smuggling corridors on the U.S.-Mexico border, as required by the Secure Fence Act, we will have taken a significant step towards achieving a border that is enforceable and no longer a conduit for illegal activity.”

NOTE: Congressman Duncan authored the fencing provisions in the Secure Fence Act, extending the San Diego Border Fence across Arizona, and portions of New Mexico and Texas
 
 

McCain
McCAIN STATEMENT ON IMMIGRATION VOTE

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today released the following statement regarding the Senate immigration vote:

“I am disappointed that the Senate was unable to conclude its debate on comprehensive immigration reform. However, the American people will not settle for the status quo – de facto amnesty and broken borders,” Senator McCain said.

“I am hopeful that we will have another chance to address this critical national security issue that affects people throughout our country. In the meantime, we must keep working to secure our borders while we continue fighting to reform our unenforceable immigration laws.”
 
 

Romney
Governor Romney On Today's Senate Immigration Vote

Boston, MA - Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the United States Senate's vote on the immigration reform bill:

"The immigration bill failed because the politicians in Washington are out of touch with the American people.  The voice of the people is loud and clear - secure the border, enforce the law and no special deal for permanent residency or citizenship for illegals.  America will always welcome legal immigration, but as a nation we also insist on the rule of law."
 
 

Tancredo
Presidential Candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo Celebrates Grassroots Victory over Amnesty
"The system still works"
 
(Washington, D.C.) - The Senate today voted against cloture on the McCain-Kennedy Amnesty Bill, 46-53, effectively killing the measure for the immediate future.

"To all the people who have been so frustrated about their government, I just want to tell them to take heart, the system still works," Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) said, “The people’s voices are still being heard in this place."

The bill would have granted automatic amnesty to 12-20 million illegal aliens in the United States.

Tancredo concluded, 'Now I respectfully ask the president to begin the process leading to a real solution of our immigration problem.  That is of course, securing our borders and aggressively enforcing the law prohibiting employers from hiring people who are in this country illegally."
 
 

Clinton
Statement of Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton on Senate Vote on Immigration

Washington, DC – “I am deeply disappointed that we still have not solved our nation's immigration crisis.  We need comprehensive immigration reform, and I hope that we can find a solution that secures our borders, respects the rule of law, and honors both our history as a nation of immigrants and our basic values of respect and compassion.

“In particular, as part of this solution, we must protect the sanctity of families and repair the broken, unfair bureaucratic system that forces lawful immigrants to live apart from their spouses and children.  I am hopeful that one day soon we will be able to create a fairer process for people and families who are playing by the rules and seeking to come to this country in search of the American Dream.

“I will continue to work with my colleagues on a solution that honors all of these principles.”
 
 

Dodd
Statement of Senator Dodd on Immigration Reform Act
 
Senator Chris Dodd (D-CT) today issued the following statement after the Senate voted to defeat the motion to invoke cloture on S. 1639, the Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007:

“I am deeply disappointed that the Senate voted against the motion to invoke cloture on S. 1639.  With over 12 million undocumented workers in America, a dysfunctional immigration system, and broken borders, our country is facing an immigration crisis that undermines the rule of law, divides families and threatens our national security. The American people expected this Congress to find a workable and comprehensive solution to resolve this crisis.  This bill was far from perfect, especially in terms of the guest worker program and family unification.  But it offered us an opportunity to move beyond the status quo and fix some of these problems including by investing billions of dollars in border security and practically dealing with the undocumented population.  Moreover, by proceeding with the bill and potentially going to conference with the House, we would have had a further opportunity to address some of its shortcomings.  Instead, with the bill’s defeat, our nation is less secure, our immigration crisis will only fester and deepen, and we have reverted to a silent form of amnesty by doing absolutely nothing.  The President has spoken time and again of the importance of achieving comprehensive immigration reform.  This was meant to be his signature domestic issue.  As this vote made crystal clear today, he failed to deliver as did his party.  The President’s inability to lead on this issue, as on Iraq, has once again come at an enormous cost to this nation.”
 
 

Obama
Obama Statement on the Senate’s Failure to Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) released the following statement on the Senate’s failure to pass comprehensive immigration reform:

“Today, the U.S. Senate failed the American people by blocking progress on immigration reform for the second time in two years.  By failing to pass a bill, we have done nothing to solve the problem of the more than 2,000 immigrants who cross our borders every day and the 12 million undocumented who are already here, nor have we addressed the very real concerns of American citizens who rightly believe we should protect our borders.”

“This bill was by no means perfect, but even though there were provisions that some of us disagreed with, we should have worked to find common ground on a solution to a problem that isn’t going away anytime soon.  The American people sent us to Washington precisely to take on tough issues like immigration, and they’re tired of a politics that holds progress hostage because of Congress' inability to come together and get things done.”
 
 

Richardson
Statement of New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson on the Senate Immigration Bill

SANTA FE, NM -- Democratic Presidential candidate Governor Bill Richardson released the following statement today on the failure of the Senate to push the immigration bill forward:

"I am deeply disappointed. You can't solve a problem by ignoring it.  We have got to find a way to bridge the divide and bring people together to address the critical problems facing our nation -- immigration, energy, healthcare, education.

"This is the price America pays for divisive leadership.  Congress should continue to work on passing immigration reform."