Thread: Bid for immigration reform dead on arrival again

Bid for immigration reform dead on arrival again

Thursday, September 13th 2007, 4:00 AM

Last week, a feeble attempt was made to bring immigration reform back from the dead.

It happened on Sept. 6, when the House Immigration subcommittee held a hearing on the STRIVE Act, the bipartisan immigration reform legislation introduced this year by Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.).

"Americans do not share Congress' unwillingness to tackle immigration reform," Flake said at the hearing. He was reminding everyone that poll after poll has shown that the majority of Americans favor a workable law that includes a path to legalization for the 12 million undocumented people already in the U.S.

Some immigration advocates were mildly hopeful just because the hearing was taking place. Reality, though, does not support such optimism.

"The House Immigration subcommittee's hearing on immigration reform makes us hopeful that some politicians understand that realistic immigration reform is still a priority," said Angela Kelly, deputy director of the National Immigration Forum.

But the hearing, still mired in futile discussions about things like amnesty, did not go far or cover any new ground.

After the hearing, good intentions notwithstanding, the corpse was simply put back in the grave.

It is true, of course, that many politicians understand the urgency of workable immigration reform. But the anti-immigration extremists' fear-mongering and nativist demagoguery have been effective in quashing any attempt to have such law seriously discussed not to mention approved in the foreseeable future.

Yet the failure of Congress to do its job has had serious consequences in many different areas. The cruel separation of families is, of course, one of them. But small business owners and employers also have been affected.

"The failure to pass comprehensive reform has also spurred a flood of conflicting, fragmented and often intolerant state and local ordinances on immigration," the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Michael Barrera told the House.

And he added: "Comprehensive immigration reform is needed now if we are to put an end to the more than 1,400 state and local laws - most being hostile to small businesses and immigrants - that have been introduced or passed in the last two years."

The arguments in favor of urgent immigration reform are many, but its chances of it happening, at least in the next two years, are practically nonexistent.

Douglas Rivlin, director of communication of the National Immigration Forum, has a different approach.

"Maybe we cannot get the 'big enchilada,' but we may be able to get some of its pieces," he said in reference to the Dream Act, which would allow immigrant students with no papers to apply for legal status as long as they are attending college. It would give them the same opportunity if they joined the Army.

He was also referring to the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act, or AgJobs, a bill that would allow up to 1.5 million unauthorized farm workers to become legal immigrants. Both were included in the STRIVE Act and went down in flames with it.

There is a need for the agricultural workers who would benefit from the approval of AgJobs, he said. And there is a lot of sympathy for the kids, which should bolster the passage of the Dream Act.

"But for them to pass, communities have to keep the pressure on their congresspeople and senators," Rivlin said. "Our communities are here to stay, and things are not going to get any better on their own."

aruiz@nydailynews.com

http://www.nydailynews.com/boroughs/200 ... riv-1.html

"Americans do not share Congress' unwillingness to tackle immigration reform," Flake said at the hearing. He was reminding everyone that poll after poll has shown that the majority of Americans favor a workable law that includes a path to legalization for the 12 million undocumented people already in the U.S.

What a fool! This is either a blantent lie or this so-called leader has his head in the sand. Either way, Arizona and Illonois need to vote out these two idiots.

Originally Posted by Rockfish

"Americans do not share Congress' unwillingness to tackle immigration reform," Flake said at the hearing. He was reminding everyone that poll after poll has shown that the majority of Americans favor a workable law that includes a path to legalization for the 12 million undocumented people already in the U.S.

What a fool! This is either a blantent lie or this so-called leader has his head in the sand. Either way, Arizona and Illonois need to vote out these two idiots.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) is one of the biggest sleaze bags ever to make to public office. He is from the 4th district, and I’m in the 5th district. If I could vote this idiot out I would, but unfortunately his district (4th) is the largest Hispanic district in Illinois. (And within Chicago if I am not mistaken.) If you were to look at map of his district then you would also understand the Chicago Democratic Machine that “Papa Dailyâ€

MadInChicago

It is first hand accounts like yours that keep me working on this issue. I am so disappointed to know that our wonderful old cities are being forever changed. The influx you describe has not yet reached my area but in our travels we see exactly what you have depicted.

I don't know how we, as a country, allowed this to happen. I suppose it comes down to having too much trust in our government. Never again.

Many americans still think our government is looking out for their best interest but when they discover the truth they are mad as hell.
More and more americans are awakening to the truth of our government deception.So the phone calls will only increase with a growing voice of anger.

We have been invaded in the most insideous manner and I believe more and more Congressman/women are starting to realize this through the education american citizens are giving them via phone calls/faxs and emails plus town halls.

The polls show 80% of americans are against Amnesty for illegal immigrants..

This Includes ALL americans,Reps,Dems,Ind, NOT just a fringe group as falsely reported.

Just posted today by "WhatMattersMost" this thread "ACID TAGGING IN CHICAGO"

2007
‘Acid’ Graffiti Burns Images Into Chicago Buildings
Posted by: Carl Weston, in Graffiti News, Illinois

Store owners in Chicago are outraged over a new, more destructive type of graffiti in which vandals use acid to burn images into their buildings and windows.Police said “acid taggingâ€