Immigration reform rests on a national worker ID

The Monitor's Editorial Board – Tue Mar 9, 12:21 pm ET

During their day-to-day activities in public, some 10 million people in the United States live a lie. They pretend to be legal residents when they are not.

It is this corrosive wearing away of the rule of law in America that should be a prime concern as President Obama launches a new effort this month to fix the nation’s broken immigration system.

Mr. Obama faces rising pressure from Hispanic activists to fulfill a campaign promise for “comprehensive” reform. They plan a large rally in Washington March 21 to demand action. They know that any bill must start moving through Congress by May to stand a chance of passage this year.

And if lawmakers also fail to provide a “path to citizenship” for illegal immigrants, Hispanic groups plan to punish Democrats in the fall elections. After all, they argue, it is their increasing clout in US politics that helped put Obama in the White House.

The president’s best chance to resolve this issue, however, remains in first showing that government can enforce immigration laws, further stemming illegal border crossings and decreasing the high number of immigrants who overstay their visas. Without rigorous enforcement – that is sustainable for years – any sort of amnesty for illegal immigrants would only invite more unlawful migration.

This week, Obama plans to start working on reform with a bipartisan team in the Senate, Democrat Chuck Schumer and Republican Lindsey Graham. A key idea coming from the senators is a new ID system to prevent employers from hiring illegal workers.

Such hiring only serves as a powerful magnet for people in other countries, especially Mexico, to risk their lives and break American law to reach the US.

The idea is to require a national ID card for legal workers using the latest technology in preventing fraud, such as biometric data about a person’s fingerprints or the veins on the backs of hands. It would be a different kind of identification system than already exists with a Social Security card or with the federal effort since 2005 to standardize state driver’s licenses. And it would either supplant or supplement a current system called E-Verify, in which employers can check an applicant’s status through a federal database.

The problems with E-Verify have been many – it is voluntary, fails to flag many illegal workers, and is prone to fraud. Employers seeking low-wage workers have little incentive to use it.

Obama could quickly reduce the nation’s high jobless rate with passage of a law requiring legal residents and Americans, even teenagers, to obtain a federal ID as legal workers. Migrants working outside the law would then be forced to come clean on their illegal activity, leave the country, and perhaps properly apply for a US visa – as millions of law-abiding people do around the world who wait years to enter the US.

To reach full employment, Obama needs to create about 8 million jobs – or nearly the number of illegal immigrants in the US.

After nearly 14 months in office, the president still needs to show a firm commitment to immigration enforcement. His record so far is mixed.

He seeks more funding for E-Verify and a program called Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) that screens applicants for welfare programs. But his proposed budget would also reduce the size of the border patrol by 180 officers and cut funding for the Southwest border fences.

And the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has all but ended federal raids on workplaces with a large number of illegal workers – raids which would need to be done humanely – in favor a more narrow focus on deporting illegals with criminal records.

Under Obama, local police are no longer encouraged to enforce federal immigration law, although local officials are receiving federal help in checking the legal status of people in county and city jails.

The last attempt by Congress at immigration reform failed in 2007 when it became clear that Americans wanted to see a long-term track record on immigration enforcement. The decline in the number of illegal aliens by about a million since January 2008, while aided by a recession, indicates that enforcement works.

An easy victory for Obama this year would be the passage of a national worker ID program along with other stepped-up enforcement measures. Only after that should Congress address what to do with the remaining immigrants who still live in the shadow of the law.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20100309...1pZ3JhdGlvbnI-

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The problems with E-Verify have been many – it is voluntary, fails to flag many illegal workers, and is prone to fraud. Employers seeking low-wage workers have little incentive to use it.

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Step one : make the enforcement of the current laws a priority.
Step two : Make verivication of a persons immigration/citizenship status a legal and binding requirement.
Step three : Fine and even jail employers who do not follow the rules.


52 Comments

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"Obama could quickly reduce the nation’s high jobless rate with passage of a law requiring legal residents and Americans, even teenagers, to obtain a federal ID as legal workers" This brings back memories of my youth and those black and white movies where men in long leather coats and thick German accents (Gestapo) demand identity papers

By the way if the Monitor's Editorial Board is demanding ID's of Americans how about the Editorial Board identifying itself (individually) rather than concealing their identities. Perhaps they are illegal aliens - excuse me - undocumented immigrants.

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This would be an intolerable intrusion. There are, to be sure, many situations already where the state can demand I prove my identity, and these are already too frequent and to ubiqjuitous. But for the state to start issuing a mandatory national ID, and demand I produce it when going about my lawful affairs? Not done.

The CSM's conveniently anonymous editorial board is dead wrong on this.

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A national ID card and automatic prison time (as in many years) for employers of illegals would do for a start. Follow that with prison time for employers who abuse the Hxxx Visa and Green Card programs. Finally the loss of citizenship and deportation of managers who export jobs overseas.

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give more funding to the boarder patrol, deport the illegals, and raise the fines on hiring illegals so high that,so they will not do it again

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To impact illegal aliens the fastest, do not work them or use anyone that does. That means do not eat at dining places that use illegal aliens. Do not use roofing crews, concrete finishers, carpenter crews, tire repair, lawn mowing, tree cutters, highway workers, etc. Make city contractors for landscaping, remodeling contractors working on government projects document their workers. We had a sercurity guard fired in Oklahoma because he refused to allow an illegal alien on the base. The commander should have been brought up on charges. Instead a guard doing the job he was hired to do, was fired. Wake up America, the problem is under your nose every time you eat a taco or burrito off one of those street side trucks selling undocumented food or services. You did it to yourselves. If they can't speak english well I will not hire them at all. I do not care where they say they're from!!!! Illegal aliens are criminals. Trespassers, anyone that supports them is a criminal , too Whether they're trespassing in the country or your home they're just as criminal. They should be shot on sight like the vermin they are!!!

"T P O" THE PHANTOM OKIE"

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Why, oh why, do illegal immigrants think they should have some parity with tax-paying American citizens?

Why must we American come second to illegal immigrants ? They were not born here; instead comitted a crime to be here.

What about the costs of education, health and welfare for their anchor babies? Why do mentally ill Americans stand in line behind these ingrates?

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What we have here is a failure to communicate.

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So citizens have to give up their freedom and privacy because the government won't do it job!!!!!

The resentment building against Obama and his adminitration is growing faster than the idiot could ever imagine.

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There are not enough jobs for the american people ,why would we be so stupid too give a person from a nother country our job.believe me we are doing all kinds of work ,just so we can eat.Scrapping by and hoping for betters times.

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Would you buy a used car from either Schumer or Graham ? I damn sure wouldn't. No national ID.

Period.

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Obama says he's committed to immigration overhaul
Darlene Superville, Associated Press Writer – 1 hr 46 mins ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama on Thursday assured immigration advocates frustrated by the wait for a promised overhaul of U.S. immigration laws that he remains committed to fixing a system he has said is broken. What remains unclear is whether Congress will send him a bill this year.

Obama also met separately later in the day with Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who gave the president an outline of a bill they are drafting. Obama said afterward in a statement that he "looked forward to reviewing their promising framework."

Obama said he told the senators and the advocacy groups that "my commitment to comprehensive immigration reform is unwavering, and that I will continue to be their partner in this important effort."

The immigration issue is an important one for Obama, who has promised to work to solve the problem. Hispanics voted heavily for Obama in the 2008 presidential election, making the difference in key states like Florida, and their votes will be critical in the November midterm elections when Obama and his fellow Democrats will be fighting to maintain control of the House and Senate.

Latino voters who don't think progress is being made on the issue may not go to the polls.

Graham said he told Obama "in no uncertain terms" that the immigration effort could stall in Congress if the health care bill, which Republicans oppose, moves forward under a special process known as budget reconciliation that would limit the GOP's ability to derail the bill in the Senate.

"Using reconciliation to push health care through will make it much harder for Congress to come together on a topic as important as immigration," Graham said.

Schumer said he and Graham asked Obama for help building support in the Senate for an immigration bill, and getting business and labor groups to agree on the future flow of lower-skilled labor.

The South Carolina Republican said Obama also promised to help resolve outstanding issues pertaining to "virtual fencing" along the border with Mexico to detect people trying to enter the U.S. illegally, and creation of a temporary worker program that is satisfactory to business.

Another idea on the table is some type of high-tech Social Security card to keep illegal immigrants from getting jobs.

After meeting for more than an hour with Obama, immigration advocates told reporters they want Schumer and Graham to at least release their blueprint before a planned March 21 demonstration at the Capitol, with a bill introduced in the Senate soon after.

The relatively short timetable for getting major legislation out of Congress in a midterm election year is one obstacle to getting a bill that combines tougher border enforcement with a pathway to legalization for the estimated 12 million people in the U.S. illegally.

"We had a very good discussion about the difficulties," said Eliseo Medina, executive vice president of the Service Employees International Union. "I think the president is well aware of it. So are we."

Medina said the groups also want to discuss the issue with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and House Republican leader John Boehner, R-Ohio.

Clarissa Martinez de Castro, director of immigration and national campaigns for the National Council of La Raza, said Obama told the groups he would make a statement with Schumer and Graham when they release the blueprint.

"It is undeniable that presidential leadership, greater presidential leadership is needed, and the president committed to doing that," she said.

Angelica Salas, director of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles, said the president agreed to help get a legislative framework out before the rally. She the groups also discussed enforcement.

