I sent a letter to Senator Allen about the President's AMNESTY PROGRAM for ILLEGALS.
When you read his response to my letter you may change your mind about supporting him for President in 2008.
This is the text of Senator Allen's letter:
Thank you for contacting me regarding President Bush’s immigration proposal. I appreciate your concerns and value your input.
As you may know, President Bush has proposed a new temporary worker program for new foreign workers and undocumented men and women currently employed in the United States. The President’s plan would allow new immigrants to enter the country as long as they obtain jobs through a government-run database. This database must offer jobs first to U.S. citizens then to temporary workers. In addition, foreign workers would be legal for three years and then could renew their status at least once. Under this proposal, all undocumented workers now in the United States will have to pay a fine, while new workers who enter this country under the proper legal means will be exempt. At the end of the term of employment, workers would either return to their home countries or be eligible to begin the application process for legal U.S. status.
I have always maintained that the strength of the U.S. comes, in part, from diversity; it is a land of freedom and opportunity, but I also believe one must access this opportunity through legal channels. Many people, including my mother, came to this country through the established legal means so they could live the American Dream. I do not believe our immigration policy should reward individuals who enter the system illegally by granting them taxpayer-paid welfare and health benefits, while those who follow the proper legal process wait. For those people who want to work in the U.S., I support effective guest worker permits such as H-1B visas for technology workers or similar visas for agricultural workers.
I understand the many concerns that individuals have with this proposal. Like you, I do not support amnesty for illegal immigrants. Amnesty rewards the undocumented population with an automatic path to citizenship. Under the President’s plan, temporary workers must return home after their status expires, or apply for a green card under existing law, unlike the blanket amnesty granted in 1986. Furthermore, this program does not give preferential treatment to participants in the temporary program if they apply for a green card. These individuals will have to get in line behind those who are already waiting.
What President Bush outlined is simply a proposal. The next step will be a legislative version being introduced in Congress. Please be assured that I will thoroughly review any legislative proposals put forward and that I will keep your thoughtful comments in mind.
While Governor of Virginia, I proposed a plan entitled Virginia’s Jobs for Virginia’s Workers, which curbed illegal immigration and welfare dependency. Under this agreement, INS agents identify workers who are in the country and employed illegally. After the agents remove suspected illegal immigrants from a work site, officials notify State social service administrators who then provide the employer with a pool of welfare recipients to fill the vacant spot.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (http://allen.senate.gov). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.
With warm regards, I remain
Sincerely,
Senator George Allen
Agree.
The immigration plan sounds good to me. They would not be taking jobs ahead of Americans, and they would not jump ahead in the line for citizenship. If it sounds fair to Mexicans they will increasingly vote Republican. We end up with hard workers (lazy and non-risk takers will not bother to leave their home to go to the US) and strong family catholics coming to the US. It sounds like a win-win to me.