Hispanic Leaders Call Latest Immigration Bill 'A Step Backward'

Hispanic Leaders Call Latest Immigration Bill 'A Step Backward'
June 20, 2007
By Hildy Medina

The bipartisan immigration bill being considered by the U.S. Senate would force thousands of immigrants to live in legal limbo for years and strip immigrants of their civil liberties, leaders of several Hispanic advocacy groups said Wednesday.

The proposed legislation would offer a path to citizenship for immigrants, expand a temporary-worker program, strengthen border security and limit family visas to immigrants with advanced skills, education and English fluency. But Hispanic rights advocates said in a telephone conference call Wednesday that the bill is too punitive and has no realistic timelines for creating a path to citizenship.

"As it stands right now, it's just an unacceptable piece of legislation. I don't know that there's any way to fix this thing," said Gabriela Lemus, executive director of the Labor Council for Latin American Advancement."

The news conference, which was hosted by the National Latino Congreso, comes nearly two weeks after the Senate failed to pass an immigration bill that has drawn both praise and criticism from Democrats and Republicans, as well as Hispanic leaders and immigrant advocacy groups. Senate leaders say they plan to revisit the proposed immigration legislation before July 4.

Some Hispanic leaders called the legislation a step backward because of provisions that would, for example, limit judicial review of legalization cases and make it extremely expensive to become a legal resident.

"Those (immigrants) who cannot show proof of continuous employment, who are unable to score high in the point system, will have to come up with $20,000," said Pablo Alvarado, executive director of the National Day Laborer Organizing Network. "I cannot go and ask people to support this bill."

Some Hispanic rights advocates, such as Ms. Lemus, said the bill doesn't address a "broken immigration system," and instead is too heavily focused on beefing up border security.

"Of the $4.4 billion that is supposedly going into the bill, most of it is for security of the border," she said.

Hispanic leaders agreed that something needs to be done about the undocumented immigration population that is currently here, but something also needs to be done to correct a "broken system" that would stop creating more undocumented immigration into the U.S.

"The enforcement provisions, the stripping of due process and assigning 200,000 new border patrol agents to the border without a real plan is just a bad idea," said Brent Wilkes, executive director of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "This whole bill really focuses so much on fences, raids, restrictions on due process and civil liberties rather than trying to address the root causes of migration. I think it's important for us to walk away from this bill and ask Congress to come back and take a fresh start."

Not all Hispanic leaders agree the latest immigration legislation, proposed by Sens. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and Jon Kyl, R- Ariz., should be scrapped. Some Hispanic advocacy and immigration groups support the proposed bill, and were visibly rattled when it appeared the legislation was dead earlier this month. Over the weekend, President Bush encouraged Hispanic backers of the legislation to speak up.

In response, some participants of Wednesday's news conference believe the Hispanic support comes from the belief that a bad bill is better than no bill.

"Most of the organizations, if not all of the organizations, agree that there are some very bad components to this bill," said Lillian Rodriguez-Lopez, president of the Hispanic Federation and an opponent of the bill. "Other groups believe that when the bill moves out of the Senate and goes into the House, that in the House it can be repaired."

Ms. Rodriguez-Lopez said she doesn't believe the bill can be changed in the House.

"It has too many pieces that are majorly flawed," she said. "I want to see a path to legalization, I want to see a temporary guest-worker program. These are the broad categories that you need to address, but when you get to the fine print there are just too many things that will not work and are harmful and hurtful."

HereÂ’s a list of key Senate contacts for EVERYONE to email regarding immigration. Many offices are putting calls straight to voicemail and they can just trash faxes (and letters take weeks to get through due to security). LetÂ’s hit Hill staff where they are so codependent - their Blackberries. Send email directly to staff - not just the generic SenatorÂ’s mailbox. Contact their Chief of Staff, Legislative Director, and Press Secretary. Make your voice heard!!

Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) Chief of Staff tom_ingram@alexander.senate.gov

Legislative Director
david_morgenstern@alexander.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
scot_montrey@alexander.senate.gov
llee_pitts@alexander.senate.gov

Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO)
Chief of Staff
sean_conway@allard.senate.gov

Legislative Director
charles_cogar@allard.senate.gov

Communications Director
laura_condeluci@allard.senate.gov

Press Secretary
steve_wymer@allard.senate.gov

Senator Robert Bennett (R-UT)
Chief of Staff
maryjane_collipriest@bennett.senate.gov

Legislative Director
mark_morrison@bennett.senate.gov

Press Secretary
emily_christensen@bennett.senate.gov

Senator Christopher “Kit” Bond (R-MO)
Chief of Staff
brian_klippenstein@bond.senate.gov

Legislative Director
kara_smith@bond.senate.gov

Communications Director
shana_marchio@bond.senate.gov

Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS)
Chief of Staff
glen_chambers@brownback.senate.gov

Domestic Policy Advisor
brian_robertson@brownback.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
john_rankin@brownback.senate.gov
brian_hart@brownback.senate.gov

Senator Jim Bunning (R-KY)
Chief of Staff
blake_brickman@bunning.senate.gov

Legislative Director
kim_dean@bunning.senate.gov

Press Secretary
mike_reynard@bunning.senate.gov

Senator Richard Burr (R-NC)
Chief of Staff
alicia_peterson-clark@burr.senate.gov
alicia_peterson-petersonclark@burr.senate.gov

Legislative Director
natasha_hickman@burr.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
laura_caudell@burr.senate.gov
mark_williams@burr.senate.gov

Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
Chief of Staff
charlie_harmon@chambliss.senate.gov

Legislative Director – Monty Philpot
monty_philpot@chambliss.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
annelaurie_waters@chambliss.senate.gov
angie_lundberg@Chambliss.Senate.gov
Lindsay_mabry@chambliss.senate.gov

Senator Thad Cochran (R-MS)
Chief of Staff
jenny_manley@cochran.senate.gov

Legislative Director
ta_hawks@cochran.senate.gov

Press Secretary
margaret_wicker@cochran.senate.gov
Margaret_mcphillips@cochran.senate.gov

Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN)
Chief of Staff
jennifer_lowe@coleman.senate.gov

Deputy Chief of Staff
lucia_lebens@coleman.senate.gov

Legislative Director
lorianne_moss@coleman.senate.gov

Communications Director
tom_steward@coleman.senate.gov
tom_stewart@coleman.senate.gov

Press Secretary
leroy_coleman@coleman.senate.gov

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME)
Chief of Staff
steve_abbott@collins.senate.gov

Deputy Chief of Staff
marybeth_carozza@collins.senate.gov

Legislative Director
jane_alonso@collins.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
elissa_davidson@collins.senate.gov
jen_burita@collins.senate.gov
Kevin_kelley@collins.senate.gov

Senator Bob Corker (R-TN)
Chief of Staff
todd_womack@corker.senate.gov

Legislative Director
paul_palagyi@corker.senate.gov

Press Secretary
laura_lefler@corker.senate.gov

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX)
Chief of Staff
peter_olson@cornyn.senate.gov

Legislative Director
russ_thomasson@cornyn.senate.gov

Counsel
chip_roy@judiciary.senate.gov
matthew_johnson@judiciary.senate.gov
ramona_mcgee@judiciary.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
brian_walsh@cornyn.senate.gov
don_stewart@cornyn.senate.gov
john_drogin@cornyn.senate

Senator Larry Craig (R-ID)
Chief of Staff
mike_ware@craig.senate.gov

Legislative Director
brooke_roberts@craig.senate.gov

Senior Policy Advisor
travis_jones@craig.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
dan_whiting@craig.senate.gov

Senator Michael Crapo (R-ID)
Chief of Staff
peter_fischer@crapo.senate.gov
pete_fischer@crapo.senate.gov

Legislative Director
kenneth_flanz@crapo.senate.gov

Senior Policy Advisor
staci_lancaster@crapo.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
susan_wheeler@crapo.senate.gov

Senator Jim DeMint (R-SC)
Chief of Staff
bret_bernhardt@demint.senate.gov

Legislative Director
matt_hoskins@demint.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
wesley_denton@demint.senate.gov

Senator Elizabeth Dole (R-NC)
Chief of Staff
greg_gross@dole.senate.gov

Legislative Director
al_garesche@dole.senate.gov

General Counsel
ryan_meyers@dole.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
katie_norman@dole.senate.gov

Senator Pete Domenici (R-NM)
Chief of Staff
steve_bell@domenici.senate.gov

Legislative Director
edward_hild@domenici.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
chris_gallegos@domenici.senate.gov

