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This is the kind of crap we are up against:

Immigration Lawyers Group Announces Opposition to "Restrictionist Agenda"
FAIR NEWS FLASH
The American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) claims in its latest Dispatch that "restrictionists have hijacked the consensus about the need to enhance our security to further the agenda they had been unable, thus far, to convince Congress to pass." Led by Judith Golub, Senior Director, Advocacy and Public Affairs, they have announced a Lobby Day for March 17 to oppose the following useful and needed proposals:
Placing the military on the border (they're certainly needed -- at least in a support capacity)

Directly linking the issuance of driver's licenses to immigration status (a great common sense idea -- how could they oppose it?)

State and local police enforcement of civil violations of immigration law (why would lawyers -- officers of the court -- oppose this idea?)

Require hospitals to report the immigration status of patients

Expansion of expedited removal (long overdue)

Stiff criminal penalties for employers who fail to comply with employment verification procedures (I guess enforcement is too tough already)

Sharp restrictions on asylum eligibility

Expanded mandatory detention policies (given, less than 15% of aliens released ever show up for hearings, why would we ever want to expand mandatory detention?)

Limiting immigrants access to the federal courts

Prohibiting the use of the consular ID card (why does AILA want to promote illegal immigration?)

Allowing additional uses of secret information/evidence

Moratorium on all immigration (say, there is an idea! Of course, this is a red herring since spouses and unmarried minor children of US citizen would be exempted.)

It sounds like the restrictionists have a full plate of excellent ideas. FAIR members are encouraged to attend "Feet to the Fire" activities in late April to advance fair and just immigration laws that serve the larger national interest.

--Dan Stein

http://www.steinreport.com/archives/2005_03_11.html#007772