Solving the Immigration Impasse (Arnold redefines Amnesty)

JoinArnold.com - Schwarzenegger Campaign Website ^ | August, 2003 | Arnold Schwarzenegger

[Sabertooth]

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Solving the Immigration Impasse

Summary:

Immigration has been the engine of California's economic prosperity and the richness of our culture. Almost 9 million Californians were born in a foreign country and nearly 40% of all households in our state speak a second language in addition to English. We have a proud tradition of being one of the most ethnically diverse places in the world.

But it is important to ensure that new immigrants enter California the right way, so that they can get on a path toward fully participating, and contributing, to the California economy. And we should make sure that we do so without undermining important national security protections.

Full Policy:

There are approximately 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; 2.5 million reside in California. The costs of providing social services to these individuals and incarcerating illegal immigrants is staggering - easily exceeding $3 billion a year.

Clearly, the federal government must do a much better job of enforcing the security of our borders, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. Washington must also provide more money to border states like California which ultimately shoulder the burden and the costs associated with illegal immigration. And Washington should pursue a responsible immigration policy that offers undocumented immigrants a path to permanent legal status.

As someone who came to the United States thirty-five years ago looking for opportunity, I understand the challenges immigrants face and I will work hard to elevate the debate on this important issue.

Fair Reimbursement for Illegal Immigration Costs

Immigration is a national responsibility and California should not be left to shoulder the massive burden of providing public services to illegal immigrants.

Last year, California only received $220 million to offset the costs of keeping illegal immigrants in jail. This is insufficient, and as governor of California, I will work with Congress, President Bush, and the Governors of other border states to correct this situation.

As Governor I will:

• Organize a coalition of states most impacted by immigration to lobby Congress. This coalition will include Texas, New York, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, in addition to California. Together, we represent 183 electoral votes. If we speak with a unified voice, Republicans and Democrats in Washington will listen.

• Seek reimbursement from Washington for health care and education costs associated with illegal immigration.

Putting Immigrants on a Path toward Citizenship.

It is important to ensure that new immigrants enter California the right way, so that they can get on a path toward fully participating, and contributing, to the California economy. And we should make sure that we do so without undermining important national security protections.

As Governor, I will:

• Aggressively lobby Washington to set a more responsible policy for addressing the undocumented immigrants currently in the United States.

• Deportation is not an option. We need to find a way to legitimize these individuals and get them on a path toward legal residency status in the United States.
• Let me be clear: I do not support an amnesty program. The last time we tried that in the late 80s it didn't work, and there's little reason to think it would work now.

• I am encouraged by the approach laid out by Senator McCain to provide a clear path for legitimizing undocumented immigrants who currently live their lives in the shadows. McCain's bill S 1461 - The Border Security and Immigration Act of 2003
  • A new H-4A visa for immigrants seeking temporary employment with important protections to ensure that immigrant workers are not exploited and that Californians are not displaced by unscrupulous employers;

  • A new H-4B visa for undocumented immigrants who entered the country before August 2003, have held a job since that time, and do not have a criminal record.

  • The opportunity for holders of these new visas to gain legal permanent residency status.

• " Senator McCain's plan contains the key principles that should guide any proposal to solve the immigration impasse:
  • U.S. Employer Benefits: A market driven employment process and an easy, effective means to confirm employment eligibility;

  • U.S. Worker Protections: Initial availability of jobs only to U.S. workers and periodic review to ensure that U.S. workers are not displaced;

  • Foreign Worker Protections: Applicability of all U.S. labor standards and portability so that workers may change jobs without jeopardizing their immigration status.

Punish Immigrant Smugglers and Human Traffickers

Human traffickers and smugglers exploit and endanger immigrants as they violate our criminal and immigration laws. As Governor, I will crack down hard on those who engage in illegal human smuggling:

• Traffickers and smugglers should be prosecuted as organized crime syndicates. If their schemes result in death of immigrants, they should be eligible for the death penalty.

• The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2001 establishes a special visa, the T-visa, for immigrants who assist in investigations. As governor, I will order state law enforcement officials to work with their federal counterparts to prioritize and process applications for T-visas expeditiously.

Promote English and Advance Citizenship

Immigrants who are not proficient in English pay a price: they earn 17% less than immigrants of similar backgrounds, experience, and education who are proficient in English.

Likewise, when English is the primary language taught in schools, immigrant children show marked improvement. In June 1998, California's voters gave a 61% landslide to public policy entrepreneur Ron Unz's Proposition 227 outlawing bilingual education. By the end of the following school year, immigrant 2nd graders in those California schools that were already in compliance with Prop. 227 were reading at the 35th percentile, compared to the 19th percentile for those in schools that were still bilingual.