Immigration LA
tara_shaw@domenici.senate.gov

Senator John Ensign (R-NV)
Chief of Staff
john_lopez@ensign.senate.gov

Legislative Director
pam_thiessen@ensign.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
tory_mazzola@ensign.senate.gov
jack_finn@ensign.senate.gov
don_tatro@ensign.senate.gov

Senator Michael Enzi (R-WY)
Chief of Staff
flip_mcconnaughey@enzi.senate.gov

Legislative Director
randi_reid@enzi.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
coy_knobel@enzi.senate.gov
elly_pickett@enzi.senate.gov

Immigration LA
wendy_gnehm@enzi.senate.gov

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
Chief of Staff
richard_perry@lgraham.senate.gov

Legislative Director
Jennifer_olson@lgraham.senate.gov
jen_olson@lgraham.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
wes_hickman@lgraham.senate.gov
kevin_bishop@lgraham.senate.gov

Senator Charles Grassley (R-IA)
Chief of Staff
david_young@grassley.senate.gov

Legislative Director
kolan_davis@grassley.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
jill_kozney@grassley.senate.gov
beth_pellett_levine@grassley.senate.gov

Senator Judd Gregg (R-NH)
Chief of Staff
joel_maiola@gregg.senate.gov

Legislative Director
nancy_perkins@gregg.senate.gov

General Counsel
christopher_gahan@gregg.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
erin_rath@gregg.senate.gov

Senator Chuck Hagel (R-NE)
Chief of Staff
louann_linehan@hagel.senate.gov

Legislative Director
paul_kong@hagel.senate.gov

General Counsel
steve_taylor@hagel.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
mike_buttry@hagel.senate.gov
Jordan_stark@hagel.senate.gov

Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
Chief of Staff
patricia_knight@hatch.senate.gov

Legislative Director
jace_johnson@hatch.senate.gov

Deputy LD
chris_campbell@hatch.senate.gov

Counsel
bill_castle@hatch.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
peter_carr@hatch.senate.gov

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
Chief of Staff
marc_short@hutchison.senate.gov

Legislative Director
matthew_acock@hutchison.senate.gov
james_christoferson@hutchison.senate.gov
Press Secretary/Communications Director
jamie_loftus@hutchison.senate.gov
geoff_embler@hutchison.senate.gov

General Counsel
beto_cardenas@hutchison.senate.gov

Senator James Inhofe (R-OK)
Chief of Staff
glenn_powell@inhofe.senate.gov

Legislative Director
aloysius_hogan@inhofe.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
ryan_thompson@inhofe.senate.gov

Immigration LA
john_bonsell@inhofe.senate.gov

Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
Chief of Staff
heath_garrett@isakson.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
glee_smith@isakson.senate.gov

Senior LA
michael_quiello@isakson.senate.gov

Senior Policy Advisor/Communications Director
joan_kirchner@isakson.senate.gov

Senator Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
Chief of Staff
tim_glazewski@kyl.senate.gov

Legislative Director
elizabeth_maier@kyl.senate.gov

Chief Counsel
stephen_higgins@judiciary.senate.gov

Judiciary Counsel
joe_matal@judiciary.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
lucy_murfitt@kyl.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
andrew_wilder@kyl.senate.gov

Senator Trent Lott (R-MS)
Chief of Staff
bret_boyles@lott.senate.gov

Legislative Director
jim_sartucci@lott.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
susan_irby@lott.senate.gov
nick_simpson@lott.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
hugh_gamble@lott.senate.gov

National Security Advisor
mitch_waldman@lott.senate.gov

Senator Richard Lugar (R-IN)
Chief of Staff
marty_morris@lugar.senate.gov

Legislative Director
chris_geeslin@lugar.senate.gov

Deputy LD
joe_oÂ’donnell@lugar.senate.gov

Senior LA
shellie_bressler@lugar.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
andy_fisher@lugar.senate.gov

Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)
Chief of Staff
john_little@martinez.senate.gov

Legislative Director
michael_zehr@martinez.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
ken_lundberg@martinez.senate.gov

Senator John McCain (R-AZ)
Chief of Staff
vacant

Legislative Director
ann_begeman@mccain.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
eileen_mcmenamin@mccain.senate.gov
andrea_jones@mccain.senate.gov

Counsel
lee_dunn@mccain.senate.gov

Senior LA
chris_paul@mccain.senate.gov

Judiciary LA
joe_donoghue@mccain.senate.gov

Foreign Affairs LA
richard_fontaine@mccain.senate.gov

Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY)
Chief of Staff
billy_piper@mcconnell.senate.gov

