Guard heads south

First 800 of 6,000 soldiers to help border patrol to be deployed next week; in Senate, immigration bill gains

BY TOM BRUNE | Newsday Washington Bureau

May 25, 2006

WASHINGTON - The National Guard announced yesterday it would start sending soldiers to the Mexican border next week, while in the Senate a sweeping immigration reform bill overcame more hurdles on its way to expected passage in a floor vote today.

The chief of the National Guard, Lt. Gen. H. Steven Blum, said a total of about 800 soldiers - or roughly 200 for each of the four states bordering Mexico - will be deployed as soon as next Wednesday.

"These people would be planners, liaison personnel for Customs/Border Patrol," Blum told a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee yesterday.

The National Guard is preparing to send 6,000 soldiers, in 21-day rotations, to assist the Border Patrol with non-enforcement tasks until the patrol recruits, hires and trains an additional 6,000 of its own agents.

The proposal to use the National Guard on the border was announced by President George W. Bush last week.

In the Senate, meanwhile, opponents failed yesterday to stop the comprehensive immigration bill that includes a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship for the majority of the estimated 11 million illegal workers here now.

The Senate began the day by voting to cut off debate by a vote of 73-25, 13 more than the 60 needed, ensuring a floor vote this week, probably today.

Then the bill's backers defeated what was a "final poison pill" to kill the legislation by rejecting a budget-related parliamentary maneuver in a 67-31 vote.

However, the Senate approved, 73-25, making the cost of citizenship for illegal immigrants more expensive by adding another $500 to the $2,750 existing cost per applicant. And it approved, 56-42, a measure to make two-thirds of the visas dispensed to diversify immigrants available only to those with advanced degrees.

The Senate continued debating and voting on amendments into the evening yesterday, and planned to continue discussion and votes early today before moving on to a final vote.

Following expected approval today, the Senate bill will be headed on a collision course with the House bill, which does not include guest-worker and citizenship provisions and instead primarily requires tougher enforcement and tighter border security.

The differences must be hammered out in a House-Senate conference committee that is not expected to start meeting until after next week's recess.

The White House is attempting to soften House Republicans' resistance to the Senate bill, sending adviser Karl Rove yesterday to meet with the House Republican Conference for what a White House spokeswoman called a "dialogue."

Rove's presentation reportedly won a mixed review at the meeting.