Thread: FAIR's Tully Addresses Immigration Concerns in Minnesota

http://www.austindailyherald.com/articl ... /news3.txt

Speaker addresses immigration issues
By Josh Verges/Austin Daily Herald

Austin's biggest employer and it's most visible cheerleader were popular targets at a town hall immigration meeting Saturday at the Riverland Community College campus.

Susan Tully, midwest field coordinator for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, spoke before a crowd of some 100 people at the Frank Bridges Theatre. Tully said she hopes to raise the level of debate on a sensitive issue.

"This is a tough subject. People always want to call us racists," she said.

Tully came to Austin at the invitation of the Minnesota Coalition for Immigration Reduction's Austin chapter. Some drove from as far as St. Paul and Mason City, Iowa to ask questions of the immigration reform advocate.

Tully spoke about the common perception that immigrants do the jobs Americans won't do. That hit a nerve for at least one man in the audience, who complained that before the strike at Hormel, Americans had been packing meat for 90 years."When you have thousands of people lining up at the door willing to work for less pay, what do you think's gonna happen?" Tully said.

She said after the meeting that the citizens can effect change by reporting their suspicions of illegal activity to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Immigration

Citizen complaints in the mid-1990s led to the arrest of 121 illegal workers at Iowa egg producer DeCoster Farms. In that case, Jack DeCoster was fined $2.1 million for aiding and abetting the employment of illegal aliens, according to the ICE Web site.

Another audience member Saturday complained to Tully that Mayor Bonnie Rietz and local law enforcement have said immigration is the concern of the federal government.

"It is a local problem," Tully responded, "when you have the kinds of crime rates, health care issues and school overcrowding."

Tully attacked the policies of President George W. Bush, who she said is encouraging illegal immigration from Mexico. She said illegal aliens are putting a strain on schools, hospitals and Social Security.

A new bill in the state Senate Higher Education committee that would offer in-state college tuition rates to illegal aliens is evidence that local legislators' priorities are backward, Tully said. But elected officials at the federal level are FAIR's main concern.

"I think it's a sad day in America when we have (legislators) ... who took an oath to protect us and they are not doing that," Tully said.

The meeting may have been at a college campus, but the 100 or so in attendance were almost exclusively among those receiving social security benefits. Tully said the audience was unusual, and that many young people are working around the country for immigration reform.

Jim Peck, First Congregational Church minister and president of the Welcome Center board, attended the meeting. He said he agrees that U.S. immigration policy "definitely needs work," but disagrees with Tully's approach.

"I disagree with making fear the primary motive for public policy issues," Peck said. "This is a hopeful country and I think we should be hopeful."

Josh Verges can be reached at 434-2214 or by e-mail at reporter@austindailyherald.com.

Susan was just here in Nebraska. She helped out our fledgling organization and spoke before our legislative education committee today, which was reading and taking public comment on NE LB239 which is a bill that would grant in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens (undocumented worker in la raza speak!).

Our group, which also had 6 speakers against this crap, were grateful for her help. She did a fine job of pointing out the mis-information, and outright lies which were presented by the other side.

I paid very close attension to the views of the committee members, and there was very little in the way of "possitive" questions about this bill. All questions posed back at the speakers were pretty negative againt the bill. GOOD. Hopefully the committee will table the thing, and it will die in a few weeks when the session ends.

Good luck! Some states have already passed this nonsense. I don't see you cornhuskers taking this lightly or without a fight, though.

Originally Posted by watchman

Good luck! Some states have already passed this nonsense. I don't see you cornhuskers taking this lightly or without a fight, though.

We WILL NOT, but I have ZERO faith in the elected pollies here.

Just the other day, the same worthless senator (Schimick) who introduced this in-state tuition bill, also put forth a bill which would grant voting priveldges to FELONS! 2 years after they finish their sentance. The legislature just PASSED that damn thing, and our new governer (good riddence to Johans!), vetoed it, yet this worthless legislature overrode that veto.

However, Schimick has introduced this illegal in-state bill for the past 6 years, and it has so far never made it out of committee. With the questions I heard posed today, I do not see it making it to the floor this year either. However, if it does, I certainly would believe the legislature would do the wrong thing, and pass it.

We have term limits (citizen inititive) kicking in next year. It will be GREAT to rid our state of 1/2 of these worthless people (then the other 1/2 2 years after). However, I do believe that the senators are pushing through the worst possible legilation possible, just to spite the citizens who voted to send them packing.

Originally Posted by Husker

Just the other day, the same worthless senator (Schimick) who introduced this in-state tuition bill, also put forth a bill which would grant voting priveldges to FELONS! 2 years after they finish their sentance. The legislature just PASSED that damn thing, and our new governer (good riddence to Johans!), vetoed it, yet this worthless legislature overrode that veto.

That's insane! What happened to Midwest values?

Guess we know where a lot of Schimick's votes will come from (felons).. or did you say his term limit was up? He's proud to get the felon vote.

Sheesh .. you wouldn't expect this out of conservative Nebraska! Must be some aliens in your state!

Originally Posted by watchman

Originally Posted by Husker

Just the other day, the same worthless senator (Schimick) who introduced this in-state tuition bill, also put forth a bill which would grant voting priveldges to FELONS! 2 years after they finish their sentance. The legislature just PASSED that damn thing, and our new governer (good riddence to Johans!), vetoed it, yet this worthless legislature overrode that veto.

That's insane! What happened to Midwest values?

Guess we know where a lot of Schimick's votes will come from (felons).. or did you say his term limit was up? He's proud to get the felon vote.

Sheesh .. you wouldn't expect this out of conservative Nebraska! Must be some aliens in your state!

She is term limited out in 2008 (drat, wish it was 2006). I fully believe that she, and many of the other cronies are simply passing their worst legislation possible, simply to spite the state's citizens for voting to throw their asses out. However, there are a few people in our group who will be posting fliers door to door in Schimck (and a few other state senators) districts. Who knows, might wake up the people, and have them recall a few of them early. It can be amazing at the results that can be had with a few hundred dollars of printing, and some shoe sole wear.

Yes, we do have over 15% of our population being illegal aliens, with 95% of them arriving since 1990. Look at our Bush-Waterboy (Hagel). What a wothless peice-o-crap. Unfortunately, most (voters) in this state are too blind and ignorant, that they simply vote for anything with an R behind it. I am doing everything in my power (and ralleying many others to do likewise) to see that the true FORM of Hagel is seen when he comes up for election (2006 I think). However, to toss someone out, there must be an alternative. That is the crux of the problem.

Originally Posted by watchman

Originally Posted by Husker

Just the other day, the same worthless senator (Schimick) who introduced this in-state tuition bill, also put forth a bill which would grant voting priveldges to FELONS! 2 years after they finish their sentance. The legislature just PASSED that damn thing, and our new governer (good riddence to Johans!), vetoed it, yet this worthless legislature overrode that veto.

That's insane! What happened to Midwest values?

Here is a link to the legislature, listing this crap. I will be sure to read this tonight during our tax group's meeting. There are a LOT of people very very steamed about this!!!

http://www.unicam.state.ne.us/update/st ... /lb53v.htm