Legislative Director
scott_raab@mcconnell.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
robert_steurer@mcconnell.senate.gov
julie_adams@mcconnell.senate.gov

Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
Chief of Staff
donna_murray@murkowski.senate.gov

Legislative Director
isaac_edwards@murkowski.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
danielle_holland@murkowski.senate.gov
kristin_pugh@murkowski.senate.gov

Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS)
Chief of Staff
jackie_cottrell@roberts.senate.gov

Legislative Director
mike_seyfert@roberts.senate.gov

Deputy LD
jennifer_swenson@roberts.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
sarah_little@roberts.senate.gov
molly_mueller@roberts.senate.gov

Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
Chief of Staff
rick_dearborn@sessions.senate.gov

Legislative Director
alan_hanson@sessions.senate.gov

Chief Counsel
cindy_hayden@sessions.senate.gov

Deputy Counsel
charles_campbell@sessions.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
michael_brumas@sessions.senate.gov
emily_mathis@sessions.senate.gov

Senator Richard Shelby (R-AL)
Chief of Staff
vacant

Legislative Director
laura_friedel@shelby.senate.gov

Office Manager
anne_caldwell@shelby.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
katie_boyd@shelby.senate.gov

Senator Gordon Smith (R-OR)
Chief of Staff
john_easton@gsmith.senate.gov

Legislative Director
rob_epplin@gsmith.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
rc_hammond@gsmith.senate.gov

Other Key Aides
beth_stewart@gsmith.senate.gov
dan_knezevic@gsmith.senate.gov
lori_prater@gsmith.senate.gov

Senator Olympia Snowe (R-ME)
Chief of Staff
john_richter@snowe.senate.gov

Legislative Director
ray_krncevic@snowe.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
jake_ward@snowe.senate.gov
david_snepp@snowe.senate.gov

Senior Policy Advisor
ginny_worrest@snowe.senate.gov

Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA)
Chief of Staff
scott_hoeflich@specter.senate.gov

Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director
thomas_dower@specter.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
seema_singh@specter.senate.gov
seema_singh@judiciary.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
vacant

Senator Ted Stevens (R-AK)
Chief of Staff
george_lowe@stevens.senate.gov
Legislative Director
karina_waller@stevens.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
aaron_saunders@stevens.senate.gov
courtney_boone@stevens.senate.gov
steven_wackowski@stevens.senate.gov

Senator John Sununu (R-NH)
Chief of Staff
paul_collins@sununu.senate.gov

Legislative Director
mike_oÂ’rielly@sununu.senate.gov
michael_oÂ’reilly@sununu.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
barbara_riley@sununu.senate.gov

Senator Craig Thomas (R-WY)
seat is currently vacant due to Senator Thomas’ death.

Senator John Thune (R-SD)
Chief of Staff
m_zabel@thune.senate.gov
matthew_zabel@thune.senate.gov

Legislative Director
david_schwietert@thune.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
kyle_downey@thune.senate.gov
jessica_ferguson@thune.senate.gov

Senator David Vitter (R-LA)
Chief of Staff
kyle_ruckert@vitter.senate.gov

Legislative Director
tonya_newman@vitter.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
wendy_fleming@vitter.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
joel_digrado@vitter.senate.gov
mac_abrams@vitter.senate.gov

Senator George Voinovich (R-OH)
Chief of Staff
phil_park@voinovich.senate.gov

Counsel
george_callas@voinovich.senate.gov
doug_dziak@voinovich.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
chris_paulitz@voinovich.senate.gov

Senator John Warner (R-VA)
Chief of Staff
ann_loomis@warner.senate.gov

Legislative Director
chris_yianilos@warner.senate.gov

Legislative Counsel
angela_stewart@warner.senate.gov

Senior LA
conrad_schatte@warner.senate.gov

Press Secretary/Communications Director
john_ullyot@warner.senate.gov

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STAGE TWO is to go after the people who hire illegals. Start giving them fines and arresting them. Just catch ten or 100 of them on the nightly news. The magnet will dry up and most of the 12 million will go home by themselves.

As an addendum, we should anonymously call the IRS, people working "off the books" means taxes ain't being paid. Make anonymous fliers and hang them around the neighborhood, name names. It's time to embarrass these bustards, whether they give to the GOP or Rats, we don't need them.