Thread: My Letter from Ken Salazar

Dear :

Thank you for contacting me regarding the current status and enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws. I share your concern that our immigration laws are not working.
The Senate recently approved the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006. I joined with a bipartisan coalition of Senators, including Republicans McCain (AZ), Craig (ID), Brownback (KS), Specter (PA), and Graham (SC) to help craft and support this comprehensive approach to solving our immigration problems. The Senate bill vastly strengthens the nation’s border security efforts and operations, enhances interior enforcement of the immigration laws, including strong new employer verification and penalties requirements, and deals with the economic realities of the presence of existing illegal immigrants within our country. President Bush has also championed this approach and the provisions of this bill.
The legislation secures our borders by adding thousands of Border Patrol and enforcement agents, provides additional border fences, more detention facilities, assistance to local law enforcement agencies, faster deportation processes, and requires the Department of Homeland Security to develop a ‘National Strategy for Border Security.’ During the weeks of debate on this bill, additional border security measures and stronger employer verifications and sanctions were added.
Under the bill, additional resources and requirements are established so that businesses cannot hire foreign workers unless they can prove they advertised jobs at fair wages and still failed to recruit American workers. Tamper-proof guest worker IDs are mandated, and fines and penalties against employers who hire undocumented workers are enhanced. Temporary workers will also need to undergo security checks before being allowed into the country.
For those already living and working in this country, and choose to remain beyond temporary worker status, the bill also establishes a realistic and rigorous eleven year path to citizenship. To complete the process, immigrants must register with the government, pay significant fines, contribute to society by holding down a steady job, obey the law, learn English, U.S. history and civics, pay back taxes, and they must 'go to the back of the line' behind applicants already attempting to become legal U.S. residents.
We cannot continue with porous borders, lax enforcement and undocumented immigrants living in the shadows. These provisions in the bill, among others, provide the framework for an immigration policy that secures our borders and protects our homeland security, holds employers and immigrants who have broken the law accountable in a realistic, workable and humane manner, and protects the interests and livelihood of American workers.
I believe this bill represents a comprehensive solution to the immigration crisis facing our Nation and I look forward to continuing our work on this bill.
Thank you again for contacting me. I appreciate hearing your thoughts and concerns.

Sincerely,

Ken Salazar
United States Senator

Please do not respond to this email. To send another message please visit my website at http://salazar.senate.gov/contact/email.cfm and fill out the webform for a prompt response. Thank you.

It would appear as if there is some smoke being blown up someones butt!

I hope you responded back to him like I did to my Senators:

Dear Senator_________,

In 1965 the congress passed "Comprehensive Immigration Reform", it never worked beacuse the program suffered from lack of enforcement and funding.

In 1986 the congress passed "Comprehensive Immigration Reform", it never worked beacuse the program suffered from lack of enforcement and funding, all we got was amnesty for millions without enforcement of the "new" reform laws.

In 1996 the congress passed "Comprehensive Immigration Reform", it never worked beacuse the program suffered from lack of enforcement and funding, all we got was amnesty for millions without enforcement of the "new" reform laws.

Here we are again in 2006 with another chest wader deep river of bull. HR 4437 passed because, it is what the voters want and need. We DON'T believe you when you say it'll be different this time.....really....why? If you vote for anything BUT enforcement only legislation, start packing you chachkeys and whodads in your office, your stay there will only be until the end of your term. Enjoy your early retirement.

William Foster

I responded to him with the list from my post "some ammunition to use----" I thanked him for voting to make these people my neighbors and assured him that his constituents will be thrilled enough to vote him out of office next election.

I think everybody's response letters from their Senators should be posted on a sticky thread for permanent display for all to see. I made a suggestion of this to one of the moderators but I guess it's still being decided. Most of these politicians are hoping that we forget at the voting booths and I for one wish to remind everbody each and every day.