http://www.warsawvoice.pl/view/12552

Poles Deported in U.S. Crackdown
By Bartosz Grzybiński
4 October 2006

Several hundred Poles who were staying illegally in the United States have been detained and deported as part of the nationwide Operation Return to Sender that began in late May. The massive crackdown on illegal immigrants by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency has targeted a total of more than 5,000 people to date.

Around 50,000 Poles are in the United States illegally because their visas have expired. The total number of illegal aliens in the United States exceeds 12 million, according to cautious estimates. Three-quarters come from Central America-chiefly Mexico, and many others are from Asia and Central and Eastern Europe.

Illegal immigration is a topic that causes never-ending disputes in America over how the problem should be solved. Recently, two rival immigration bills were submitted, one proposed by the House of Representatives and the other by the Senate.

The House bill calls for strict border controls through measures such as building a wall on the border with Mexico, combined with harsh prison sentences for illegal border crossings and steep fines for those hiring illegal immigrants. Rightist media supporting the bill are sounding the alarm that America is endangered by a deluge of aliens and rising crime.

Those who support the Senate bill are of a different opinion. Even though this also calls for increased border protection, it mainly focuses on how to legalize illegal immigrants' stay in America and integrate them into society. The bill's supporters point to the multicultural values that have built America. The bill enjoys the support of President George W. Bush, who has called on Congress to approve it.

With congressional elections looming, House Republicans have balked at negotiating a compromise on immigration reform, holding dozens of hearings to criticize the Senate bill instead. As a result, a decision on immigration reform is unlikely to be made before the November elections. This means further arrests and deportations among the millions staying in the United States illegally.

Meanwhile, the protracted congressional procedure is delaying a debate over an amendment submitted by Maryland Democratic Senator Barbara A. Mikulski and Pennsylvania Republican Senator Rick Santorum to temporarily lift the visa requirement for Poles.