Thread: Graham says new immigration law would aid state economy

Graham says new immigration law would aid state economy
Senator says bill vital for food supply
http://greenvilleonline.com/apps/pbcs.d ... /706010327
Published: Friday, June 1, 2007 - 2:00 am
Graham says new immigration law would aid state economy
Senator says bill vital for food supply

Published: Friday, June 1, 2007 - 2:00 am



By Dan Hoover
STAFF WRITER
dchoover@greenvillenews.com


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Using the Greenville State Farmers Market as a backdrop, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., warned Thursday that unless a bipartisan immigration bill is enacted, the state's economy and America's food supply are at risk.

"We're putting our food supply at risk," he said, adding a new issue to the emotional debate that has divided South Carolina's senators and much of its Republican Party.

"America needs to appreciate its abundant food sources, made possible by a farming community with the labor it needs," Graham said, sweeping his arm toward trays of fruits and vegetables in the retail shed off Rutherford Road.

The state's second largest industry "is in jeopardy if we do not act quickly to make sure the farmers of the future have the workforce they need," he said.
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Speaking with a passion rare in press conferences, Graham said the current system has failed and its limitations have threatened farmers' ability to hire the workers they need has already increased dependence on food imports.

"I want Americans to feed Americans," he said. "Every South Carolinian should want to make sure the law works so the agricultural community can survive."

To do that, it needs foreign workers, and the 200,000 temporary workers the bill would allow in the United States each year would meet agricultural needs, Graham said.

The legislation also would provide border security, a means for employers to verify the identities and immigration status of job applicants, and legalized status for 12 million illegal immigrants, although on a probationary basis requiring them to pay fines, learn English and assimilate into society.

Graham helped craft the legislation with Sens. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and John McCain, R-Ariz.

His fellow South Carolina Republican Sen. Jim DeMint of Greenville is one of its major and most vocal opponents.

What DeMint calls amnesty for 12 million illegal aliens, Graham said Thursday is more of a "plea bargain" because of the probationary requirements.

"They need to play by our rules, not theirs," Graham said.

Representatives of agribusiness including the Palmetto Agribusiness Council, South Carolina Farm Bureau, and the South Carolina Poultry Council accompanied Graham and voiced support for the bill. Graham also read a letter from the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce in which its president, Hunter Howard, expressed support for the plan.

Also, Thursday, U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis, a Travelers Rest Republican, left on a two-day tour of the U.S. Mexican border in Nogales, Ariz., and San Diego.

Inglis will hold a town hall meeting on immigration Monday at the main branch of the Greenville County Library. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.

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Webmastersanta Senator Graham antics are the same stuff that got the last election Republican Congress fired. It’s unfortunate that the Senator seem to reveal his true Democratic self heading into his re-election bid.

The truth is that the illegal aliens that are here and is coming is just doing farm work etc just to bide the time till they are of legal status then their true professions’ they will reveal that they are really computer technicians, nursed, teachers, high ended work force and not willing to just be “farm laborers anymore and will take the remaining American jobs and push us to the street then what will we do then?

American Business owners etc. will also be gone for the illegal aliens will be able to sell cheaper and sell more to whoever is left to sell to.

Webmastersanta Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 12:34 pm

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j_richard Graham and the rest have let this be on a back burner for a long time, for a long time. It is boiling over now for the people accross the country are fed up with inaction to protect the country from what is an unarmed invasion.
We are but on the fringe of what has happened out west.
There are mayors and councilmen of citys and towns calling for taking California "back" for and to Mexico, in American citys and towns.

Graham doesn't see the real cost. I sent this to Richie ,state senator and he sent an e-mail back and thanked me for this link that I have posted here several times.

http://www.newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty219.htm

Greenville News needs to as a lot of other papers and media turn around and become apart of the side for protecting America and our state not against us no matter what persons toes that gets stepped on , no matter what person!!!

Be a Patriotic Paper on this issue and protect our country!!

j_richard Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 10:09 am

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knoxbury I'm sorry Mr. Graham, but some things are more important than money. And a wise leader would help people to see that.

knoxbury Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:20 am

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skinswin2 The laws on the books haven't been enforced for a long time, if it's broke fix it. While everyone is bickering, the Democrats are laughing because they know the more this drags on it buys them more time. Pretty soon there will be a Democratic president along with a Democratic Congress, if you think this is amnesty you ain't seen nothin yet. They will really ram a Bill down your throats.

skinswin2 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:17 am

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CMC761 For some reason, I could not find this story on the front page of the online edition. But have you noticed that the pro-illegal immigration Lindsey Graham case is always made a page or two before the anti-illegal DeMint side?

The last time, the interview with Graham article on solutions was on the front page of the Voice section. The dissent from Thomas Sowell was on page 3 of that section.

Today, Graham's scare tactics (right on, Jax) took the front page of the paper while DeMint's "opposition" was on the front page of the Voice section.

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Scare tactics are right. Its a page right out of the politician's handbook with a heaping helping of special interest talking points. Maybe Senator Graham needs to push for some Chinese illegal immigrants to take the jobs Mexican workers won't do - since they're busy in construction, landscaping, janitorial, food service, etc.

