"PRESIDENT Wants to GRANT AMNESTY to 4 Million ILLEGAL Aliens"Posted on 03/17/2002 7:41:17 PM PST by Uncle Bill
"PRESIDENT Wants to GRANT AMNESTY to 4 Million ILLEGAL Aliens"
THE REAGAN INFORMATION INTERCHANGE - Michael Reagan
U.S. Senate
FR Source
October 29, 2000
Mr. HATCH. Mr. President, I rise to make some points that need to be made at the end of the session.
Here we are, running right up against election time, and we are being held hostage because the President of the United States wants to grant amnesty to up to 4 million illegal aliens, people who haven't played by the rules, haven't paid the price, who literally want to jump over those who have played by the rules and who belong here--this blanket amnesty all for the purpose of politics.
In fact, I heard one of the leading Democrats say: Boy, Telemundo and all of the Hispanic newspapers are really playing this up.
Well, that might be true in the Hispanic media, but I think Hispanic people in this country want fairness above everything else. I think they know what is going on here. They know darn well they are being played, and they are being played in a vicious way.
I once again urge President Clinton not to veto the Commerce-Justice-State appropriations bill the Senate passed on Friday.
President Clinton has threatened a veto because we did not include his so-called Latino Fairness Act. But we have included something much better than his Latino Fairness Act: the Legal Immigration Family Equity Act, the LIFE Act.
This act reunites families and restores due process to those who have played by the rules. Our proposal does not pit one nationality against another, nor does it pit one race against another. Our legislation provides relief to immigrants from all countries, not just special countries. A veto of CJS would be a blow against immigrant fairness. But a veto would do far more than that.
A veto would cut off funding for some of our most important programs. The CJS appropriation allocates $4.8 billion for the Immigration and Naturalization Service and an additional $15.7 million for Border Patrol equipment upgrades. It provides $3.3 billion for the FBI and $221 million for training, equipment, and research and development programs to combat domestic terrorism. We are not playing around here. This is important stuff. I don't think it is right to be playing politics with the lives of immigrants at the end of the session just to obtain some cheap political advantage.
There is $4.3 billion allocated for the Federal prison system in CJS. That is money we need to run the prison system and to treat people with due process. Then we have $1.3 billion for the Drug Enforcement Administration. This is critical to our fight against illegal drugs in this country. There is $288 million for the Violence Against Women Act. That is legislation that I have strongly supported and that provides assistance to battered women and children through a variety of different programs.
Actions have consequences. If President Clinton vetoes this bill, he is putting the public safety and well-being at risk both at home and abroad, all in an effort to play wedge politics. The President's veto threats ring hollow because this appropriations bill provides many proposals to help immigrants. The President himself has stated he wants to `keep families together and to make our immigration policies more equitable.'
This is exactly what our LIFE Act that we have in the appropriations bill does. Had the White House proposed this during President Clinton's first 7 years in office, he might have been able to develop a mandate to grant amnesty to millions of undocumented aliens, aliens who have broken our laws. But no such mandate exists.
The American people need to know that the INS, the FBI, and the Border Patrol are being brought to the brink of a shutdown because President Clinton wants Congress to grant amnesty for up to 4 million illegal aliens, people who haven't played by the rules.
When we fought the H-1B legislation on the floor, many on the other side pointed out the difficulties of legal immigrant families. They pointed out that children needed to be reunited with their parents, that spouses needed to be reunited with their husbands and wives. I said I would try to do something about that.
We realized there was a problem with the late amnesty class of 1982 who qualified for residency under the 1986 Act. We said we would try to do something about that, and the LIFE Act does. The American people are a fair people. The LIFE Act will take care of 1 million people who either don't have due process or who need to be reunited with their families. It takes care of them first rather than granting amnesty to up to 4 million illegal people who haven't played by the rules, which is what the President wants to do. Fairness dictates that we not grant amnesty to millions of illegal aliens when there are 3.5 million people who have played by the rules waiting to come to the United States. The President should remember this inequitable proposal and reconsider what he wants to do here.
Let me say a couple of other things. I have even let the White House know that to determine if there are further inequities we will hold hearings right after we come back at the first of the year, and we will find out what needs to be done to restructure INS, if necessary, to make sure they treat people with more respect. We will consider these people who President Clinton would like to help. But most of them are here illegally and without further information, we think they should not be jumped above or in front of these people who aren't here illegally or who have been waiting in line to be reunited with their families.
We brought both sides together in this LIFE Act and brought a variety of different people into this. But there are some people who don't want any immigration to our country. They may live in States that are overrun with illegal immigrants; at least some of them do. Others don't seem to care about any rules, and I suspect the President is in that category. But we have brought these people together in the LIFE Act to resolve the problems that were mentioned during the H-1B debate. By gosh, I think it is time for the President to sign this bill and get about doing the Nation's business. He should quit playing wedge politics with these issues that are highly inflammable and about which he can blame people in illegitimate and wrongful ways.
I have worked very hard, along with a number of others, to bring this about in a way that is equitable, fair, and takes care of those who first need to be taken care of, with promises to hold hearings to see if there are any others who need the help and fairness that we can grant. That is the best we can do this year. That is the best we can do at the end of this session. It is the best we can do in bringing people together.
