NEWSLETTER
WEEK of APR 19

THIS ISSUE: Opposition to 'Gang' Amnesty Growing

The backlash has begun against the amnesty bill introduced this week by the Gang of Eight. Republican Senators hold the key to whether it passes or fails. And the conservative opinion media that tend to matter most to them are showing increasing disdain for the bill.

Roy describes some major talk radio opposition in his new blog. Here are some other examples:

Thomas Sowell, long an iconic voice of economic conservatism from his perch as an economist at Stanford's Hoover Institution, had plenty to say about the opinion elite's love affair with the Gang's bill:

Why are there immigration laws in the first place? For the benefit of the American people -- not for the benefit of people in other countries who want to come here.

But political and media elites treat the American people as if they are the problem -- a problem to be circumvented with sophistry and pious promises about border security that have not been kept in all these years since the last amnesty, decades ago.

Daniel Horowitz is a defense attorney turned media pundit who also writes a regular column for some conservative websites. He took a sarcastic tone with the Gang's bill.

As the Gang of 8 introduces their proposal, just remember that all of your concerns are unfounded. Unlike pre vious amnesties, this one will not grow the welfare state; it will not affect wages; it will not change the composition of the country. Most importantly, it will finally ensure that we enforce the laws before people are granted amnesty. NOT!

Ann Coulter is usually known for her sarcastic tone, but she was direct with Marco Rubio going as far as to call him a liar in her weekly column.

Rubio said his comprehensive immigration plan isn't amnesty because "amnesty is anything that says 'do it illegally, it will be cheaper and easier.'" But, he assures us, it's "cheaper, faster and easier for people to go back home and wait 10 years" -- as the law currently requires -- "than it will be to go through this process that I've outlined."

Then why is he doing it? If it's "cheaper, faster and easier" for illegals to apply for citizenship under current law, what exactly does Rubio's plan accomplish?

Columnist Mickey Kaus, who blogs for a wide array of news websites, has been very critical of the Rubio amnesty, particularly through his blog onThe Daily Caller. This week, he highlighted the loophole in the bill that could cause the entire "trigger" argument to be moot.

If the ACLU can just tie up the E-Verify system at the DHS and in court for 9.5 years after legalization (which happens six months after the date of enactment) all the legalized illegals get green cards anyway, whether the system is in place or not. The same goes for the exit-visa system.

Now that the bill is out, the greatest ch ampions of American workers against unfair foreign labor competition have been speaking forcefully.

Among them:

The Senate's immigration proposal contains a fatal flaw. It legalizes almost everyone in the country illegally, also known as amnesty, before it secures the border. As a result, the Senate proposal issues an open invitation to enter the country illegally.
--Rep. Lamar Smith

This bill is legalization first, not enforcement first. The day the bill passes there will be effective amnesty for millions of illegal immigrants, with only the same promises we have heard before of enforcement to occur at some later date...

I am confident the American public will firmly reject it--and will demand reform that puts the national interest first.
--Sen. Jeff Sessions

We're very concerned that this bill is the same fundamentally flawed model from the past. It's immediate amnesty with a promise of enforcement.
--Sen. David Vitter

I do not think it is a good idea to start out an immigration reform bill that tries to address the needs of the 11 million upfront. We have the opportunity to straighten border security, reform our visa system and implement fully our long-sought-after visa entry and exist sys tem.

--Sen. Mike Lee

The Gang of Eight's bill is aggressive and outrageous amnesty. It is instant legalization of all illegal immigrants in the United States, with very few exceptions. It contains only promises: the promise of a plan for border security, of a backup plan for the border security, and of workplace enforcement in the form of making E-Verify mandatory.
--Rep. Steve King


We've compiled all the quotes from those that oppose the bill on our website. Click here to see more.

CHRIS CHMIELENSKI
FRI, APR 19th