Thread: "No Illegal Alien Left Behind Act."

Sen. Mel Martinez, R-Fla., said, "I'm going to celebrate here

Here’s what he had to say about Thursday’s decision.

Working together, we were able to craft a bill that accomplishes the 3-major goals we set out with: Protect the border, provide for the future economic needs of our nation, and for the workforce we'll need in the future, and thirdly, what to do with this large group of people who have come here when we had a broken-down immigration system."

He said his next challenge is convincing the House of Representatives to approve the bill. Their proposal favors deportation and tougher border security measures, he said he thinks that some House members may be softening.Most House members from South Florida -- four Democrats and three Cuban-American Republicans -- they all favor the Senate bill because it would be a path to legal status for the people living in their districts and allow more foreign guest workers to help tend farms and businesses.

Martinez said "Republican Party risks losing its majority status if it alienates the Hispanics it has sought to court." "I've been an optimist all along," he said shortly after Senate passage. "The boundless opportunity that the American dream has to offer -- as proven by my life in this country in many different ways at different times -- shows that all things are possible.

"I believe we will get a bill out of this Congress this year."



Foley is going to back it, so that's one we won't be able to count on to counter act against it.

Activists say illegal immigrants should hit the bricks

WASHINGTON — About a dozen small, weighty boxes began trickling in to Sen. Mel Martinez's Capitol Hill office a few weeks back. At the time, the senator's staff didn't think much of it.
But with each day, more boxes came.


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And then dozens more.
Inside each box the staffers found a red brick, usually with a note or a message: "Build a wall. Secure the border."

By Tuesday morning, Martinez staffers had received more than 200 bricks sent by opponents of plans to overhaul U.S. immigration laws in a way that would give millions of those in the country illegally a pathway to citizenship.

Those opponents are trying to persuade lawmakers to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border and drop a plan to create a guest worker program. The bricks, they believe, send a strong message.

Martinez, the freshman Republican, has been at the center of the divisive immigration debate in recent weeks, primarily because he is the Senate's sole immigrant.

He and Sen. Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., helped craft a compromise last month that would create a guest worker program and grant citizenship to illegal immigrants who pass background checks, pay back taxes plus a $2,000 fine.

Because of his stance on the issue, Martinez has become a one of the biggest targets of the bricks on Capitol Hill — as of Tuesday, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., has only received about two dozen, spokesman Dan McLaughlin said. In fact, Martinez staffers have received so many, they covered a good part of the floor in an aide's office.

"If this debate went on for a few more weeks we could pave the entire office," said Martinez spokesman Ken Lundberg. "It's certainly creative.

"It's encouraging how people have found a way to express themselves on the issue," Lundberg added. "We agree with them. We want secure borders, but we also want comprehensive immigration reform."

The Senate is expected to pass a comprehensive immigration package, much like the one Martinez proposed, in the next couple of days. The upcoming vote has caused a surge in the shipments of bricks. They've been coming in from Florida, Ohio, Colorado and other spots around the country.

"It's not too late to do the right thing," Roger Preece of Aurora, Colo., wrote on a note taped to a brick Martinez received recently. "You swore to uphold our laws. Have you lied?"

Most of the bricks came from an organized anti-illegal immigration Web site, www.send-a-brick.com, which gives users the option of sending their own brick or buying a brick online for $11.95.

"Don't have time to mail your brick?" the Web site says. "We can do it for you."

Each brick is sent with a letter addressed to a lawmaker of choice. The letter reads, "I am sending you this brick in support of an increase in the border security of the United States. This brick should give you a start in building the wall on the border."

But Lundberg said the bricks would not be used to build a wall. The office hopes to donate the bricks to Habitat for Humanity.


comments
Its great that people do express there ideas with this issue by sending in bricks...But they shouldnt have to..Our congessmen and women know the peoples feelings on this but choose not to listen to us..Well in November I hope that they will listen when the people tell them to go away..Vote them out !

6:52:19 a.m. on May 24, 2006
JOE MCCURDY SR | 05.24.06 - 6:57 am | #

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I will certainly go to the site and send a brick. If enough do maybe that wall will get built and then vote out those that don't follow what the public, who pay them to act as our representatives, wanted to get done. Illegal is illegal. What part of the word is not understandable?

7:04:53 a.m. on May 24, 2006
JEANNIE LUCAS | 05.24.06 - 7:09 am | #

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This is a great idea. While it is easy to delete our emaiuls, congessmen have a harder time throwing away bricks, especially if they receive plenty of them. Just think of the complaints of the staffers who have to lug those bricks to the trash every day!

