Thread: FAIR Legislative Update

February 13, 2006


In this update:
Senate Expected to Begin Consideration of Guest Worker Amnesty in March
Update on Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2006
Texas Border Sheriffs Tell It Like It Is
New Cosponsors of Key Bills
Upcoming Events
Senate Expected to Begin Consideration of Guest Worker Amnesty in March
The Senate Judiciary Committee will likely begin considering "comprehensive immigration legislation" (i.e. guest worker amnesty) in early March, with a bill on the Senate floor by the end of the month, according to a report from Congressional Quarterly. Senate Judiciary Committee member John Cornyn (R-TX) said that if the committee does not complete its work in a timely matter, Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) would consider bringing a bill to the floor on his own the week of March 27. That bill would focus first on enforcement and border security, but reports are that Sen. Frist would allow expanding the bill to include guest worker amnesty provisions.

Time is running out to make an impact. Please take action now and help lay the foundation for defeating guest worker amnesty.

This Week's Guest Worker Amnesty Action Plan:

Contact all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee in opposition of guest worker amnesty. Click here for contact information and a sample message. (When calling Sen. Dianne Feinstein's office, be sure to mention that you support the candlelight vigil planned for this Wednesday. Ask her to light the way for American workers and American families by opposing guest worker amnesty.)
Phone (202-224-3135) Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) in opposition to guest worker amnesty. Tell his office that you are not pleased to hear reports that he is receptive to expanding border security legislation to include guest worker amnesty.
California Activists - Make plans to attend a candlelight vigil at Sen. Feinstein's LA office this Wednesday asking her to support the American worker by opposing guest worker amnesty. Visit our web site for details.
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Update on Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2006
Last week we reported that Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2006 will be held April 22-27 in Washington, D.C. Those dates are being fine tuned and as soon as they are decided we will update you.

This national drive for immigration reform sponsored by Roger Hedgecock, top rated radio talk show host in San Diego, California (KOGO/AM600), and FAIR is a great opportunity to tell Congress IN PERSON what you've been saying over the phone and in letters and faxes…."No Guest Worker Amnesty! America workers and families deserve better!"

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Texas Border Sheriffs Tell It Like It Is
Texas sheriffs from Hudspeth County testified before the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Investigations last Tuesday at a hearing titled "Armed and Dangerous: Confronting the Problem of Border Incursions." Prior to the sheriff's testimony, representatives from the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security spoke of how the administration's initiatives have made the country safer, going so far as to claim that "our borders are not under siege."

When the Texas border sheriffs got up to testify, their story was much different. They spoke of a dramatic increase in alien and drug smuggling. "The U.S./Mexico border is the weakest link and our national security is only as good as our weakest link," said one sheriff. "Our border is under siege."

The sheriffs noted that high ranking officials read from a script that says the border is secure, but rank and file employees know that our border is out of control. In Texas we have lived in this crisis for years and we are left to handle it on our own, said one sheriff, the problem is why Washington won’t acknowledge the disaster that is our southern border.

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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.R. 3137 - The CLEAR ACT of 2005

Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) 202-225-5431
H.R. 698 - Citizenship Reform Act of 2005

Rep. Robert Aderholt (R-AL) 202-225-4876
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Upcoming Events
The House Homeland Security Committee on Management, Integration, and Oversight Subcommittee will hold a hearing on "Mismanagement of the Border Surveillance System and Lessons Learned for the New Border Initiative, Part 3." When and Where: February 16, 1:30 p.m., 311 Cannon House Office Building. Contact: 202-226-9600
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