I think we have done a good job getting it done, and I hope the President will go along with our proposal so we can continue funding the INS, the Border Patrol, the FBI, training and equipment research and development programs to combat domestic terrorism, the Federal prison system, and the Drug Enforcement Administration. We must enact the CJS Appropriations into law because it funds things that are absolutely critical to this country. Moreover, it makes it possible for 1 million people to get permanent residency, people who have been waiting in line, have paid the price, and played by the rules.
This is a front-page issue in the Hispanic media, but most Americans don't know what the President is trying to do because the mainstream media is not reporting this issue. The American people need to know what is going on here. I think it is a crass approach to play wedge politics at the end of this session, holding us hostage so we can't get home and campaign and do what we need to do. Right now, I would much rather be home in Utah than here in Washington. But as long as we have to be here, I am going to make these points to try to help all immigrants, including Hispanics to receive fair treatment by the INS and by our immigration policies.
I am a cochairman of the Republican Senatorial Hispanic Task Force. I started it a number of years ago to make sure Hispanics are treated fairly and that Hispanic issues are given the attention they deserve. We have done an awful lot in this area, and I think the LIFE Act is a very good piece of legislation that will take us far down the road. Additionally, we have made a promise to hold hearings next year to see if there are any other inequities that need to be remedied. We will be glad to do that.
We have 535 Members of Congress and a wide variety of viewpoints. I think we have brought them together in a way that will work and solve some of these problems.
I yield the floor.
Bush says he won't legalize immigrants
George W. Bush in Tune With The American People on Immigration
George W. Bush: No Amnesty for Immigrants - "There's going to be no amnesty"
Bush blasts anti-immigrant forces .....wants more immigration
Democrats hail Bush's immigrant-amnesty plan
Bush's gift to Fox (Amnesty for illegals) Passes House
Note: PRESIDENT FOX GUARDING NARCO-HEN HOUSE
Tancredo doubts he can block amnesty-extension bill
Congress OKs Amnesty for Illegal Aliens {ITS PAYS TO BREAK AMERICA LAWS}
Immigration Amnesty Passes House
White House Shifts on Welfare Law; Food Stamps for Legal Immigrants
Bush calls for relaxed immigration rules: 7-10-2001
"If we can find a way to move illegal immigrants into legal channels, we would enable the border patrol to focus on the bad guys coming across the border rather than the people coming across to work."
James Ziglar (1-202-514-1900)
Bush Nominates J.W. Ziglar To Head INS
INS Website: Their Mission
Maintains control of U.S. borders. The Border Patrol is responsible for securing the 8,000 miles of international boundaries in vehicles, aircraft, or boats, as well as on horseback or on foot.
Identifies and removes people who have no lawful immigration status in the United States. The INS also works with other Federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to uphold the laws of the United States. Source
George W. Bush and James Ziglar Still Support Amnesty and Section 245(i)
'Arab terrorists' crossing border: Middle Eastern illegals find easy entrance into U.S. from Mexico
"You're either with us or against us in the fight against terror."
George W. Bush - Source
"Latinos come to the US to seek the same dreams that have inspired millions of others: they want a better life for their children. Family values do not stop at the Rio Grande. Latinos enrich our country with faith in God, a strong ethic of work, community & responsibility. We can all learn from the strength, solidarity, & values of Latinos. Immigration is not a problem to be solved, it is the sign of a successful nation. New Americans are to be welcomed as neighbors and not to be feared as strangers."
George W. Bush - Source: Speech in Washington, D.C. Jun 26, 2000
INS Releases 35,318 Criminal Aliens
"U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) estimate that 11,605 – or roughly one-third of those released by the INS – went on to commit serious crimes including 1,845 violent crimes."
The Freeple sheeple would have marched on Washington a few years ago..
If illegal aliens get "amnesty," the entire federal government has no "legitimacy." When was the last time you heard of Washington giving native-born Americans "amnesty" - on a tax lien or anything else?
IMMIGRATION resource library: public-health facts, court decisions, local INS numbers!
A family member Border Patrol tells of a change in rules on Illegals since bush came in..they may no longer go looking for them in the desert as they sneak in. They now sit at checkpoints ..and should a dumb illegal cross their path they may only chase for one mile..
That ladies and gentlemen is post 9/11 border security
How very insulting, to a website you 'claim' to be part of.........interesting!
Nope just an observation..the watch dog is dead..the "Fox" is in the henhouse and no one barks ...
It does not make me happy..I am a conservative...
WE put him in there and we can take him out. It's time to show Bush the door.
"Indeed, during the immigration debate of 1984 we suggested an ultimate goal to guide passing policies--a constitutional amendment: "There shall be open borders." - July 2, 2001 - ROBERT L. BARTLEY - Editor of The Wall Street Journal
"Another amnesty for undocumented aliens is already in the air"
Today the Alien problem is bigger than ever, so another Amnesty "solution" will just make the problem worse.
Boy, I hope not. Just close it down. Like most of the rest, it's a useless criminal enterprise.
INS Releases 35,318 Criminal Aliens
Corrupt under Clinton. Corrupt under Bush.
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