Thread: FAIR's take on new enforcement initiative

Administration's New Emphasis on Immigration Enforcement is a Welcome, if Belated, Development, Says FAIR

Washington DC - The announcement today by Secretaries Michael Chertoff and Carlos Gutierrez that the Bush Administration intends to begin seriously enforcing existing immigration laws is certain to be welcome news to an American public fed-up with unchecked illegal immigration, predicted the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). After failing to enforce laws against illegal immigration, and a bruising battle over an illegal alien amnesty that was soundly rejected by the American public, today's announcement indicates that the Administration may finally be listening to the concerns of the American people and those in Congress who insist that current laws must be enforced.

"The plans outlined today by Secretaries Chertoff and Gutierrez, if implemented, would go a long way toward reversing decades of failures on the part of this and previous administrations," said Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "Taken together, tighter border enforcement, more interior and work site enforcement, document reform and entry/exit controls will lead to significant reductions, over time, in the number of people living illegally in our country. When illegal aliens and their employers become convinced that we are determined to enforce our laws consistently, fewer people will come illegally and many who are here will leave on their own."

FAIR applauded the requirement that employers terminate workers whose Social Security numbers are invalid or do not match information in the government's database, and the reduction in the number of documents that may be used to prove work eligibility. "The Achilles' heel of the employer sanctions law has always been the lack of an effective method to verify the documents that workers present to employers. It has allowed both illegal aliens and employers seeking cheap illegal workers to flout the law with impunity," noted Stein. "We agree with the administration that employment verification laws and procedures need to be strengthened. However, it was the Administration's decision to handcuff these improvements to an unacceptable amnesty proposal that has denied them this important tool."

FAIR cautioned that even if these new enforcement measures are fully implemented, the neglect of the past 20 years will not be corrected overnight. "This is a plan that will need to be carried out well beyond the remainder of this administration's term in office," said Stein. "Most importantly, the Administration needs to put to rest any idea that a few high profile enforcement efforts will be followed by a renewed effort to enact an illegal alien amnesty. After years of promoting amnesty and massive new guest worker programs, while doing little or nothing to enforce existing immigration laws, the American public wants to see results measurable by reductions in the illegal alien population.

"The plan put forth today - which amounts to enforcing existing laws and securing our nation's borders - is one that could and should have been implemented from day one of this administration," Stein continued. "We wish they had done this earlier, but even at this late stage they have an opportunity to regain the confidence and support of the American public. We will now see if words are matched by action."

After failing to enforce laws against illegal immigration, and a bruising battle over an illegal alien amnesty that was soundly rejected by the American public, today's announcement indicates that the Administration may finally be listening to the concerns of the American people and those in Congress who insist that current laws must be enforced.

Can you say protecting their buts? I guess the threat of impeachment as well as criminal charges for not enforcing laws actually means something to bush boy!