Alert! Alert! AgJobs Amnesty threat in the Senate

Help stop the Senate AgJOBS threat: Call Senators today

SENATE ALLIES BEGGING FOR YOUR HELP TO STOP AgJOBS AMNESTY

This email contains a major challenge to every member of the NumbersUSA Action Network.

Our Senate allies are begging for our help to stop the AgJOBS amnesty threat in the Senate next week, but at the same time telling us that they do not believe we can stop the AgJOBS amnesty because it has the votes to pass and Sen. Craig is determined to force a vote.

Our Capitol Hill team has been in various meetings with Senate staffers today and they are reporting that the situation is desperate. Senate staffers are telling us that you are their only hope of stopping the massive AgJOBS amnesty.

That is why we are asking you to call Senators Larry Craig (R-ID), Thad Cochran (R-MS), and Bill Frist (R-TN) [see below> as well as your own Senator if he or she serves on the Senate Appropriations Committe. We hope you will make your calls as soon as possible and make them again every day until next Wednesday

THE AgJOBS THREAT

Sen. Craig, the chief sponsor of the AgJOBS amnesty (S. 359) has already received permission from the Senate Parliamentarian to offer AgJOBS as an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. (As a reminder, on March 16th, the House passed the Iraq supplemental spending bill with the REAL ID bill attached to it.) If this happens, most observers believe it will pass and be attached to the supplemental. Once it is attached, it will be incredibly difficult to kill in conference. We cannot even count on our allies in the House killing it by voting against the conference report because no one will want to delay funding for our troops, even if an amnesty is attached.

Our Capitol Hill team will be working behind the scenes with our Senate allies to try to come up with procedural maneuvers to stop it, but the best chance we have of stopping the amnesty rests in your hands.

The Senate Appropriations Committee is scheduled to mark up the Iraq supplemental spending bill on Wednesday of next week (April 6th). That is why we are asking for your phone calls to Senators throughout the rest of this week and early next week. The actions of the Appropriations Committee will determine our strategy from there. We expect the supplemental to come to the Senate floor as early as next Thursday, though it could be delayed until the following week.

We will come back to you on Wednesday and let you know the results of the markup, as well as the next actions we hope you will take. We may be calling on you multiple times over the next two weeks or so, until the Iraq supplemental funding bill is through the Senate -- with the REAL ID Act on it and without the AgJOBS amnesty.

WHAT TO SAY WHEN YOU CALL

We are asking you to call all three Senators (Craig, Cochran, and Frist), but are suggesting three different messages when you call.

What to say when you call Senator Frist

As Senate Majority Leader, Sen. Frist is in a unique position to stop the AgJOBS amnesty from being offered as an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill.

When you call, we suggest you say something like,

"Please stop the AgJOBS amnesty from being offered as an amendment to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. Don’t let it come up as an amendment. It is disgraceful that Sen. Craig wants the Senate to add an amnesty to a bill to fund our troops and secure our nation. You have the power to prevent this."

What to say when you call Senator Cochran

Senator Cochran is the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee. We suggest the following message to Sen. Cochran:

"Please don't let the AgJOBS amnesty be attached to your bill to fund our troops and the fight against terrorism. Amnesty is in direct conflict with national security."

What to say when you call Senator Craig

Sen. Craig is the chief sponsor of the AgJOBS amnesty. He needs to understand that most Americans oppose his amnesty bill and that it is totally inappropriate to attach an amnesty to a national security bill like the Iraq supplemental spending bill. You may want to say something like:

"I am outraged that you would even consider attaching the AgJOBS amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. Don't you understand that opening the borders is in direct conflict with national security? Our troops are dying abroad and your AgJOBS amnesty would open the homeland to terrorists."

What to say when you call your Senator on the Appropriations Committee

It is especially important to stress that it is totally inappropriate to attach an amnesty bill to a defense spending bill like the Iraq supplemental spending bill. The AgJOBS amnesty will expose the homeland to increased security risks from terrorists who use the amnesty to game our immigration system to gain access to the country. It happened in 1986, when Mahmud Abouhalima applied for and received amnesty, used his new green card to travel to Afghanistan for terrorist training, and then drove a van full of explosives into the World Trade Center in 1993. DHS will not be able to screen out terrorists this time, either.

The Iraq supplemental spending bill will INCREASE security by funding our troops and providing additional tools to fight the war against terrorism. The AgJOBS amnesty rewards illegal immigration and makes the country vulnerable to future attacks.

Your message can be as short as:

“I’m calling to ask you to oppose attaching the AgJOBS amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. It makes no sense to attach an illegal-alien amnesty to a defense spending bill.�

FAX YOUR SENATORS

Send faxes opposing the AgJOBS amnesty

Please go to http://www.NumbersUSA.com/fax to send a fax to your Senators asking them to oppose the AgJOBS amnesty.

ADDITIONAL TALKING POINTS

The AgJOBS amnesty is an amnesty for up to three million illegal aliens. Of the 1.2 million illegal aliens currently working in agriculture, an estimated 860,000 plus their spouses and children could qualify for this amnesty, so the total could reach three million or more. Experts estimate that the fraud rate in the 1986 mass amnesty was as high as 70 percent! There is no reason to believe this amnesty would be any different -- except that there are more terrorists looking for a way to infiltrate our country today.

You can find out more about the AgJOBS amnesty on our website at:

http://www.numbersusa.com/hottopic/AGJOBS.htm


THANK YOU

I hope you will take some pride in being part of a nationwide network that represents a majority of Americans who oppose amnesty. Even though our Senate allies are skeptical of our chances of defeating the AgJOBS amnesty, are relying on us to give it our best shot. Many of us at NumbersUSA are a bit more optimistic and believe, that with enough calls from Americans like you, we can stop this amnesty in its tracks.

Thank you for doing all you can to stop the AgJOBS amnesty.

