Thread: FAIR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

This Week's Action Request


Fight the McCain/Kennedy Guestworker Amnesty





August 29, 2005
In this update:

DHS Secretary Gives Green Light to Guestworker Program
McCain Gets an Earful from Constituents
Dan Stein on C-SPAN: It's Time to Reform Immigration
Immigration Conference Themes: Obstacles but Progress
Upcoming Events
DHS Secretary Gives Green Light to Guestworker Program

Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff called on Congress to pass legislation to create a new guestworker program and hire more border and immigration officers at an informal breakfast with reporters last Tuesday.

During his pitch to reporters, Chertoff said that he believes that adopting a program that allows "low-risk" migrants to enter the country legally would relieve pressure on border agents and allow them to focus on the highest threats.

By way of background, this latest announcement by Chertoff should be seen as an effort by the Bush Administration to resuscitate a growing image of irrelevance on immigration issues. This is particularly true in the House of Representatives where constituents back home have been hammering Congress over inaction to control borders and bring an end to illegal immigration. The Chertoff announcement coincides with declarations by two Governors (both Democrats) of border emergencies in Arizona and New Mexico.

Apparently, the president is aiming to immunize his original guestworker/amnesty gift to illegal aliens and Mexican President Vicente Fox by wrapping it in attractive border controls that have no guarantee of implementation. The Chertoff proposal is being readied for mid to late September. While it remains to be seen what this new initiative will entail, it is widely expected to put guestworkers ahead of border protection and immigration enforcement.

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McCain Gets an Earful from Constituents

During a Thursday evening town-hall style meeting in Mesa, Arizona Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) reportedly heard from a number of constituents expressing opposition to the amnesty/guestworker program that he has introduced in Congress. Join others in opposition of the McCain-Kennedy amnesty/guestworker bill by sending free faxes from our web site.

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Dan Stein on C-SPAN: It's Time to Reform Immigration

FAIR President Dan Stein appeared last week on C-SPAN's Washington Journal to discuss immigration reform. Topics included pending amnesty bills in Congress, as well as the emergency declarations by the governors of Arizona and New Mexico. Watch the video of this appearance (Real Video player needed).
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Immigration Conference Themes: Obstacles but Progress

An immigration conference hosted by FAIR and the Center for the Study of Popular Culture in Beverly Hills, California brought together a panel of noted immigration reform advocates, keynoted by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO). His theme was upbeat, i.e., the nation is winning the war on illegal immigration. He cited Arizona’s Proposition 200 and the Minutemen movement. Other speakers pointed to the obstacles that still impede effective deterrence to illegal immigration. Kris Kobach, a former Department of Justice lawyer, expressed dismay that DHS/ICE intends to scale back the authority of local governments that enter into cooperative agreements with DHS so they can only apply enforcement powers in jails. Janice Kephart, a former counsel to the 9/11 Commission, noted “…there's been a severe lack of resources and policies over the last decade to deal with [enforcement] effectively." According to FAIR media director, Ira Mehlman, who moderated the conference, “I think this conference is a strong indication that there are many political activists who are ready to make a full-fledged commitment to this issue.� Read more
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Upcoming Events

The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) will host a news conference to discuss two new reports examining the role of immigration control in preventing further terrorist attacks. Participants: Frank Gaffney, Jr., president and CEO of the Center for Security Policy; Janice Kephart, counsel to the National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States; James Edwards, adjunct fellow, Hudson Institute, and principal, Olive, Edwards, & Brinkmann, L.L.C.; and Steven Camarota, director of research, CIS. When and Where: Aug. 30, 9:30 a.m., National Press Club, Zenger Room Contact: John Keeley, 202-466-8185 or jmk@cis.org. Reports will be posted at http://www.cis.org/
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