Stricter immigration rules on tap

WASHINGTON — The year's immigration reform debate started with a bang Wednesday, led by conservative lawmakers emphasizing law enforcement over legalization.

Striking early in the new Congress, the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is introducing a tough package that includes stronger national standards for driver's licenses and stricter rules for granting asylum. It's a measure with highlevel support.

"We need to strengthen our borders, reform our asylum laws, and improve national standards for driver's licenses," House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Tuesday in his inaugural speech of the 109th Congress. "The terrorists who attacked us did so by exploiting gaps in our border security system (and) by abusing our immigration laws. We must fill those gaps."

Upward of 100 lawmakers, including Mariposa Republican George Radanovich, have signed on to the legislation. The package fulfills a promise Judiciary Committee Chairman James Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., made last month after his preferred policies were dropped from an intelligence agency reform bill.

"We intend to move quickly on it," House Judiciary Committee spokesman Jeff Lungren said Tuesday. "We're going to finish this bill, and when we get this off the table, we can focus on other issues."

The bill would complete a three-mile gap in a fence along the United States-Mexico border near San Diego. It would allow federal agencies to accept only driver's licenses provided to those who have presented proof of legal U.S. residency. It would make it harder to appeal immigration decisions and easier for immigration judges to reject asylum applicants.

No doubt he's acting contrary to the will of the American people, but he's not the only official to do so. I have written many Rep's, Senators, previous presidents and ya always get these canned responses. I really try to be understanding, supportive of persons less fortunate, but there are too many illegals here to suck the juice of life out of our economy or criminals here to do you and I harm. There are many very hard working Mexican migrants and I certainly don't want to take anything away from these individuals, however the amount of illegals in the Texas prison system is staggering. The Harris county hospital district ate 380 million in indigent care for illegals last year who would not or could not pay for health care. That's Harris county ALONE!! Where in the sam hell does all that money come from? From the everyday Texas property owner. Not even to mention the WAR ON DRUGS!! What a sham. It has been studied over and over that if the borders were tightened up, drug interceptions sky rocket and prices of drugs follow because of the lack of supply. Users use less, due to the higher prices and lack of supply---boom! What's so hard to figure out. War on drugs--just another lie perpetuated on the American public to the tune of billions.

RE: Gov Lamm

I was most impressed with, "we are left with only tolerance and pluralism to hold us together."

I was most impressed with, "I would . . . make it taboo to talk about anything against the cult of 'diversity.' I would find a word similar to 'heretic' in the 16th century -- that stopped discussion and paralyzed thinking. Words like 'racist' or 'xenophobe' halt discussion and debate."

Fact is words like "racist" halted 20th century discussion and debate. No more stupid liberal tricks like that, please.

Yes, I know that Gov. Lamm said that old people have a duty to die and get out of the way. I believe he also suggested that it's OK to lie if it's to help the environment. Last I heard he's trying to get on the Sierra Club Board of Directors, I believe, to bring some sense to those so-called environmentalists about what unlimited immigration is doing to our environment.

But, despite all, the guy sure knows how to define the problem.

The real horror story is that the politicians do this every few years. If I'm not mistaken, Ronald Reagan gave millions of illegals Amnesty and Bill Clinton tried it, but it was quickly nixed. I will research this further, I don't want to post inaccurately but this is what my memory serves me. So the real story is how many illegals have been given Amnesty in a 20 year period? One would think the Dems would be doing this to widen there base, but as I just posted--it appears as if it's the Republicans in large part. The majority of Americans have never been to Mexico, never been to the border so it's kinda outta sight outta mind thing for them. I invite any and everyone to go, or at least do the research on the net. This problem is HUGE. Huge in terms of tax dollars, huge in terms of human suffering, huge in terms of drugs, huge in terms of sovereignty, huge in terms murders and all manner of criminal activity, huge in terms of homeland security. Just damn!

In my inbox this AM:

URGENT MESSAGE from CitizensLobby.com
From the Desk of Scott A. Lauf, Executive Director

January 7, 2005

Dear Friends of Citizens Lobby,

The 109th Congress has reconvened and Citizens Lobby is gearing up for a legislative showdown over amnesty legislation.

In the coming weeks, it is expected that liberal and moderate GOP members of Congress, along with many Democrats, will try to push through the House and Senate the White House's "Temporary Work Program" -- a disastrous proposal that, if enacted, will grant a 3-year amnesty to over ten million illegal aliens and also reward these lawbreakers with a path to permanent residency and citizenship.

In addition, this program would also allow hundreds of thousands of new foreign workers to enter our country and provide a new incentive for would-be illegal aliens -- and even terrorists! -- to sneak into the U.S.

While Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and his 71-member Immigration Reform Caucus will be fighting hard against this legislation, unfortunately they do not have the votes alone to defeat any proposed amnesty bill.

