Isn't this just amnesty by another name??? Time to call our congressmen,and tell them NO amnesty!!?

Question

ange Type Size Bill aims to break migration deadlock
Reforms could help ease way to citizenship for 12 million
Mike Madden
Republic Washington Bureau
Mar. 23, 2007 12:00 AM

WASHINGTON - A new immigration-reform bill introduced in the House on Thursday tries to duck the partisan stalemate that doomed similar legislation last year by being tougher in some ways and more generous in others for immigrants and employers alike.

The bill would delay any new benefits for foreign workers until the federal government has improved border security. It also would require undocumented immigrants to leave the United States briefly and re-enter before they would be eligible for citizenship.

But those requirements would be balanced against the promise of legal status for about 12 million people living here illegally now, along with an easier system for employers to verify that workers are eligible for jobs and a new visa allowing up to 400,000 foreign workers to come here temporarily each year. advertisement




Supporters hope that, taken together, the bill's provisions will break years of deadlock over immigration by drawing support from both Democrats and Republicans.

A similar bill the Senate passed last year stalled in the run-up to midterm elections.

"This bill will end illegal immigration," said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., the proposal's chief co-sponsor along with Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill. He noted that a sweeping immigration-reform measure adopted in 1986 did not accomplish that goal.

Supporters of immigration reform believe they have their best chance of passing legislation in years with Democrats in control of Congress and the White House pressing hard for GOP allies to sign on to the bill. But difficulties lie ahead for reformers, who had expected the Senate to take up immigration well before the House did. Negotiations in the Senate have bogged down as Republicans work with the White House to craft a proposal that can attract wide GOP support.

Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., is still talking with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., his chief partner on immigration reform in recent years, but they haven't come to an agreement.

McCain, who is running for president, has heard widespread criticism on immigration from Republican voters. He said recently that supporters of last year's bill didn't focus enough on border security. A McCain spokeswoman said McCain was glad to see the new bill introduced.

Few people had read the entire 700-page proposal Thursday, but lobbyists, community activists and Democratic leaders in Congress mostly called it promising.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the new bill provides "an excellent framework" for immigration legislation. Community organizers behind many of last spring's immigration protest marches said they hope the bill will help move the debate along.

Civil rights groups responded to the bill, as well.

"Enforcement-only tactics such as anti-immigrant local ordinances and work-site raids have done nothing to curb undocumented immigration, but they have hurt local economies and caused suffering for American families," said Janet Murguía, president of the National Council of La Raza, the nation's largest Latino advocacy organization.

A requirement that undocumented immigrants leave the country and re-enter legally proved controversial when it was added to last year's Senate bill, but advocates for immigrants said they could live with it if it eases the bill's passage.

Immigrants seeking legal status would have six years to comply, and they could leave and return through any border entry point without going back to their home countries.

"Nothing in the outlines appears to be a deal breaker yet," said John Gay, a senior vice president at the National Restaurant Association, one of several powerful business groups pushing for reform.

But the tougher provisions added to the bill did little to placate longtime critics.

"They keep changing the shade of lipstick, but like I've said time and time again, it's still the same old pig," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who is running for the GOP presidential nomination on a fiercely anti-illegal-immigration platform.

The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps called the bill a "lawbreaker assistance program."

Answer 1

I agree with the Minutemen Civil Defense Corps. The bill is a lawbreaker assistance program proposed by a traitor to the United States who promotes sanctuary for illegal immigrants and fights deportation for illegal immigrants. Gutierrez is a financial and political terrorist and a traitor to the USA often in the presence of known and admitted illegal immigrants who he refuses to turn in to ICE and federal authorities. Any bill that gives lawbreakers any breaks at all is amnesty and is anti-American and pro-terrorist! Just because these illegal immigrants aren't bringing bombs and explosives (yet) with them doesn't mean they aren't terrorists. There are venture capital terrorists, financial terrorists, and voter assistance terrorists. Luis Gutierrez, Rod Blagojevich, Dick Durbin et. al. supporters of illegal immigrants need to be tried for treason and should be impeached immediately! Why should we law-abiding citizens cow-tow to lawbreakers? Why should lawbreakers get any benefits at our expense? Below is a copy of a letter that was received at our office this morning. What do you think? Do you think American Citizens aren't quietly organizing?

