Jim Ross Lightfoot

Former U.S. Rep. Jim Ross Lightfoot, a conservative western Iowa Republican during his service, says an immigration reform compromise now being debated on Capitol Hill could rile his party’s base — and cost support for Republicans involved in the deal — if it is largely viewed as granting amnesty to illegals.

“I think any candidate that supports the total amnesty for illegals will have an uphill battle,” Lightfoot said Sunday night. “First it is a fairness issue; why should those that sneaked into the country be given the same privileges as those that did it the legal way.

“Second, how do we as a nation continue to pay for the schooling, medical expenses, welfare and costs associated with rising crime rates for people that contribute nothing to our tax system and refuse to speak English.

“And third we already have plenty of laws, the government must take up its responsibility to enforce them.”

U.S. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., a key and visible player in the negotiations could pay the biggest price in the Iowa caucuses.

At the recent Republican Lincoln Dinner in Des Moines, U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colorado, elicited the most sustained applause of any presidential candidate for his strongly worded attack on any immigration package that would stop short of deporting illegal immigrants, people he feels are criminals.

Tancredo’s close friend in the U.S. House, Iowa’s Steve King, has even called McCain out on the matter personally — although it didn’t stop King from leeching off McCain’s war-hero celebrity at a Sioux City event before the 2006 elections.

“Steve King attacked it as amnesty as did Chuck Grassley,” says the Iowa blog, Cyclone Conservatives. “I’m guessing Latham will be a no vote too. This legislation, though, is far from a reality. I happen to think it is going to have problems getting through quickly at all. I could be wrong, but if it gets labeled in the media as ‘amnesty’, there is going to be a lot of anger out there about this. If the Steve Kings and Tom Tancredos of the world can be successful in using their bullhorns to collectively get peoples’ attentions as to what they believe it is (and I happen to think they are more right than wrong), then I think there will be a lot of pressure on conservative Democrats to vote no on this.”

The House will deal with the matter if the Senate passes a bill.
Details still are being ironed out but some specifics are emerging. The following comes from the Associated Press:

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, said she would seek to alter it to mandate that illegal immigrants go back to their home countries before gaining legal status.

Under the proposal, that requirement only applies to heads of households seeking green cards and a path to citizenship. The estimated 12 million immigrants here unlawfully could obtain visas to live and work in the U.S. indefinitely without returning home.

The bill would toughen border security and create strict workplace enforcement rules to prevent illegal immigrants from getting jobs. It would also institute a new point system to prioritize employability over family ties in deciding who can immigrate to the U.S. in the future.

Illegal immigrants could seek a “Z visa” and get on track toward permanent residency after paying fees and fines. Heads of households would have to return to their home countries first.

Guest workers would have to return to their home country after periods of two years. They could renew their visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time.

In terms of political ramifications, one other presidential candidate, the only Latino in the race, Democratic New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, has to handle the issue delicately, says Jennifer Horner, director of the Southwest Iowa Latino Resource Center based in Red Oak,

“He can’t be too sensitive and compassionate about immigrants,” Horner said. “I probably am more than he and I understand that. He has to appeal to a wide range of people.”