ANNE


PHONE LIST

Call Senators Craig, Cochran, and Frist

Even though the Senate is on recess for the rest of this week, we are asking you to first call the DC office of every Senator each weekday between now and next Wednesday (April 6). Then, if you have time each day, call the district offices, as well, on Thursday and Friday of this week. We know we are asking for a lot of phone calls from each of you, but we need you to represent all Americans in this fight against amnesty. Please make as many calls as you can. Phone numbers for each Senator follow at the end of this email.

=========================
Idaho
=========================

*************************
Sen. Craig, Larry
1292 Addison Avenue East,
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208-734-6780)

801 East Sherman Street - Room 193,
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208-236-6817)

846 Main Street,
Lewiston, ID 83501
(208-743-0792)

Harbor Plaza,
Coeur D'Alene, ID 83814
(208-667-6130)

225 North 9th Street,
Boise, ID 83702
(208-342-7985)

490 Memorial Drive - Suite 101,
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(208-523-5541)

SH-520,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2752)


=========================
Mississippi
=========================

*************************
Sen. Cochran, Thad
188 East Capitol Street - Suite 614,
Jackson, MS 39201
(601-965-4459)

U.S. Federal Court House,
Oxford, MS 38655
(601-236-1018)

SR-326,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5054)


=========================
Tennessee
=========================

*************************
Sen. Frist, Bill
10368 Wallace Alley Street - Suite 7,
Kingsport, TN 37663
(423-323-1252)

800 Market Street,
Knoxville, TN 37919
(865-637-4180)

5100 Poplar Avenue - Suite 605,
Memphis, TN 38137
(901-683-1910)

735 Broad Street, Suite 701,
Chattanooga, TN 37402
(423-756-2757)

28 White Bridge Road - Suite 211,
Nashville, TN 37205
(615-352-9411)

200 East Main St.,
Jackson, TN 38301
(731-424-9655)

SH-509,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3344)

PHONE LIST FOR SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE MEMBERS

=========================
Alabama
=========================

*************************
Sen. Shelby, Richard
Huntsville International Airport,
Huntsville, AL 35284
(205-772-0460)

Federal Courthouse,
Montgomery, AL 36104
(334-223-7303)

Federal Courthouse,
Mobile, AL 36602
(334-694-4164)

Federal Building,
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
(205-759-5047)

U.S. Courthouse,
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205-731-1384)

SH-110,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5744)


=========================
Alaska
=========================

*************************
Sen. Stevens, Ted
222 West 7th Avenue - No. 2,
Anchorage, AK 99513
(907-271-5915)

109 Main Street,
Ketchikan, AK 99901
(907-225-6880)

120 Trading Bay Road - Suite 350,
Kenai, AK 99611
(907-283-5808)

851 East Westpoint Drive - Suite 307,
Wasilla, AK 99645
(907-376-7665)

Federal Building,
Fairbanks, AK 99701
(907-456-0261)

Federal Building,
Juneau, AK 99802
(907-586-7400)

SH-522,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3004)


=========================
California
=========================

*************************
Sen. Feinstein, Dianne
750 B Street - Suite 1030,
San Diego, CA 92101
(619-231-9712)

Federal Office Building,
Fresno, CA 93721
(559-485-7430)

11111 San Monica Blvd. - Suite 915,
Los Angeles, CA 90025
(310-914-7300)

United States Senate,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3841)


=========================
Colorado
=========================

*************************
Sen. Allard, Wayne
5401 Stone Creek Cir,
Loveland, CO 80538
(970-461-3530)

411 Thatcher Building,
Pueblo, CO 81003
(719-545-9751)

228 North Cascade Avenue - Suite 106,
Colorado Springs, CO 80903
(719-634-6071)

7340 East Caley - Suite 215,
Englewood, CO 80111
(303-220-7414)

215 Federal Building,
Grand Junction, CO 81501
(970-245-9553)

SD-521,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5941)


=========================
Hawaii
=========================

*************************
Sen. Inouye, Daniel
24 North Church Street - Suite 407,
Wailuku, Maui, HI 96793
(808-242-9702)

101 Aupuni Street - No. 205,
Hilo, HI 96720
(808-935-0844)

300 Ala Moana Boulevard - Suite 7325,
Honolulu, HI 96850
(808-541-2542)

P. O. Box 573,
Kaunakakai, HI 96748
(808-642-0203)

2853 A Mokoi Street,
Lihue, Kauai, HI 96766
(808-245-4620)

P. O. Box 41,
Kealakekua, HI 96750
(808-935-0844)

SH-722,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3934)


=========================
Idaho
=========================

*************************
Sen. Craig, Larry
1292 Addison Avenue East,
Twin Falls, ID 83301
(208-734-6780)

801 East Sherman Street - Room 193,
Pocatello, ID 83201
(208-236-6817)

846 Main Street,
Lewiston, ID 83501
(208-743-0792)

Harbor Plaza,
Coeur D'Alene, ID 83814
(208-667-6130)

225 North 9th Street,
Boise, ID 83702
(208-342-7985)

490 Memorial Drive - Suite 101,
Idaho Falls, ID 83402
(208-523-5541)

SH-520,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2752)


=========================
Illinois
=========================

*************************
Sen. Durbin, Richard
Kluczynski Federal Building,
Chicago, IL 60604
(312-353-4952)

Henson Robinsion House,
Springfield, IL 62703
(217-492-4062)

Mercantile Bank Building,
Marion, IL 62959
(618-998-8812)

SD-332,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2152)


=========================
Iowa
=========================

*************************
Sen. Grassley, Charles
103 Federal Courthouse Building,
Sioux City, IA 51101
(712-233-1860)

307 Federal Building,
Council Bluffs, IA 51501
(712-322-7103)

210 Waterloo Building,
Waterloo, IA 50701
(319-232-6657)

206 Federal Building,
Cedar Rapids, IA 52401
(319-363-6832)

721 Federal Building,
Des Moines, IA 50309
(515-284-4890)

116 Federal Building,
Davenport, IA 52801
(319-322-4331)

SH-135,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3744)


