http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.a ... E_ID=49609


Wednesday, April 5, 2006


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INVASION USA
Reid flips on illegals
Minority leader introduced tough bill in '93 emphasizing failure of amnesty

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted: April 5, 2006
3:43 p.m. Eastern


Democratic Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid supports legislation that would enable illegal aliens in the United States to remain in the country and attain citizenship, but a dozen years ago he sharply criticized proposals that could be construed as amnesty, introducing a tough immigration-reform bill that argued open borders increased the threat of terrorism and rewarded lawbreakers who placed a heavy burden on the criminal justice system, schools and social programs.

In an Aug. 5, 1993, news release unearthed today by the Drudge Report, the Nevada senator's office said he introduced the bill '[i]n response to increased terrorism and abuse of social programs by aliens."

His "Immigration Stabilization Act of 1993," he said, "overhauls the nation's immigration laws and calls for a massive scale-down of immigrants allowed into the country from approximately 800,000 to 300,000."


Reid's statement said his bill "cracks down on illegal immigration," noting the 1990 census reported 3.3 million illegal aliens in America and estimates in 1993 indicated about 2.5 illegals had entered the country in the previous year.

"Our borders have overflowed with illegal immigrants placing tremendous burdens on our criminal justice system, schools and social programs," Reid said in 1993. "The Immigration and Naturalization Service needs the ability to step up enforcement."

Reid's press office has not given a response yet to WND, but a staffer said the senator's D.C. office had received about two dozen calls on the purported policy shift by about 3 p.m.

At the moment, Reid is defending a Senate proposal by Sen. John McCain, R, Ariz., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D., Mass. – which critics call de facto amnesty. Recently during floor debate, Reid said, "One crucial element of this strategy is to provide incentives for the undocumented immigrants already in the country to step out of the shadows."

But in 1993, Reid pointed to the failure of 1986 legislation granting amnesty to illegals, noted Tim Chapman at Townhall.com.

Reid said during Senate debate at that time: "If making it easy to be an illegal alien is not enough, how about offering a reward for being an illegal immigrant? No sane country would do that, right? Guess again. If you break our laws by entering this country without permission and give birth to a child, we reward that child with U.S. citizenship and guarantee full access to all public and social services this society provides."

The McCain-Kennedy plan would provide green cards to illegal immigrants who were in the U.S. before Jan. 7, 2004, and who have jobs, to work legally for another six years and eventually become citizens. McCain insists the program isn't amnesty because any illegal who wants a green card would have to clear a background check, pay fines totaling $2,000 and pay any back taxes.

Radio host Rush Limbaugh suggested today that Republican lawmakers follow the http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1609707/posts">advice of a contributor to the online forum Free Republic and introduce Reid's 1993 bill as an alternative.

Reid, in his 1993 press statement, was quoted saying, "Safeguards like welfare and free medical care are in place to boost Americans in need of short-term assistance. These programs were not meant to entice freeloaders and scam artists from around the world."

Even worse, he said, "Americans have seen heinous crimes committed by individuals who are here illegally."

Reid also emphasized, "Recent terrorist acts, including the World Trade Center bombing, have underscored the need to keep violent criminals out of the country."

His 1993 bill also aimed, he said, to "change asylum laws to prevent phony asylum seekers."

Reid said, at the time, the U.S. open-door policy was being "abused at the expense of honest, working citizens."

"We are a country founded upon fairness and justice," Reid said. "An individual in real threat of torture or long-term incarceration because of his or her political beliefs can still seek asylum. But this bill closes the door to those who want to abuse America's inherent generosity and legal system."


Specific provisions of Reid's Immigration Stabilization Act included the following:

  • Reduces annual legal immigration levels from approximately 800,000 admissions per year to about 300,000. Relatives other than spouse or minor children will be admitted only if already on immigration waiting lists and their admission does not raise annual immigration levels above 300,000.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Reforms asylum rules to prevent aliens from entering the United States illegally under phony "asylum" claims.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Expands list of felonies considered "aggravated" felonies requiring exclusion and deportation of criminal aliens. Allows courts to order deportation at time of sentencing.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Increases penalties for failing to depart or re-entering the United States after a final order of deportation order. Increases maximum penalties for visa fraud from five years to 10 years.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Curtails alien smuggling by authorizing interdiction and repatriation of aliens seeking to enter the United States unlawfully by sea. Increases penalties for alien smuggling.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Adds "alien smuggling" to the list of crimes subject to sanctions under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Expands the categories of property that are forfeited when used to facilitate the smuggling or harboring of illegal aliens.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Clarifies that a person born in the United States to an alien mother who is not a lawful resident is not a U.S. citizen. This will eliminate incentive for pregnant alien women to enter the United States illegally, often at risk to mother and child, for the purpose of acquiring citizenship for the child and accompanying federal financial benefits.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Mandates that aliens who cannot demonstrably support themselves without public or private assistance are excludable. This will prevent admission of aliens likely to be dependent on public financial support. This requirement extends to the sponsor of any family sponsored immigrant.
    [/*:m:kyi8mshq]
  • Increases border security and patrol officers to 9,900 full-time positions.[/*:m:kyi8mshq]