"We want results," Salas said. "That's what we're going to be expecting in the next couple of weeks."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100312/...FtYXNheXNoZXM-

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I hope something positive is done. I sincerely hope comments will be positive, since we know the truth as to who existed here first, before this country became The USA.

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A line has been crossed and it isn't immigration anymore its invasion.

Subsidizing having children and giving government welfare to our neighbors is a recipe for disaster. Dems should be happy, more poverty to fuel votes for themselves, and corporate should be happy to have more people to exploit. In the end only the American people lose

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These idiots and their congressional cronies can't even resolve the Estate Tax situation. How on Earth can they tackle immigration....jees...

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You won't even need to deport them. Just ban ALL services without proof they are legally in the USA. No job, no housing, no welfare and no support systems. Eliminate the "anchor baby". Only give them US citizenship if the parents are here legally. They would leave on their own.

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He can get that done after he is done bashing teachers.

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With unemployment so high, why would anyone support legalizing people who broke the law. They will take the jobs of American citizens and this economic recovery will last even longer. The African American neighborhoods and other minority communities will be the one's hurt the most as illegals take jobs that many of those communities depend on. The state of California is broke, how can we afford to pay for more anchor babies, and their families. Remember if this passes, everyone here already will most likely be able to bring other relatives from their home countires...only adding to the devastating financial burden.

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You want results! pack the Illegal criminals in busses and take them back where they came from!!

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They should also abolish the 14th amendment that allows babies born to illegals to become US citizens and thus gives the illegals the chance to stay in this country that has become the country of their children.

:yeah: The amendment was put in place to protect the freed slaves and their familiesx after the Civil War. It has long passed it's intent and is only being abused to the detriment of the American citizens and the people who had the respect for our country and its laws and choose to follow the legal process of immigration.

How is a national ID going to prevent illegals from getting jobs. They already get drivers licenses, passports and other documentation. Some are obtained illegally and some are just good fakes. Another ID program also will be breached.

Me

The government already knows that social security cards have been sold to people and thus have been abused. They have arrested people found with stacks of these SS cards ready for sale.

To those who feel sorry for these people who come to this country illegally to have a better life, I have a question. Below is an article of a man illegally in this country who has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 7 year old. It also came out that in 2006, he paid $15,000 to get into this country. How can a man so poor he is starving find a spare $15000? To spend this amount of money and be in this country about 4 years, means that he is either filthy rich and can live without ever working or he figured he could "invest" this money since he will make a lot more than his investment. Heck I think most American citizens would be happy to hand over $15000 and know that they could work, never pay 1 cent in taxes, have free medical care, rental assistance, food stamps etc. for life. To add insult to injury, any illegal who gets arrested, gets free legal services paid for the American citizens.
http://www.lohud.com/article/2010031...-year-old-girl

Department of Homeland Security Immigration Agencies Fall Short[i]
by: William Fisher Truthout Report

As the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) celebrates its seventh anniversary, its immigration agencies are struggling to "create more humane ways to enforce broken laws" - but trying to enforce their way out of a broken immigration system is ultimately "a losing proposition." That was the conclusion reached in a new report on immigration that faulted the sprawling agency for "lack of transparency."

The report, titled "DHS Progress Report: The Challenge of Reform," was released by the Immigration Policy Center (IPC), the research and policy arm of the American Immigration Council. It attempts to measure DHS actions over the past year against recommendations made to the Obama transition team's immigration policy group.

The "Transition Blueprint," produced by a wide range of immigration advocates, focused on "administrative improve-ments that would instill fairness, create efficiencies, and build support for comprehensive immigration reform in several key areas: due process, enforcement, detention, family immigration, naturalization, immigrant integration, and asylum."

DHS's seventh anniversary also corresponds to the due date set by Secretary Janet Napolitano for completion of a sweeping internal review of DHS. In her first full week on the job, Secretary Napolitano issued a directive instruct-ing every agency to "thoroughly assess its current programs,resources, and efficiencies to identify areas in need of reform."

The results of these reviews have not been made public, the report noted, "so it is impossible to determine whether a rigorous self-assessment took place, but the Department's actions over the following year suggest that tinkering with the immigration enforcement regime rather than genuinely reforming it was the top priority of the Administration."

A co-author of the report, Mary Giovagnoli, director of the IPC, told Truthout she believes DHS Secretary Napolitano and the people she has brought in to staff the immigration agencies "are professionals who are dedicated to improvement, but are trapped in a world of competing entrenched interests and laws that are popular with Congress but which don't actually work."

She praised officials at DHS's immigration agencies for "their willingness to stay engaged" with the immigration advocacy community. However, she added, "By the end of the Bush Administration that community's level of trust and confidence was so low that we always knew it was going to take time to rebuild."

She recalled that after DHS's founding in 2002, "It was so large that it took three or four years for the agency's management to understand exactly what they had in the immigration field."

Noting that 2009 "was largely about promises and aspirations," she said, "Whether DHS can make good on these promises remains to be seen." However, she added, "That process has started."

Giovagnoli served as an attorney with the Departments of Justice and Homeland Security - serving first as a trial attorney and associate general counsel with the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), and, following the creation of the Department of Homeland Security, as an associate chief counsel for United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS). She was also awarded a Congressional fellowship from USCIS to serve for a year in Sen. Edward M. Kennedy's office, where she worked on comprehensive immigration reform and refugee issues.

Her co-author, Royce Bernstein Murray, worked as associate counsel on the Refugee and Asylum Law Division in the USCIS Office of the Chief Counsel for five years, during which time she advised a range of humanitarian immigration programs. Previously, she served as an asylum officer presidential management fellow for the INS Office of International Affairs.

The IPC report examined the DHS immigration apparatus - Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and USCIS.

The examination revealed that DHS is struggling with the challenges of reform - both administrative and legislative - and "finds itself attempting to create more humane ways to enforce broken laws, which is ultimately a losing proposition."

The report concluded that DHS "is still trying to enforce programs like Operation Streamline, a program which requires mandatory criminal prosecutions of non-violent border crossers, clogs the federal court system and drains resources that could be used to prosecute more serious criminals. DHS is also expanding partnerships with state and local law enforcement agencies (Secure Communities and 287(g) programs) in their search for 'criminal aliens.' These programs often identify people with no criminal history and persons 'identified' but found not to be deportable."

The report said that the first year under the administration of President Barack Obama "was both promising and frustrating." It describes "a year where the promise of reform seems to fight daily with the dynamics of an entrenched belief in an enforcement driven culture. For every two steps forward, it seems that the Department takes one step backward, inching its way toward a more humane and just system."

It cautioned that the immigration system is "living on borrowed time," adding, "Without immigration reform that gives DHS the breathing room to do the right thing, annual reviews will increasingly be catalogs of more enforcement measures without corresponding opportunities for immigrants to make the kinds of contributions to our country that enrich us all."

The report was particularly critical of DHS's enforcement priorities, arrangements with local law enforcement agencies and asylum and detention procedures. It said, "While DHS professes to have re-focused its attention on non-compliant employers in the workplace and prosecuting non-citizens with serious criminal convictions, data indicates that employers and violent criminals make up a small percentage of enforcement targets."

ICE prioritized detention reform in 2009, specifically addressing issues of oversight, alternatives to detention, health care and parole. "While advocates have welcomed these initiatives, they continue to look for meaningful changes in the day-to-day management of facilities and decisions to detain," the report said.

It noted that DHS has continued to expand its partnership with state and local law-enforcement agencies, particularly through the Secure Communities and 287(g) programs.

The Secure Communities and 287(g) programs enlist the help of local law enforcement agencies to apprehend and detain people suspected of being illegal aliens. The programs have been widely criticized by police chiefs and sheriffs throughout the country for diverting local resources into activities for which they are not trained, and arresting and detaining people for petty offenses.

DHS claims these programs target "criminal aliens." However, people identified by these programs "include large numbers of individuals with no criminal history, individuals charged (but not convicted) of crimes, and persons 'identified' but not found to be deportable."

Due process is an area in which DHS has made little tangible progress, the report said. For example, "While the registration component of NSEERS, a special registration program targeted at men from predominantly Muslim countries, was suspended in 2003, applicants applying for benefits continue to be plagued by mistakes made during the registration process, affecting their ability to adjust status or naturalize."

The immigration court system remains overburdened, access to counsel is limited and a streamlined appeals process offers inadequate review for many claims, the report charged.

It said there is "no evidence of progress in implementing the U.S. Commission on Religious Freedom's recommendations for improving the expedited removal system for asylum seekers. The resolution of cases involving 'material support' (of terrorism) continue to face delays that keep legitimate asylum seekers from receiving protection."

The report recommended that DHS should create an ICE ombudsman to investigate complaints, monitor enforcement strategies and recommend personnel actions in response to complaints.

To improve the conditions of detainees, ICE "should hire a Senior Advisor on Detainee Health, as the agency announced it would do last August, to maximize the effectiveness of the detainee healthcare group meetings and development of a medical classification system."

ICE has been severely criticized for operating a network of detention facilities that fail to meet even minimum health standards. There have been more than a dozen deaths in detention because of failure to provide timely medical assistance in emergencies. Detainees also complain that the facilities offer little or no due process, principally, access to their lawyers. Detention also often takes place far from the place where the detainee was apprehended, making it difficult to access legal help, families and records.

To improve performance in the asylum area, the report recommends, the Department should "create a Refugee Protection Office that would report directly to the DHS Secretary or Deputy Secretary. Coordinated efforts would increase the ability of DHS to quickly resolve lingering disputes such as resolution on material support and implementation of proposals to improve expedited removal for asylum-seekers."

