Thread: Immigration Amnesty Would Impose Stiff Price On Retired and

http://www.swnewsherald.com/online_cont ... _immig.php

Posting Date: September 12, 2006

Immigration Amnesty Would Impose Stiff Price On Retired and Working U.S. Citizens
By THE SENIOR CITIZENS LEAGUE
Alexandria, VA (September 11, 2006) Pending "guest worker" immigration amnesty legislation would impose a steep price on both retired and working legal U.S. citizens, warns one of the nation's largest nonpartisan seniors groups.

"Seniors and disabled people could see cuts to their Social Security checks or Cost-Of-Living Adjustments," states Ralph McCutchen, Chairman of The Senior Citizens League (TSCL). "Social Security could become insolvent even sooner than expected," he says, "and legal U.S. workers could see a bigger chunk of their paychecks go to pay Social Security taxes. These are just a few of the huge costs, if Congress moves to legalize millions of currently illegal immigrants under pending 'guest worker' immigration legislation," McCutchen says.

The Senate's "guest worker" immigration reform legislation would give currently illegal immigrants new access to work-authorized Social Security numbers, and entitlement to benefits based on past earnings even for work performed while illegal.

The bill would allow illegal immigrants credit for work that was performed under a fraudulent or non-work authorized Social Security number. In addition, according to a new cost estimate from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the legislation would cost the Social Security Trust Fund almost $50 billion in payroll taxes because employers would not be required to pay payroll taxes for illegal employees who apply for legal status.

Earlier this year the CBO said that the legislation's effect on Social Security's finances are "quite uncertain." Currently, millions of immigrants are working illegally using the fraudulent and non-work- authorized Social Security numbers.

TSCL is fighting the legalization of illegal workers, and a related Social Security Totalization Agreement with Mexico. In a move to force the U.S. government to disclose the cost of the Totalization Agreement to the Social Security Trust Fund, the League recently filed two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits.

TSCL has made repeated requests since 2003 to both the Social Security Administration and the State Department, but the agencies have not released all pertinent information. In addition, the organization has been running newspaper ads 100% paid for and supported by outraged seniors across the country. "U.S. senior citizens and workers deserve to be told the full cost of this legislation," says McCutchen. "What is our government trying to hide?" he asks. We urge seniors to contact your Members of Congress to vote "nay" to "guest worker" immigration amnesty and the Social Security Totalization Agreement With Mexico.

Does anyone know how the AARP feels about the Soc. Sec. Totalization Agreement as well? I wonder if they've gone public with a particular view for or con... The AARP is one of the largest and most influential citizen-based lobbying groups in the country.

I don't know much about the SCL (Sen. Citizens League mentioned in this article) but am now curious.... This tells me they're serious about the issue:

TSCL is fighting the legalization of illegal workers, and a related Social Security Totalization Agreement with Mexico. In a move to force the U.S. government to disclose the cost of the Totalization Agreement to the Social Security Trust Fund, the League recently filed two Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuits.

It seems to me at least, like these organizations would have a strong vested interest in cooperating with organizations like ALIPAC (and similar ones) - especially with respect to Social Security and information sharing, identity theft, secure ID, tax policy, etc.

AARP is ducking and hiding. They just ignore emails from members about the issue. They say they don't have a stand on the immigration propsals before Congress on their Website. How can they have no stance when illegal aliens will suck dry every program they supposedly support for American seniors?

My own opinion as a member is that AARP is at the trough with the rest of the marketing outfits ready to welcome the new consumers. I started chucking their mag in the trash for selling diversity, etc.

They are not fighting, so they are my enemy. No more funds for AARP. I send my membership payments to Alipac now.