>> >>PEGGY: THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL NOW MOVES TO THE SENATE FOR VOTE NEXT MONTH.
EVEN IF IT PASSES THERE, IT FACES MORE CHALLENGES WITH THE RISK OF DEFEAT IN THE HOUSE AS SOME
CONGRESS MEMBERS CALL IT AN AMNESTY BILL.
JOINING ME WITH A FEW PREDICTIONS IN HOW THE RALLY HOPES TO SWAY CONGRESS ARE MY GUEST
CARL LUNA, POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR AT MESA COLLEGE AND RHODA QUAKE, TEAM LEADER
FOR THE GROUP ORGANIZING FOR ACTION.
THANK YOU BOTH FOR BEING HERE.
RHODA, WHAT PROVISIONS IN THIS BILL ARE MOST IMPORT TONIGHT IMMIGRANTS HERE IN SAN DIEGO?
>> >>: THE MOST IMPORTANT PROVISION FOR THIS BILL FOR THE IMMIGRANTS HERE IS THE PATHWAY
TO CITIZENSHIP FOR THE 11�MILLION PEOPLE THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN LIMBO IN THIS COUNTRY.
IF WE THEY CAN RECEIVE BE DOCUMENTED THAT WILL HELP OUT TREMENDOUSLY.
SO JUST THE FACT THAT A BILL WILL PASS WILL ALLOW THEM TO COME OUT OF THE SHADOWS WHICH
IS WHAT THEY REALLY NEED TO DO.
>> >>PEGGY: AND CARL, HOW ABOUT LET'S MOVE ON TO THE SAN DIEGO'S CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION.
WHERE DO THEY STAND ON THIS REFORM BILL?
>> >>: IT'S THE USUAL SUSPECTS.
THREE DEMOCRATS ON OUR DEL DELEGATION ARE GOING TO BE VOTING FOR THE BILL, AT LEAST
WHATEVER FORM THEY CAN GET COMING OUT OF THE HOUSE.
TWO MEMBERS PROBABLY VOTING AGAINST ANYTHING THAT'S TOO LENIENT IN TERMS OF ANYTHING LIKE
AN AMNESTY.
YOU'LL GET IMMIGRATION REFORM, OR IMMIGRATION REFORM LITE IF IT GETS THAT FAR.
>> >>PEGGY: LET'S TALK BUSINESS.
I UNDERSTAND THIS IS GOING TO BE DOWNTOWN, THIS RALLY THAT'S GOING TO BE HAPPENING VERY
SHORTLY.
WHY ARE SAN DIEGO BUSINESSES INTERESTED AND WHICH SIDE OF THE FENCE DO THEY STAND ON FROM
YOUR PERSPECTIVE?
>> >>: BUSINESSES UNDERSTAND THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL WILL GREATLY BENEFIT BUSINESSES
IN SAN DIEGO AND ALL OVER THE KUN DEGREE.
ONE OF THE REASONS FOR THAT IS THE TYPES OF PEOPLE THAT COME HERE FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
THAT MADE THAT CROSSING ARE EXTREMELY DETERMINED, VERY, VERY HARD WORKING, THEY'RE THE TYPES
THAT WILL PUSH THEMSELVES TO CREATE NEW BUSINESSES WHICH ALSO HELPS THE ECONOMY CREATE NEW JOBS.
>> >>PEGGY: THEY'RE MOTIVATED.
>> >>: VERY MOTIVATED PEOPLE.
>> >>PEGGY: WHEN IT COMES TO LAW MAKERS, CARL, THE PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST THIS BILL, LIKE
YOU SAID ALONG PARTY LINE, WHAT ARE THEY SAYING AS TO WHY THEY OPPOSE IT?
>> >>: PART OF IT IS A MORAL ISSUE.
SOME PEOPLE BROKE THE LAW AND YOU DON'T WANT TO ENCOURAGE ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR.
PART OF IT IS STRAIGHT UP POLITICAL CALCULATION.
IF YOU HAVE 11�MILLION UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS, IF THEY BECOME DOCUMENTED, A NUMBER OF THEM
ARE NOT GOING TO VOTE FOR THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.
PART OF IT IS JOBS.
MORE PEOPLE NOW SEE A BENEFIT OF MOVING FORWARD WITH SOME FORM OF IMMIGRATION REFORM THAN
WE'VE HAD FOR YEARS.
I'M OPTIMISTIC AS I GET THAT SOMETHING MIGHT ACTUALLY PASS.
>> >>PEGGY: INCLUDING SENATOR MAJORITY LEAD LEADER HIGH HARRY REED, HE SAYS HE EXPECTS
THIS BILL TO PASS.
>> >>: THE SENATE VERSION IS PROBABLY GOING TO PASS.
THE QUESTION IS WHAT DOES THE HOUSE VERSION LOOK LIKE, AND DOES IT END UP DYING IN CONFERENCE?
THE REPUBLICANS IN IT HOUSE WHO MIGHT NOT WANT THEIR BILL TO PASS, THEY DON'T PAY A
BIG POLITICAL PRICE IF THEY'RE ACCUSED OF KILLING IT.
>> >>PEGGY: JOHN BOEHNER SAYS HE'S GOING TO COME UP WITH HIS OWN IDEA M.
DO YOU THINK RALLIES LIKE THE ONES GOING ON TONIGHT COULD INFLUENCE HIM.
>> >>: ABSOLUTELY.
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WE'RE HAVING INCREDIBLE SENTIMENT TOWARDS PRO IMMIGRATION REFORM.
MORE AMERICANS ARE REALIZING THERE'S NO BENEFIT TO HAVING THESE PEOPLE LIVE IN THE SHADOWS
AND THE DIFFICULTY THEY ENDURE LIVING THAT WAY.�.
I THINK THAT WHEN RALLIES LIKE THIS JUST SIMPLY ARE ABLE TO EXPOSE PUBLICIZE HOW MUCH PUBLIC
SUPPORT THERE IS FOR THIS KIND OF A BILL.
>> >>PEGGY: I WANT TO LET PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS RALLY SO THANK YOU BOTH VERY MUCH FOR
THIS UPDATE OF INFORMATION.
IF YOU WANT TO ATTEND, YOU'VE STILL GOT A FEW MINUTES TO GET THERE.
THE RALLY STARTS AT 7:00�P.M.
TONIGHT.
IT'S ON THE WEST SIDE, IN FRONT OF THE SAN DIEGO COUNTY ADMINISTRATION BUILDING DOWNTOWN.