Posted on 06/02/2007 10:12:29 AM PDT by AuntB
It will only take a moment.
If Congress passes the current immigration bill being debated in the Senate, President Bush will sign the legislation, and in so doing, offer immediate amnesty to over 12 million illegal immigrants who currently reside in our country. Bill supporters call it “probationary status,” but the effect will be to give law breakers legal status and thus access to Social Security, Medicare, some welfare services, and our court systems. And just like that, the main purpose of this immigration bill will have been realized.
In the meantime, those persuaded by the bill’s window dressing will be forced to wait and hope that the provisions promised by the bill’s authors come to fruition. Indeed, the promises in this bill are plentiful.
We are told the bill will end the practice of chain migration by implementing a merit-based points system. But for this, we will have to wait eight years and hope that no future politicians change the law under immense pressure from left-wing interest groups.
We are told the bill will provide for a workable and truly temporary guest-worker system that will benefit our economy. But already, the Senate has gutted this provision by slashing the program by two thirds.
We are told the bill will encourage legal immigration and assimilation into the traditional American melting pot. But this belies the fact that granting amnesty is the biggest possible incentive for future illegal immigration. Additionally, this bill does not make English the official language and does not require amnesty recipients to demonstrate any serious English comprehension for 12 years.
Most importantly, we are promised real border security with the construction of a partial fence along our southern border, thousands of new border-patrol agents, and a new worker-verification system. This, we are told, is the number one priority of the bill.
As proof of the promise, the authors say no other provision contained in this bill (except the immediate “probationary” legal status) will be implemented until the border is secure. And how will we know the border is secure? The president — the bill’s chief proponent — will receive a letter from one of his top officials certifying that it is so.
If history is a guide, these promises will be proved empty.
Remember, we have been down this road before. In 1986 the government granted amnesty to over two million illegal immigrants and promised border security in return. All we got then was increased incentives for illegal immigration and a continually porous border.
We can and must do better. We owe it to the American people to responsibly reform this broken system based on principle, not politics.
First, we must prove to Americans that national security is our top priority. We should amend the bill to give the triggers teeth by forcing the administration to prove in public hearings that our borders have indeed been secured and Congress should have to vote to approve the certification. We must also close various loopholes that give rejected Z-visa applicants judicial review and that grant amnesty to terrorists, gang members, and sex offenders.
Second, we must reject amnesty. Americans are pro-immigrant and believe in legal immigration. They want people to come here, respect our laws, embrace our values, and become American citizens. But we must reject amnesty if we ever expect that to happen. And that is why eliminating the amnesty provisions in this bill is the most compassionate, pro-immigrant thing we can do. Illegal immigrants should have to return home and get right with the law before being granted legal status.
Third, immigration reform must be a net plus for America, not a net loss. A merit-based point system is a good start but only if it is enacted in a timely manner. Our nation is already facing a fiscal crisis, and this bill will only worsen the situation by giving illegal immigrants access to government funded health benefits. In fairness to American taxpayers, Z-visa holders should have to maintain a minimum level of private health insurance to keep them off public assistance (Medicare and Medicaid) and out of emergency rooms.
Fourth, we must strengthen assimilation into the American melting pot. Congress must have the courage to declare English as our official language if we are going to be serious about assimilation. Also, Z-visa applicants should have to apply in English and show at least some level of English comprehension.
I have offered amendments to this bill in the Senate in an effort to fix it. I offered an amendment last week to strike the Z-visa provision. Unfortunately, a majority of the Senate voted against it in favor of amnesty. Next week, I will work with my colleagues to offer more amendments in the hope that we can salvage this bill.
Congress still has an opportunity to improve this bill, but we cannot pass a bill based on political promises alone. Americans are tired of their government offering only empty rhetoric. It is time we offered real solutions to this very real problem.
—Jim DeMint is a Republican United States senator from South Carolina.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1840655/posts
Do you realize if this AMNESTY happens we are in effect creating the equivilent of adding over 17 more states to this country? And that’s not even considering the chain migration that is in the Senate bill. Please look at what giving amnesty to as many as 20,000,000 illegal alien foreign nationals actually represents. More than the population of 16 states and DC!
