FAIR Press Releases


Cutting through the Haze: New TRUE Immigration Enforcement Bill Delivers Comprehensive Strategy (November 3, 2005)


Recent Floor Statements

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) - America's Immigration Policy

Nov. 8, 2005
In this update:

TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act Gaining Momentum
Reminder - Hold Your Senators Accountable for Rejecting Byrd Amendment to Stop Major Foreign Worker/Immigration Increase
Norwood Calls for DHS to Withdraw Illegal Alien Amnesty Rule for Hurricane Katrina Reconstruction
DHS Touts Border Security Initiative as Enforcement Complement to Bush Guest worker/Amnesty
As Public Discontent Grows, More Members Offer Legislation Addressing Illegal Immigration Crisis
The CLEAR Act Gains New Support
FAIR Press Releases
Recent Floor Statements
Upcoming Events
TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act Gaining Momentum

Last week, we sent out an urgent alert asking you to take action to help build support for Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Virgil Goode's (R-VA) TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005.

Since Thursday, thousands of you have signed our on-line petition to President Bush and congressional leadership. In addition to signing the petition, thousands have also made phone calls and sent faxes to House members urging cosponsorship of TRUE Enforcement. Your efforts are making an impact! I am pleased to report that as of Nov. 7, 18 House members have signed on as original sponsors. This list includes Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA), Virgil Goode (R-VA), Geoff Davis (R-KY), Darrell Issa (R-CA), Michael Bilirakis (R-FL), Ed Royce (R-CA), Randy Forbes (R-VA), Nathan Deal (R-GA), Ken Calvert (R-CA), J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ), Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Randy "Duke" Cunningham, Charlie Norwood (R-GA), John Sullivan (R-OK), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Virginia Foxx (R-NC) and Kenny Marchant (R-TX).

These House members will be listed as original sponsors when the bill is officially introduced and given a bill number, at which point we will send out an alert providing this information.

If your representative is one of these 18 original sponsors, please call today to voice your appreciation. If not, please keep making phone calls and sending faxes to your representatives. Visit our action alert for details.

Watch last week's press conference:

Last Thursday, Reps. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Virgil Goode (R-VA) held a Capitol Hill press conference to announce their new TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005. FAIR President Dan Stein participated in the press conference, and we video taped it for your viewing pleasure. Watch the video (Windows Media)

Back to top

Reminder - Hold Your Senators Accountable for Rejecting Byrd Amendment to Stop Major Foreign Worker/Immigration Increase

Remember to hold your senators accountable this week for their vote on Sen. Robert Byrd's (D-WV) amendment to strip the massive foreign worker/immigration increase from the Deficit Reduction bill. Sen. Byrd's amendment was rejected last Thursday by a 14-85 vote.

Click here to see how your senators voted, then call their offices to voice your approval or disapproval of their vote. Remember, a vote against the Byrd amendment is a vote for increasing immigration and displacing American workers with foreign labor.

(Call the Capitol Switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected or find your senators phone numbers here on our web site.)

Background:

Sen. Byrd's amendment would have replaced the Specter/Kennedy language which sells over 368,000 American jobs a year to a combination of immigrants, foreign guest workers, and their families, with the House Judiciary Committee proposal to raise fees on L-1 intra-company transferee visas. Byrd's amendment would have achieved the required savings without making wholesale changes to our immigration system.

Back to top

Norwood Calls for DHS to Withdraw Illegal Alien Amnesty Rule for Hurricane Katrina Reconstruction

House Workforce Protections Subcommittee Chairman Charlie Norwood (R-GA) is calling on the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to follow up the president's reinstatement of Davis-Bacon wage regulations in the Golf Coast reconstruction area with a similar reinstatement of illegal immigrant enforcement efforts.

On Sept. 6, DHS announced a 45-day waiver of employer sanctions for using illegal immigrant labor following Hurricane Katrina. This waiver has resulted in a flood of illegal immigrants into the New Orleans area, and the displacement of U.S. reconstruction workers. Read Rep. Norwood's press release for further details.

Back to top

DHS Touts Border Security Initiative as Enforcement Complement to Bush Guest worker/Amnesty

Bush's top point-man on immigration - DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff - unveiled a multi-year plan last Wednesday to secure the borders and reduce illegal immigration, which he dubbed the enforcement complement to the president's guest worker proposal.

Since taking office - even after the horrific 9/11 terrorist attacks - President Bush has failed to secure the borders and has turned a blind eye to employers who knowingly hire illegal aliens. Now he expects the American public to believe he is going to get serious about immigration enforcement.

This new Secure Border Initiative (SBI) is yet another public relations tactic employed by the Bush Administration to generate support for the president's plan to flood the labor market with cheap foreign labor.

Back to top

As Public Discontent Grows, More Members Offer Legislation Addressing Illegal Immigration Crisis

As more and more American voice their growing frustration over our government's failure to control illegal immigration, legislative proposals addressing this serious problem also multiply.

Two bills offered last week are further evidence of the seriousness many members of Congress are giving the illegal immigration issue.

Rep. Robert Ney (R-OH) introduced the Keep Americans Safe Act of 2005, H.R. 4172, on Oct. 28. This bill promotes state and local enforcement of immigration law and increases penalties for felonies committed by illegal aliens.

Rep. Michael McCaul (R-TX) introduced the Border Security Enforcement and Detention Act of 2005, H.R. 4238, on Nov. 4. This bill seeks more border patrol and detention facilities, requires mandatory detention of illegal aliens apprehended along the border until removed or a final decision granting admission has been determined, and denies admission of nationals of countries that refuse or delay acceptance of their nationals who are ordered removed from the United States.

Back to top

The CLEAR Act Gains New Support

Rep. Charlie Norwood's (R-GA) Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal (CLEAR) Act of 2005 (H.R. 3137) continues to gain support in the House. This week alone, the bill gained 5 new cosponsors, bringing the bill up to 110 cosponsors. Check the list below to see if your member is one of these new cosponsors. If so, please call your representative using the number provided to express your gratitude for signing on to this pro-reform legislation.

The CLEAR Act would greatly enhance immigration enforcement efforts by enlisting the assistance and cooperation of state and local law enforcement agencies. Read our bill summary for more details.

Rep. Jo Ann Emerson (R-MO) 202-225-4404
Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) 202-225-5672
Rep. Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE) 202-225-4806
Rep. Clay Shaw (R-FL) 202-225-3026
Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-TX) 202-225-4005
Back to top

FAIR Press Releases

Cutting through the Haze: New TRUE Immigration Enforcement Bill Delivers Comprehensive Strategy (November 3, 2005)
Back to top

Recent Floor Statements

Rep. Steve King (R-IA) commented on America's Immigration Policy
Back to top

Upcoming Events

The House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Claims will hold a hearing titled "How Illegal Immigration Impacts Constituencies: Perspectives from Members of Congress." When and Where: November 10, 2:00 p.m., 2141 Rayburn House Office Building.


Please forward this message to friends and email lists.
Not on our action alert list? Click here to subscribe.
For breaking immigration news, visit the Stein Report.
Fax your legislators for free from MyFAIR Plan Action Center.
Support our work! We depend on contributions from people like you.
Click here to edit your preferences.

www.fairus.org
(202)328-7004