Thread: FAIR Latest News Releases

From: Federation for American Immigration Reform Date: 2006/06/12 Mon PM 04:37:19 EDT
Subject: FAIR Legislative Update 6-12-2006

Latest News Releases

Top Ten Worst Provisions of the Senate Amnesty Bill
(June 9, 2006)

FAIR Congratulates Brian Bilbray on His Return to Congress
(June 7, 2006)

Latest Version of Our Side by Side Comparison of Immigration Legislation (PDF)
(June 6, 2006)


Check out our Stein Report for the latest immigration news and information!

June 12, 2006


In this update:
No Word Yet On Immigration Conference
House Passes Immigration Related Amendments to the DHS Appropriations Bill
House Immigration, Border Security and Claims Subcommittee Hold Hearing on Better Security for Travel in Western Hemisphere
Immigration Legislation Introduced to Mirror Mexico's Immigration Policies
New Cosponsors of Key Bills
Recent Floor Statements
Press Releases
No Word Yet On Immigration Conference
Little action has been taken on Capitol Hill towards convening a conference committee to meld the Senate's guest worker amnesty bill with the House's enforcement-only bill. The House has not appointed conferees, while the Senate has remained quiet as to who the remaining conferees from their chamber will be. Aides on Capitol Hill believe that conferees will be selected sometime this month. FAIR will alert you when conferees are appointed and the schedule for the conference committee is determined.

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House Passes Immigration Related Amendments to the DHS Appropriations Bill
Last week, the House passed the fiscal year 2007 spending bill for the Department of Homeland Security. As the bill was debated on the House Floor, several Members offered immigration related amendments to the bill. A list of the adopted amendments follows:

Stupak - Increases funding (by offset) for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $5 million.
King (IA) - Increases funding (by offset) for Immigration and Customs Enforcement by $2 million.
Marshall - Increases funding (by offset) for the employment verification program under USCIS by $20 million.
King (IA) - Prevents state and local governments who refuse to share information with federal immigration authorities by adopting "sanctuary policies" from obtaining federal funds under this act.
Kingston - Prohibits the department from using funds in the bill to provide a foreign government with information relating to the operations or location of the Minutemen or other private border patrol groups along the U.S.-Mexican border in California, Arizona, New Mexico or Texas, unless the information sharing is required by an international treaty.
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House Immigration, Border Security and Claims Subcommittee Hold Hearing on Better Security for Travel in Western Hemisphere
On Thursday, June 8, 2006, the Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims held an oversight hearing on the need for implementing the 9/11 Commission's call to increase security for travel in the Western Hemisphere. The 9/11 Commission Report states, "Americans should not be exempt from carrying biometric passports or otherwise enabling their identities to be securely verified when they enter the United States; nor should Canadians or Mexicans. . . . The current system enables non-U.S. citizens to gain entry by showing minimal identification. The 9/11 experience shows that terrorists study and exploit America's vulnerabilities." [page 388]

The hearing examined the 2004 Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act requirement for better document security standards for travel within the Western Hemisphere by eliminating the so-called "Western Hemisphere Exemption" that currently allows travel to and from the U.S. within the Western Hemisphere without needing a passport. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require all travelers within the Western Hemisphere to have a passport or another accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the U.S. Currently U.S. citizens returning from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Bermuda and Central and South America are able to enter the U.S. by providing proof of nationality, such as a birth certificate, and a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license. DHS has a January 2008 deadline to implement the WHTI.

For more information on the hearing CLICK HERE

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Immigration Legislation Introduced to Mirror Mexico's Immigration Policies
Representative John Linder (R-GA) introduced legislation last week titled the "U.S. General Population Act." Through the accompanying statement issued by his office, Congressman Linder said: The question of immigration will, in my opinion, become the defining issue of the next generation. Unfortunately, the debate over securing our borders and protecting the interests of our citizens is too often demonized by the opposition and turned into an ugly accusation of racism. For this reason, I have introduced the U.S. General Population Act, a bill designed to align the immigration laws of the United States with those of Mexico. This bill simply reflects the same immigration restrictions implemented by Mexico with the same consequences for those in violation.

The Congressman's statement continued by setting forth the provisions of the U.S. General Population Act:

Requires the Department of Homeland Security to regulate our laws toward the goal of full assimilation for legal immigrants into a U.S. culture.
Strengthens the government's ability to regulate the entry into and exit from the United States, whether through land, water, or air transportation.
Affords legal immigrants the ability to become permanent residents after five years in the United States.
Allows for the full registration of all foreign nationals in the United States.
Reinforces a prohibition on illegal entry into the United States.
Increases penalties for violations of immigration law, including stiffer fines and time in prison for repeat offenders or human traffickers.
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New Cosponsors of Key Bills

The following members signed on to good immigration legislation this past week. If your legislators are listed, please use the phone numbers provided to thank them for supporting good legislation. Follow the links below to learn more about these bills.

Thank these members for supporting good reform legislation!

H.RES. 20 - House Resolution Disapproving of the U.S./Mexico Social Security Totalization Agreement

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) (202) 225-2401
H.R. 3137 - The CLEAR ACT of 2005

Rep. Mark Green (R-WI) (202) 225-5665
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Recent Floor Statements
Sen. Conrad Burns(R-MT) commented on Immigration (June 9, 2006)
Sen. John Cornyn(R-TX) commented on Immigration (June 9, 2006)
Rep. John Carter (R-TX) commented on New Immigration Laws (June 8, 2006)
Rep. Ted Poe(R-TX) commented on Lawlessness Breeds More Lawlessness (June 6, 2006)
Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) commented on House Republicans Are Fighting For Border Security (June 6, 2006)
Rep. Marsha Blackburn(R-TN) commented on House Leadership Doing Right Thing On Immigration (June 6, 2006)
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Press Releases
Top Ten Worst Provisions of the Senate Amnesty Bill (June 8, 2006)
FAIR Congratulates Brian Bilbray on His Return to Congress (June 7, 2006)
Latest Version of our Side by Side comparison of immigration legislation (PDF) (June 6, 2006)