Thread: Unacceptable Letter from TX Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchinson

Just another sitting-on-the-fence and unacceptable form letter!

I OCR Scanned it and tried to clean all the errors up. If I hand not marked all over it, it would have been a cake walk. If you read something weird, I will go back to the original and clarify it for you.

She is still selling a comprehensive plan and making excuses. However, I've never seen this before in her letters. She sounds a little defensive with he "I" statements. I've flat out told her that I will not vote for her, if she does anything to benefit or encourage illegal immigration. I meant what I said.

Dixie
~~~~~~~~~~~~

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON
TEXAS

X, Texas

Dear X:

Thank you for contacting me regarding illegal immigration in the United States. I welcome your thoughts and comments on this issue.

Congress substantially revised our nation's immigration laws in 1996, including the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act, expanding the Border Patrol, imposing significant penalties on immigrant smugglers, and establishing expedited deportation procedures. In the wake of the terrorist attack of September 11, 2001, we have been forced to reexamine our immigration laws and policies in order to eliminate vulnerabilities in our national security while continuing to meet the intent of the Constitution and the demands of international commerce.

Since 2001, Congress has addressed many immigration and border security concerns in the USA PATRIOT Act, the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004, and the REAL ID Act of 2005. Key provisions have included a systematic plan to monitor the southern border with unmanned aerial vehicles, authorization for an increase in the number of personnel devoted to enforcing immigration laws, and requirements that all applicants for state-issued identification and driver’s licenses prove their lawful presence in the United States.

In October 2005, I introduced S. 1823, the Illegal Immigration Enforcement and Empowerment Act, which would grant state and local officials expanded authority to arrest, detain and prosecute illegal aliens. The legislation would also create a Volunteer Border Marshal Program. In addition, I met with US. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to discuss broad immigration reform measures and the new provisions outlined in my bill. I also led Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) on a tour along the US.-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley to highlight the need for more agents, technology and funding to secure our borders. As a member of the' Senate Appropriations Committee, I have worked hard to secure. More than $322 million in additional appropriations over the past year for border security, Including funding for 1,500 new Border Patrol agents, 50 US. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators, 168 detention officers, and almost 2,000 detention beds. Yet, more needs to be done.

The United States has one of the most open immigration policies in the world, and I am Aware of the Important contributions our immigrants make to our nation. Temporary work visas play an important role in ensuring US companies have the workers they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive global marketplace. However, U.S. immigration policy must ensure

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American workers have every opportunity to compete for available jobs. In the areas of our economy where voids of talent and skills exist, we need to invest the resources necessary to fill those gaps. For example, I believe we need to increase our country's skills in the areas of math and science, and I recently cosponsored an amendment to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006, to assist in this effort by increasing our funding for Advanced Placement courses.

I do support the development of a guest worker program which would allow foreign nationals to work in the United States on a seasonal or temporary visas in industries where labor is in critical demand. However, I believe that granting legal status to those who entered our country illegally would only encourage others to break our laws in the future.

While Congress addresses problems with our current US immigration policy, we must maintain the security of our nation. During the 109th Congress, you may certain I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure comprehensive immigration reform remains a top priority.

I appreciate hearing from you and hope you will not hesitate to keep in touch on any issue of concern to you.

Sincerely,
Kay Bailey Hutchison

However, I believe that granting legal status to those who entered our country illegally would only encourage others to break our laws in the future.

Ya think?????

However, I believe that granting legal status to those who entered our country illegally would only encourage others to break our laws in the future.

That sentences should read: However, I believe that granting legal status or a path to citizenship to those who entered our country illegally would only encourage others to break our laws in the future.

She left out a lot of important statements in my book.

Dixie

Dixie, Boy do I agree with you on this one!!!!!

I listened to Senator Hutchison on the floor...and she's not anywhere near the sell-outs on the other side. She offered an alternative to allow immigrants who are only here temporarily on like a 10 month rotational basis. Every 10 months they would be required to go back to their home countries for two months. Again...that's a welcome mat to fraud but at least she voted AGAINST the senate immigration bill.

I really don't have much of a problem with that letter, except that on the subject of immigration and temporary work visas we need to stop playing pattycake and separate the issue of the invasion across our southern border from immigration as a whole. I'll give you one good example of why that should be.

Back in 1998, my brother-in-law was one of the thousands of foreigners (he's English) who came over here to work on the Y2K problem. The US lacked the software engineers and programmers to deal with the problem itself, and thanks to the small army of mostly European experts we imported, Y2K became a non-event. There are many such situations that actually do require temporary skilled foreign labor. Such people are generally a benefit, not a burden.

I think that political correctness is preventing many of our elected leaders from calling a spade a spade and separating these issues. They speak euphimistically of "comprehensive" solutions. To Hell with comprehensive solutions, how about we secure the southern border and do something about those who have crossed it illegally first and then worry about what other aspects of immigration policy need to be addressed?

Originally Posted by CrocketsGhost

There are many such situations that actually do require temporary skilled foreign labor. Such people are generally a benefit, not a burden.

They brought up this very point during debate and attempted an amendment to allow more skilled immigrants instead of the low-skilled workers now crossing. That was EXACTLY the time when our hero Mr. McCain made his now famous statement:

"What would the gentleman from New Mexico want next? I suppose they will be asking all of our immigrants to now wait in the back of the bus!"

Originally Posted by VaMinuteMan

Originally Posted by CrocketsGhost

There are many such situations that actually do require temporary skilled foreign labor. Such people are generally a benefit, not a burden.

They brought up this very point during debate and attempted an amendment to allow more skilled immigrants instead of the low-skilled workers now crossing. That was EXACTLY the time when our hero Mr. McCain made his now famous statement:

"What would the gentleman from New Mexico want next? I suppose they will be asking all of our immigrants to now wait in the back of the bus!"

Why not? Many of them are willing to suffocate in the back of a coyote's truck!

we need to stop playing pattycake

So True!!!!!!

CG, you gave me a thought. You know it would be so unfair to all the little underpaid labors that come here and get on welfare, since we would only be giving jobs to trained and skilled labor. That would be elitist of Americans to demand something of potential immigrants. Shame on the supreme Americans for pounding on the little unskilled guy, which doesn't offer us much but takes all he can.

If I'm not mistaken, her temporary worker bill actually increases the number of visas issued every year. I think numbersusa.com has it on their site. I've got the bill number. PM me and I will look it up if anyone wants to know the number.

Dixie

Gosh CrocketsGhost ... I have to disagree with you on this one ... I have been in the IT (that's its current name) industry for many many years and I can tell you that we did not have a shortage of SKILLED IT workers in the late 90' ... As we have not had a shortage of RN's (wife) ... in both cases it is just an excuse by large companies and now body shops to get workers at the lowest price possible...