Thread: MEL MARTINEZ FIRST TIME ANSWERS MY LETTER ABOUT IMMIGRATI

fOR tHE fiRST TIME AN ANSWER, DO THE QUESTIONS I MADE.
MFrom: Mel_Martinez@martinez.senate.gov Add to Address Book
Date: 2007/02/01 Thu PM 07:07:47 EST
Subject: Response to your recent comments



Below is a response to the recent comments I received from you:


Thank you for taking the time to contact me. I appreciate hearing from you regarding comprehensive immigration reform and would like to respond to your concerns.

Delaying comprehensive reform does a disservice to America. It is my hope that my colleagues and I in Congress can come together and produce a tough but fair and workable piece of comprehensive immigration legislation that President Bush can sign into law during the 110th Congress.

To do this, we must secure the border, provide for the economic labor needs of our nation, and contend with the 12 million immigrants already living here illegally. It is my firm belief that addressing border security while doing nothing to address those already living here illegally would amount to de facto amnesty for those 12 million.

Fortunately, the border is getting more secure by the day. Last year, the Congress passed several laws that will authorize and fund the construction of 700 miles of double layered fencing and security barriers, 9,150 new detention beds, 3,736 more Border Patrol Agents--up to15, 000 over the next six years-- and $682 million for border tactical infrastructure and facilities construction. This constitutes a tremendous investment and commitment to securing our borders, and I am pleased with the progress we are making in this area. However, I know more remains to be done.

This year, it is my hope that Congress will begin to address other important aspects of immigration policy where similar reforms and improvements are needed. For instance, we need strict interior and employer enforcement along with a workable employer verification system that the Department of Homeland Security can use to ensure that unscrupulous employers are kept in check while providing legal certainty for businesses. In addition, I fully support the creation of a viable temporary worker program that allows individuals who wish to fill labor shortages in the United States to come here and work for a short period of time before returning home.

Finally, we need a fair way to deal with the 12 million aliens who have entered our country illegally or overstayed their visas. It is in the United States? national security interest to learn the identity of these individuals. While the best way to do this is still being debated, continuing to simply look the other way is not a viable or responsible option. America?s history of welcoming immigrants to our shores must never be forgotten; and it remains imperative that we continue to attract and include not only the best and brightest who want to work and live in the United States to make our country greater, but also those who are willing to work hard at the jobs that many Americans are unwilling to do. Finally, there must be charitable, humanitarian exceptions, so that we are not tearing apart families or using the law to treat people unjustly.

As we continue our work this Congress, please know that I will work diligently with both Republicans and Democrats to enact legislation that will produce the needed immigration reforms our country demands. This is an important national security, economic and humanitarian challenge, and I know the American people are looking to Congress for action.

Again, thank you for sharing your views with me. If you have any additional comments, please contact me. For more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov.

Sincerely,

Mel Martinez
United States Senator


**Note: PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS E-MAIL. If you would like to reply to this message, please contact me through my website at http://martinez.senate.gov.


ORE ASSURANCE FROM WHAT HE STANDS FOR.

Self edit

I hate to see our government waste paper like that.

thanks a lot Neese , I was so distracted I forgot to delete.

Tha's why I hate to send letters to these traitors.

My house representative is the same.

That is great Minnie. It is nice to be acknowledged. I hope that he does not intend to make too many exceptions, and I won't hold my breath, but I am glad that you wrote him and let him know how important the issues are.

Off the topic: remember how you and I were talking about gold a while back? I actually got something in the mail about that.

self edit

Minnie, let me know when you read my message so I can delete mine, okay?

Its almost exactly like the one I got from Graig!! creeps

MINNIE ,Keep writing him anyway, it irates them!!! Good Job

Neese how can I read your message ? PM is not working ?