Wall Street Journal
By Sara Murray
June 4, 2013
With the Senate set to debate immigration next week, supporters are focused on shoring up GOP support. But so far the most controversial amendment appears to be emerging on the left.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a Connecticut Democrat, said he would push to include amendments designed to curb immigrants’ access to firearms in immigration legislation.
“I am definitely going to file them and I’m planning to offer them,” Mr. Blumenthal said. “We ought to take this opportunity to fight for common sense amendments,” to reduce gun violence.
Conservative immigration supporters said such amendments would threaten the bill’s chances of passing the Senate.
“That’d be problematic. You open up the floodgates,” South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican who helped craft the immigration legislation said. “We’ve had a gun debate, we need an immigration debate.”
Mr. Blumenthal already filed two gun-related amendments during the committee process. One would have prevented immigrants without legal permanent resident status from buying or possessing guns. Another would require the attorney general to notify the Department of Homeland Security when an undocumented immigrant or a visitor on a temporary visa tried to purchase a gun. That amendment would also require firearms dealers to inform the government when non-citizens bought two or more guns in a five-day period.
Ultimately, Mr. Blumenthal didn’t offer the two amendments in committee because he didn’t want to threaten the fragile bipartisan support. He said, regardless of whether his amendments survive on the floor, he’ll still support an immigration overhaul.
“One of the paramount goals is to sustain and enlarge the bipartisan coalition,” Mr. Blumenthal said. “I’m very mindful of that consideration.”
Even so, Mr. Blumenthal said he may have more gun amendments in the works.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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