While praising the DHS for a number of positive developments, the report finds "the spirit of reform is often stymied by an over-reliance on existing enforcement policies."

Obama backs senators immigration overhaul outline
Suzanne Gamboa, Associated Press Writer – 1 min ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is backing an immigration bill outline drafted by two senators that says illegal immigrants must admit they broke the law to become citizens.

Obama says in a statement that the outline of a bill Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Lindsey Graham are crafting addresses border security and demands accountability from illegal immigrants and employers who hire them.

He says the critical next step is to translate their outline into legislation.

Obama's statement comes just three days before tens of thousands of immigrants and their supporters plan to rally in Washington to press the administration and Congress to pass immigration reform.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100318/...FtYWJhY2tzc2U-

This is an insult to all Americans, those born here and those who immigrated legally. This sounds like a political form of confession where they (illegals) admit they broke the law and have abused our system and took money from the taxpayers and the priest (government) says that all is forgiven. Next thing you know a bank robber will only have to admit their guilt and will be forgiven...what about murderers and sex offenders, will they too be forgiven?

PROMISES, PROMISES: Obama in immigration dance
Darlene Superville, Associated Press Writer – 2 hrs 48 mins ago

WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama promised to make overhauling the immigration system a top priority in his first year as president. He's now in Year Two, and the odds that he'll get to sign a bill before the November midterm elections appear long.

Grass-roots activists frustrated by the wait for a new system are organizing a rally Sunday on the National Mall by what they hope will be thousands of people from across the country voicing their displeasure at the pace of action.

In meetings last week, Obama sought to assure activists and the two senators who are drafting a bill of his "unwavering" commitment to comprehensive immigration overhaul. But the White House has also signaled that the issue is not among the legislative priorities it wants completed before the entire House and one-third of the Senate face voters in November.

Asked about the priorities after health care, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said financial regulation, energy legislation and watering down a recent Supreme Court ruling on campaign finance are among the "big priorities" — not to mention jobs and the economy.

Gibbs said nothing would happen on immigration without strong bipartisan support. "It's got to be more than the president wants to get something done," he said.

How to handle the estimated 12 million people in the U.S. illegally is a volatile issue, with some interests opposing any attempt to help them become citizens and others insisting on stronger border controls first. Lawmakers failed to agree in 2006 and 2007 when they last tried to overhaul the immigration system, and the political climate this year is tougher than it was back then.

Advocates remain hopeful and say Congress has plenty of time to send Obama a bill by November.

Sens. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., released an outline of their bill Thursday, and Obama pledged "to do everything in my power" to get immigration legislation moving through Congress this year.

The outline calls for illegal immigrants who want to get on the path to legal status to admit they broke the law by entering the U.S., pay fines and back taxes, and perform community service. They also would be required to pass background checks and be proficient in English before working toward legal residency, required before becoming a citizen.

Advocates welcomed the outline, but would prefer an actual bill in Congress.

"Now it's up to Congress and the president to advance legislation that combines these elements," said Frank Sharry, executive director of the immigration advocacy group America's Voice. "Given how long we have been debating the need for comprehensive immigration reform, the American people want and deserve nothing less."

Rally organizer Gabe Gonzalez credited pressure by grass-roots groups for progress on the issue.

Obama has put Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano in charge of overseeing the immigration overhaul effort, and she has sought support for it in dozens of meetings with lawmakers from both parties since the beginning of last year.

Her department also has taken steps to improve the existing system by focusing deportations of undocumented immigrants on those with criminal histories and by going after employers who knowingly hire undocumented immigrants, rather than the workers themselves.

But those steps haven't eased the anger and disappointment felt by immigration advocates and Latinos, who voted heavily for Obama in the 2008 presidential election largely because of his promise.

Obama has said the system needs to be fixed to better track who comes in and out of the U.S., crack down on employers who hire undocumented workers and help those people come out of the shadows and contribute to society, including paying taxes. He wants them to register, pay a fine, learn English and not skip ahead of anyone already in the citizenship pipeline.

"It will be one of my priorities on my first day (as president) because this is an issue that we have demagogued," candidate Obama told the National Association of Latino Elected Officials in June 2008. "There's been a lot of politics around it, but we haven't been serious about solving the problem. And I want to solve the problem."

He told the League of United Latin American Citizens the following month: "I will make it a top priority in my first year as president."

Five months after taking office, Obama said after a White House meeting in June 2009 with a bipartisan group of about 30 lawmakers that immigration overhaul would be a difficult undertaking. But he said work on it must get under way that year.

By August 2009, the rhetoric had changed.

Asked about immigration overhaul at a news conference during a visit to Mexico, Obama said changing the system would have to wait until 2010 while he focused on other priorities, such as overhauling the health care and financial regulatory systems.

In appearances after that, Obama promised action but dropped references to any timetable.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100320/...9taXNlc3Byb20-

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A line has been crossed and it isn't immigration anymore its invasion. Subsidizing having children and giving government welfare to our neighbors is a recipe for disaster. Dems should be happy, more poverty to fuel votes for themselves, and corporate should be happy to have more people to exploit. In the end only the American people lose...

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You won't even need to deport them. Just ban ALL services without proof they are legally in the USA. No job, no housing, no welfare and no support systems. Eliminate the "anchor baby". Only give them US citizenship if the parents are here legally. They would leave on there own

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With unemployment so high, why would anyone support legalizing people who broke the law. They will take the jobs of American citizens and this economic recovery will last even longer. The African American neighborhoods and other minority communities will be the one's hurt the most as illegals take jobs that many of those communities depend on. The state of California is broke, how can we afford to pay for more anchor babies, and their families. Remember if this passes, everyone here already will most likely be able to bring other relatives from their home countires...only adding to the devastating financial burden.

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Are our government leaders so blind they can't see what's in front of them? Some of our woes are directly and indirectly tied to people who are here illegally and are raping the system. They steal free medical care that American taxpayers themselves can't afford for themselves...they steal jobs that Americans want but are taken by illegals .....their children get free school meals since the parents don't work on the books and thus can claim no income....anchor babies will get free college educations since they will not have legally employed parents and thus American children will only be able to go to college if they are very wealthy...and I can go on and on.

Here are a few questions I have heard asked:

How can a person who is here illegally be able to buy a home especially when many Americans are losing their homes?

How can some states license drivers who are here illegally?

How can someone who does not live here legally buy a car and have no insurance?

Why have those who have been arrested and are here illegally, be allowed back into the streets and possibly commit the same crime or worse crimes?

Why must the American taxpayer pay for illegal's legal fees to try and remain in this country?

Senate to act on climate before immigration
By Matthew Daly, Associated Press Writer 1 hr 47 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Tuesday he is willing to bring up climate change legislation ahead of an immigration bill, a possible first step toward resolving a dispute with Senate Republicans that threatens to derail a bipartisan effort months in the making.

But Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, still angry that Reid considered putting off the climate bill, said nothing has changed. The majority leader appears not to be serious about either the climate bill or the immigration measure, said Graham. He has threatened to withhold support for the climate bill if Reid pushes ahead first on immigration.

In remarks to reporters, Reid said the long-delayed climate bill "is much further down the road in terms of a product" than the immigration measure, which remains unwritten.

"The energy bill is ready. We will move to that more quickly than a bill we don't have," said Reid, D-Nev. "I don't have an immigration bill."

The fact that Reid won't take immigration off the table, said Graham, "tells me all I need to know about him and energy and climate."

Graham told The Associated Press, "If you cared about energy and climate and you really were committed to that issue, you would not put immigration on the table knowing it will never pass."

Last week the South Carolina Republican called Reid's idea — floated at a meeting of Democratic leaders — a "cynical political ploy" that would destroy bipartisan efforts to move forward on climate and immigration.

Graham's threat to withdraw support for the climate bill led Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass, the measure's lead sponsor, to postpone a Monday news conference unveiling the climate bill. The legislation aims to cut emissions of pollution-causing greenhouse gases 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, while expanding domestic production of oil, natural gas and nuclear power.

Kerry said Tuesday he was working with Reid, Graham and others to revive the bill, which he, Graham and Connecticut independent Sen. Joe Lieberman have been developing for more than six months. The bill also has the support of the Obama administration and a variety of business and environmental groups.

"We're not stopping, not one moment. We're meeting, we're talking, we're continuing to work at certain issues," Kerry told reporters. "So we're full-speed ahead, folks, notwithstanding this moment of public stall, and we hope the issue can be resolved soon."

Legislation to overhaul immigration laws and grant legal status to millions of long-term immigrants unlawfully in the country could create problems for Republicans in the midterm elections. The bill is a top priority for Hispanic voters — and most Republicans are opposed.

Pushing immigration ahead of climate legislation would have risked angering environmentalists, who see the Kerry-Graham-Lieberman bill as their best chance in years to address global warming.

Hispanics voted heavily Democratic in 2008, and they've been disappointed with President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats for not following up on campaign promises to reform immigration laws.

Reid is up for re-election this year and trailing in polls in Nevada, where Latinos are an important constituency. With Democrats facing a tough political climate in the midterm elections, energized Hispanic voters could make a difference in several states.

"Immigration and energy are equally vital to our economic and national security and we've ignored both of them for far too long," Reid said Tuesday. "I'm committed to doing both this session of Congress."