=========================
Kansas
=========================

*************************
Sen. Brownback, Sam
612 S. Kansas Ave.,
Topeka, KS 66603
(785-233-2503)

116 East Chestnut - Suite 104B,
Garden City, KS 67846
(316-275-1124)

11111 West 95th - Suite 245,
Overland Park, KS 66214
(913-492-6378)

225 N. Market - Suite 120,
Wichita, KS 67202
(316-264-8066)

21001-C N. Broadway,
Pittsburgh, KS 66762
(316-231-6040)

SH-303,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-6521)


=========================
Kentucky
=========================

*************************
Sen. McConnell, Mitch
Federal Building,
Bowling Green, KY 42101
(270-781-1673)

601 West Broadway - Room 630,
Louisville, KY 40202
(502-582-6304)

771 Corporate Drive,
Lexington, KY 40503
(859-224-8286)

300 South Main Street,
London, KY 40741
(606-864-2026)

1885 Dixie Higyway - Suite 345,
Fort Wright, KY 41011
(859-578-0188)

SR-361a,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2541)


=========================
Louisiana
=========================

*************************
Sen. Landrieu, Mary
Hale Boggs Federal Building,
New Orleans, LA 70130
(504-589-2427)

921 Moss Street - Suite 2506,
Lake Charles, LA 70601
(318-436-6650)

U.S. Courthouse,
Shreveport, LA 71101
(318-676-3085)

U.S. Postal Building,
Baton Rouge, LA 70801
(225-389-0395)

SH-724,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5824)


=========================
Maryland
=========================

*************************
Sen. Sarbanes, Paul
113 Baltimore Street,
Cumberland, MD 21502
(301-724-0695)

1110 Bonifont Street - Suite 450,
Silver Spring, MD 20910
(301-589-0797)

1518 Tower I,
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410-962-4436)

2025 Westview Place,
Bryons Road, MD 10616
(301-283-0947)

110 West Church Street - Suite D,
Salisbury, MD 21801
(410-860-2131)

SH-309,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-4524)


=========================
Mississippi
=========================

*************************
Sen. Cochran, Thad
188 East Capitol Street - Suite 614,
Jackson, MS 39201
(601-965-4459)

U.S. Federal Court House,
Oxford, MS 38655
(601-236-1018)

SR-326,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5054)


=========================
Missouri
=========================

*************************
Sen. Bond, Kit
339 Broadway - Room 140,
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
(573-334-7044)

8000 Maryland - Suite 440,
St. Louis, MO 63105
(314-725-4484)

Rivergate Business Center,
Kansas City, MO 64105
(816-471-7141)

308 East High St. - Suite 202,
Jefferson City, MO 65101
(573-634-2488)

318 Park Central East - Suite 601,
Springfield, MO 65806
(417-864-8258)

SR-274,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5721)


=========================
Montana
=========================

*************************
Sen. Baucus, Max
Silver Bow Center,
Butte, MT 59701
(406-782-8700)

211 North Higgins - Room 102,
Missoula, MT 59802
(406-329-3123)

202 Fratt Building,
Billings, MT 59101
(406-657-6790)

Federal Building,
Bozeman, MT 59715
(406-586-6104)

220 1st Avenue,
East Kalispell, MT 59901
(406-756-1150)

225 Cruse Avenue - Suite D,
Helena, MT 59601
(406-449-5480)

18 5th Street South,
Great Falls, MT 59401
(406-761-1574)

SH-511,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2651)


=========================
Nevada
=========================

*************************
Sen. Reid, Harry
400 South Virginia Street - Suite 902,
Reno, NV 89501
(775-686-5750)

600 East William Street - Room 302,
Carson City, NV 89701
(775-885-9111)

333 Las Vegas Blvd., South - Suite 8016,
Las Vegas, NV 89101
(702-388-5020)

SH-528,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3542)


=========================
New Hampshire
=========================

*************************
Sen. Gregg, Judd
136 Pleasant Street,
Berlin, NH 03570
(603-752-2604)

99 Pease Blvd.,
Portsmouth, NH 03801
(603-431-2171)

28 Webster Street,
Manchester, NH 03104
(603-622-7979)

125 North Main Street,
Concord, NH 03301
(603-225-7115)

SR-393,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3324)


=========================
New Mexico
=========================

*************************
Sen. Domenici, Pete
120 South Federal Place - Room 302,
Santa Fe, NM 87501
(505-988-6511)

201 3rd Street, NW,
Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505-346-6791)

Federal Building,
Roswell, NM 88201
(505-623-6170)

Federal Building,
Las Cruces, NM 88005
(505-526-5475)

SH-328,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-6621)


=========================
North Dakota
=========================

*************************
Sen. Conrad, Kent
Federal Building,
Fargo, ND 58102
(701-232-8030)

Federal Building,
Bismarck, ND 58501
(701-258-4648)

100 First Street SW. - Suite 105,
Minot, ND 58701
(701-852-0703)

Federal Building,
Grand Forks, ND 58203
(701-775-9601)

SH-530,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2043)


=========================
Ohio
=========================

*************************
Sen. DeWine, Mike
37 West Broad Street - Room 970,
Columbus, OH 43215
(614-469-5186)

600 East Superior Avenue - Suite 2450,
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216-522-7272)

121 Putnam Street,
Marietta, OH 45750
(740-373-2317)

420 Madison Avenue - Room 1225,
Toledo, OH 43604
(419-259-7536)

100 West Main Street,
Xenia, OH 45385
(937-376-3080)

105 East 4th Street - Room 1515,
Cincinnati, OH 45202
(513-763-8260)

SR-140,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2315)


=========================
Pennsylvania
=========================

*************************
Sen. Specter, Arlen
Post Office Building,,
Allentown, PA 18101
(610-434-1444)

600 Arch Street - Suite 9400,
Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215-597-7200)

Federal Building,
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
(412-644-3400)

Federal Building,
Harrisburg, PA 17101
(717-782-3951)

Park Plaza,
Scranton, PA 18503
(570-346-2006)

South Main Towers,
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701
(570-826-6265)

Federal Building,
Erie, PA 16501
(814-453-3010)

