ROB SANCHEZ AND IMMIGRATION LAWYERS OPPOSE CONG. TANCREDO'S BILL, H.R. 3333


By stating his opposition to H.R. 3333, "The REAL GUEST Act of 2005," Mr. Rob Sanchez joins immigration lawyers in opposing the bill introduced by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.). Both immigration lawyers and Mr. Sanchez have condemned H.R. 3333. Here is a link to the text of H.R. 3333: http://tancredo.house.gov/press/pressers/fulltext.htm.

Mr. Sanchez falsely claimed in his JOB DESTRUCTION NEWSLETTER No. 1339 that "Immigration lawyers think the bill is a good idea." He stated that "[i]n 2003 their editor said that Tancredo's bill, 'may be as big a boon to immigration lawyers as the H1B boom was.'" Mr. Sanchez further said that "[a]fter reading the bill I understand why they like it so much."

Mr. Sanchez was referring to comments listed under the heading "Editor's Comments" that was published on January 6, 2003, in the "Immigration Daily." Those comments may be accessed by using the following link: http://www.ilw.com/immigdaily/digest/2003,0106.shtm. Here are the comments in their entirety:

There is wide support in DC for a large immigration initiative later in 2003 as reflected in recent news reports we have linked to. Former House Speaker Gingrich, Rep. Tancredo (R-CO) and the White House are all apparently at work on a guest worker program which might embrace more than a million people, including those currently undocumented. While there are not many supporters yet on the right for a legalization component to such guest worker legislation, political realities will likely dictate that a modest number of immigrants be part of the overall guest worker legislation. What this new guest worker program might do is to replace the current H2A and H2B categories with something better - without the dual temporary concept, and maybe even with dual intent. If that happens, and it is a big if, this may be as big a boon to immigration lawyers as the H1B boom was. Of course, all of us will have to wait and see what happens - immigration, though important, is not the top priority in DC right now, with war clouds looming.

The editor never made any reference to "Tancredo's bill" as claimed by Mr. Sanchez. The editor simply mentioned Rep. Tancredo "as apparently at work on a guest worker program." In fact, the editor never referred to any completed bill, much less one authored by Congressman Tancredo.

Rep. Tancredo has never been at work on a guest worker program that would include "those currently undocumented." While serving in the United States House of Representatives, Rep. Tancredo has always opposed any bill that would provide legal status to illegal aliens, referred to by the editor as "those currently undocumented." There have never been any news reports suggesting Rep. Tancredo was at work on such a bill. That part of the "Editor's Comments" was simply false.

Mr. Sanchez does not support the McCain/Kennedy or Cornyn/Kyl legislation.

He does claim, however, that "Tancredo's guest-worker bill is no better than the other guest-worker bills as far as jobs go" and that "there are valid reasons to say that Tancredo's bill is much more damaging to white-collar jobs than McCain/Kennedy or Kyle/Cornyn." Here is a link to the forum in which he made those comments: http://www.voy.com/19385/2746.html. The McCain/Kennedy immigration legislation will award amnesty and citizenship to millions upon millions of illegal aliens, as well as do virtually nothing to increase border or interior enforcement. The Kyle/Cornyn bill will effectively give amnesty to millions of illegal aliens.

Mr. Sanchez's contention that "[i]mmigration lawyers think the bill [H.R. 3333] is a good idea" is both false and laughable. If he had accomplished just the most basic level of competent research on the subject, Mr. Sanchez would have learned that that the American Association of Immigration Lawyers (AILA) opposes H.R. 3333. Here is a link to a document on AILA's website that describes the reasons for AILA's opposition to H.R. 3333: http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=17290. Here is the text from the document that is relevant to H.R. 3333:

H.R. 3333

Oppose
The Rewarding Employers that Abide by the Law and Guaranteeing Uniform Enforcement to Stop Terrorism (REAL GUEST) Act of 2005: Introduced on July 19 by Representative Tom Tancredo (R-CO), H.R. 3333 would overhaul the immigration system and enact a number of restrictive measures under the guise of enhancing border enforcement and improving homeland security. Among other things, the bill would: make unlawful presence a felony; impose severe restrictions on use of the H nonimmigrant visa; suspend the Visa Waiver Program; authorize the use of military troops at the border; encourage state and local enforcement of immigration law; and increase employer sanctions.



How much clearer could AILA be in their opposition to a bill that Mr. Sanchez also opposes?

AILA does, however, support the McCain/Kennedy amnesty bill. Here is a link to a press release by AILA supporting the bill that Mr. Sanchez believes may be much less damaging to white-collar workers than H.R. 3333: http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=16416.

Immigration lawyers are always critical of immigration-related bills sponsored by Cong. Tancredo. AILA has never supported any such bill. Further, Cong. Tancredo is not supporting any immigration-related bill endorsed by AILA. Why would Mr. Sanchez make the false accusation that immigration lawyers support H.R. 3333?