Thread: House measure rejects 'amnesty'

House measure rejects 'amnesty'
The Washington Times : November 7 , 2007 -- by Stephen Dinan

"It's clear that both sides of the aisle of the House understand enforcement has to happen now," said Rosemary Jenks, NumbersUSA's director of government relations.

More than 80 House Democrats and Republicans yesterday teamed up to propose a new immigration-enforcement bill, saying they reject the Senate's two attempts at "amnesty" and signaling that only an enforcement measure can pass this Congress.

Led by Rep. Heath Shuler of North Carolina, a freshman Democrat who won election with a tough immigration-enforcement message, the bill also challenges conventional wisdom by showing a large number of rank-and-file Democrats agree with most Republicans that the first step should be a get-tough approach on border security.

That new approach includes going after businesses that hire illegal aliens, better information-sharing among federal agencies such as the IRS, Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to track illegal aliens, and an increase in enforcement agents both at the border and in the nation's interior.

"The reason you're seeing so many of us standing here today, Democrats and Republicans, is this is the immigration reform bill the American people have been waiting for," said Rep. Jason Altmire of Pennsylvania, a freshman who is one of 44 Democrats signing on as original co-sponsors, along with 40 Republicans.

The bill is a rejection of the approach adopted by President Bush, who has insisted on coupling enforcement with a rewrite of the legal immigration system and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens -- an approach the Senate has twice tried unsuccessfully, including a resounding defeat earlier this year.

Mr. Shuler's bill, which he wrote with Rep. Brian P. Bilbray, California Republican and chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus, is a slimmed-down version of the enforcement bill that passed the House in 2005, though without that bill's felony penalty for being in the country illegally and without language that religious groups said could make criminals out of ministers and priests.

"When the Senate got together in a bipartisan way, their solution was amnesty. When the House got together, the solution was interior enforcement, border security," said Rep. Zach Wamp, Tennessee Republican.

With an estimated 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens in the country, the issue has jumped to the fore of the political debate. But those who want to see a legalization program say the federal government has been boosting enforcement for years and it hasn't worked.

"We've been trying, we've been dedicating significant resources to this problem for 20 years now, and the problem is worse than it's ever been," said Marshall Fitz, director of advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Mr. Fitz said Mr. Shuler and other freshmen who were elected in competitive districts are responding to politics, but their policy answer is wrong.

"I think this is political theater more than serious policy-making," he said. "Any realistic enforcement strategy that doesn't address the 12 million in some way is only going to make the problem worse."

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and other top Democrats have said before they would bring an immigration bill to the floor, it must have significant Republican support. This bill may gain that support, but it's not the type of measure Mrs. Pelosi was expecting when she called for Republicans to join with Democrats on immigration.

Her office yesterday didn't return a call for comment, but those who oppose the bill doubted Democratic leaders will give Mr. Shuler's bill much attention.

"I don't see it gaining any traction. I think this is total showboating, not sound policy," said Angela Kelley, director of the Immigration Policy Center. "We can all agree there needs to be effective enforcement, but clearly where there needs to be leadership is what do we do about the 11 million, what do we do about the limited number of visas for people entering legally."

The bill does have the backing of the National Association of Police Organizations and NumbersUSA, an advocacy group that wants stricter immigration limits. And, in a major coup for Mr. Shuler and the bill's sponsors, it has the support of the National Federation of Independent Business.

"It's clear that both sides of the aisle of the House understand enforcement has to happen now," said Rosemary Jenks, NumbersUSA's director of government relations.

Rep. Tom Feeney, Florida Republican, said the bill could change the Senate's thinking as well.

"If the House can get this bill up and out, there will be an enormous amount of pressure on the Senate," he said. He also said the bill could force its way into the presidential campaigns by forcing the candidates, particularly Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, to take a stand on a Democrat-sponsored enforcement-first bill.

While polls are mixed on how voters want to handle illegal entry into the U.S., a Fox 5/Washington Times/Rasmussen Reports poll released this week found that voters are united in not wanting illegal aliens to get benefits such as tuition assistance or driver's licenses.

Rep. Artur Davis, Alabama Democrat, said the license issue is a no-brainer for voters in his district.

"Most people in this country get that a driver's license is a form of legal status," he said, since a license allows its holder to board a plane, enter most government buildings and conduct most financial transactions. "You might as well be a legal citizen if you can get a driver's license."

http://www.numbersusa.com/news?ID=9164

With an estimated 12 million to 20 million illegal aliens in the country, the issue has jumped to the fore of the political debate. But those who want to see a legalization program say the federal government has been boosting enforcement for years and it hasn't worked.

"We've been trying, we've been dedicating significant resources to this problem for 20 years now, and the problem is worse than it's ever been," said Marshall Fitz, director of advocacy for the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

Only for show!!!! YOU CERTAINLY HAVEN'T BEEN ENFORCING OUR LAWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! or voting in that direction either!!!!!!!!!

That new approach includes going after businesses that hire illegal aliens, better information-sharing among federal agencies such as the IRS, Homeland Security and the Social Security Administration to track illegal aliens, and an increase in enforcement agents both at the border and in the nation's interior.

When we do this...THEN we will see a difference...NO MORE EXCUSES!!!!!!

This is the SAVE ACT. There are SAVE ACT threads...........use SEARCH.


THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR!!!! I'm sending emails and making phone calls and waiting for alipacers to mount a full fledged attack. WE MUST GET THIS BILL PASSED.

Rep Shuler and Rep Bilbray HAS ASKED FOR OUR HELP in getting this bill off the table and passed. They have 84 co-sponsers..........we must make it more.

"I think this is political theater more than serious policy-making," he said. "Any realistic enforcement strategy that doesn't address the 12 million in some way is only going to make the problem worse."

Well, it does address the 12 or 30 million that are here. It tells them to leave or be deported and jobs hopefully will be hard to find. That's the whole point they seem to ignore. The word "addressing" is simply cover for "amnesty."

Originally Posted by CitizenJustice

This is the SAVE ACT. There are SAVE ACT threads...........use SEARCH.


THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR!!!! I'm sending emails and making phone calls and waiting for alipacers to mount a full fledged attack. WE MUST GET THIS BILL PASSED.

Rep Shuler and Rep Bilbray HAS ASKED FOR OUR HELP in getting this bill off the table and passed. They have 84 co-sponsers..........we must make it more.

The details were posted today under HR 4088. We need to get everyone, nationwide behind this one.