As Californians bounded in diversity, we share a common language and culture regardless of our backgrounds.

As Governor, I will:

• Work to improve education for all Californians and especially to help new immigrants learn English so they could participate and prosper as Californians.
• Restore meaning to citizenship, so that all Americans, new and old, share the same commitment to tolerance, equality, and compassion.
• Work with the federal government to provide expedited consideration of citizenship applications to immigrants whocomplete advanced civic education and English immersion programs.

SB 60 - Driver's Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

I am an immigrant. I waited for ten years to get my American citizenship. And I know first-hand how immigrants who come to this country and obey the laws have struggled to achieve their dreams.

But we should not invite fraud or undermine law enforcement. Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the California Sheriff's Association, and the federal government have all expressed security concerns over this measure, and in a time of heightened national security, we should not undermine our nation's immigration laws.

Unfortunately, Governor Davis decided to put his political interests above the people's interest. He signed SB 60 into law even though he vetoed similar legislation before, citing security concerns. But SB 60 actually contains fewer protections than the bill Davis vetoed a year ago.

Under SB 60, there is simply no way to verify that a drivers' license applicant is actually who he says he is or whether he is a criminal or fugitive from justice.

As Governor I will:

Work to repeal SB 60 as quickly as possible

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[kidd]

Seek reimbursement from Washington for health care and education costs associated with illegal immigration.

I don't think any (R)nold supporters should criticize non-Californians for influencing votes by speaking out.

Arnold wants a federal bail-out. I want no part of it.

[bootyist-monk]

Please explain how you are going to deport 2.5 million people out of California. At the throwback rate of 1000 a day, everyday of every year, it would take over 7 years to send them all back.

We should work to close the borders immediately, and then come up with a realistic solution to solve the rest.

[Spiff]

Please explain how you are going to deport 2.5 million people out of California. At the throwback rate of 1000 a day, everyday of every year, it would take over 7 years to send them all back. We should work to close the borders immediately, and then come up with a realistic solution to solve the rest.

You know, maybe we should let shoplifters go because it is just too hard to process them, try them, and imprison them. There's just too many of them. We need to come up with a realistic solution to solve the shoplifting problem without actually arresting anyone for breaking the law.

But, you missed by original point. In one line Arnold says he's against amnesty and in the very next line he says he's for amnesty (legitimizing illegal aliens). Maybe you were confused by the transparent euphemism he used for amnesty. I wasn't.

[brownie]

Hey Sabertooth,

I notice that none of the usual pro-Arnold, conservative hating crowd have tried to respond to these facts. But, that is not unusual. I notice that in all of these debates they never respond to facts. Instead, they either say "a vote for McC is a vote for Busty" or "McC can't win".

They fail to realize that those cliches are not arguments, but, if you've been snowed by Arnold, you probably are not very intelligent to begin with. After all, they may as well vote for Robert Kennedy, Jr., as vote for Arnold. He as much as said that is who will run CA's environmental programs.

[Carry_Okie]

Please explain how you are going to deport 2.5 million people out of California. At the throwback rate of 1000 a day, everyday of every year, it would take over 7 years to send them all back.

If the government was serious about rounding them up and giving them the choice of being put to work in labor camps building a nice strong wall along the border or being dropped on the beach on the Ycatan peninsula by an amphibious ship, you can bet that there would be a stampede toward the border requiring no law enforcement at all.

The first step is to start prosecuting big employers of illegals to loosen them up and get them to break out into the open.

Start with Tyson foods.

[Bob]

Arnold's stance on illegal immigrants can change...

So just why would his stance change?

Have you seen any specific indications that he will change or are you just hoping it will somehow magically happen?

[Carry_Okie]

Historically, bounty programs work too. Unemployed workers would then have a double incentive.

[Bob]

...being put to work in labor camps building a nice strong wall along the border...

LOL! I really like the way you think. Very creative.

[kingu]

Hmm, specific indications... Aside from Pete Wilson who finally suceeded in getting Arnold to campaign against Indian special interests and to put forward the idea that the casinos can start ponying up money to the state? No, not really.

I only have the one true thing about legal immigrants who later became citizens - they hate illegals with a passion, they hate illegals who haul their family into their criminal conspiracy even more. Guest worker visas and the rest only cover the person working, not their family.

There's a good reason why the 'undocumented worker' gang at the LA Slimes have started putting repeated hit pieces in the editorial section, it's because they can see it as well.

[Vets_Husband_and_Wife]

Hey FRiend. FYI, as things stand right now, I vote for the other guy, but "I defend" your right to vote for who you choose.

