Is this Congress more immigration friendly?

The SCHIP bill signing has given immigration reform advocates lots of hope. DP

by William Gibson

Some Floridians and advocates are celebrating final passage of a children’s health-care bill that extends benefits to legal immigrants.

The bill, some advocates think, signals a positive attitude in Congress toward immigrants. They hope it will lead to comprehensive reform that would legalize millions of foreign residents.

The last session of Congress turned aside reform and focused on fending off illegal immigration at the borders.

"It's a breath of fresh air that the new Congress and president overcame the politically-charged immigration debate that has, for some time, stymied this important legislation,’’ said Angela Kelley of the Immigration Policy Center.

She and other advocates say many legal immigrant children and pregnant women have been denied benefits during their first five years in the United States.

The new law – which expands the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) -- contains a provision designed to ensure coverage of legal immigrant children.

That provision was introduced by a Republican: Miami Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who has many immigrants in his district. He lauded passage of the bill, saying it is "critically important for the health care of the legal immigrant community.’’

Meanwhile, a group that wants to restrict immigration warns that the economic stimulus bill in the Senate could create construction jobs for thousands of illegal arrivals.

The group, the Center for Immigration Studies, says the stimulus bill passed by the House would specifically bar illegal workers from taking jobs paid by taxpayers but the Senate version does not, creating a potential magnet for an illegal workforce.