SH-711,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-4254)


=========================
South Dakota
=========================

*************************
Sen. Johnson, Tim
20 Sixth Avenue SW - Suite C,
Aberdeen, SD 57401
(605-226-3440)

515 South Dakota Avenue,
Sioux Falls, SD 57104
(605-332-8896)

405 East Omaha Street,
Rapid City, SD 57701
(605-341-3990)

SH-324,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5842)


=========================
Texas
=========================

*************************
Sen. Hutchison, Kay
222 East Van Buren Street,
Harlingen, TX 78550
(956-425-2253)

10440 North Central Expressway - Suite 1160, LB 606,
Dallas, TX 75231
(214-361-3500)

1919 Smith Street - Suite 800,
Houston, TX 77024
(713-653-3456)

Federal Building,
Austin, TX 78701
(512-916-5834)

145 Duncan Drive,
San Antonio, TX 78226
(210-340-2885)

500 Chestnut Street - Suite 1570,
Abilene, TX 79602
(915-676-2839)

SR-284,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5922)


=========================
Utah
=========================

*************************
Sen. Hatch, Orrin
Federal Building,
Ogden, UT 84401
(801-625-5672)

2390 West Highway 56 - P. O. Box 99,
Cedar City, UT 84720
(801-586-8435)

51 South University Avenue - Suite 320,
Provo, UT 84606
(801-375-7881)

Federal Building,
Salt Lake City, UT 84138
(801-524-4380)

197 East Tabernacle - Room 2,
St. George, UT 84770
(435-634-1795)

SH-104,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5251)


=========================
Vermont
=========================

*************************
Sen. Leahy, Patrick
Courthouse Plaza,
Burlington, VT 05401
(802-863-2525)

Federal Building,
Montpelier, VT 05602
(802-229-0569)

SR-433,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-4242)


=========================
Washington
=========================

*************************
Sen. Murray, Patty
8915 West Grandridge Boulevard - Suite M,
Kennewick, WA 99336
(509-783-0640)

11120 Gravelly Lake Drive Southwest - Suite 8,
Lakewood, WA 98499
(253-581-1646)

10900 Northeast 4th Street - Suite 2110,
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425-451-0103)

402 East Yakima Avenue,
Yakima, WA 98901
(509-248-8084)

Federal Office Building,
Vancouver, WA 98660
(360-696-7838)

1523 Country Club Drive,
Wenatchee, WA 98802
(509-884-3447)

SR-173,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-2621)


=========================
West Virginia
=========================

*************************
Sen. Byrd, Robert
300 Virginia Street, East - Suite 2630,
Charleston, WV 25301
(304-342-5855)

SH-311,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-3954)


=========================
Wisconsin
=========================

*************************
Sen. Kohl, Herb
310 West Wisconsin Avenue - Suite 950,
Milwaukee, WI 53203
(414-297-4451)

4321 West College Ave.,
Appleton, WI 54914
(920-738-1640)

402 Graham Avenue - Suite 206,
Eau Claire, WI 54701
(715-832-8424)

14 West Muffin Street - Suite 312,
Madison, WI 53703
(608-264-5338)

425 State Street - Suite 202,
LaCrosse, WI 54601
(608-796-0045)

SH-330,
Washington, DC 20510
(202-224-5653)

To the Moderators:

Can we please keep this thread near the top of the forum for a while until the Senate approriations committee votes on this? I think this should be kept at the top so others can read this and act on it. One of our goals is to stop amnesties for illegals and this one is gaining traction again unfortunately. I want all of our members and guests to see this so they know what's going on. Thanks guys! :D

I second that motion!! I think this should be easy to find for my own use and that of others who will be helping in this effort.

Thanks moderator,
RR

Dataman,

You can keep it near the top by using "BTTT" .. "bump to the top." The BTTT counts as a reply and will move the thread up to the top.

OK .. your turn to bump. <g>

Great suggestion! I will make this a sticky. I'm also considering sending this out to our e-mail alerts list with suggestions on how citizens can help.

W

Thanks guys!

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20050 ... -2064r.htm

Senate opens door to alien amnesty


By Stephen Dinan
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

The Senate is bracing for its first fight over amnesty for illegal immigrants in nearly 10 years after the chamber's parliamentarian ruled that a debate over granting legal status to illegal agriculture workers will be allowed on the pending emergency spending bill.
The $81 billion spending bill covers costs associated with the war on terror, and the House already passed a version with provisions restricting asylum claims and cracking down on illegal immigrants' ability to use driver's licenses. The parliamentarian said those provisions open the door for Sen. Larry E. Craig, Idaho Republican, to offer as an amendment his bill, commonly called "Ag-jobs," to legalize the 500,000 to 1 million illegal immigrants now working in the agriculture industry.
"With the parliamentarian's approval it's looking more and more likely we'll offer Ag-jobs as an amendment," Craig spokesman Sidney Smith said. "That decision isn't set in concrete, but it's starting to shape up that way."
The spending bill will be before the Senate Appropriations Committee on Wednesday, though Mr. Smith said that if Mr. Craig offers his amendment, it will be during the floor debate. But Sen. John Cornyn, Texas Republican, chairman of the Judiciary immigration subcommittee, is opposed to the bill and says it will not pass.
"Not if Senator Cornyn has anything to do with it," spokesman Don Stewart said of the bill's chances. "Ag-jobs is an amnesty bill, and the president's not going to sign it. Second of all, it's not a comprehensive [immigration] bill, and it would slow momentum for getting a comprehensive bill."
The measure would allow any agricultural worker who is in the United States illegally and who has worked 100 days out of a year, during the 18 months prior to Jan. 1, 2005, to gain legal status.
"We want to stabilize the current agriculture work force -- workers who are trusted, who are already on the job, who are already putting food on our tables," said Damon Tobias, Mr. Craig's legislative aide on immigration. "We think it makes more sense to allow them to earn legal status than to try to replace a large part of the agriculture work force."
Although there have been votes on security issues, and the Senate recently passed a nonbinding amendment to the budget to add 2,000 Border Patrol agents in fiscal year 2006, Roy Beck, executive director of NumbersUSA, said Mr. Craig's amendment would be the first broad fight over illegal immigration in some time.
"The Senate has not had any real roll-call votes on whether to get tough on or reward illegal aliens since 1996, so this will be a defining moment," said Mr. Beck, whose group lobbies for stricter immigration controls. "A lot of these senators' constituents don't really know whether they favor illegal immigrants or oppose illegal immigrants."
Both congressional aides and lobbying sources said the Bush administration would prefer to see a comprehensive bill pass rather than Mr. Craig's bill, and Mr. Cornyn has begun a series of hearings aimed at producing such a broad bill later this year -- something Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, Tennessee Republican, also would have preferred.
"Our preference would be to have this debate on some other vehicle, but if there's going to be a debate on immigration, we want all aspects of the debate to be included," spokesman Bob Stevenson said.
Mr. Craig's office says his bill isn't amnesty. "It's not; it's rehabilitation," Mr. Tobias said.
He said the bill would apply to 500,000 workers and another 200,000 to 300,000 spouses and children. Opponents say it would apply to 1 million workers and 2 million spouses and children.
Mr. Craig's measure, which achieved 62 co-sponsors in the last Congress, has only 43 this year.
Sen. Orrin G. Hatch, Utah Republican, had signed on, but has since withdrawn his name as a sponsor. His spokesman said the real question was why his name was ever part of the measure. "He was never a sponsor this year. It was mistake on somebody's part," said Adam Elggren, though he could not say what changed from last year, when Mr. Hatch also was listed as a sponsor.