I just wanted to ask you what you meant by "illegal" with regard to "two" candidates.

I also don't think the "debates" serve any of us well, if they become hate filled. We may have different ideological differences, but we all want to make sure it ISN'T MEChABustamante or DAVIS who win.

I'll take McClintock ~or~ Schwarznegger any day over those two!! God FORBID!! (I mean that in all seriousness!!)

Anyway.. I've known you for YEARS on this forum. I have to say this race has brought out some of the worst in people I honestly respect and have admired since we both joined this forum.

I think we all need to understand that we can agree to disagree at times. This situation is going to NEED to be one of those times.

But maybe we can try not to digress to name calling. I just can't see how that serves a purpose other than to help the DEMS win.

They have to be lurking and loving every minute of this.

In the end we will need to unite behind ONE candidate. Darrell Issa said so on Fox News today. Otherwise, we lose!! After the debate tonight he will campaign for just that. He will ENDORSE one candidate. He is waiting.. perhaps it would be prudent of all of us to do likewise. Just a thought.. and MHO.

FRegards FRiend

[Hoverbug]

I notice that none of the usual pro-Arnold, conservative hating crowd have tried to respond to these facts. But, that is not unusual. I notice that in all of these debates they never respond to facts. Instead, they either say "a vote for McC is a vote for Busty" or "McC can't win".

The reasons are twofold:

1. They only post to keep a thread at the top so they can repeat propaga with talking points instead of debating what's in a post.

1. They know that mindless talking points repeated over and over aren't going to make THIS go away, and THEY DON'T WANT THIS THREAD BUMPED.

keep this thread bumped to the top!

Hb

[ought-six]

I own property in California. I have immediate family in California (although I had the good sense to bail out from the state back in the late 1970s). That said, I think the only real hope for California is for it to collapse, and have the people revolt, and throw out the leftists who trashed the state in the first place. Because no mateer who is governor, the California legislature is too far to the left to have anything good develop. Better to wipe it clean and start anew.

[zygoat]

"Immigration is a national responsibility and California should not be left to shoulder the massive burden of providing public services to illegal aliens". With that stance, Arnold has opened the door to any "out of stater" who has been reluctant to opine on this topic.I'll keep mine short and sweet...Arnold, I like your movies,but you are more of a liberal than most democrats that I personally know. Keep your day job and for Gods sake,discard these delusions of political grandeur that have infected your mind.

[Richard-SIA]

OK, just shoot 'em! Why do you limit their return rate to only 1,000 per day? I am sure we could move many more than that if we really wanted to. What does a large bus hold, how many seats on a single 747, how many seats per rail car? What your statement really underscores is how badly the situation has been neglected for so many years!

[Weimdog]

The problem is the majority, socialist legislature and THE PEOPLE WHO VOTED FOR THEM!

Democrats are a majority in this state. They will never vote their own out of power, they hand out too many freebies. Democrats will keep voting Democrat because they are ignorant and HATE Republicans.

You give the electorate far too much credit in their ability to right the wrongs of their elected officials. Many voters are used to voting by pictures in their home country. Do you actually think they know the issues?

I heard a gal on a radio show saying she was voting for Bustamante because Davis CUT TOO MANY GOVERNMENT JOBS! How friggin' insane is that? That's the kind of crap we are up against.

The Democrats took this state incrementally and must be taken back in the same way.

So before you say we should let the state fall into the sea, think about the good people who have been here for 4 generations (since 1900 in my family's case) and have worked hard for what they have. I am in a business that I can't just pick-up and leave. I have to stay and fight.

A California under Bustamante will be no different than Mexico under the PRI. A split in the Republican vote might give us that.

[Regulator]

Thanks for the concern, VHW. Nice to see you again. If you want to freepmail me, I'll go over some of this little thread, but not now. In general, there is only one issue for me in California, and that is illegal immigration. As far as the practicalities of this election, this might explain my current views: A comment on the election .

[Hoverbug]

bump

[Hoverbug]

WOW! It's taking a long time for the Arnie-bots to get their talking points together huh?

Usually they're all over threads like this in seconds.

Hb

[rintense]

A split in the Republican vote might give us that.

So then when is Arnie going to drop out? Why not have Arnold drop out and then have Republicans unite and throw their support behind Tom?

I swear this 'vote for Arnold to keep Bustamante out' thing is insane. If you vote for the lesser of two evils to avoid a bigger evil, you're *still voting for evil!*

Go McClintock!

[Republicus2001]

I may be wrong but didn't Lt. Governor Bustamonte SWEAR AN OATH to uphold our government and not TO SUPPORT THE VIOLENT OVERTHROW OF CALIFORNIA?