Posted on 04/11/2006 4:43:58 PM PDT by Sub-Driver
GOP Chiefs Don't Want Immigrants Charged
By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent 29 minutes ago
The two top Republicans in Congress, confronted with internal party divisions as well as large public demonstrations, said Tuesday they intend to pass immigration legislation that does not subject illegal aliens to prosecution as felons.
A written statement by Speaker Dennis Hastert of Illinois and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist of Tennessee, did not say whether they would seek legislation subjecting illegal immigrants to misdemeanor prosecution or possibly a civil penalty such as a fine.
"It remains our intent to produce a strong border security bill that will not make unlawful presence in the United States a felony," the two men said. An estimated 11 million men, women and children are in the United States illegally.
The Republican-controlled House passed legislation late last year that is generally limited to border security measures. It makes illegal immigrants subject to felony prosecution.
Senate efforts to write a broader bill — covering border security, a guest worker program and a path to citizenship for many of the 11 million in the country illegally — are gridlocked with lawmakers on a two-week vacation.
Frist has said he intends to bring the issue back to the Senate floor, although he stopped short of a flat commitment and the prospects for passage of an election-year immigration bill are uncertain.
The late-afternoon statement by the top GOP leaders in both houses came after days of large street demonstrations by protestors opposed to criminal penalties for illegal immigrants.
Additionally, in a Washington Post-ABC News poll published during the day, only 20 percent of those questioned said they favored declaring illegal immigrants to be felons
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
CALL HASTERT AND FRIST and let them know that we WILL NOT let ourselves be held hostage by a bunch of Cholo busboys and dishwashers!
If they don't have a tax id number, which means they are not just an illegal alien, but a tax evader as well, charge them with a felony and deport them as fast as the Mexico City airport can handle the traffic.
I just want the illegals deported and the crimminals who hire them charged.
Yep. Repeatedly.
You're mistaken.
The original bill had a felon provision. The House Repulicans later moved to remove it. Most voted to remove it, but most Democrats voted to keep it in.
The Senate version makes the crime a misdemeanor, but hard to figure out in that bill who could be breaking the law!
So charge them with income tax evasion the day they walk in for the amnesty, or else absolve them of all the crimes they committed, and then explain that to the ordinary American.
It isn't just crossing into and being in the country. It's violating labor laws, tax laws, document fraud, welfare fraud, driving laws (you drove a car without a license and insurance for 5 years?), a whole laundry list of felonies that already exist on the books.
Do the Spineless Ones propose to issue a blanket amnesty for all the rest of us who may have fractured a few of these laws, or are we held to a different standard than the average criminal alien?
There has to be some penalty or there is no deterrent and without that, we really don't need any of these laws. I'd think a midemeanor for a 1st offense and a felony for a second. I'd also require anyone caught to forever forfeit any legal chance to enter.
(Denny Crane: "I Don't Want To Socialize With A Pinko Liberal Democrat Commie. Say What You Like About Republicans. We Stick To Our Convictions. Even When We Know We're Dead Wrong.")
The house republican voted to take out the felony part of the bill, while the house dems and a few republicans vote to keep it. It was intended to poison the bill. I do not see that as a positive element of the bill. We can enforce the laws we have without calling each illegal a felon....but that's entirely up the president...
LOL, head banging solves all problems,,,,line up these losers, bang heads and then give them a spine transplant.
This is not news. They said last week that the word "felony" would not be included in the final bill.
How can they lose what they never had ?
It has been said a people get the kind of government they deserve.
P.S.
The Democrat tactic was to define the bill as imposing felony penalty. They defined it so by refusing to have the provision removed. About 80 Republicans wanted to keep in the felon provision.
If they can avoid calling them criminals they should. This is a simple matter of logistics. IF they could be called felons the scumbags that will be coaching them could get themselves 100,000 kamikazes and completely swamp our court system. Remember these bastards want to destroy America. We have to find a way to screw these illegal aliens without screwing ourselves. Let's not be too quick to say they are spineless. When we have to, we should come down on them like a ton of bricks, but if it's not necessary, lets give them the benefit of the doubt.