================================================== ==

Great. The big wigs in the Republicrat party are against AgJobs because they don't think it goes far enough. It's not a big enough amnesty in the eyes of King George II.

I don't know why Democrats hate this guy. He's the best president they've ever had.

Another update:

From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Friday 1APR05 10 a.m. Eastern

No April Fool's Joke........AgJOBS amnesty moving forward in Senate........PHONE PLEASE!


Our Hill Team has gotten almost nothing but confirmation on the Hill the last 24 hours that nearly all Senate offices believe the AgJobs amnesty is coming up for a vote next week and, if allowed, likely will pass the Senate.

In too many offices, our people have been told that the Senators just aren't hearing that much opposition to giving an amnesty to around a million illegal farm workers, plus perhaps 2 million of their relatives.

Clearly, thousands more of you are going to have to pick up a phone if our point of view is to truly break through into the consciousness of the Senate offices.

Unlike most Members of the U.S. House of Representatives, most Senators hear more from Opinion Elites and wealthy lobbyists than from their regular constituents. COLLECTIVELY, YOU MEMBERS OF THE NUMBERSUSA ACTION NETWORK MUST BREAK THROUGH AND GET THE ATTENTION OF THESE SENATORS!

A lot of you started the process very nicely yesterday. Senate offices need to be overwhelmed with phone calls today.

See below for what to say when you call.

1. ACTION.......... Phone your two Senators TODAY

If you haven't called your Senators this week to oppose the AgJobs amnesty, please do so today.

If you HAVE already phoned, please make still more calls today.

Find the phone numbers for your Senators at:
www.numbersusa.com/myMembers

If you've never made one of these calls, believe me it isn't that difficult. AND IT IS SO EXHILARATING!

Look at the email we got from Matt yesterday right after he made his calls:

"I'm totally feeling empowered right now. If any of your faxers are thinking about NOT calling, please tell them that the staffers at Cochran and Frist's offices are saying "lots of people are calling about this." Let's make it a lot more!"

-- Matt

If you want to really make an impact, call not only your two Senators' Washington DC offices but also their offices in their home state.

2. ACTION.......... The easy short phone message to give

For those of you with more phoning experience and who have a deeper grasp of the AgJobs issues, you'll want to use the material lower in this email for a richer discussion with Senate staffers.

But the rest of you may want to be as simple as this with your call (please vary the words a little so staffers don't think you are reading from a script):

I'm calling about the AgJOBS amnesty -- S. 359.

The news is that the Senate may try to attach this amnesty to a defense appropriations bill next week.

I oppose any amnesty for illegal aliens.

Will Sen. xmxmxm vote to pass the AgJOBS amnesty?

It is very important to try to make staffers state the Senator's position. More than 40 Senators are co-sponsors of the amnesty but their staffers may not want to admit support. It also is possible that some co-sponsors may not be willing to attach the amnesty to a security bill.

If a staffer indicates the Senator plans to support the amnesty, politely but firmly give a short reason why you think that is a bad idea.

Key reasons might be:

1. It is an insult to our brave men and women in uniform to mix appropriations for them with rewarding large numbers of people who have violated our borders.

2. Farm workers are among the worst treated working people in America. Flooding their occupations with illegal foreign workers and encouraging even more to come will ensure that farm workers have to continue to labor and live like peasants. AgJOBS is a shameful act of economic INjustice.

3. PSYCHOLOGY ........... Too many of our allies in the Senate are demoralized and think they have no power

The psychology in the Senate is totally different than in the House where our allies are full of confidence that they can help the majority American will prevail.

Many of our allies in the Senate are defeatist and have convinced themselves that they will have to make horrible compromises because they are just too weak.

It is up to you to give Senators the feeling that masses of Americans will stand behind Senators who vote against amnesties for illegal aliens.

The psychology of most of our Senate allies right now is similar to that of our House allies three years ago. Largely because of tens of thousands of individual efforts by people like you, our House allies now have the dominant voice in the House most of the time and "feel their power."

But you wouldn't believe the gulf that lies in the two blocks that separate the Senate and House office buildings. Senators and Representatives almost never talk. Their staffers almost never talk, either.

Your NumbersUSA Capitol Hill Team spends a great deal of time putting Senate and House staffers together, especially trying to help Senate staffers feel some of the can-do optimism that our House staffer allies exude.

I was with one of the top House staffers late last night when he said, "What happens over the next two or three weeks could set the tone for everything else on immigration the next two years."

