Posted on 06/14/2007 11:16:52 AM PDT by kristinn
A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.
The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.
Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.
Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:
Hi,
I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."
The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.
Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.
For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, “Operation Rollback,” assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.
As a reminder of what’s in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives
Yesterday I received correspondence from the RNC, asking me to participate in the 2007 Census of the Republican Party. It includes a survey form and a solicitation for a donation.
Please pass along this to anyone who will listen —
Not until the ‘Republicans’ in office, particularly those in the EXECUTIVE branch, (1) actually enforce our EXISTING immigration laws, (2) grow a spine and stand up [on a principled basis] to the Democrats, and (3) act like you are in this for US, not power and privilege/votes — will you see another DIME from me. I used to give each year to the allowable maximum. Not anymore.
Additionally the RNC had the amazing audacity to send me a solicitation letter asking if I had left the Republican Party. Until you recognize that **I** have not left my principles and values, but rather the RNC has become the Accommodating National Party, I will not donate to the RNC.
The President is right on national defense. He is right on taxes and most fiscal issues. He is completely wrong in his policies on working with the ‘kennedy’s’ of the Congress. His policies are dead wrong on ILLEGAL immigration.
Are the borders secure yet?
Thanks for the post. Next time you talk to them can you ask them when the Commander-in-Chief is going to dress down that little man from Nevada for making disparaging remarks about one of his senior officers? I’ll give Mr. Bush the benefit of the doubt that he’s unaware of the remark because his staff is out to lunch.
Yeah right.
All illegals are now LEGAL! There you go, problem solved, no more illegals.
Gosh that was easy.
/////SSSSSSAAAAARRRRCCCC
.
I have a reply for the White House:
http://www.archives.gov/national-archives-experience/charters/constitution_transcript.html
.
It is, IMHO, evident that many inside the Beltway in both parties were taken somewhat by surprise at the strength of the response to what was clearly regarded inside the Beltway as an entirely acceptable piece of legislation. The initial response was that the merits of that legislation were insufficiently communicated. It may be that the drawbacks were insufficiently communicated back the other direction, or perhaps misinterpreted by professionals whose business is it to interpret it. What may be done now to ameliorate the communications issues must take into account a level of mistrust that has resulted from this disconnect.
The level of mistrust is very real as may be seen on any immigration thread or practically any other thread that has been hijacked by well-meaning FReepers for whom this issue has become something of an idée fixe. The level of passion present is a direct result of the conviction that their representatives aren't listening to them and have no intention of doing so, and regard the problem as that they aren't listening to their representatives. That is a very dangerous situation for anyone who depends on re-election for a job.
(Sorry FReeper Dubya, had to do it. ;) )
Should they managed to cajole or blackmail the GOP in Congress into passing it, there are literlly millions of past GOP votes that will NEVER VOTE GOP again. And, they'll not contribute another dime.
Enforce the existing laws.
bttt
So what's the minimum? Zero?
Can I say (and fellow FReepers chime in please - as if you wouldn’t, LOL)
1) BUILD THE FENCE
2) DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS
3) FINE / PROSECUTE EMPLOYERS BREAKING THE LAW
4) INCREASE BORDER PATROL
5) CONTINUE LEGAL IMMIGRATION
This is the job we expect you to do. Thank you.
Yep. Although deporting all illegals may be impossible. I think a workable solution is deport all illegals who come into contact with law enforcement, even if it’s just for shooting firearms into the air on May 5.
Ditto to the Deaf in DC!
More like a Die Hard "Welcome to the party pal!" moment.
6) Don't forget, you work for US!
NOT ENOUGH. I want to see on the MSM every night—PICTURES OF THE COMPLETED FENCE. PICTURES OF PEOPLE BEING DEPORTED. PICTURES OF COMPANY OWNERS GOING TO JAIL, NOT JUST BEING FINED AMOUNTS OF MONEY THAT MEAN NOTHING TO THEM (”CHUMP CHANGE”). I WANT TO SEE RESULTS, NOT MORE PANDERING TO ILLEGALS WHO ARE TRYING TO TAKE OVER OUR COUNTRY WITH OUR PRESIDENT’S APPROVAL.
I really don’t feel like I’m asking for much. Less talk, more action!!!
In a nut shell. It is not rocket science. What the hell is so hard about this? I really don’t understand why the government refuses to enforce the laws which are already in place. It makes no sense.
What price do you put on Your Country? How much profit is enough? And at who’s expense? The hard working people of the US will pay the price for this.
I hope to hell that this bill doesn’t pass, but it isn’t looking good. They will, and are going to sugar coat the hell out of it. Hoping the sheeples out there are still sleeping. And a whole lot of them are.
Ignorance is Bliss......... For Now.
Since the White House clearly cares what we think here, perhaps the President should reconsider his current plans vis a vis his proposed comprehensive illegal immigration reforms. The current proposals, which offer broad concessions to those who have broken the law to arrive in this country in exchange for promises to do better in enforcement, is entirely unacceptable.
We've been down this road before. The benefits for the lawbreakers are given, and the enforcement mysteriously never happens, or goes away after a short time. We are not willing to accept such a plan again, and we will actively fight any attempt to pass such a bill.
Show us you mean business. Enforce the existing laws -- there are enough of them. Secure the borders and ports. This should have been an urgent national security issue and a top priority over five years ago, in the wake of the 9/11 attacks on our country. What good does it do to fight terrorism on the other side of the world when al-Queda can just walk across the border and get a Z visa?
The President's current stance damages his credibility and standing greatly. It harms the Republican party by association. But most importantly, it's wrong for America.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.