The greatest danger to our crops is not the lack of cheap labor but the drought. We also have bee hive collapse disorder to contend with. This "poor, poor pitiful me. My illegals are now working in other industries" complaint isn't floating with me.

CMC761 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:05 am

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Jax Skinswin2: I have NEVER been a fan of Lyndsey Graham. He is nothing more than GWB's pet parrot who only says what Bush has trained him to say. Graham is cooking his own goose by going along with the crap and he is likely to pay for it when election time comes around. You know the old adage: "You reap what you sow"?

I don't understand why we need any new legislation regarding immigration. There are already plenty of immigration laws on the books that are simply not being enforced. The better question is why don't we enforce the immigration laws that have already been passed? This whole thing is about big business wanting cheap labor. Yes, it keeps prices down but it also destroys American families by driving them into poverty because their jobs are going to people who will work for half of what the job is really worth. I would rather pay more for my goods than to continue to watch America be sold off by a bunch of greedy, self-serving politicians...........wouldn't you?

Jax Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:03 am

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exvol99 Graham's comments are most disappointing. Amnesty did not work in '86 and it won't work in 07. Amnesty, which Graham chooses to call "plea bargain" will only encourage more to cross into the US. The Federal Government either cannot or will not enforce the immigration laws on the books. I believe that the Graham-Kennedy bill will result in 12 million illegals becomming legal, with the flood gates open for another massive increase of illegal immigrants. This has nothing to do with immigration - the issue is when will out government stop illegal immigration. It can be done. A guest worker program could be developed that would not include an amnesty program for those that broke the law when entering this country. I am now another ex-Graham supporter.

exvol99 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 9:00 am

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blako66 Why should we think that once these illegal immigrants are granted "z" status that they will want to keep working these low paying jobs. Currently they only are working these jobs since they can't get any higher paying jobs due to the fact they are "illegal aliens". They are going to be just like the rest of us, if they don't have to work these jobs they aren't going to since they can rely on the government to take care of them once they are "citizens".

blako66 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 7:26 am

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skinswin2 Ok, of all the discussions on this topic throughout this newspaper all I hear is Graham is being voted out, however noone can mention a coherent way we can get this issue resolved. Graham realizes what most of you don't, Democrats have the majority and will block any hardcore immigration reform, even Bush understands this. It's about compromise, but as you all complain the current stream of immigrants are increasing as we speak with no new law on the books. I've heard people who use to love Graham all off a sudden he is now as bad as Al Qauda, give me a break. He is the one with the common sense.

skinswin2 Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:45 am

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Catherine Jax: "Lyndsey, the majority of people who live in SC have too much common sense to go along with this nonsense and hopefully, you will be voted out of office during your next campaign."


Right-on, Jax. Could not have said it better.

Catherine Posted: Fri Jun 01, 2007 6:16 am

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article?

Since this bill is good for "their" economy (not ours), then I am sure business owners would not mind Senator Graham doubling their taxes to pay for this bill.

who is he kidding. the food supply we get from china is already not inspected and who knows whats in there.

Funny Senator(?) Graham must not do the grocery shopping! Last night nearly every produce item I picked up was from Mexico or a South American country. Why is that you think? I would say the food supply has been in jeapordy for a long, long time Mr. Graham....While you are at the farmers market, check around and see what items there were actually raised in your state!

I have a good Idea Graham, go in front of some of the unions like carpentars, masons, etc, you know the ones who have lost their jobs to illegal or their wages have been driven down by illegals, your a coward Graham.
All you congressmen/woman who just put yourself infront of your friends are coward and don't want to face the truth.
You not credible, your liars and we don't believe a word you say.
SAY IT TO THE HAND!!!

I just called Senator Graham's office, and said I will not pay any additional taxes created by the bill. He said it won't cost Americans anything, because:

1. Amnestied illegals will not be able to collect any Social Security until they become US Citizens! (this is untrue, due to the totalization agreement they only have to be Mexican citizens)

2. Amnestied illegals will be paying taxes to cover the costs of the six children they will have! (Not when they only make $10,000 a year, we will be paying them $4400 a year with the Earned Income credit!)

Can you believe how much they are lying to try and get this bill passed?

Everybody needs to call and hammer them on this, that we know the truth about the costs and they are lying.

To do that, it needs foreign workers, and the 200,000 temporary workers the bill would allow in the United States each year would meet agricultural needs, Graham said.

If that's the case Senator, then why is there also a separate agjobs provision in the bill, that would bring in hundreds of thousands more foreign workers?

Originally Posted by WavTek

To do that, it needs foreign workers, and the 200,000 temporary workers the bill would allow in the United States each year would meet agricultural needs, Graham said.

If that's the case Senator, then why is there also a separate agjobs provision in the bill, that would bring in hundreds of thousands more foreign workers?

Well what do you think, he is flat out lying. These 1.2 million workers (200,000 a year over six years), PLUS the millions of Z-visa holders, PLUS the millions of Dream Act graduates, PLUS the Agjobs workers who get green cards, and their millions of relatives, will be doing non agricultural work.