White House spokesman Bill Burton said there is wide agreement that more progress has been made on energy and climate than immigration, although he would not specifically say whether the administration would hold off on an immigration bill until a climate bill was finished.

"We are closer to an energy bill than we've been in a very long time," Burton said.

Burton praised Graham for working with Senate Democrats and the White House on a range of bills, including energy immigration and the closing of the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100428/...RzZW5hdGV0bw--

Obama pleads for bipartisan immigration reform
By Julie Pace, Associated Press Writer Tue Apr 27, 7:49 pm ET

OTTUMWA, Iowa – President Barack Obama on Tuesday warned of harassment against Hispanics under Arizona's tough new immigration law, saying such "poorly conceived" measures can be halted if the federal government fixes the nation's broken immigration system for good.

Obama pledged to bring his own party along, pleading with Republicans to join in as the only realistic hope to solve a politically volatile problem.

On a day dominated by his economic message, Obama offered a fresh, stern criticism of a new Arizona law that allows police to question anyone about their immigration status if they have reason to suspect they are in the country illegally. He said it targets people who look they like might be illegal immigrants.

"Now suddenly if you don't have your papers, and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you're going to get harassed — that's something that could potentially happen," Obama said of the Arizona measure. "That's not the right way to go."

Obama's comments came on the same day that Attorney General Eric Holder and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano were critical of Arizona's new law, and Holder said the federal government may challenge it. The president sought to step up Washington's will to get an immigration deal done.

"I will bring the majority of Democrats to the table in getting this done," Obama said in response to a question at a town hall in south-central Iowa. "But I've got to have some help from the other side."

Obama said he hoped to get a deal done "sometime soon" — a politically vague timetable in an election year with a shrinking window for legislative action.

Starting a two-day, three-state Midwestern trip, Obama's broader message was about economic revival. Back in Iowa, the state that jump-started his White House bid, Obama sought to reassure wary Iowa voters with a message he hopes will resonate in the fall elections: The economic recovery hasn't reached everyone, but progress is being made. He's not on the ballot this year, but his party's control of Congress is at stake, along with dozens of governors' seats and state legislatures.

On immigration, Obama said he wants a federal law that would secure the borders and require illegal immigrants to register, pay a fine, learn English, take responsibility for having broken the law and get in the back of the line before others who are seeking U.S. citizenship.

He said if all of those challenges are handled in one comprehensive measure, then "we can once again be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants."

He said Arizona's law is poorly conceived, but it is equally unfair for the state to have to deal with hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants.

The president sought to surround himself with rural Americans in his latest getaway from the White House confines. He focused on his economic and clean energy programs as job creators, even as he acknowledged the pain and skepticism of hard-hit areas.

Despite encouraging news about an expanding economy and markets, the president told an Iowa crowd, "times are still tough in towns like Fort Madison. And times are still tough for middle-class Americans, who had been swimming against the current for years before the economic tidal wave hit."

Obama outlined his administration's goals to "create conditions so that folks who work hard can finally get ahead." They include improving schools, making college more affordable, expanding health coverage and preventing Wall Street irresponsibility, he said.

Underscoring the challenge was agriculture secretary and former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack, who told reporters traveling with Obama: "There's a silent crisis occurring in rural America that's been ongoing for several decades." He said the president is delivering a new framework for the "revival of the rural economy."

Obama also plans to stop in Illinois and Missouri before returning to the White House late Wednesday. Iowa and Missouri are sharply contested in virtually every election, and Republicans this year think they can snag the Illinois Senate seat that Obama held before becoming president.

After speaking first at a wind energy plant Obama made a surprise stop at a 140-acre organic farm in nearby Mount Pleasant. MogoOrganic Farm supplies food for local schools and businesses. The president then dropped by Jerry's Family Restaurant in Mount Pleasant for a cup of coffee and slice of rhubarb pie.

The president capped his day with the town hall at Indian Hills Community College in Ottumwa, Iowa.

The latest economic forecasts show some signs of progress: The nation added jobs at the fastest pace in three years last month, the manufacturing industry is growing at a steady pace, and new claims for jobless benefits have declined.

But the unemployment rate, perhaps the most recognizable economic indicator, has held steady at 9.7 percent for three months, and 15 million Americans remain out of work. By the White House's own estimates, as well as those of many independent economists, that rate isn't expected to fluctuate more than a few tenths of a percentage point through the end of 2010.

Polls suggest the president and his party are increasingly vulnerable on the economy. Democrats and Republicans each have the confidence of 44 percent of people for handling the economy, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll conducted this month. The Democrats had a 9-point advantage just four months ago and have held an edge since AP polls began asking about the issue in 2006.


http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100427/...FtYXBsZWFkc2Y-

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Originally Posted by boopster

Here are a few questions I have heard asked:

How can a person who is here illegally be able to buy a home especially when many Americans are losing their homes?

How can some states license drivers who are here illegally?

How can someone who does not live here legally buy a car and have no insurance?

Why have those who have been arrested and are here illegally, be allowed back into the streets and possibly commit the same crime or worse crimes?

Why must the American taxpayer pay for illegal's legal fees to try and remain in this country?

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I would love Reid, Pelosi & anyone supporting this travesty answer your questions ...

Obama can’t stop talking about Arizona law that DOJ hasn’t reviewed yet
April 27, 2010 http://hotair.com/archives/2010/04/2...-reviewed-yet/


Oh, there’s no doubt that the DOJ will challenge the law — the politics demands it, which is one reason why Holder expressed his concern today http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n6437887.shtml — but wouldn’t it be keen if the country’s chief law enforcement officer held off on prejudicing public opinion about it until the review is done? In theory (albeit not in political reality), Holder could come back and say that the law is constitutional, which would leave The One … where? Shrugging it off after all but pronouncing it a tool for racial profiling today?

In fact, I don’t think this is even factually correct: http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpu...are-haras.html

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The president said, “you can try to make it really tough on people who look like they, quote, unquote look like illegal immigrants. One of the things that the law says is that local officials are allow to ask somebody who they have a suspicion might be an illegal immigrant for their papers — but you can imagine if you are a Hispanic American in Arizona, your great, great grandparents may have been there before Arizona was even a state. But now suddenly if you don’t have your papers and you took your kid out to get ice cream, you’re going to be harassed, that’s something that could potentially happen.”

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whether it lets cops detain people solely because they’re suspected of being here illegally or whether some independent suspicion of criminal activity has to exist first, at which point the issue of illegal status can be raised. The lawyer who e-mailed me the other day thinks the “lawful contact” provision means that independent suspicion is required; Byron York reads the statute the same way. Assuming that reading is correct, then no, cops can’t pull you aside if you’re on your way to get ice cream with your kid just because they think you might be illegal. Or at least, they can’t do so lawfully: If they abuse their power then the state will pay, both literally and figuratively. And given the publicity this thing is getting, there’ll be no shortage of lawyers eager to make them do so.
I have no problem with lefties — or righties — noting the potential problems in the bill, but given the hysteria swirling around it and the size of Obama’s megaphone, a little bit of that “first-class temperament” we’ve heard so much about would have gone a long way here. Nothing fancy required; a simple “let me hold off on commenting until the Department of Justice weighs in” would have been dandy. But then, now that we’re in midterms mode, The One needs enemies to beat on. How nice that Arizona could help him out. http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/36385.html

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... the statute ...

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http://hotair.com/archives/2010/04/2...igration-bill/

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On immigration, Obama said he wants a federal law that would secure the borders and require illegal immigrants to register, pay a fine, learn English, take responsibility for having broken the law and get in the back of the line before others who are seeking U.S. citizenship.

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He may have said it, but I don't believe it....:headshake:

BTW....which side of that border is that 'line' on and will they provide food, shelter and healthcare while on that line? :rolleyes: (free of charge to them of course)

Why would we want illegals to register for anything? That's like saying that when your child is first born, you should register them to vote so that when they become "legal' they can just go and vote. In NY they are trying to pass legislation that if you die, they can harvest your organs. In order to negate this you would have to have a driver's license where you have NO checked off rather then the now required YES.

Presumption? You can bet your sweet *()&^#%$@. Obama is already assuming that all illegals would be come legal citizens! Sorry Pres O, in my book you do not make the rules! Your job is to lead, not dictate.

Now as far as that fear factor of not being able to buy an ice cream cone, these protesters are basically saying that they feel that the police will be unfair, unjust and prejudicial just by looking at a person. Does this mean if a person looks and acts like an a$$, then they have to be an a$$? If they quack like a duck, then they must be a duck...if they smell like a skunk, then they must be a skunk, if they act like god, then they must be god...and if they act like a politician, should I assume they are corrupt, illogical, egotists, etc? hmmmm maybe I should :)

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if they act like a politician, should I assume they are corrupt, illogical, egotists, etc? hmmmm maybe I should

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Bwahahahahahahahaha ! :clapping:

Which U.S. State Has the Most Immigrants?
Stuart Fox - Life's Little Mysteries Staff Writer LiveScience.com Wed Apr 28, 7:20 am ET

Immigration to America began around 1492, and hasn't let up much since then. Almost everyone in the U.S. is from somewhere else if you look far enough back, but most recent immigrants reside in California, New York, Texas, Illinois or Florida.


Here are the top five states, with the total number of foreign-born residents that each had in 2008, according to American Community Survey:

California (9,859,027)
New York (4,236,768)
Texas (3,887,224)
Florida (3,391,511)
Illinois (1,782,423)

Arizona, which sparked controversy when lawmakers passed new legislation aimed at identifying and prosecuting illegal immigrants, finished at number eight on the list with 932,518 immigrants.