If the Senate acts in its usual open-borders way, the House leaders may just decide it isn't worth doing much more to try to crack down on illegal immigration. But if our allies in the Senate show a muscular resistance to the open-borders lobbyists, it could spur our House allies into a continuous all-out effort to get the job done, the staffer said.

The House staffer said the only hope for a positive outcome in the Senate is if the NumbersUSA Action Network turns out a response to Senate offices as large as its greatest efforts last year.

In other words, citizens have to show that they are paying attention, they care deeply and they will take note of what side the Senators take.

PERHAPS MOST IMPORTANTLY, when a Senate staffer tells you that the Senator opposes the AgJOBS amnesty, thank the staffer profusely and then....

....and then, encourage the staffer to ask the Senator to band with other Senators of like mind to do everything possible to keep AgJOBS from coming to the floor.

Emphasize the need for bold leadership and that the citizens of your support are hungry to see this kind of leadership.

Be as positive and supportive as possible to offices indicating opposition to AgJOBS.

4. ACTION.......... Send new faxes to Senators

Freshly updated faxes to your Senators have been placed on your Action Buffet.

You should be able to go directly to the fax by clicking on this link:

www.numbersusa.com/actionbuffet?action=buildfax&ID=1639

Thanks to many of you making generous contributions to our Great Technological Leap Forward campaign last summer, we now have the capacity to send three times as many faxes per day as we could during last year's major legislative battles.

Thus far, you have not come close to challenging our capacity in 2005. This would be a good time to do so.

5. OPTIMISM ........Some good signs

a. Congratualations to all of you in Utah who have made your Sen. Hatch and his staff miserable the last two years because of their leadership in trying to reward illegal aliens.

Sen. Hatch (R-UT) has withdrawn his co-sponsorship of the AgJOBS amnesty!

After a person co-sponsors a bill, the Senator has to go to the floor of the Senate and formally renounce the co-sponsorship to get off the bill. Sen. Hatch did just that.

In another sign that the Senator may be feeling the need to get more in line with Utah citizens' opinions, Sen. Hatch has NOT co-sponsored the DREAM Act in this Congress. In the past, he has been a prime sponsor -- along with open-borders champion Rep. Cannon (R-UT) -- of the DREAM Act to give in-state tuition and amnesty to illegal alien teenagers.

b. Senate co-sponsorships of AgJobs amnesty down from last year.

Last year, Sen. Craig (R-ID) and Sen. Kennedy (D-MA) were able to get more than 60 of the 100 Senators to co-sponsor their amnesty.

Thus far in the new Congress, they have not been able to get above 45. While all Senate offices tell us they are sure more than 50 Senators would vote for the amnesty if it is brought to the floor, we believe the lower level of co-sponsorships is a sign that fewer Senators want to stick their necks out before a vote and identify themselves for their citizens to rebuke.

c. Your feedback to us of what you hear when you call is very important to our Capitol Hill Team. Please send it immediately so our Team can use the information to work behind the scenes today.

Here are a couple of fun feedbacks from yesterday:

"Craig’s DC office just told me they have been flooded w/ calls today. The gentleman asked if I saw the story in “USA Today�, so perhaps he meant your site. I told him I have followed the legislation from its inception and that I saw Craig’s interview w/ Lou Dobbs a number of weeks ago (which went very badly for Craig) He was polite and respectful, and did not deny that Americans are very much opposed to these efforts.
Thanks..Keep it up."

-- T. Wright, Santa Barbara

"I called Frist's D.C. office this a.m. and after saying what I was supposed to say, I added this: 'As a veteran, it really bothers me that while young Americans are being asked to put their lives on the line in Iraq and Afghanistan, certain members of Congress want to open our borders even more and reward people here illegally with amnesty and a citizenship. Exactly which principles and values are these Americans supposed to be defending?' There was a pause, and the woman taking my comments said, 'That is an excellent point,' and she again asked for the spelling of my name."

-- Dave, Chicago

6. ACTION.......... More details about what is happening and other things you can do to help

I am so glad this has been stickied. This is a huge setback if it sneeks its way through.

I am so ashamed (and ANGERED) to be from a state which has elected the people who pander to this form of trash. We need to do ALL we can to kill this garbage. This is a big first step for the other side, and simply can not be allowed to be pushed. through.

H.

I called my Senator, Arlen Specter's office today and when I told the lady that answered that I opposed attaching the AgJOBS amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill, she didn't know what I was talking about.

This is typical of the staffers in Specter's offices I have found from past calls.

Not to be deterred I then called Sen. Frist's office in Kingsport TN. and got a better response from a polite and knowledgeable staffer. He told me Sen Frist felt this way also, but couldn't always control what was put into the bills.

He also stated that he had heard from many other people who felt that way today.

Quote:

---

I called my Senator, Arlen Specter's office today and when I told the lady that answered that I opposed attaching the AgJOBS amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill, she didn't know what I was talking about.

This is typical of the staffers in Specter's offices I have found from past calls.

---

I can't stand Specter. I so wish Toomey would have beaten him. The liberal Republican staffers are by far the most arrogant. They act like they are the ones that run the show. Totally dismissive too. Sad part is they make half as much as I do and they have their noses in the clouds just like the bosses they work for.

The worst I've dealt with is Driers spokeholes. They are just aweful.

I found a link for FAIR (Federation for Immigration Reform)
You can send a fax or an e-mail to your Senator or Congressman
regarding the Ag Bill or another matter.
using pre-written letters or you can devise your own.

Update:

From: Roy Beck, President, NumbersUSA
Date: Tuesday 5APR05 3 p.m.

3 ways to phone/act today and Wed to help stop AgJOBS amnesty in Senate

Your hundreds of calls and thousands of faxes last week and yesterday are REALLY stirring up the Senate.

Our Capitol Hill Team reports that things are looking slightly more optimistic for keeping the AgJobs amnesty (3 million illegal aliens and relatives) from passing the Senate this week or next week.

I have two brand new types of requests for help from you today. And an old one.

