Thread: Democrats want border security before legalization

Democrats want border security before legalization

By Suzanne Gamboa, Associated Press Writer –
42 mins ago

WASHINGTON – An emerging immigration proposal by three Democratic senators calls for more federal enforcement agents and other border security-tightening benchmarks before illegal immigrants could become legal U.S. residents.

Those goals "must be met before action can be taken to adjust the status of people already in the United States illegally," according to a copy of the draft legislation, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, that Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez are developing.

The benchmarks include additional Border Patrol officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to combat smuggling; more ICE inspectors at work sites; an increased number of ICE officers assigned to detect fraudulent documents, and better ways to determine fakes; more personnel to check for contraband at ports of entry; additional resources to prosecute drug and human smugglers and illegal border crossers, and for deportations.

An outline of the proposal does not specify the additional agents or resources required to meet the benchmarks. It does suggest a two-phase system for legalizing people who are in the U.S. illegally.

Before the benchmarks are met, the Department of Homeland Security could begin registering, fingerprinting and screening illegal immigrants, and considering them for an interim legal status. That would allow them to work in the U.S. and travel outside it.

Such immigrants could start applying for legal permanent residence, eight years after backlogs of visas for people coming to the U.S. legally have been cleared and after the security benchmarks are met. They also must show they have basic citizenship and English skills, have paid all taxes, fees and civil penalties and registered for the military draft.

Arizona's new strict immigration law has led to renewed demands for Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration bill. Reid, the Senate's majority leader, recently said he is committed to taking up immigration this election year, but also backed away from a possibility of addressing the divisive issue before climate change.

Spokesmen for the three senators declined comment.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has worked with Schumer on an immigration bill, has balked at moving ahead this year. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Graham, R-S.C., said drug violence along the border with Mexico is evidence that the border is not secure. He said immigration reform would crash and burn if brought up this year.

Democrats have failed so far to get a second Republican to join Graham in writing the bipartisan immigration bill. The outline of the immigration proposal issued Wednesday is an attempt to persuade some Republicans to change their mind.

A 10-point border security plan by Arizona Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl this month also called for increases in border and immigration personnel and equipment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100428/ap_ ... ion_senate

"Democrats want border security before legalization"

All you have to do is get rid of Napolitano, Pelosi, Reid, and Obama and stay out of the way.

Jan Brewer for President.

Sheriff Joe for head of Homeland Security.

Border Security is only one part of necessary fixes. We must have local immigration enforcement.
Once Amnesty gets passed, border security will fade. Enforcement will again be a Federal issue. States rights and all local immigration laws like 287 will vanish and be forbidden by the Reform Bill.

The Federal Government REFUSES to stop illegal immigration. We can not allow them to repeal local enforcement measures.

The Amnesty bill of 1986 PROMISED BORDER SECURITY and workplace enforcement. We know how well that worked. Passing the Reform bill will set enforcement back 20 years.

We have been waiting 24 years for enforcement, we demand 24 years of enforcement before any single illegal aliens is eligible for amnesty.

Before the benchmarks are met, the Department of Homeland Security could begin registering, fingerprinting and screening illegal immigrants, and considering them for an interim legal status. That would allow them to work in the U.S. and travel outside it.

Sound familiar? Think back to 1986........

History proves that amnesty will do absolutely nothing to slow illegal immigration, it will only encourage more of it. As for legalization on the basis of future promises for enhanced work place enforcement, stronger border security, etc.....well, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me! The main reason the promises didn't work in 1986 was because those responsible for keeping the promises didn't have the guts to stand their ground against special interest groups (unions, farmworker groups, chamber of commerce, Latino organizations, etc.). Anyone that thinks the same thing wouldn't happen again is fooling themselves. Lawmaker's have a tendancy to fold like cheap seats when special interest groups start turning on the pressure.

AMNESTY WILL ONLY SERVE TO ENCOURAGE MORE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION - DON'T DO IT!