7:09:49 a.m. on May 24, 2006
TOM ANDERSONN | 05.24.06 - 7:14 am | #

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Martinez is a traitor.

8:01:45 a.m. on May 24, 2006
BETTY MURPHY | 05.24.06 - 8:06 am | #

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"Comprehensive immigration reform" - send all the illegals home NOW. Martinez represents citizens of other countries, not US citizens.

9:23:54 a.m. on May 24, 2006
DAVID MYHRE | 05.24.06 - 9:28 am | #

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I AGREE DAVID
SHIP 'EM OUT SEND 'EM HOME
I DONT WANT TO SUPPORT THESE
FREELOADERS

9:31:41 a.m. on May 24, 2006
ELIZABETH YELTNUH | 05.24.06 - 9:36 am | #

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A good guest worker program is needed because there are some indusries, like agriculture, that use a lot of seasonal workers. A good guest worker program will help to fill in those seasonal voids.

Don't go into isolation here, do the right thing! Take the good things and make them better, trash the failures. good things are like guest worker programs, bad things are like no wall/fence at the border and Mexico's lack of cooperation with stopping their max exodus of people.

9:50:38 a.m. on May 24, 2006
MIKE WILLIS | 05.24.06 - 9:55 am | #

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HEY!!! WE CAN HIRE THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS TO BUILD THE WALL AND SAVE A LOT OF MONEY.

10:54:48 a.m. on May 24, 2006
JIM MELLONS | 05.24.06 - 10:59 am | #

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What makes any of you think our politicans are going to listen to us? This country is a mess and needs a lot of prayer.

11:49:16 a.m. on May 24, 2006
TIM ALLEN | 05.24.06 - 11:54 am | #

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Good one Jim! Make sure they build it from the south side...

11:49:39 a.m. on May 24, 2006
MARK WASHBURN | 05.24.06 - 11:54 am | #

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Our rights as citizens are being exploited by those who are here illegally demanding rights that aren't theirs to demand.

I for one would rather see them export these illegals and make them do things the right way.

It undermines our own consitutional rights because we cannot possibly afford to support these people who do not care enough to become a citizen.

Free housing, free emergency room care, free education (with free breakfast and lunches). . . well, do born citizens get free housing? Free emergency room care? Perhaps if they stand in line behind the illegals, they might. I know that if I showed up in the ER in CA and did not have health insurance, I would be turned away. An illegal immigrant would be treated. There is something severly wrong with that. Dozens of CA ER"s have shut down due to the mass of "free" (only free to the illegals - we pay for it) health care.

I know here in CA, the amount of illegals here is staggering and I for one am becoming less tolerant of the "in-your-face" attitudes of these illegal mexicans and south americans.

Our politicians are supposed to uphold and defend our current laws, not make new ones, hoping that the new ones might be followed.

Immigration reform? What makes you think any of these people will care about new laws when the old ones meant nothing in the first place.

This whole issue and the fact that there is any debate at all about what to do, makes me sick to my stomach.

1:48:24 p.m. on May 24, 2006
ROXY CARR | 05.24.06 - 1:53 pm | #

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Can we do this in Florida, and stop the YANKEE FLOW??????

3:32:05 p.m. on May 24, 2006
M HOLTSBERG | 05.24.06 - 3:37 pm | #

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Come election time all these spineless worm politicians should be voted out of office.They should be ashamed of themselves for what they are propossing.Come to this country illegally,take advantage of all of our services (medical,police,fire,ect)pay nothing in taxes and be rewarded for it.I love my country but lets face it we are heading into the toilet.

3:46:50 p.m. on May 24, 2006
THOMAS FLYNN | 05.24.06 - 3:51 pm | #

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I sent three bricks from my family and felt great about it. These bozos are going to do whatever they want.. they do not care what we the voters think..So my family and I will quit voting and start laughing at those voters who continue to vote, and think that their votes make a difference. This country needs a third party....

Norma Everton


5:37:31 p.m. on May 24, 2006
NORMA EVERTON | 05.24.06 - 5:42 pm | #

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Right after your comprehensive immigration package how about a comprehensive plan to change the leadership of this country to people who will uphold the laws and support the voice of the people, instead of lining theirs and their cronies pockets. FAT CHANCE!! It shames me to have to admit that this country is being run by thieves and cowards. I can no longer in good conscience support this corrupt Federal system, they do for themselves without thought as to what they were elected to do, represent AMERICANS. I wash my hands of it...

7:20:12 p.m. on May 24, 2006
BRIAN MARTIN | 05.24.06 - 7:25 pm | #

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I sent a brick and I'm glad. However, I've also written, called, faxed, signed petitions and the government still isn't listening.

