Thread: FAIR Legislative Update 10-23-06

From: Federation for American Immigration Reform <info@fairus.org> Add to Address Book
Date: 2006/10/23 Mon PM 04:43:00 EDT
Subject: FAIR Legislative Update 10-23-2006

Latest News Releases

Rank and File Union Members Breaking with AFL-CIO
(October 18, 2006)

300 Million and Counting
(October 18, 2006)

New Study: The Population Impact of Mass Immigration(October 18, 2006)

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

October 23, 2006


In this update:
Border Patrol Agents Sentenced
Senate Sneaks Immigration Provision Into Department of Defense Authorization Bill
Congressional Report: Alarming Rise in Criminal Cartel Activity at the Border
More Money Making its Way From the United States to Latin America
Press Releases
Border Patrol Agents Sentenced
On Friday, October 20th, 2006, Border Patrol agents Jose Alonso Compean and Ignacio Ramos were given a combined prison sentence of 23 years for wounding Osvaldo Aldrete Davila, a fleeing illegal drug smuggler, who was released to go back home to Mexico after testifying against them at trial. Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) believes the punishment does not fit the crime. In a press release issued by his office, the Congressman said, "This is not the message that our legal system should be giving to the drug cartels that are smuggling drugs, people and terrorists across our borders." Tancredo, along with Congressman Walter Jones (R-NC), plan to send a letter to President Bush requesting a full investigation into the case and urging the President to grant pardons for the Border Patrol agents.

Back to top

Senate Sneaks Immigration Provision Into Department of Defense Authorization Bill
Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) used back-room negotiations to slip language into the Department of Defense Authorization bill, signed into law on October 18, 2006, that potentially doubles the H-2B visa cap for unskilled workers. This language added to the defense bill is similar to the H-2B amendment Senator Mikulski offered to S.2611, the Senate guest worker amnesty bill that the House refused to take to conference committee. Senator Mikulski was successful in including the H-2B language to in the Defense Authorization bill despite statements from Armed Services Chairman John Warner (R-VA) that he would not allow any extraneous provisions to be added to that bill. In contrast, before Congress adjourned for the November elections, House Speaker Dennis Hastert (R-IL) waged a public battle to attach his own immigration provision to the same defense bill. Speaker Hastert's provision would have prohibited alien gang members from entering the U.S. and allowed for the detention and deportation of alien gang members already within the country. Chairman Warner, however, refused the Speaker's request to include the alien gang language. Last week, as the President signed the Defense Authorization bill into law, Senator Mikulski released a statement stating she would not have been successful in her effort to pass the H-2B provision without the help of Senator Warner.
Back to top

Congressional Report: Alarming Rise in Criminal Cartel Activity at the Border
The Subcommittee on Investigations for the House Committee on Homeland Security issued a report last week citing an alarming rise in criminal cartel activity on the southwest border of the United States between Texas and Mexico. The report states that Mexican drug cartels operating along the southwest border are more sophisticated and dangerous than any other organized criminal enterprise. These cartels control smuggling routes into the United States and operate along the border with military grade weapons. The report indicates an increase in coordination between Mexican drug cartels and U.S. street and prison gangs and finds that suspected terrorists have used Central and South America as a transfer point before being smuggled illegally into the United States. The report states that members of Hezbollah have already entered the United States across the southwest border.

To read the entire report click here.

Back to top

More Money Making its Way From the United States to Latin America
A recent report sponsored by the Multilateral Investment Fund of the 47-nation Inter-American Development Bank found that remittances from the United States to Latin America will total more than $45 billion this year. In only two years, remittances have jumped 51 percent. The report indicates that the surge in remittances reflects the growth in the illegal alien population because illegal aliens are thought to send more money to their families in their home countries than other immigrant populations. The report also finds that remittances now come from almost every state in the country; two decades ago, remittance money usually originated from only four or five states. In Louisiana, where Hurricane Katrina left much of the state to be reconstructed, remittances this year will be $200 million, a 240 percent increase since 2004.
Back to top

Press Releases
Rank and File Union Members Breaking with AFL-CIO(October 18, 2006)
300 Million and Counting(October 18, 2006)
New Study: The Population Impact of Mass Immigration(October 18, 2006)

What is wrong with Rep. Warner. Increase unskilled labor visas and won't put legistation through to stop illegal gangs!!!

This man is man is in the wrong position in Government. He is supposed to protect and SERVE the American people not ILLEGAL DRUG GANGS!!! This is not the country I grew up in!!!