The distribution of immigrants in America results from a combination of geographic proximity, economic opportunities and historic trends, Janne Batalova, an immigration policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Life's Little Mysteries. Immigrants looking for jobs usually enter the most accessible area of the U.S., and then establish communities that attract more immigrants from their former homes.

For example, Chinese immigrants headed to California in the 1800s to work in gold mines, while European immigrants headed to New York to work in the nation's growing industrial sector. Those communities put down roots that still exist today and continue to attract new immigrants from their countries of origin, Batalova said.

California and Texas used to be part of Mexico, and they both have populations of Mexican people who can trace their roots to that time. Florida, close to the Caribbean, has maintains a large Cuban population, Batalova said.

But physical proximity isn't always a requirement. Illinois has long been a hub of Eastern European immigration. In this case, initial settlement by a group led to increased future settlement by members of the same group. "Immigration is greatly facilitated by networks that connect immigrants with jobs, help them integrate, and move on with their lives in the United States. And of course, they come for jobs," Batalova said.

The economic attraction explains the traditional migration of immigrants to big cities like Los Angeles, New York City, Chicago, Miami and Dallas, Batalova said. In 2008, nearly 38 million Americans hailed from another country, and more than 8 million of those resided in either Los Angeles or New York City, according to the 2008 American Community Survey.

A more recent trend has been the wider dissemination of immigrants throughout the country. In fact, between 1990 and 2008, 14 states saw their rate of immigration increase by 200 percent or more, according to the 2008 American Community Survey.

As the economy has suffered, immigrants have blazed trails in states such as Georgia, Nevada and Washington where they found less competition for work, Batalova said. Those states have seen an increase in immigration recently, despite their lack of the traditional support structure of established immigrant enclaves.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/...ostimmigrants/

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Which State has the most "Politically Correct" Science bloggers??

Please note: The rest of us are concerned over ILLEGAL immigration.

Are your statistics of legal or illegal immigrants, or both??? Come on, admit it.

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Still working to manipulate the public . Try this, wich state has been flooded with the most illegal alins who will not follow us law and usurp all the people around the world that are tryin g to enter the country lawfully .

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knowing how many there are in individual states should make it easier to round them all up and get them the hell out of here. ILLEGAL IS ILLEGAL. i cant understand what part of that people dont understand. aiding and abetting another in the commision of a crime is a crime itself. enforce laws allready on the books and we would not have had to come to this. and worse,, this years census wants to count them. this means they will be included in congressional redistricting proposals allocating more federal resources from our taxes to pay for services they take away from those who belong here. also this will only deepen their hold on this country as they take over our government.

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have not spoken to one person that is concerned about legal immigrants, but everyone is upset about the illegal ones. we value our health, property, and right to be legal citizens. what part of that does our government not understand. go arizona hope the other 49 follow them to victory

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Originally Posted by boopster

They should also abolish the 14th amendment that allows babies born to illegals to become US citizens and thus gives the illegals the chance to stay in this country that has become the country of their children.

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and penilizing the child casue the parent is illeagel is wrong too , if your born here your american THATS THE AMERICAN STANDARD. to stop parents from useing this to become americans is easy , madatory eviction and the child is allowed to claim american statis after he or she turns 18 and parents then would be inelligable for american visa , that would make them less inclined to use this tactic,,,,,,,,, that amemdment to our laws would make it easier to deport idiots who try to get in that way. no one would want to be seperated from their kids if their kids couldnt get them in . and only they were allowed after adulthood.

If I gave birth to a child in France (just an example) my child would be a US citizen and not French. This is how it is all over the world. So why should any child born here be given an automatic birthright as a US citizen? If this country would adopt this then there would be no question of separating the child from it's parents because that child would have the citizenship of their parents and not of the land where they were born.

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Originally Posted by boopster

If I gave birth to a child in France (just an example) my child would be a US citizen and not French. This is how it is all over the world. So why should any child born here be given an automatic birthright as a US citizen? If this country would adopt this then there would be no question of separating the child from it's parents because that child would have the citizenship of their parents and not of the land where they were born.

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its main one is the parents home ie ,,,,,,,american , they are americans first , but then when the child is 18 that child then can claim either one or keep their duel status thats the legal rules for almost all the countries.
so if illegels had kids here then they d automatical be mexicans first , then if the rules automatical deported them the kid couldnt claim till they were legal age ,,,,,,,,,,,, hence it makes sence to auto deport and make them inelligble for any legal status later on if they did try that .... only the child after adult could claim citizenship, after due process .

'This is Alabama; we speak English,' governor candidate says
Wed Apr 28, 1:00 pm ET

Amid a national debate over Arizona's tough new immigration law, Republican Alabama gubernatorial candidate Tim James (and son of previous Gov. Fob James) vows in a new campaign ad that if he's elected, he'll give the state driver's license exam only in English, as a cost-saving measure.

"This is Alabama; we speak English," he says in the ad. "If you want to live here, learn it."

It's not clear how James thinks the change would save the state money. Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic says Alabama could actually lose billions of dollars in federal funding if it enacts the measure, and he points to an Alabama political blog that runs down the legal history for why the exams are in multiple languages.

James says he's been attacked by the left for the ad, singling out MSNBC host Rachel Maddow. A writer on her blog called the ad "just plain mean" and argued it was simply pandering to the candidate's conservative base.

"I have come under attack and under assault by a very interesting group of far-left reporters," he said Monday, according to the Birmingham News. He said English exams are a public safety issue, to ensure drivers can read signs. Exams are currently given in Arabic, Chinese, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese, according to AOL News.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/201004...RoaXNpc2FsYWI-

Right now the way it stands is if illegal parents gave birth in this country, the child automatically becomes a US citizens and thus has all the rights as a child born to Americans. That is where the problem now lies. People have confessed that they made sure their child would be born on US soil so that they would be Americans. Some of the parents did go back to their country with their children but others have stayed. Those that have stayed are able to get aid for their children in the form of housing, food, medical etc. Some parents who have left this country, have admitted that when their child is of age to attend college, that child will be sent back to the US for their advanced education. Since college aid can be based on the income of their parents, these child who do not have parents in this country can claim no parental support and get more aid than those children born in this country to American parents.

Many years ago when driver exams were only given in English, a reporter approached a Japanese exchange student and asked how he felt if the exams were given in multiple languages. He replied that if you want to drive in America, then you should be able to speak and read English.

I look back at that now and when I end up behind a person in the right hand only turn lane who is stopped at a red light where a turn is allowed and the person doesn't move, no amount of beeping will get them to move. I can only assume they cannot read the sign in English. I shudder to think what they will do if confronted by a one way street.

The Amendment was put into place to protect the newly frred slaves and their children from exploitation and deportation following the Civil War. It was never intended to created "Anchor Babies" and encourage the evasion of the established process of legal immigration. The Amendment has outlived its intent and should be repealed.

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Democrats want border security before legalization
By Suzanne Gamboa, Associated Press Writer 42 mins ago

WASHINGTON – An emerging immigration proposal by three Democratic senators calls for more federal enforcement agents and other border security-tightening benchmarks before illegal immigrants could become legal U.S. residents.

Those goals "must be met before action can be taken to adjust the status of people already in the United States illegally," according to a copy of the draft legislation, obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, that Sens. Harry Reid of Nevada, Charles Schumer of New York and Robert Menendez are developing.

The benchmarks include additional Border Patrol officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to combat smuggling; more ICE inspectors at work sites; an increased number of ICE officers assigned to detect fraudulent documents, and better ways to determine fakes; more personnel to check for contraband at ports of entry; additional resources to prosecute drug and human smugglers and illegal border crossers, and for deportations.

An outline of the proposal does not specify the additional agents or resources required to meet the benchmarks. It does suggest a two-phase system for legalizing people who are in the U.S. illegally.

Before the benchmarks are met, the Department of Homeland Security could begin registering, fingerprinting and screening illegal immigrants, and considering them for an interim legal status. That would allow them to work in the U.S. and travel outside it.

Such immigrants could start applying for legal permanent residence, eight years after backlogs of visas for people coming to the U.S. legally have been cleared and after the security benchmarks are met. They also must show they have basic citizenship and English skills, have paid all taxes, fees and civil penalties and registered for the military draft.

Arizona's new strict immigration law has led to renewed demands for Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration bill. Reid, the Senate's majority leader, recently said he is committed to taking up immigration this election year, but also backed away from a possibility of addressing the divisive issue before climate change.

Spokesmen for the three senators declined comment.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has worked with Schumer on an immigration bill, has balked at moving ahead this year. At a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing Tuesday, Graham, R-S.C., said drug violence along the border with Mexico is evidence that the border is not secure. He said immigration reform would crash and burn if brought up this year.

Democrats have failed so far to get a second Republican to join Graham in writing the bipartisan immigration bill. The outline of the immigration proposal issued Wednesday is an attempt to persuade some Republicans to change their mind.

A 10-point border security plan by Arizona Republican Sens. John McCain and Jon Kyl this month also called for increases in border and immigration personnel and equipment.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100428/...1vY3JhdHN3YW4-

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Secure the border first? Isn't that what conservatives have said for years? Of course, who knows what the D's definition of "secure" is... a 3 foot high white picket fence with unlocked gates every 20 feet?

