White House Hints at Showdown on Immigration, Spending Bills

Setting up a confrontation with Republican leaders, the White House indicated Thursday that President Clinton will not sign a must-pass spending bill until the GOP agrees to amend separate immigration legislation.

The immigration bill, which cleared the House on Wednesday and awaits Senate action, beefs up border security, clamps down on benefits to both legal and illegal immigrants and imposes stricter penalties on smugglers and document forgers.

But Clinton is focusing on two other provisions of the bill. One would further limit benefits to legal immigrants, who already have had benefits cut under the welfare reform law signed in August. The other would substantially increase the income thresholds for relatives who sponsor an immigrant.

The welfare reform law, which Clinton signed despite strong opposition within his own party, restricts legal immigrants from receiving Supplemental Security Income, food stamps and most other federal benefits. States have the authority to choose whether legal immigrants are eligible for Medicaid.

The immigration bill goes even further. Under the bill, officials could deport noncitizens who received more than a year’s worth of local, state or federal government benefits that are issued on the basis of their income.

Although there would be exceptions for emergency medical care and some other programs, the legislation would allow a legal resident to be deported if he or she receives more than a year’s worth of benefits, such as low-income energy assistance, student loans and legal services, officials said.

Sponsors are now required to live above the poverty level and sign a nonbinding affidavit saying they will support their family members. The new bill changes that by requiring citizens wishing to sponsor an immigrant spouse or minor child to earn 140% of the poverty level, or about $21,788 annually for a family of four. A citizen attempting to sponsor a sibling, parent or adult child would have to earn 200% of the poverty level, or $31,200 annually.

The higher income levels, coupled with stricter requirements on financial support, are designed to ensure that sponsors are financially responsible for immigrants who fall on hard times. Critics, however, say the new requirements would prevent a large portion of Americans from ever reuniting with their relatives.

By threatening to hold up the spending bill, which would keep much of the government running beyond the end of the month, Clinton is seizing a point of maximum leverage. The congressional Republican leadership is extremely anxious to get GOP members home quickly to begin campaigning for reelection.

“We’re in a period now, as we go into the closing hours of this session of Congress, when there’ll be a lot of discussions about how best to [improve the immigration bill], and we have good conversations underway with leaders in Congress,” said White House spokesman Michael McCurry.

House and Senate Republicans, however, reacted angrily to the White House’s strategy.

“We worked long and hard to pass this immigration bill,” says Rep. David Dreier (R-San Dimas). “This is one of the most blatantly anti-California moves that can be made,” he added, referring to the Republican argument that illegal immigration is particularly burdensome to California’s economy.

Speaker Newt Gingrich and other Republicans said they learned of the White House position during budget negotiations Wednesday night. Clinton aides, however, have been indicating for days that they would seek concessions in the immigration bill before it arrives on the president’s desk for a signature.

The temporary spending bill is needed to keep the government running for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1 because Congress has failed to pass all of the 13 appropriation bills needed every year to finance the government.

The White House strategy carries risks, most notably a government shutdown if the matter is not worked out by Tuesday. A dispute between the White House and congressional Republicans led to the shuttering of much of the federal government twice last fall and winter. Public opinion polls showed most Americans thought the Republicans had forced the issue and blamed them for the closure.

This time Clinton clearly is the aggressor. But given the GOP desire to wrap up the congressional session and return home, the president may well have enough leverage to force Republican concessions.

Before the latest showdown, Clinton indicated that he would veto the immigration bill if it contains a provision ousting illegal immigrants from public schools. However, that contentious proposal was removed by GOP leaders this week and passed in the House as a separate bill. Its chances in the Senate are slim.

With the most objectionable part of the bill effectively gone, White House officials said they were focusing on other areas of compromise.

Gingrich told GOP leaders of the new wrinkle in budget talks at a Republican caucus meeting Thursday. California lawmakers, in particular, hit the roof.

“I think they are shooting themselves in the head,” said Rep. Brian P. Bilbray (R-San Diego). “The White House spin doctors apparently feel they can sell anything to the American public. I think they are grossly underestimating the ability of the American people to pick up on a con game.”

But critics of the immigration legislation said Clinton is simply using the system to improve a flawed bill that Republicans are attempting to push into law.

“The White House is only talking about some modest alterations in the provisions dealing with legal immigrants,” said Rep. Howard L. Berman (D-Panorama City). “Any suggestion that the administration is soft on illegal immigration is just not true.”