I am contacting you because I believe that certain non-profit groups that receive government funding and grants have crossed over the line to illegal behavior. I am glad that Sen. Grassley wants to bring this conduct into the light of public scrutiny and that, as a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee he has the ability to do that. One of my state's senators, XXXXXXXXX, is also on the Judiciary Committee but I don't trust that he would respond to this issue.

With the introduction of immigration-related bills to the Committee ( Durbin's" DREAM Act", Leahy's" Uniting American Families Act" and Sen. Schumers strategy for comprehensive immigration reform) advocacy groups have initiated a flood of lobbying from their grassroots to our elected Senators and Representatives. These groups include League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and LaRaza.. Student led organizations like Change.org and Dreamactivist.org have also recruited participants to lobby the US Congress on behalf of the present population of illegal aliens.

The central issue I am contacting you about is that much of the "grassroots" membership of these groups consists of foreign nationals who are unlawfully present in the United States. These people are encouraged by the above named groups to call "their Senators" to press for passage of these bills. I have even seen instances of people living in other countries stating that they have contacted US elected officials of the Senate or House to demand passage of this legislation. To my understanding foreign lobbying of the US Congress is to be conducted under the requirements of the Foreign Agents Registration Act. Additionally it is a new twist when people who are unlawfully present in the US identify themselves as "constituents" with the right to lobby US officials.

When I have raised this issue with officials they do recognize that it is a crucial security issue. I have also learned that violations of the FARA law are investigated as espionage. However the government representatives I have raised this to do not proceed any further in rectifying this abuse. I call it an abuse, because I am sure no country in the world would appreciate foreign citizens lobbying their lawmakers unless it was done in strict accordance with their laws. Therefore organizations that receive any US federal funding and at the same time transgress the provisions of the FARA law or any other applicable lobbying disclosure regulation are actively subverting the independence and sovereignty of the US government. Moreover they are doing it by soliciting individuals whom they should reasonably know are present in the US illegally to pose as constituents of the jurisdictions of the United States. They know because the purpose of the legislation which they are lobbying on concerns their own legalization in the US.

Even if organizations like LaRaza and LULAC did not receive any federal funding it is still wrong for them to recruit non-citizens, unlawfully present in the US, to lobby. From my understanding there is no exception to this lobbying under the provision in FARA that citizens of nations which the President has deemed vital to US interest can freely lobby.To my knowledge, President Obama has issued no such declaration during his term. And even if they were somehow excepted the fact that many of them are unlawfully present in the first place would negate this exemption.

My understanding is that complaints to the US DOJ Foreign Agents Registration Unit receive scant attention. My hope in contacting your office is that Sen. Grassley would raise this issue. When hearings and discussions on immigration concerns are before the Senate Judiciary Committee or its subcommittees it should also be discussed before the members. Sen. Grassley has taken a lead among US senators in demanding fiscal accountability from both the Congress and US citizens. His efforts to combat tax evasion are greatly appreciated by honest US citizens. Unfortunately other Congressional members seem to blithely ignore the fact that an open ended immigration policy, such as LaRaza and LULAC advocate, would expose programs like the SSI benefit to further financial jeopardy. We cannot continue to expand social welfare programs intended for the American public and at the same time fall short on tax revenue due to rampant tax evasion. Unfortunately many liberal Congressmen have a clear conflict of interest in these matters. These are very dangerous positions to hold.

There are many groups involved in the activities I have mentioned and there is abundant documentation of their activities. Please feel free to phone me if you would like further input. My number is XXXXXXXXXXX. As I have stated I think these issues should be raised in Committee hearings. I have noticed that Sen Sessions and a few others have countered some of the misleading and irresponsible input originating from Sen. Schumer. I think perhaps Sen Klobuchar of Minnesota holds to some responsible views. It is hard to a citizen to know if each Senator on Judiciary is drawing a responsible boundary to protect US sovereignty.

Sincerely,
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX