Thread: Help Needed asap in Florida! Our bills are ALIVE!

Floridians for Immigration Enforcement

www.FLIMEN.org


Speaker Rubio Got Your Message - Combined Bills Expected To Have Legislature Vote

Thank you! We did it! Your calls, faxes and emails were effective. All of the immigration enforcement bills, HB73, HB159, HB571, HB577 and HB821 are going to be heard in State Affairs Committee next Tuesday, April 8th from 4-6 PM. Elements of five bills will be combined into a Proposed Council Bill (PCB). The PCB will have to be passed by the Government Efficiency & Accountability Council. The PCB will then be either heard by the Policy and Budget Council which must favorably pass the bill or moved to the floor for a vote. This is a GREAT thing to happen because it means all of your hard work has been fruitful to get the bills heard!

Actions:

1. Please thank the House Leadership for listening to Floridians and for allowing the bills to be voted on. These elected officials are due a great deal of praise for their actions. We have an obligation to extend our appreciation so please make sure you make the following calls, especially to Speaker Rubio who received the larger share of our requests:

* Rep. Marco Rubio, Speaker of the House, (R) Miami: (850) 488-1450, (305) 442-6939

* Rep. David Rivera, Chair Rules & Calendar Council, (R) Miami/Naples: (850) 488-7897, (305) 227-7630, (239) 434-5094

* Rep. Frank Attkisson, Chair House Govt Efficiency & Accountability Council, (R) Kissimmee: (850) 488-8992, (407) 943-3077

2. Please attend the State Affairs Committee Hearing in Tallahassee on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 from 4-6 PM. (The room number will be posted at www.flimen.org when it becomes available.) This request to attend may be a sacrifice, but a large number of Floridians are really needed to fill the hearing chamber. This issue is hugely important to you and all Floridians so please, please make the effort to get to that hearing. While in Tallahassee you can make an appointment to visit your Florida Representative and Senator. A large number of citizens have sacrificed a great deal to get the bills moved to this point. We understand the time and expense commitment but failing to get these bills passed will continue hardship to Floridians.

We can expect an onslaught of criticism from factions who view illegal immigration on the basis of culture or race. Many pro-illegal immigration groups use rhetoric designed to stifle debate on the real issues of rule of law, crime, costs, and other negative impacts of illegal immigration. We must continue to reject their diversionary tactics and remain on issue. To remain on issue consider the following:

o
The five bills include modest, reasonable provisions to address the problem. For example, the E-verify provision requires only that contractors to state and local governmental entities verify the legal status of workers. The provisions are not as broad as the Arizona legislation that requires private employers to verify legal status of workers. The incremental approach to first require the state and cities to obey the law is a limited measure that makes sense.

o
Because our federal government has failed to enforce immigration laws states rightfully need to take action. Contrary to the myth perpetrated by the pro-illegal immigration factions, immigration enforcement is NOT the exclusive authority of the federal government. The courts have consistently upheld the the authority of Arizona and Oklahoma laws that regulate licenses under their control. Indeed it is the responsibility of all levels of government to adhere to the rule of law in the protection of everyone in our country.

o
The E-verify provision will level the playing field for businesses that contract to the state and cities instead of the current situation where unscrupulous businesses are devastatingly undercutting the livelihood of law-abiding businesses.

o
E-verify properly addresses the core problem of illegal immigration - the job magnet.

o
The provision to prohibit Sanctuary Cities is a reasonable provision to stop Florida cities that blatantly prevent law enforcement officers from reporting criminal aliens to federal authorities. In a democracy this practice can not be defended.

o
The provision to prohibit illegal alien hiring halls is a reasonable provision to prevent Florida cities from blatantly sanctioning the expenditure of public funds to promote the illegal hiring of unlawfully present foreign nationals, to the detriment of taxpayers and workers.

o
Public safety provisions such as verification of immigration status of persons confined for DUI or BUI protect EVERYONE including citizens, immigrants (legal by definition), illegal aliens (alien is not derogatory but is a proper legal term) and tourists.

Combined efforts of concerned citizens and various groups have been effective in advancing these bills forward to this point. There will be signifcant challenges ahead so your continued involvement is needed to reach our final goal of passage of a good bill.


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FLIMEN
P.O. Box 4219
Hialeah, FL 33014

If you have time, please call the Reps. on the State Affairs Committee as well! They are the ones holding the hearing Tuesday the 8th (4-6) Call their offices and tell them you want the bills to continue to move as well as retain the strongest language possible. Contact info for the entire committee is on the Flimen.org home page right now. Thank You for your help ALIPAC!

Thats wonderful news,

THANK YOU GOES ALONG WAY IN SHOWING THESE CONGRESSMEN HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE THEM WORKING FOR US!!

Gardiner's office says he will be making some sort of recommendation on the bills next week. Calls and emails should be made to all members of the state affairs committee especially Gardiner. The next stop I believe is the budget committee or the House Gov efficiency and accountability council. All numbers and contact info can be found at FLIMEN.ORG. Please help. Time is running short in this session. They need to hear from us loud and clear. Move the PCB ( proposed council bill) along and get it to the floor!!!!!!!!!!

SFP

Rep. Andy Gardiner
Capitol Office:
303 House Office Building
402 South Monroe Street
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1300
Phone: (850) 488-9770

District Office:
1013 East Michigan Street
Orlando, FL 32806-4704
Phone: (407) 428-5800


Committee on State affairs:

Members:

Gardiner, Andy (R) Chair
Schenck, Robert C. (R) Vice Chair
Thompson, Geraldine F. (D) Democratic Ranking Member
Bendross-Mindingall, Dorothy (D)
Dorworth, Chris (R)
Gibson III, Hugh H. (R)
Hooper, Ed (R)
McBurney, Charles (R)
Schultz, Ron (R)
Skidmore, Kelly (D)

Contact Information: Link below,

http://www.myfloridahouse.com/Sections/ ... teeId=2346