Please take at least one of the actions below. You are holding the line against the U.S Chamber of Commmerce and the AFL-CIO which have combined to undermine the American worker with floods of foreign labor. Not an easy job for you. But you are the ONLY organized force standing up for the working families of America on this issue.

"Please tell other NumbersUSA members that it is extremely easy to make those phone calls and to not leave it up to others to do so. EVERYONE must call. If they do so, I believe we have a very real chance of winning. If not, our country is being put in the very real danger of being taken over by illegal aliens from which we will never recover. This is the moment for everyone to get involved. Thank you for all your hard work to keep our country safe and proud."

-- Stacey McRae, California

1. ACTION ........ Put your local group on anti-AgJOBS list

Our allies in the Senate need a list of 100 or more local, state, regional and national groups that oppose the AgJobs amnesty.

Are you a member of any kind of group that could give permission to have its name on this list?

We need your response by Wednesday night for a list that anti-amnesty Senators will start using Thursday. (If you can't get approval until later in the week, then please send your approval when you get it so that we might add you to a later printing of the list.)

The list will not be on any group's letterhead. It will be a sheet of white paper with organizations in alphabetical order under the heading, "Organizations Opposed to the AgJobs Amnesty."

Elected officials in Congress who are our allies have asked for this assistance. Will you please do everything you can to help them.

The pro-amnesty crowd runs around with a list of hundreds of organizations, most of whom nobody's ever heard of. There are lots of little study groups in local churches and little immigrant-advocacy groups in small towns.

We are looking for endorsements of the anti-amnesty position by veterans, church, environmental, neighborhood, civic, political, labor, business etc. groups. All of you in Republican and Democratic Women's Clubs may have a way to add to this list.

Hit REPLY and put "endorsement" in the subject line. Then list the name, address, website (if you have one)and nature of your organization.

2. ACTION ........ Phone your Representative to sign letter putting Senate on notice

We have found a highly unlikely ally in our battle to stop the Senate from its usual headlong rush to reward and encourage illegal immigration .....

THE U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES!

Actually, we're talking about individual Members of the House.

It is highly unusual for Members of the House or Senate to lobby the other.

But our allies in the House just can't stand to the side and watch the usual Senate train wreck on immigration.

Rep. J.D. Hayworth (R-AZ) has sent the following letter to all House Members. I am asking you to call your Representative's office and ask the staff to call Hayworth's staff to learn more about signing this important letter.

Get your Representative's phone number at:

www.numbersusa.com/myMembers

Dear Colleague:

The Senate is considering adding several immigration amnesty proposals to the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act. By signing the attached letter, you will let Speaker Hastert know the supplemental is the wrong legislation for the proposed amendments, and outline the principles that should guide immigration reform when the appropriate legislation is considered.

The REAL ID Act, which passed the House in February, was sent to the Senate as a part of the supplemental as Chairman Sensenbrenner was promised by Speaker Hastert and the White House. The REAL ID Act will improve our national security, piecemeal amnesty proposals will not. The REAL ID Act improves the security standards of driver's licenses, allows the San Diego border fence to be completed, clarifies grounds for deportations of suspected terrorists, and prevents terrorists from abusing of our asylum system.

If you would like to add your signature, please immediately contact Todd Sommers in my office (225-2190).

Deadline for signatures is Wednesday April 13, 2005.

Best regards,
J.D. Hayworth
Member of Congress

So, ask your Representative's staff to call Todd at 225-2190 and learn about signing on to this letter.

It is especially important that any Representative who claims to be against illegal immigration take this action to show true commitment.

You will see from the letter that follows that this essentially is a request that the House draw a line in the sand and say that amnesties for illegal aliens are out of bounds.

Here is the letter that your Representative should sign:

The Honorable J. Dennis Hastert
Speaker of the House
Washington, D.C. 20515

Dear Speaker Hastert:

We write to urge you to communicate to the Senate our determination to establish and enforce an immigration policy that celebrates our immigrant heritage, secures our borders, draws a bright line between legal and illegal aliens, and rejects any and all forms of amnesty.

While it’s imperative that Congress reform our immigration system, bogging down a wartime funding measure with non-germane amendments that were not specifically agreed to by House leadership and President Bush does not serve the American people well. We believe you must make it clear to President Bush and especially the Senate that we expect the debate over our immigration policies should not delay the supplemental appropriations necessary to fund our military operations and tsunami relief efforts.

We look forward to swift completion of a conference report on the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act that enhances our ability to fight terrorism. We trust that any subsequent immigration reform legislation will honor what we consider to be bedrock principles of a sane, effective, productive immigration policy:

1. Our national security against terrorism must be built on secure borders, and we intend to invest whatever manpower and technological resources are required to close our borders to terrorists, drug smugglers, and illegal aliens;

2. Our national allegiance is to one indivisible nation, and we will not allow or condone the balkanization of the United States of America but instead embrace efforts to help documented newcomers become part of the American family;

3. Our core belief is that “reverence for the laws� must be, as Lincoln said, the “political religion of the nation,� which means we can no longer blur the line between legal and illegal immigration and we must vigorously enforce all of our immigration laws;

4. Our nation’s economic security and that of our workers, particularly low-income and underemployed Americans, must not be undercut by exploited, unskilled illegal alien workers; and

5. Our previous experiments with direct or indirect amnesty have failed, resulting in more not less, illegal immigration because amnesty rewards lawbreakers and discriminates against those who seek legal entry into this country; therefore, every form and vestige of amnesty must be rooted out of federal laws, regulations and policies.

By reaffirming our fidelity to these self-evident truths, we can seize this moment of opportunity to resolve one of the primary and growing threats to our nation’s future. We urge you work with us to rescue an immigration policy that is failing the American people, imposing enormous costs on our economy, and leaving us more vulnerable to terrorism.

Sincerely,

(names of Representatives)

3. ACTION ........ Phone your Senators with principles of the Hayworth letter

It is imperative that the phone calls not stop and not slow down to your Senators.

If you have not yet called, for the sake of the country, please call now.