I am proposing a federal tax revolt to force our elected officials to be heard.

Enough is enough. Give me my W-4 form. My take home pay just got a little larger.

8:17:38 p.m. on May 24, 2006
TERESA MILLER | 05.24.06 - 8:22 pm | #

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What a great idea! I'm about to
prepare my package. This is
certainly more tangible than E-Mails,
phone calls and letters.

Let's band together and send John McCain a couple of truckloads!

Marge Silveira

9:56:04 p.m. on May 24, 2006
MARJORIE SILVEIRA | 05.24.06 - 10:01 pm | #

http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/nation_world_ ... 86,00.html

Last entry.."Lets send McCain a truck load"...of bricks.

How about lettuce heads?

Remember his promise to the American Workers in Arizona that he'd pay them $50 an hour to pick lettuce?

They showed up calling him on his deal and he still hasn't come through.

Think about lettuce heads for John McCain....they'd be nice and slimy after about 3 or 4 days in the mail. Staffers would love that, eh?

We could send whisky to Kennedy....keep him in a drunk stupor or "rehab"...for the next few months, eh?

We could send the Wackident....Sombreros with a tag hanging off the back that says...."I am for Sale...la la la...la la la", eh?

Martinez is my new arch enemy. Traitorous piece of trash that he is. He does not represent me, that's for sure.

This is the letter I recieved from Mark Foley. Take it for what it is worth.

Dear Diana,

Thank you for contacting me about America's illegal immigration
problem. I appreciate hearing from you on this critical issue.

While the debate over border security and immigration reform
continues, we must keep in mind two important facts. First, our borders
are not secure; we continue to remain vulnerable to terrorist threats and
illegal aliens spilling over our borders. Second, there are currently an
estimated 11 to 14 million illegal aliens already within our borders.

As the grandson of immigrants, I know as well as anyone that our
country was founded by hardworking families who came to America
looking for a better way of life. However, my family - as well as
millions of others - came here following the laws. They came by the
boatload through Ellis Island, Galveston, or other ports of entry -
legally. They did not sneak over the border or defy immigration laws.

In this post September 11th era, we need to ensure that we are in control
of the flow of those coming into our country more than ever because
the threat is greater than ever before.

We need to have additional immigration personnel on the ground to
process the claims and make sure no one falls through the cracks while
improving our border security with more border patrols and the newest
technology. While we have been blessed that no other attacks have
occurred during the past five years, we cannot afford to let our guard
down.

Once we have addressed increased border security, there is no question
we must address what to do with the millions of illegal aliens who are
already here. The burden placed on our nation's infrastructure by those
who do not pay taxes is too great. Our hospitals, schools, and welfare
offices are busting with people who keep taking without having the
opportunity to give back in return. Our policy must acknowledge that
our economy partly reflects the many illegal aliens who are here while
our government - the taxpayers - bears the burden.

The only immigration policy we should have is one that is good for
Americans, first and foremost. That should not include blanket amnesty
for illegal immigrants - we cannot lead the world to believe we have an
"open" sign at the border. But it should recognize the realities of who
is working now in America. Blanket amnesty would be a slap in the
face of those who have spent numerous years and countless dollars to
immigrate to American legally. The guiding principles of any plan
must respect those going through the proper legal channels.

We must stop the current "catch-and-release" policies of our federal,
state and local law enforcement and, instead, implement a "catch-and-
return" policy - returning caught aliens immediately back to their
country of origin. We also need to make sure that those already here are
not criminals or human rights violators. Criminals should not be
allowed to enjoy the benefits of the freedom our country provides.

Whatever plan Congress ends up agreeing to must be one that is
responsible, fair and workable. But in the meantime, we need to
continue increasing border and port security so we can know who and
what is coming onto our shores and into our country at all times.

Again, thank you for contacting me, and please let me know if you'd
like other information.


Sincerely,

Mark Foley
Member of Congress

dlm1968, got the same one from Foley, lets say I got the same last 5 or so from Foley, Martinez's, and Nelsons response letters were on the same level of spew. I wrote Jeb, not that he had anything to do with the voting, but he didn't even bother to respond, but lets face it, it wasn't a media shot so why should he bother, hurricanes only made him respond if there was a photo opt for him. Before our electric went and we still had tv, we were pretty busy with last minute preparation when Charlie turned towards Pt. Charlotte, I heard Jeb on tv with the gov. alert, he spoke first in Spanish, even had a Spanish interpenter for the deaf.....then he took time to say it in English. I was to busy to get to livid, but I was.

Elected latin officials NEVER put allegiance before race. They draft and vote on bills that favor latin Americans, not any other Americans. They are the racists.