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about secure the borders with no legalization? How about enforcing the current laws on the books? Children are taught in elementary school not to cut in line. Why is that such a hard concept? Babies born in the US can go home with their mothers it is called dual citzenship not anchor babies. Those caught should not be getting a notice when to show up to court and released. They should be held until it is determined that they stay or go. I don't care if you are green with yellow strips if I have to follow the laws in this country so should everyone else.

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Bill Clinton Sees 'More Immigrants' As A Way To Reduce Deficit
Dan Froomkin Wed Apr 28, 2:26 pm ET

Former President Bill Clinton enthusiastically weighed into the blistering national debate on immigration today with a resounding assertion that America needs more immigrants -- not fewer -- to ensure its long-term fiscal future.

At a symposium on deficit reduction today (see my earlier story), Clinton said that one key to avoiding massive debt is to maintain a good ratio between people paying into the system, and those receiving payouts (through such programs as Social Security.)

That means more jobs and more people working, he said. "Which to me means more immigrants."

Clinton said he supports immigration reform as proposed by President Obama or as supported by Sen. John McCain before he changed his mind.

Clinton spoke glowingly of the immigrant experience in the United States. "We've got somebody from everywhere here, and they do well," he said.

And looking at the overall budget numbers, comparing money in to money out, "I don't think there's any alternative for us but increasing immigration," he said. "I just don't see any palatable way out of this unless that's part of the strategy."

Clinton didn't mention it, but it's not just legal immigrants who contribute to the plus side of the Treasury's balance sheet. In fact, undocumented immigrants are even more lucrative for the government, particularly Social Security. Many undocumented workers have payroll taxes automatically withheld from their wages, but because they use fake numbers, never collect the benefits.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/201...NsawNwcmludA--

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2,187 Comments

Why does anyone listen to this blowhard anymore?

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finally intelligence kicked in

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Huffington Post? Not a credible news source but a propaganda organ for the hard left in America.

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There you go, Bill . . more welfare, food stamps, and health care to non contributors . . .sorry, but I can't see your thinking on that one.

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We are talking right now about "illegal immigrants". Not immigrants. But go ahead, media and democrats, to purposefully try to confuse the two. Nobody is against legal immigration. But we (at least Republicans and conservatives) are wanting the laws enforced that prohibit coming into this country illegally. There's no way that illegal immigrants reduce the deficit.

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No more *illegal* immigrants, please! We're full up now
but we"ll get back to you as soon as we can afford some more.

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I recently sold my house to immigrants. they paid me cash. so yeah he is 100% right.. in a service based economy where you need to grow we need immigrants.

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Well BILL! Nobody has a problem with IMMIGRANTS - just the ILLEGAL ones! From now on let your little head do the talking for you - I'm sure it will make more sense.

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I wonder where they get their calculators or did they forget to factor in the costs of supporting those who are here illegally who work but do not pay taxes? I have read articles where illegals have been interviewed and they stated that even if they were legal, they still would not pay taxes because they wouldn't make enough money. These illegals are supporting themselves and their family in this country and also their family from their country of origin so I could see that $40000...50000...60000 might not be enough after taxes are taken out to support 10, 20 30 people......and pay for their own medical expenses, housing, food and incidentals. I could live a lot better than I do and wouldn't have to count pennies if I didn't have to pay for medical insurance, car insurance, doctor co-pays, payroll taxes which includes medicaid, social security etc. True there are some illegals who do pay taxes using a stolen SS# but there are others who have bought they SS#s who do NOT work but collect social security and some who are living in nursing homes and get spending money yet never put money into SS. What about the expense for education? The children of illegals will get educational aid since their undocumented parents can not be listed as living in America who have an income. What is the cost to Americans' who have been in accidents with an illegal who does not have insurance - the American has to foot the bill. Who paid for the burial of the mother and child who were killed by a drunk illegal? Who pays for the illegals' legal defense? Bill Clinton lives in an exclusive community where people's property is more than many people make in a year before taxes are taken out. He would have sounded better if he had kept his mouth shut.

Obama takes immigration reform off agenda
By Suzanne Gamboa, Associated Press Writer 14 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Immigration reform has become the first of President Barack Obama's major priorities dropped from the agenda of an election-year Congress facing voter disillusionment. Sounding the death knell was Obama himself.

The president noted that lawmakers may lack the "appetite" to take on immigration while many of them are up for re-election and while another big legislative issue — climate change — is already on their plate. "I don't want us to do something just for the sake of politics that doesn't solve the problem," Obama told reporters Wednesday night aboard Air Force One.

Immigration reform was an issue Obama promised Latino groups that he would take up in his first year in office. But several hard realities — a tanked economy, a crowded agenda, election-year politics and lack of political will — led to so much foot-dragging in Congress that, ultimately, Obama decided to set the issue aside.

With that move, the president calculated that an immigration bill would not prove as costly to his party two years from now, when he seeks re-election, than it would today, even though some immigration reformers warned that a delay could so discourage Democratic-leaning Latino voters that they would stay home from the polls in November.

Some Democrats thought pushing a bill through now might help their party, or at least their own re-election prospects.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, whose campaign is struggling in heavily Hispanic Nevada, unveiled an outline — not legislation — on Thursday for an immigration bill at a packed news conference. Asked when it might advance, he declined to set an "arbitrary deadline."

If immigration goes nowhere this year, Democrats can blame Republican resistance, though in reality many Democrats didn't want to deal with an immigration bill this year either.

The Democrats' draft proposal, obtained by The Associated Press on Tuesday, called for, among other things, meeting border security benchmarks before anyone in the country illegally can become a legal permanent U.S. resident.

Obama praised the outline and said the next step is ironing out a bill. He said his administration will "play an active role" trying to get bipartisan supporters.

Republican Sens. Jon Kyl of Arizona and Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who had been working with Democrats on immigration reform, criticized the proposal as "nothing more than an attempt to score political points."

By Wednesday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi offered little hope that the issue was still alive on Capitol Hill. "If there is going to be any movement in this regard, it will require presidential leadership, as well as an appetite, is that the word? ... as well as a willingness to move forward in the Congress," she said.

House Republican leader John Boehner was more blunt. "There is not a chance that immigration is going to move through the Congress," he said Tuesday.

Rep. Luis Gutierrez, the Democrats' leading advocate for immigration reform, has said he voted for health care reform on the understanding that Obama and congressional Democrats would move a major immigration bill.

Even though he would like to see Latinos turn out to vote for Democrats in 2010, Gutierrez said "many will probably decide to stay home." However, he added, a strict, new immigration law in Arizona may change that dynamic. The law requires law enforcement officers to question anyone they suspect is in the country illegally. "On one hand you are not going to vote because you don't believe people you voted for are doing a good enough job," Gutierrez said. "Then you say, 'I got to vote, because the enemy is so mean and vindictive, I got to get out there.'"

The Hispanic vote is growing, largely because of Latinos' increasing population. The 9.7 million Latinos who cast ballots in 2008 made up about 7.4 percent of the electorate, according to a 2009 Pew Research Center study.

Hispanic voters helped flip the battleground states of Colorado, Florida, Nevada and New Mexico from Republican to Democratic in the 2008 presidential election. But even though Latinos' numbers have been increasing, in some parts of the country their portions of voting populations are not large enough to affect election outcomes.

Democrats hold a 254-177 majority in the House, with four vacancies. But 48 are in districts where Republican Arizona Sen. John McCain did better than Obama in the 2008 elections.

Matt Angle, a Democratic political strategist focused on Texas, said it would be worse for Democrats to propose a bill that has no hope of passing or getting Republican support. Doing so would allow Republicans to cherry-pick parts of the bill to use against Democratic candidates, he said.

The Senate also has a number of competitive races, some in states with significant numbers of Hispanic voters, such as in Nevada, Reid's home state. Latinos are about 12-15 percent of likely voters there. "For Democrats it is critical they can deliver if they want to continue nurturing the support they want from this community," said Clarissa Martinez De Castro, National Council of La Raza immigration and national campaigns director.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_immigr...1hdGFrZXNpbQ--

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Lets do what Mexico does when immigrants cross the Mexican border thats only fair.

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My roof is leaking, badly. So, what should I do right now? Fix the ruined furniture, repair the water rot in the floors, mop up the water?

NO, FIX THE DAMN LEAK OBVIOUSLY! Secure the borders, then deal with the other issues. Once the border is secure, we can issue biometric ID's for temporary workers. We can then withhold 25% of their pay which they can only get on the way out at the end of their work visa. THIS STUFF IS COMMON SENSE!

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The furor is, AMERICANS sick and tired of paying for free loaders. Sick and tired of the federal government not even enforcing its own freaking laws! Take heed politicians, the people have spoken and they are peeved at your lack of duty to the American people!

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Why - in the first place - why the US government protecting illegals... well only in the US of A.

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IS ARMED RESURRECTION NEXT?.....IF THE GOVERNMENT WON'T ENFORCE THE LAWS---WHO WILL?.....KICK THE BUMS OUT.

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Americans who support Arizona new imigration laws should stand up, voice be heard, something has to be done with all the illegal alien in Arizona and throughout the country. Of course majority of protester turnout against the immigration law were mostly hispanic. It's obvious Mexico president speak out against Arizona immigration law. His country benefit when illegal form Mexico enter the U.S. I think most Americans support what Arizona new immigration law.