I literally feel ill.
The Republican leadership has never had a spine. Those who tried to speak up and take a stand on the problems of the day have been destroyed by the liberal Rats and their lapdogs in the MSM and the rank and file GOPer's just got out of their way at let them do it. The two men that I am talking about is Newt and Tom Delay.
When the the Republicans once and for all learn to fight fire with fire. No, fight fire with nuclear weapons, they will defeat people like Ted Kenedy and Barbara Boxer on their home turf and we would have a fillibuster proof majority in the Senate. But the way these Bozos (including the White House) are playing the PR game today, they deserve to lose and lose badly. I am not going to be depressed if we lose in November because it will not surprise me one bit if we lose.
Not to worry the illegals won't be charged with anything. IRS is just going after citizens, laws are for citizens, so not to worry the illegals won't be bothered at all by any govt agency or any law enforcement agency,it's cool, relax GOP Chief.
Heck Chief you don't have to worry about passing legislation they are cool they are here they will stay they are collectinng every freebie this country offers, soon they will be moving into mansions, relax chiefs.
They already sent in their votes for every and any election that is and will be happening for years to come, they are happy just chilling, oh and yes they are planning a zillion more demonstrations if that's ok with you all, and hey thanks for all the college vouchers and stuff but we really don't want to speak that silly, what do you call it, english. No thanks we're fine.
They must also make it a requirement for either a guest worker visa or for a green card that you MUST speak english.
I hope the GOP enjoys its minority status come January.
The next battle will be in the streets
You have to charge them for specific crimes. You can't just assume they are guilty of violations. The only way this is going to happen is to task city and state police officers to arrest and identify them. If someone who has committed a crime is shown to be illegal, then he/she may be prosecuted for the crime/deported. I think this is happening on a small scale. but my understanding is that cops don't want to do this work.
America, we hardly knew ye...
¡Hola, Amexica!
before we all go off the deep end.
strong enforcement provisions of any bill that emerges, need NOT declare these people as felons. its pointless, we aren't going to deport them all at gunpoint. remember, the Dems voted to keep this in the house bill to trap the republicans.
Bingo.
In Spain, they listen and obey when the criminals blow up a train station.
In France, they listen and obey when the criminals set some cars on fire.
In America, they listen and obey when the criminals mill in the streets and say "we demand that you obey us!"
We have relinquished the right to scold the Europeans for caving to the terrorists. THEY can now laugh at US. We have given up the high moral ground, in exchange for cheep lay-bor.
We have made ourselves into the contemptible laughingstock of the world.
I think you guys are overreacting to this particular statement. The fact is that it would be impossible to prosecute them as felons because they would have a right to a jury trial which is impractical for 12 million aliens. Plus, felon means they could serve more than a year in jail- do you think we have enough jail space for that? They can still be prosecuted and deported for misdemeanors.
Don't get me wrong- I fully expect Hastert and Frist to sell us out eventually. They just didn't do so in this statement.
Check your math. More likely, it'll be 100 million in five years. Really.
I keep seeing commercials for tax attorneys, offering to help people who are behind in their taxes.
If the criminal aliens are given tax amnesty, will AMERICAN citizens get a SIMILAR tax amnesty too?
Or will it be once again, "Advantage, Mexico"?
I can go along with that. I still can't see the feasibility of trying to deport millions of illegals.
Sealing the borders must be first though.
With respect, I believe that you might be missing the point. If illegal aliens are committing a felony by being here, that is a continuing offense. And this means that those who help them remain here, are aiding and abetting a felon in the commission of his / her felony.
That would be an ex-post-facto law which is expressly prohibited by the Constitution.
Can't lose what they never had, a spine, or jewels.
I think you know the answer to that.
so what? we aren't going to forcibly deport 12 million people through the law enforcement process - get over it. by calling congress and asking for that, we are marginalizing ourselves. we want amnesty stopped, we want border security. we have to stop new entrants from getting in, incentivize/penalize the labor system here to deny them jobs so they deport themselves, and look carefully at who is here and consider legalizing some modest percentage of those where it makes sense (those with US citizen children and property owners, for example).