If you called earlier, you have new things to say.

Get your Senators' phone number at:

www.numbersusa.com/myMembers

You can be as simple as stating your name and asking the Senator to oppose attaching Sen. Craig's AgJobs amnesty to the Iraq spending bill.

Or you can take a section of Rep. Hayworth's letter and make your points from there.

Just remember that the only thing stopping the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO further flooding our jobs and communities with hundreds of thousands of more foreign workers and relatives IS YOU!

Thanks.

-- ROY

I know this info is in another post, but I wanted both options for action compiled in this sticky thread.

W

Please use FAIR's system, oulined below, to take action AGAINST this pending legislation. FAIR makes it easy to: 1) urge Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to keep AgJOBS off the Senate floor by sending a FREE fax today; and 2) urge your senators to oppose AgJOBS in any form. Follow the instructions under the section "Action Needed."



Urgent Action Needed to Fight AgJOBS Amnesty
Senate Poised to Attach AgJOBS to Emergency War Supplemental

Your help is needed to defeat Sen. Larry Craig's (R-ID) AgJOBS amnesty for illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouses and children!

The Senate parliamentarian has ruled that debate over an AgJOBS amendment will be allowed on the pending emergency war supplemental spending bill. As mentioned, the AgJOBS bill would provide amnesty to illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouses and children, even those who have worked in agriculture and left the United States. It would also forgive agricultural employers who unlawfully employ illegal aliens and vastly expand and liberalize the H-2A agricultural guestworker program.

Help fight anticipated efforts to attach AgJOBS to the emergency war supplemental bill by taking action today!

Action Needed

Urge Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to keep AgJOBS off the Senate floor by sending a FREE fax today. Follow this link then click on the take action button to send this prewritten, editable fax.

Urge your senators to oppose AgJOBS in any form. Click here then type your zip code into the take action now box to send a FREE faxed message. (These messages are pre-written based on cosponsorship of Sen. Craig's AgJOBS bill, S. 359.)

Follow up your faxes with phone calls. Call Sen. Frist at 202-224-3135. Find your senators phone numbers here on our web site or call the senate switchboard (202-224-3121) and ask to be connected.

Sample Message for Sen. Frist's Office:
(If you live in Tennessee, be sure to mention so when calling.)

"I'm calling to urge Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) to keep Sen. Larry Craig's (R-ID) AgJOBS amnesty off the Senate floor. Do not allow this legislation on the Senate floor in any form. Specifically, do not allow it to be considered as an amendment to the emergency war supplemental bill.

The American people oppose rewarding illegal aliens with amnesty. AgJOBS would provide amnesty to illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouses and children. In addition to rewarding illegal aliens for violating our immigration laws, this bill forgives employers who have violated laws against hiring illegal aliens. Rewarding such behavior is unfair to those who play by the rules and will encourage further disregard for our laws.

This bill also vastly expands and liberalizes the H-2A agricultural guestworker program, which will further depress wages and working conditions for American workers in this industry.

Please uphold your oath of office by protecting the laws of this nation. Do not allow them to be sacrificed or modified for the benefit of greedy employers."

Sample Message for Senate Cosponsors of AgJOBS, S. 359:

"As your constituent, I strongly urge you to reconsider your support for Sen. Craig's AgJOBS amnesty legislation.

AgJOBS would provide amnesty to illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouse and children. In addition to rewarding illegal aliens who have violated our immigration laws, this bill forgives employers who have violated laws against hiring illegal aliens. Rewarding such behavior is unfair to those who play by the rules and will encourage further disregard for our laws.

Even President Bush regards this bill as an amnesty.

Please reconsider your support and oppose AgJOBS in any form."

Sample Message for all other Senators:

"As your constituent, I strongly urge you to oppose Sen. Larry Craig's AgJOBS amnesty in any form.

AgJOBS would provide amnesty to illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouses and children. In addition to rewarding illegal aliens who have violated our immigration laws, this bill forgives employers who have broken laws against hiring illegal aliens. Rewarding such behavior is unfair to those who play by the rules and will encourage further disregard for our laws.

This bill also vastly expands and liberalizes the H-2A agricultural guestworker program, which will further depress wages and working conditions for American workers in this industry.

Even President Bush regards this legislation as an amnesty.

Please oppose this legislation in any form, whether offered as an amendment to the emergency war supplemental bill soon to be considered or brought to the floor as stand alone legislation, S. 359."

For more details, read the following Washington Times article: Senate Opens Door to Alien Amnesty.

BTTT

As I sit back and see how you all think you can still buy your way out of this Legislative, Executive, & Judicial Sell Out, by yacking to the tune of Billions for them, and Squat for you, and all I can do is laugh, knowing that you & everything related to you will soon accompany me in hell.

Still don't get it, do U???

Poor, Pitiful, & Woefully Misguided Citizens of Rome.

I’ve been a true republican for over 30 yrs, and I can honestly say that YOUR false prophet & God, Bush, is naught but an Oil man & cheap labor ranching low life IQ Demon 2 OUR 21st century.

I know most of you can talk your way out of a fix these days, easy enough, and your profiteering kind would argue that my kind needs D shrink, today, but put all your idealistic fantasies aside for a second, and consider how something of this degree will effect you & everything you love?

Tried to tell you all that Bush was a Traitor & False Prophet in wolf’s clothing, before.

Hello; like what the Hell do most of you people need to wake up & smell your own blood?

Most who've fought in Bush’s so called war on terror, know that he's not doing a damned thing to protect US from real terror by sacrificing our sons and daughters 2 Iraq Sunni's & Shia's, raised to hate Americans to begin with, as he throws open Americas borders & invites every foreign criminal to freely cross US.

First of all: Bush is NO Reagan and I can't think of anyone who's done more to Decimate & Fractionalize the GOP & the American Dream, Including Nixon, today, then a Bush.

Get over it: the window for talking your way out of this real Quagmire is long gone, so you'd do better by sharpening & honing your survival skills, then sitting here beating @ the jaw.


8O