Thread: Bill to legalize kin of 9/11 victims

Bill to legalize kin of 9/11 victims moves along
House immigration panel says this measure should not be part of the larger debate.
By DENA BUNIS
The Orange County Register

WASHINGTON A bill that would give legal status to the families of a small group of victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks made it through a House subcommittee today, but not before it became embroiled in the overall debate on the nation's immigration policy .

The measure, authored by Rep. Carolyn Maloney, D-N.Y., says that 19 family members of 11 Sept. 11 victims, all of whom received compensation from the government fund set up after the attacks, would be given legal status. Their loved ones who were killed all worked at the Windows on the World restaurant atop One World Center Trade Center and all were illegal.

The bill was approved by the subcommittee by a 9-3 party-line vote with the Democrats in the majority.

"The situation of 9/11 is unprecedented in American history,'' said Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-San Jose, chairwoman of the immigration subcommittee. "This is a gaping hole that we need to address because of the monumental events of that day."


But Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, said lawmakers should not be setting immigration policy based on "emotion.''


"While I sympathize with every family who lost a loved one in the Sept. 11 attacks, I do not believe they should be granted amnesty based solely on the basis of that loss,'' King said. "What's to distinguish these illegal immigrants from the families of other illegal immigrants who died in a car crash or by natural causes?


King's comments enraged the Democrats on the panel.


"We are so against reform of our immigration system...that we want to send a clear unequivocal message that even if your father dies, your mother dies, your parents die, we will have no consideration..,'' said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.


"We are not debating the Senate immigration bill today,'' said Rep. Linda Sanchez, D-Lakewood. "To me, this piece of legislation, which is narrowly tailored, is a no-brainer…Where is the compassion for these victims?''


Rep. Dan Lundgren, R-Gold River, said he voted no because he hadn't been able to get detailed information on the people who would be given the legal status. It would make a difference to him, Lungren said, if those getting this benefit had been in the United States for a few weeks or a few years and he wanted that data before making up his mind about this bill.


Rep. Anthony Weiner, D-N.Y., said that Congress already ruled on this general issue when it was decided that the families of these illegal immigrants killed during the attacks would be eligible for money from the victim's fund, despite their immigration status.


A companion bill to Maloney's has been authored in the Senate by Sens. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. and Sam Brownback, R-Kan. Maloney's bill had been included in the Senate's comprehensive immigration measure but supporters are now trying to get it through both chambers on its own. Maloney's staff said they hope to get the bill passed by the full Judiciary Committee and the House this fall.






Contact the writer: (202) 628-6381 or dbunis@ocregister.com

http://www.ocregister.com/news/immigrat ... us-attacks

"While I sympathize with every family who lost a loved one in the Sept. 11 attacks, I do not believe they should be granted amnesty based solely on the basis of that loss,'' King said. "What's to distinguish these illegal immigrants from the families of other illegal immigrants who died in a car crash or by natural causes?

Exactly right. They were here illegally.

More and More piece-meal amnesties. Everytime some group or ethnic enclave gets wronged in the world, some politican in the U.S. government decides to give them asylum and citizenship. Kennedy had done this numerous times. It all adds up, one amnesty at a time. This guy, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill, is a little latino kennedy. Sleazy as they come.

A companion bill to Maloney's has been authored in the Senate by Sens. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. and Sam Brownback, R-Kan. Maloney's bill had been included in the Senate's comprehensive immigration measure but supporters are now trying to get it through both chambers on its own. Maloney's staff said they hope to get the bill passed by the full Judiciary Committee and the House this fall.

...it's still a BILL and has not been voted on yet. Contact your reps and let them know how you feel.

They were here illegally, our government gave their families money because they were here illegally and got killed, and now after they have been compensated for illegal activity of relatives they are given citizenship! I guess this is the same thinking that got "Scooter" Libbey commuted?

"We are so against reform of our immigration system...that we want to send a clear unequivocal message that even if your father dies, your mother dies, your parents die, we will have no consideration..,'' said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.

King is absolutely right! My question is, why are these individuals still here? The government knows who they are and where they live. They had to have known that information to pay them. Furthermore, now that their pockets are jingling with American coin, why haven't they left on their own? Isn't jobs and money what brought them here in the first place?

The Democrats are killing us with this piece meal legislation (amnesty).

sorry guys. But we cant start bending now. Deport them and apologize. If their family hadn't been here illegally.....

"We are so against reform of our immigration system...that we want to send a clear unequivocal message that even if your father dies, your mother dies, your parents die, we will have no consideration..,'' said Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.

I don't think its because we are against reforming the system. I think it lies more in the direction of doing what will make things better, whether that be enforcing existing laws or making new laws that will reduce the influx and send a message through strict enforcement. Take a look at this graph from NumbersUSA http://numbersusa.com/overpopulation/am ... ture6.html

Does that look like congress can be trusted to correct the problem, or exacerbate it?

Like hell

deport them NOW