Driver’s Licenses for Illegal Immigrant (Undocumented) Lawbreakers? Rewards for poisoning our people and disobeying our laws? When do law-abiding citizens get our rewards for obeying our laws and doing things right? Why do we continually reward law-breakers? Why do we continually punish our citizens? Why do our citizens have to pay to support, educate, medicate, and reward illegal immigrant lawbreakers and their families when our law-abiding citizens can’t even get medical care, jobs and student loans to improve their own lives?

Today’s “Kane County Chronicle” gives huge headlines to the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, an organization that openly supports illegal immigration and uses State Money (taxpayer’s money) to enhance their law-breaking capabilities. Months ago, the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) were assisting in the voter registration of illegal immigrants. The ICIRR has direct knowledge of illegal immigrant whereabouts and offers assistance to illegal immigrant fugitives from justice. Today, they are lobbying our government to give illegal immigrants driver’s licenses. The organization, along with LaRaza (The Race), LULAC, LCOM, Centero Sin Fronteras, Mi Familia Vota, United Latino Family, Latino Movement USA, Pueblo Sin Fronteras, Hispanic Strategy Network, IRLI, the ACLU, Southwest Union, MALDEF, all are supporting illegal immigrant activities in the United States and, in particular, Hispanic Illegal Activities. They are working with the support of Governor Rod Blagojevich, Senator Richard Durbin, Senator Barack Obama, Representative Luis Gutierrez, Representative Jan Schakowsky, and numerous others in support of treasonous acts by aiding and abetting illegal immigrants and supporting un-American activities. We, at Citizens Protecting Your Rights, have attended numerous meetings wherein these organizations and government officials openly embrace the lawless activities of these organizations. In fact, our government supports La Raza (which means The Race) whose doctrine is clearly anti-American and clearly supports the takeover of the United States. One has only to visit the websites of these organizations to see the truth. One has only to read the newspapers, both Spanish and English, to understand the true motives of these illegal immigrants and their supporters. These organizations are enablers and promoters of lawlessness and organized crime. They are extremely well organized potential terrorists and invaders who are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They are dependent upon the complacency, decency, and generosity of law-abiding American Citizens to further their takeover. These organizations have gone so far as to pass resolutions that give sanctuary to illegal immigrants and prevent our laws from being enforced against them.

Organizations who hire, harbor and help illegal immigrants are aiding and abetting potential terrorists, gang-bangers, drug dealers, organized crime, and they are aiding and abetting illegal activities such as identity theft, tax evasion, embezzlement, organized crime, vote fraud, welfare fraud, and are even endangering the health and well-being of law-abiding citizens by bringing in disease, by disobeying our health laws, driving without licenses and insurance and other laws too numerous to mention. The next time you buy tacos or enchiladas from Mexican Coworkers and Cheese from a Mexican Grocery Store, think about the Salmonella and E-coli Outbreaks and how deadly these outbreaks can be. Then think about why the United States has laws regarding food preparation, why we have health departments, why we have laws in general, and why we have immigration laws. Then ask yourself – Why are American Citizens allowing themselves to be punished for obeying the laws of the land while these Illegal Immigrant Lawbreakers are being rewarded with no punishment, preferential treatment, free education, free medical care for (A recent newspaper article said 83% of Medicaid spending and 91% of the Immigrant hospitalizations were related to childbirth and pregnancy) having their Anchor babies on American Soil? This is not about hard-hearted American Citizens crying foul. This is about law-abiding American Citizens being treated unfairly, having their rights taken away, paying for education and benefits for illegal immigrants while we are being taxed out of our houses, our jobs are being outsourced to other countries or foreigners are given Visas to take our jobs, our citizens are punished for the slightest infractions while armies of illegal immigrants and illegal immigrant support groups can openly commit treason and subversive activities and demand that we citizens pay them and reward them for doing so? When will our citizens stand up, stomp our feet, stand our ground and say NO MORE REWARDS FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS?