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Common sense would show that illegal immigrants bring illegal business (drugs, weapons, etc.) unlike their legal counterparts. It's already been proven that laws will not fix the problem. We spend millions upon millions of dollars to incarcerate illegals and then deport them, only to have them cross the border again and waste millions more. The solution is simple - BUILD A WALL! Put towers/turrets at intervals along it with sharpshooters to defend the border. Have manned gates to allow legal immigrants who possess the necessary paperwork to enter, and those who do not, turn them away. And those who try to cross illegally, simply erradicate these problems so they won't become problems again. It worked for ancient China, it worked not so long ago in Berlin, and it will work for the United States.

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Round them up,put them in the REX84 FEMA camps,make them perform hard labor for 1 year,then send them to Mexico city!

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The article basically says that our leaders only do what will be advantageous to them and NOT for the citizens of this country who have elected them. The message I get is that our elected officials are saying to the citizens that they don't care about us as a whole because their self interests are more important they we are. Look at the national health insurance that these people are shoving down the throats of everyone who is a legal citizen: you must buy your own health insurance or else pay a fine (unless you are here illegally then you don't have to have insurance but are still able to get free medical care); if you have a "cadillac" insurance policy then you might have to pay more UNLESS you are an elected official who does not have to pay for insurance and the definition of a "cadillac" insurance policy is based on amount paid for it and not the coverage thus not everyone will be able to have the same coverage as others.

A prime example of scratch my back and I will scratch yours and the self-serving attitude of our government:
"Rep. Luis Gutierrez, the Democrats' leading advocate for immigration reform, has said he voted for health care reform on the understanding that Obama and congressional Democrats would move a major immigration bill."
Sure sounds like he didn't want to vote for the health care reform but did because he assumed that a bill would pass to make illegals legal which he wanted. Where the heck is the government of the people, for the people and by the people??????

National ID Card Included In Democratic Immigration Bill
Ryan Grim Fri Apr 30, 12:17 pm ET

Democrats pushed forward on an immigration overhaul on Thursday evening with no Republican support, as Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) continues to hold out, arguing that the divisive issue will make progress on climate change legislation impossible.

The Senate is also in the middle of debating Wall Street reform, which is expected to take up the next few weeks of floor time. Reid, however, said that the chamber would be able to handle the task. "We can do more than one thing at once," he said.

The Democratic proposal includes increased money for border patrol and drug war agents, equipment, helicopters and unmanned drones. It would create a national ID -- which is dubbed a "biometric social security card." Though Democrats insist that it is not an ID card and can only be used for employment purposes. [UPDATE: See language limiting its use below.]

The proposal would also include a crackdown on employers who hire undocumented workers. It works to deport some immigrants who are not in the country legally and creates a limited pathway to citizenship for others.

Democrats brought out their heavy hitters for the announcement: Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.); Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.); Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), who's been leading the push for immigration reform; Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.); Judiciary Committee Chairman Pat Leahy (D-Vt.) and Intelligence Committee Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.).

The crackdown on employers relies on the creation of national identity cards. "These cards will be fraud-resistant, tamper-resistant, wear resistant, and machine-readable social security cards containing a photograph and an electronically coded micro-processing chip which possesses a unique biometric identifier for the authorized card-bearer," reads the bill summary.

Broadly, the proposal includes:


1. More Border Patrol officers

2. More Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents, worksite inspectors, document fraud investigators and drug-war agents

3. The "installation of high-tech ground sensors throughout the southern border and for equipping all border patrol officers with the technological capability to respond to activation of the ground sensors in the area they are patrolling."

4. More prosecution of drug smuggling, human trafficking and unauthorized border crossing

5. "[I]ncreases in the number of sport utility vehicles, helicopters, power boats, river boats, portable computers to track illegal immigrants and drug smugglers while inside of a border patrol vehicle, night vision equipment, Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), Remote Video Surveillance Systems (RVSS), scope trucks, and Mobile Surveillance Systems (MSS)."

6. All prisoners will be checked for immigration status and deported if found to lack documentation.

7. DHS will "identify, investigate, and initiate removal proceedings" against folks who came here legally but didn't leave.

8. The bill would create "a broad-based registration program that requires all illegal immigrants living in the U.S. to come forward to register, be screened, and, if eligible, complete other requirements to earn legal status, including paying taxes."

The full summary can be read here. http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/huf...IRProposal.pdf


The bill would make it illegal for anyone other than an employer to ask to see the enhanced social security card: "Possession of a fraud-proof social security card will only serve as evidence of lawful work-authorization but will in no way be permitted to serve--or shall be required to be shown--as proof of citizenship or lawful immigration status. It will be unlawful for any person, corporation; organization local, state, or federal law enforcement officer; local or state government; or any other entity to require or even ask an individual cardholder to produce their social security card for any purpose other than electronic verification of employment eligibility and verification of identity for Social Security Administration purposes. No personal information will be stored on the electronic chip contained within the social security card other than the individual's name, date of birth, social security number, and unique biometric identifier."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/huffpost/201...NsawNwcmludA--

sounds half-a$$ to me. I can only assume this is the sponsors of this bills way of saying that illegals can stay here unless they are already prisoners or are possibly applying for a job. They seem to believe that this card will be fraud proof...but what difference does it make if no one of authority except an employer can ask for it and a prospective employer cannot detain an illegal person? Did these lawmakers ever hear of people working off the books?

Now they say "More prosecution of drug smuggling, human trafficking and unauthorized border crossing" but what about the people who are already here committing all forms of crime (just being here is a crime but they seem to ignore that). Of course the taxpayers will still have to pay for legal defense for these people who commit crimes.

"It will be unlawful for any person, corporation; organization local, state, or federal law enforcement officer; local or state government; or any other entity to require or even ask an individual cardholder to produce their social security card for any purpose other than electronic verification of employment eligibility and verification of identity for Social Security Administration purposes." Hmmm so that means a person can murder you, rape you, molest you, rob you etc and not even a law enforcement person can ask for this fraud proof ID...and according to all these rights groups, they should never be allowed to ask if they are illegal.

The way their minds work totally boggles me.......or else they think we are all complete idiots :(

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Here are the top five states, with the total number of foreign-born residents that each had in 2008, according to American Community Survey:

California (9,859,027)
New York (4,236,768)
Texas (3,887,224)
Florida (3,391,511)
Illinois (1,782,423)

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What's funny is the fact that these states are in danger of losing representation in Washington because of the number of illegals. :)

Immigration: Tear it down, and they will leave
By La Shawn Barber • April 30, 2010 02:19 PM

New York, California, Texas, Arizona and Florida have lagged behind in Census returns. Care to guess why? These states happen to have “higher shares of residents who are Latinos.” http://www.startribune.com/nation/92345109.html

Either people just don’t care and/or the states’ Latinos are angry and/or illegal aliens in those states are afraid to announce their presence.

Sources report that illegal aliens are leaving Arizona for more “tolerant” pastures. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...n6442729.shtml

I’m really wishing and hoping they head to that wonderful, welcoming, and tolerant city, San Francisco. Man, I would love to see that. I predict a cascading effect among the states. As illegal aliens in Arizona head to states like Utah and Texas, they’ll craft their own immigration enforcement laws. In fact, a Utah lawmaker has introduced a bill. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/7...-Arizonas.html

An immigration law expert debunks myths about Arizona’s law in the New York Times, and it’s a must-read... http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/29/op...er=rss&emc=rss

Anti-enforcement types typically say America can’t round up millions of illegal aliens and kick them out. Impractical! In 2008, I attended the Republican presidential debate and listened to Congressman Tom Tancredo debunk the rounding-up-millions myth. He said we don’t have to round them up. Enforce the law, and they’ll go home. Tear down the sanctuary, and they will leave.

All week, I’ve contained my anger over talk of “Gestapo” Arizona and Hispanics protesting and calling the law “racist” (although I vented a little http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/20...l-immigration/ :slapping: ).

I don’t hate illegal aliens.

I hate that my country has been overrun.

I hate that I see Spanish language signs and government forms.

I hate that my country has turned a blind eye to illegal south-of-the-border “immigration” because of the cheap labor it provides.

I hate that our elected officials want to offer amnesty to these same illegal aliens, when people trying to enter and stay in the U.S. legally are still in line.

I hated it when George Bush pushed an amnesty bill (which crashed and burned), and I’ll hate it when Barack Obama does it.


:hissyfit:

Now I turn to something I love: THE WEEKEND! :cheers:

Here is something I hate: Illegals who commit crimes like rape, murder or hit and run and then flee home or get handled differently in our courts because of their illegal status.

Me

I too love the weekend.

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Originally Posted by hblueeyes

Here is something I hate: Illegals who commit crimes like rape, murder or hit and run and then flee home or get handled differently in our courts because of their illegal status.

Me

I too love the weekend.

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...and we foot the bill for prosecuting and defending them....

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/04/30/ari...x.html?hpt=Mid

Some Hispanic Americans hope law deters illegal immigration

Susan Schwartz, whose great-grandparents are from Mexico, supports Arizona's new immigration law.



Phoenix, Arizona (CNN) -- Sue Schwartz says she's been called a racist so many times she doesn't mind the label anymore. If wanting immigrants to enter the country legally, like her great-grandparents from Mexico, and obey the laws of the land makes her racist, then so be it, she says firmly.

"I'm getting to the point I wear it with pride," says Schwartz, a lifelong Arizonan who has warily watched the growth of the illegal immigrant population in the state over the course of her life.

About 500,000 unauthorized immigrants were believed to live in Arizona in 2008, and 11.9 million nationwide, up from 3.5 million nationwide in 1990, according to a Pew Hispanic Center report published in 2009.

