Illinois will pull out of a controversial federal program:::Pantagraph.com | News from Associated Press

 

Illinois will pull out of a controversial federal program that automatically checks the immigration status of arrestees, Gov. Pat Quinn announced Wednesday, making Illinois one of the first states to take a stance against the so-called "Secure Communities" program.

Quinn argued that statistics from ICE show that many of those deported have never been convicted of any crime, let alone a serious crime. …..29 percent of the 102,000 immigrants deported under the program since it began in 2008 have no criminal conviction, according to federal government statistics

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Budget talks: Republicans offer to seek common ground with Democrats - The Washington Post

 

Senior Republicans conceded Wednesday that a deal is unlikely on a contentious plan to overhaul Medicare and offered to open budget talks with the White House by focusing on areas where both parties can agree, such as cutting farm subsidies.

GOP proposals that would save $715 billion over the next decade by ending payments to wealthy farmers, limiting lawsuits against doctors, and expanding government auctions of broadcast spectrum to telecommunications companies, among other items.

Democrats said they were encouraged by the move, which could smooth the way to a compromise allowing Congress to raise the legal limit on government borrowing and avoid a national default.

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