According to the 2000 census, 18,785,867 is the total populations combined of Wyoming, Dist. of Columbia, Vermont, Alaska, North Dakota, South Dakota, Delaware, Montana, Rhode Island, Hawaii, New Hampshire, Maine, Idaho, Nebraska, West Virginia, New Mexico and Nevada.
THINK about that.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/usa/states/population.shtml
I hope that Senator DeMint and other patriotic, right-thinking leaders in Washington also begin to investigate how this amnesty bill will facilitate the legalization of thousands of terrorist-sympathesizing Muslim illegals, and allow these individuals to utilize the “rights” of citizenship to evade law enforcement.
I’ve been trying to track who we have in the Senate on our side. DeMint, Inhofe, Sessions, for sure. Not too sure about the others.
George Bush is doing to the Republican Party,
what Jimmy Carter did to the Democrat Party.
NO AMNESTY.
Clear concise and to the point. The bill is designed to fail what it purports to do and is just smoke and mirrors to deceive us.
This is how we are defeated without even firing a shot. Va-va-voom! Instant third world country! And no Paul Reveres need apply!!!!!
Tell President & Congress we want this Immigration LAWS in USA:e
Where is USA Law makers?
1. There will be no special bilingual programs in the
schools, no special ballots for elections, and all government business will be conducted in our language.
2. Foreigners will NOT have the right to vote, no matter how long they are here.
3. Foreigners will NEVER be able to hold political office.
4. Foreigners will not be a burden to the taxpayers. No
welfare, no food stamps, no health care, nor any other
government assistance programs.
5. Foreigners can invest in this country, but it must be an amount equal to 40,000 times the daily minimum wage.
6. If foreigners do come and want to buy land that will be okay. BUT options will be restricted. You are not allowed to own waterfront property. That property is reserved for citizensnaturally born into this country.
7. Foreigners may not protest; no demonstrations, no waving a foreign flag, no political organizing, no “bad-mouthing” our president or his policies. If you do you will be sent home.
8. If you do come to this country illegally, you will be hunted down and sent straight to jail.
Harsh, you say?...
The above laws happen to be the immigration laws of “MEXICO “!
But they come here want us to forget about our laws. Let a Us Citizen try in Mexico what Mexician are doing in USA.
I’m also curious how the calls are running at the Senate/House offices. When this bill was last discussed, I heard that incoming calls were 6:1 against amnesty, and even more so in conservative districts. I’ve been calling, and we all need to keep those calls coming.
And pretty much everywhere else except Canada and Europe.
I wonder what the link might be?
Yes, I thought this was one of the better breakdowns of the bill.
“Remember, we have been down this road before. In 1986 the government granted amnesty to over two million illegal immigrants and promised border security in return. All we got then was increased incentives for illegal immigration and a continually porous border.
We can and must do better. We owe it to the American people to responsibly reform this broken system based on principle, not politics. “
Dear Senator DeMint,
Jim, Jim, you are on the right track but this bill is NOT fixable. Just kill the dam thing and enforce the laws. No benefits....period....to non-citizens, legal or illegal. No anchor babies.
Seems pretty simple to me, why do you people have to make it so hard?
Regretfully, not an illegal alien
You're right. Laura Ingraham said it best, "ETL - ENFORCE THE LAWS!"
Thank you!
It's very comforting to see someone who agrees with what I've been saying for the last year.
The slimebags in Washington will figure out a way to get this POS to become law without the involvement of the Senate or the House of Reps.
In other words, we're mightily screwed unless we fight back.
Great article!
Sure it is.. Its the solution to the democrats electoral problems.. 20+ million plus brand new voting democrats solves many democrat problems..
The mystery is WHY would a republican administration be lobbying so hard FOR IT...
Republicans elbowing each other looking for traitors have totally overlooked the White House..
How stupid and ignorant does bush think we are? Something's up with this. Bush is both failing to help anyone see his point of view and attacking those who assert that they don't understand.
I've not seen this from him before.
Whatever the reason for these strange goings -on, the bill must NOT pass. I don't want to post what I think may happen if it does.
Coburn.
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