This year, the tide is finally turning in her favor, she says, with the passage of SB 1070, aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

The new law requires immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there is reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally.

Read the full text of Senate Bill 1070 (PDF)

"I hope it makes a lot of them leave on their own, self-deportation. Hopefully that'll open up more jobs. There's a lot of people here who will do menial jobs -- maybe not pick lettuce, but these people aren't just picking lettuce any more," says Schwartz.

The new law also targets those who hire illegal immigrant day laborers or knowingly transport them.

What will Arizona immigration law do?

Schwartz, a retired USPS worker, says undocumented workers are taking jobs from citizens like her teenage granddaughter, who hasn't been able to find a job since she began looking after she turned 15.

"She can't even work at the Hometown Buffet if she doesn't speak Spanish. How fair is that?" she said.



Reporters talk Ariz. immigration reform But Schwartz and some other Americans with Hispanic backgrounds who spoke with CNN say the problem with illegal immigrants isn't just the jobs they take. It's how they're overrunning towns like Phoenix, turning them into "mini-Mexicos" with their trash-filled streets and loud music, according to Schwartz.

Of equal concern to her friend, Martha Payan, is how she claims illegal immigrants "fleece" government coffers by collecting welfare on multiple children, or vanish without a trace after an arrest or a hospital visit.

The two women, who became acquainted through various demonstrations in the metro Phoenix area, met Thursday to discuss their views outside the Maricopa County Municipal building, as more backlash against the controversial immigration law continued to flood the city.

Latin pop star Shakira arrived in town Thursday to discuss SB 1070 with Mayor Phil Gordon, who has vowed to fight the law. This comes a day after Mexico urged its citizens not to travel to Arizona.

Sporting a white baseball cap that that reads, "100% American Citizen," Schwartz says she believes that SB 1070 came about because law enforcement in Phoenix was fed up over not being able to ask suspects about their immigration status.

"Any time an American does something wrong or breaks the law they're going to pay the consequences. Whenever an illegal does something wrong they get a new ID and become a new person," she says. "I want the laws same for everybody here, not bent for them."

The 59-year-old mother of four adult children says her Mexican parents and grandparents taught her a respect for the law at an early age. Her grandmother, who lived in Juarez, Mexico, after being kicked out of the United States for smuggling drugs, encouraged her to get a good education and speak English, her second language, outside of the home.

"If I entered another country illegally I'd go to jail, yet they're demanding better treatment than their government would give us," she says.

iReport: Share your thoughts on immigration policy

Anna Gaines, a Mexican-born U.S. citizen, says she took up the fight against illegal immigration after becoming disillusioned by the attitudes of immigrant families that she witnessed as a teacher in the Paradise Valley School District in Paradise, Arizona.

"Many of these families were having one child after another just to earn a paycheck from the U.S. government and they didn't care about their children's education," says Gaines, the controversial founder of American Citizens United, a grass-roots organization known for its extreme views on immigration enforcement. "They didn't want to contribute, just take."

I hope it stops trespassers and lets people know ... you cross that border illegally, it's a crime.

--Martha Payan, who is originally from Puerto Rico

Gaines, who came to the United States as a nurse on a work visa during the Vietnam War and met her current husband, says she thinks immigrants have changed over the years.

"There used to be a level of dignity and self-respect. They were hard-working people who wanted to contribute to American society because it was better than where they came from," says Gaines, a petite woman in her 70s. "But our government has been giving them handouts for so long that now they expect them."

Gaines says SB 1070 mirrors federal law on fortifying the borders, allowing local officials to enforce immigration law in a manner that the federal government should have been doing all along.

"We as Americans have the right to defend this country's laws. There's nothing racist about protecting the country," she says.

Payan, originally from Puerto Rico, hopes the law will deter future illegal immigration.

"I hope it stops trespassers and lets people know the law is the law and you cross that border illegally, it's a crime," she says.

Payan has also been called "traidora," or traitor, by neighbors in her primarily Hispanic neighborhood who know how she feels about illegal immigrants.

"They know how I feel. I don't hide my feeling," she says. "I've already had by apartment broken into and had my car hit by an illegal. What more do I have to lose?"

Rep. Gutierrez arrested outside of White House in immigration protest
By Kevin Bogardus - 05/01/10 03:56 PM ET

Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) was arrested outside the White House on Saturday during a May Day protest for immigration reform.

Guiterrez had been speaking to a crowd of hundreds at Lafayette Square when he announced that he was going to go to the White House fence with other protesters, sit down, and not move until he was arrested or until comprehensive immigration reform was signed.


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Immigration protesters call on Obama to act quickly
Gutierrez, who chanted "Si se puede" ("Yes, it is possible") along with other demonstrators, linked arms with other protesters and took a seat along the White House fence. He was warned to move by police, and when he did not comply he was arrested with a few dozen other protesters.


The crowd chanted the congressman's name as he was led onto the bus.

Gutierrez was wearing a T-shirt that read, "Arrest me, not my friends."

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefi...of-white-house

Monday, June 21, 2010
The Most Politically Tone-Deaf PSA Evah?

That's what Ed Morrissey asks about this one that has Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis advising illegals of the number they can call to make sure they are getting their proper wages. Not, apparently, a joke.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3owMA...layer_embedded


Says Ed:

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Does it occur to the White House at all that "undocumented" workers are breaking the law themselves? They shouldn't be exploited, but then again, they shouldn't be here to be exploited, either. At the same time that the Obama administration contemplates a lawsuit against Arizona to stop them from enforcing immigration law, they're working on a program that supports the people breaking that law, all while unemployment continues at a high rate long after their stimulus plans have run aground. Instead of enforcing the law - which is, after all, the raison d'être of the executive branch -- they're conspiring to help people break it, and with our tax dollars, no less.

Of course, this could be an elaborate ruse to find new sites to raid. The political fallout from that would be fun to watch, but alas, it seems that despite the cheesy graphics and extraordinarily bad concept, Obama and his team are serious about helping illegal immigrants get paid more for their work.

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UPDATE: Here is the twisted logic that Obama’s Department of Labor is using to justify this lunacy: http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs48.htm

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On March 27, 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Hoffman Plastic Compounds, Inc. v. NLRB, No. 00-1595 (S. Ct.), that the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) lacked authority to order back pay to an undocumented worker who was laid off from his job because of union activities.

In Hoffman Plastics, the Supreme Court decided that providing back pay to the undocumented worker would conflict with policies under U.S. immigration laws. Those laws require employees to present documents establishing their identity and authorization to work at the time they are hired. An employer must check those documents and cannot knowingly hire someone who is not authorized to work. In Hoffman Plastics, the employee presented false documentation when he was hired. He was later laid off for trying to organize a union, in violation of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). The NLRB sought back pay for a period of time after the layoff. The Supreme Court concluded that back pay should not be awarded “for years of work not performed, for wages that could not lawfully have been earned, and for a job obtained in the first instance by a criminal fraud.”

The Supreme Court’s decision does not mean that undocumented workers do not have rights under other U.S. labor laws. In Hoffman Plastics, the Supreme Court interpreted only one law, the NLRA. The Department of Labor does not enforce that law. The Supreme Court did not address laws the Department of Labor enforces, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker Protection Act (MSPA), that provide core labor protections for vulnerable workers. The FLSA requires employers to pay covered employees a minimum wage and, in general, time and a half an employee’s regular rate of pay for overtime hours. The MSPA requires employers and farm labor contractors to pay the wages owed to migrant or seasonal agricultural workers when the payments are due.

The Department’s Wage and Hour Division will continue to enforce the FLSA and MSPA without regard to whether an employee is documented or undocumented. Enforcement of these laws is distinguishable from ordering back pay under the NLRA. In Hoffman Plastics, the NLRB sought back pay for time an employee would have worked if he had not been illegally discharged, under a law that permitted but did not require back pay as a remedy. Under the FLSA or MSPA, the Department (or an employee) seeks back pay for hours an employee has actually worked, under laws that require payment for such work. The Supreme Court’s concern with awarding back pay “for years of work not performed, for wages that could not lawfully have been earned,” does not apply to work actually performed. Two federal courts already have adopted this approach. See Flores v. Albertson’s, Inc., 2002 WL 1163623 (C.D. Cal. 2002); Liu v. Donna Karan International, Inc., 2002 WL 1300260 (S.D.N.Y. 2002).

The Department of Labor is still considering the effect of Hoffman Plastics on other labor laws it enforces, including those laws prohibiting retaliation for engaging in protected conduct.

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Basically they know that they’re violating the intention of the supreme court’s ruling in Hoffman Plastics but they don’t give a damn. They throw up the weak argument the ruling only applied to the specific law that was addressed in the case. However, I think the court is clearly saying that the government can’t force employers to pay wages that couldn’t have been legally earned in the first place.

This all makes me wonder if Obama’s DOL is going to make sure that drug dealers are paid a “fair” wage by the gangs that employ them? I mean is that not the same situation? An employer which knowingly illegally employs someone and exploits them?

Will Obama’s DOL make sure all people illegally employed are paid a “fair” wage or just the ones whose political cause they support? And even if they do try to help all people employed illegally does that make it any better? How can anybody justify any of this as a good idea?

Shouldn’t the government be trying to stop people from finding illegal employment not help them once they’ve obtained it?

http://blog.eyeblast.tv/2010/06/obam...llegals-wages/