Citizens Protecting Your Rights, Citizens for Law Enforcement, Veterans for Law Enforcement, Seniors Against Illegal Immigration, Citizens against Illegal Immigration, Citizens Supporting American Education and Jobs First, Researchers against Un-American Activities, Jobs for Legal Americans, Citizens against Government Assisted Mortgage Fraud and Identity Theft, Citizens Organized to Detect and Report Illegal Immigrant Activities, Citizens Against Child Abuse, “You’re Fired” Pink Postcard Campaign, et.

Answer 2

The so called "guest worker" plan has always be amnesty. That's why Bush is a hypocrite when he says he is against amnesty but for the Guest Worker thing. If it walks like a duck, it's a duck.

I wish Congress would wake up and realize that most Americans don't want this! I hope that any congress member that votes for this horrible plan is out on his/her butt next election. They are violating the trust of the voters that voted for them when they said they were for border security. This is not border security. It is how America will be destroyed faster due to the invasion.

Do they honestly think this will solve the problem? This will only increase the inflow because they will just wait around for the NEXT round of amnesty!

Answer 3

According to the American Heritage Dictionary, amnesty is: A general pardon granted by a government, especially for political offenses; and to grant a general pardon to. Wordnet calls amnestry: a period during which offenders are exempt from punishment; a warrant granting release from punishment for an offense; the formal act of liberating someone; and grant a pardon to (a group of people). The Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary calls amnesty a general pardon given to people who have done wrong especially against the government. And finally, the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Law says that amnesty is an act of clemency by an authority (as a government) by which pardon is granted esp. to a group of individuals

Answer 4

Yes this is amnesty.
I have a problem with them allowing another 400,000 a year, half of whom will end up in California. We're already over burdened. Are they going to take them in Washington DC? Wouldn't that be interesting. If they had to take even 1/51 of these people from all over the country, plus 1/51 of the new ones. Bet THAT would change their minds!

Answer 5

Amnesty no matter how you dress it up is still amnesty. I think citizens will have to take up arms before anything is seriously done to erradicate illegals in the US. Perhaps it is time to give our lawmakers a wake up call. If they don't enforce our laws and deport all illegals, jail employers of illegals, then we should help them resign their posts, at gunpoint if necessary. Maybe then they will listen to the 80% of us that want an end to illegal immigration and secure, closed borders.

Answer 6

This is amnesty. The fine that the illegals will have to pay is less than the fee that legal immigrants have to pay to become citizens. This will not stop illegal immigration. Only by building a stout fence along the entire border with Mexico, enforcing all existing immigration laws, and by putting armed troops with orders to intecept illegals can illegal immigration become managable. If Duncan Hunter is elected President we can solve the immigration crisis - http://www.gohunter08.com/

Answer 7

Of course! They will still try to shove it down our throats because they don't care about Americans. We must vote the bums out and NOT elect a pro-amnesty candidate!!!!! Jorge Bush is an idiot - and I USED to support the @ss.

Answer 8

It is still amnesty!! I've been calling and writing for months now. They aren't listening to the American people. It is time for another American revolution!!!


The Minuteman Civil Defense Corps called the bill a "lawbreaker assistance program."

This is exactly what it is!!

Answer 9

Amnesty by any other name.

They won't even fund the fence they voted for, what makes anyone believe they will make the illegals abide by any of these fines or requirements.

Send em back and then give them [illegals] a bill for shipping their butts.

Answer 10

Yes it is. I agree, these people should not be rewarded for breaking our laws. There is no reason for us to appease these countries. Illegal immigrants should be returned to their country of origin and permitted the opportunity to come here legally.
That said, we do need a major overhaul of our legal immigration system. I have friends who have been trying to become citizens for years. It is a difficult, expensive and complicated system that is almost impossible for non-English speakers to navigate. If we made it a little easier for people to obey the law, I'm sure most of them would do so.

Answer 11

Yes it is amnesty, and yes I do call them every time I can, but whats the old saying, in one ear, out the other.