That is why grass-roots organizations like Citizens Lobby -- and Americans like you -- need to take action!

We plan to stop this proposed legislation before it even reaches the floors of Congress. But, we cannot do it without your help.

We need your support in order to persuade enough members of Congress to reject any and all proposed amnesty legislation. The polls show that we have the American people on our side, but currently we do not have the financial resources to fight this battle.

Please consider making a secure, on-line donation today.

Or you can send a check or money order payable to: CitizensLobby.com, 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #649, Washington, DC 20006

This will be an uphill battle. The well-funded pro-illegal alien lobby -- which is strong-arming Congress to pass amnesty -- constitutes over 400 left-wing and radical pro-immigration organizations. In addition, the foreign influence of the Mexican government (and numerous wealthy "corporate" interests that crave cheap labor) will be pushing amnesty as well.

Your support of Citizens Lobby will help push back the illegal alien lobby and foreign influence on Capitol Hill -- and ensure that your voice is heard.

Your support of Citizens Lobby will help us flood the offices of Congress with Petitions against amnesty.

Your support of Citizens Lobby will help us run ads in national newspapers and on the radio and via the internet against amnesty.

Finally, your support of Citizens Lobby will help us launch targeted fax blasts & letter writing campaigns against those undecided members of Congress who will be the swing votes on amnesty.

With this new session of Congress, the real threat of amnesty passing is greater now than at any other time since President Bush took office. With your help, I am confident we can win this battle.

Please stand with us today. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Scott A. Lauf, Executive Director, Citizens Lobby

P.S. Please help us stop amnesty and keep our efforts going by making a generous donation of $100, $50 or even $35 to Citizens Lobby. We will not be able continue our work without your support. Please make a safe and secure on-line donation today by Clicking Here! You can also send a check or money order payable to: CitizensLobby.com, 2020 Pennsylvania Ave. NW #649, Washington, DC 20006. Thank you.

P.S.S. Please forward this e-mail to friends and family who would be interested in supporting our efforts. Thank you.

** If you enjoy our Citizens Updates, please forward this e-mail to your friends and family. Thank you. **

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2020 Penns. Ave., NW #649
Washington, DC 20006

From post: "Private business reaps the benefit of "cheap labor" and everyone else pays the overhead. Everyone understands this and their voices are being heard in Congressional offices. There are articles now being written anticipating intra-party strife over the issue, I say bring it on. I could be wrong, but I personally believe if the Republicans [and they will have democrat allies on this one] force the issue on the president, he won't veto. Whether or not Bush genuinely believes in his "jobs Americans won't do" mantra, or is in thrall to the agribusiness, construction, landscaping interests, etc. or if El Presidente Fox has thirty-year-old pictures of him participating in the Tijuana donkey act, he would probably be grateful to yield to pressure and drop the matter entirely if backed to the wall."

"The oft-repeated rhetorical question of how do we expel 8, 10, 15 million illegals is a total red herring. If we enforce the law at crucial choke points: employers, schools, emergency rooms, DMV's, welfare offices, etc. the illegals will gradually deport themselves and wages will gradually find a new equilibrium. Of course, we all know damn well it is NOT impossible to efficiently control the border. A combination of physical barriers, sensors on the ground and in the sky, and aggressive patrolling where needed [God knows the locals in the border country know quite well where most of the influx is, it's a matter of listening to them and acting on their intelligence, duh]."

"An especilly good place to begin would be to focus on cracking down on criminal aliens. Establish programs to empower and train local law-enforcement to enable them to check for residency and arrest illegals. Withhold Federal dollars from cities with "sanctuary laws." Imagine the effect of being able to check for residency status of anyone so much as breaching the peace, let alone robbing, raping and murdering. I don't believe it would be a hard sell with the hispanic community [again, after all, who suffers the most from the "vida loca" types?], as opposed to the usual grant-funded hispanic "spokespersons"? "

_____

Good thoughts on the illegals issue - someone should send them to all the people in Congress working to block the illegals.

People need to keep giving opinions - if enough are heard from(between 60-70% of people are against the illegals) - President Bush wouldn't veto the bill - He would cause harm to his party if he did - and Republicans wouldn't be happy about that -

President Bush may be planning on heading home in 4 years - but plenty of Republicans want to remain in politics - He can't ignore that fact just to satify his love for illegals or big business, whatever the case -

President Bush needs to get out more - he does great on so many other important issue facing the nation but he's sadly lacking on the illegals issue - listening to all the wrong voices. Illegal immigration is doing harm to this nation and he doesn't seem to be able to see how much -

And like here at home - where borders 'can' be controlled - the same goes for Iraq. What is it about borders that the Bush admin. doesn't get? Does it have to do with the new world order - who is calling the shots? Is President Bush being shielded that much that he really doesn't know the harm being done all across America by these illegals?

Perhaps people should send e-mails to the White House - in mass - should get someone's attention -

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