You missed the point -- by a country mile.
If they are declared felons, then they CANNOT VOTE.
Keep reading that line over and over until the light goes on over your head. You will then seen the reason they will NOT let these "wonderful people" be "labeled as criminals."
If they can't go a-whoring after their VOTES, then the only reason to bring them in, is to satisfy their deep-pocketed donation-machines who want the cheeeep lay-bor. The whole "but what's in it for ME?" factor goes right out the window.
Judging by what we get when we "win", I'd say that any more "victories" like this and we're finished!
I'm just kidding, though. We're already finished.
you can't "declare" someone a felon - they have to be charged and convicted to obtain that label.
They are planning on the usual battle plan (against "the base") -- go, "Boo!", and then say, "What are you gonna do, elect Hillary?"
They consider our votes OWNED, and plan on spooking us into once again scurrying down to the polling stations, to once again grit our teeth and "vote for the lesser of two evils."
The point I was making isn't the categorization of illegals as felons, which by itself is a good thing, to be sure - the point is that is also criminalizes those who assist them. This, combined with other statutes already on the books cuts off support provided by US citizens who, for various reasons, find it useful or profitable to aid and abet these illegals in their efforts to remain here illegally.
Eventually the locals don't want to get involved, so they steer clear of immigration status issues, when possible.
The reason they don't want to do it is because a) the individual officer has to be available to the ICE personnel when they come to pick up the perp. That often means the officer has to hang around the station rather than be out doing his job, or, worse, have to come in after his shift is over and b) most local officers don't view apprehending illegals as part of their job.
we need to go after those who employ them. that's all we need to worry about. we don't need to start targeting charities, churches, etc. it simply gives the media an opportunity to demonize and spin this against us. there aren't going to be any SWAT teams busting into a church to round up people anyway, so why bother?
You are playing the "All or Nothing" game.
Slick, but no cigar.
It's not "12 million tomorrow, or NONE, EVER".
Can't deport all 12 million at once? Then do it the same way they CAME here -- a few thousand at a time.
Even if the cops only nab ONE OUT OF TEN, instead of giving them ALL a pass, as is done now, the OTHER NINE will be crapping their pantaloons worrying about when THEY get the brass ring in the nose.
Then, you ENFORCE the law against employers hiring them.
Finally, you offer a $1,000 reward, cash money, tax-free, to any CITIZEN who turns in an employer who hires them. Add an extra $100 to the reward for each one he's nabbed with.
I guaran-f'n-tee you the "problem" will solve ITSELF, faster than you can say "where'd they go?"
It's not a question of "how" -- the problem is NOT difficult to solve.
It is a question of WILL -- and, of AGENDA.
Our Glorious Leaders do NOT want to lose the New Plantation Workers.
The instant someone walks into the Official United States Government Ally-Ally In Come Free station with "reasonable inference of employment" as it is being termed, they will have made a sworn statement to the federal government that they have been engaged in a continuing federal crime - employment for in the requisite period.
A federal officer is malfeasant if they don't refer suspicion of the State level crimes implied by the admitted record. Translation: for the non-Federal level stuff, the feds are supposed to call the cops.
It's true that each case may have some, not all, of the crimes I mentioned. But typically they do.
So will it be a general amnesty where everyone is aware that they did it, and they just get off with a shrug?
A woman in Phoenix quoted on ABC radio ( ! ) yesterday had it right (a Mrs. Marquez, who was described as a citizen): "What about all the poor people in Mexico who are so afraid of breaking American laws that they didn't come here illegally? The people who came here missed some basic things that you learn in Kindergarten, like getting in line" - maybe not the exact quote, but close. I was amazed to hear that on ABC...
So I ask you....if the people who are here were the ones who didn't care about breaking U.S. laws, then what does that say about them? I think we have a word for such folks...
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