R-Cornyn bill would help immigrants, allows millions to work legally in U.S.

www.valleystar.com ^ | NOEL ESPINOZA

[VU4G10]

A new guest-worker program sponsored by U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, would allow millions of undocumented immigrants to work legally in the United States.

Introduced in the U.S. Senate as the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2003, it would allow seasonal workers to stay in the country for up to nine consecutive months and non-seasonal workers to stay up to a full year – not to exceed 36 months during the life of the program.

The proposed law would encourage undocumented immigrants to apply for guest-worker status with their employers.

In an interview this week, Cornyn said the program would not only reform immigration procedures, but would also strengthen homeland security along the border.

"This common sense solution to our broken immigration system addresses the need for better border security and acknowledges the important contributions immigrants make to our economy," Cornyn said.

"It will bring hard-working immigrants out of the shadows and onto our tax rolls while removing incentives for human smuggling and other exploitation."

Experts estimate there are between 8 million and 10 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

After the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the Bush administration relaxed its plans to take up proposed guest worker and amnesty proposals with Mexico.

There are no scheduled hearings this year, but Cornyn is confident that the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Immigration and Border Security subcommittee – of which he is a member – will address the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act next year.

"In the very near future, it will move from the back burner to the front burner," Cornyn said, adding that the legislation would take at least two years to enact.

Cornyn also said he expects White House support for his proposal, adding that his staff is meeting with the president’s staff to discuss details.

If it does become law, the Department of Homeland Security would give guest workers who have participated in the program for three years priority when applying for legal permanent residence.

But the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), which opposes legislation benefiting undocumented immigrants, said Cornyn’s plan would not secure America’s borders and would not prevent future illegal immigration.

FAIR spokesman David Ray said the problem with a massive guest-worker program is that the immigrants would not leave after their permit has expired.

"It allows people who have knowingly violated our immigration laws to get away scot-free," Ray said.

"It’s a slap in the face of people who are waiting patiently to move legally to the United States.

"We would end up with depressed wages and (worse) working conditions for American families and a huge population of guest workers who would never leave the country."

Under Cornyn’s proposal, illegal workers already in the country would have to apply for guest-worker status within a year of its enactment.

Enforcement mechanisms such as deportation, civil penalties and disqualification from the program would still apply to those who flout existing immigration laws.

 

[VU4G10]

Excerpts from Schwarzenegger press conference as governor-elect (DefactoAmnesty? On Day 1?)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/998396/posts

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[drypowder]

It is obvious that a lot of our politicians, including Bush, are active in subverting our immigration laws for self political gain. Time to act before it's too late.

[Coop]

Then let's highlight the other portion of the argument:

The proposed law would encourage undocumented immigrants to apply for guest-worker status with their employers. In an interview this week, Cornyn said the program would not only reform immigration procedures, but would also strengthen homeland security along the border.

Hey, I obviously don't know much about this legislation, but it sounds like a decent first step to me.

[Coop]

It is obvious that a lot of our politicians, including Bush, are active in subverting our immigration laws for self political gain. Time to act before it's too late.

Oh, yeah. It's real obvious to me. zzzzzz

Excerpt: In an interview this week, Cornyn said the program would not only reform immigration procedures, but would also strengthen homeland security along the border.

"This common sense solution to our broken immigration system addresses the need for better border security and acknowledges the important contributions immigrants make to our economy," Cornyn said.

[american spirit]

Something that should be obvious even to you is that current immigration policy is nothing more than a huge corporate welfare program. Large and small busineeses are hiring illegals, paying them minmal wages because they know the employees can have other living expenses subsidized by taxpayers. Now tell me why we taxpayers should continue to have current tax $ confiscated from us to support those who've attached themselves to our socialistic welfare system and then have to borrow $ to fund schools, roads, etc. I find it hard to conceive of a policy that is as self destructive as what we see occuring today.

[Coop]

Something that should be obvious even to you

Even to l'il ol' me? I dunno. There's lotsa big words in there. Yup.

[Coop]

I find it hard to conceive of a policy that is as self destructive as what we see occuring today.

Then I would think you might welcome proposed legislation to move away from that policy.

Oh, but wait! It doesn't immediately solve the ENTIRE problem, therefore it stinks. Is that how it works?

[taxed2death]

I'm glad you see the light. When El Presedente' Jorge Booooosh appoints a guy (Zigler) to head the "new" INS who's parents were BOTH illegals, somethings wrong.

When our fearless leader appoints a guy (Tom Ridge) who states the borders can't be sealed off between legal border crossings because of "political and cultural" reasons, you begin to see what a joke "Homeland Insecurity" is, and furthermore, the serious pandering to hispanics GWB is doing..... all the time forsaking security.

How many damned "strawberry pickers do we need in the US anyway. Now I hear, George wants to "register" all food coming into the US. How can he register strawberries if he can't even get a handle on the strawberry pickers?

Go back to sleep now, it's nap time again.

[Coop]

Yeah, your rant is simply a beautiful piece of work. Funny how nowhere in that bucket of warm spit did I see you mention Sen. Cornyn or his proposed legislation.

Gee, didn't wander in here with an agenda, did ya?

Anybody seen my teddy bear and warm milk?

[B Knotts]

AMNESTY FYI PING

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[gubamyster]

ping

[american spirit]

Whoa man, stop making so much sense in describing the problem. You should know by now the illegal pandering pablum pukers can't take such harsh rhetoric!

[american spirit]

After seeing a couple of your posts I think I'm much more prepared to come to my own conclusions regarding this whole mess........but thanks for trying!

[Coop]

Yeah, well I'm still waiting for someone besides me to actually address this piece of legislation. Here I thought this thread might actually discuss the legislation in relation to the problem, instead of simply attract the "CLOSE OUR BORDERS NOW!" crowd like moths to a flame.

Silly me!!

[Sabertooth]

Hey, I obviously don't know much about this legislation, but it sounds like a decent first step to me.

It's a first step toward Amnesty for Illegal Aliens...

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn launched his first major legislative initiative Thursday, calling for a guest worker program that would enable millions of undocumented immigrants to legally live and work in the United States for up to three years.

< -snip- >

Cornyn described his proposal as a moderate approach that would bring undocumented workers "out of the shadows" and give them jobs without granting blanket amnesty and U.S. citizenship. Immigrant guest workers could stay a maximum of three years and then apply for "green cards" to become permanent residents in the United States.
Dallas Ft. Worth Star-Telegram - July 11th, 2003

The politicians are playing a shell game... instead of giving Amnesty to Illegals in one fell swoop, which would cost many incumbents their jobs, they're doing it in stages.

Stage #1: redesignate Illegals as "guest workers."
Stage #2: give green cards to the "guest workers."

The politicians will argue that since they didn't give green cards directly to Illegals when they were still Illegals, what they've done isn't an Amnesty, even though the result is identical.

They will be, of course, lying.

Anytime you see or hear a politician talking about "blanket Amnesty," they are also lying.

We've seen the effects of Amnesties for Illegals every time it's tried... more Illegals. It doesn't work and the American people won't want it.

[sinkspur]

Hey, I obviously don't know much about this legislation, but it sounds like a decent first step to me.

It IS a decent first step.

But, the idjits will tell you that the ONLY solution is to round up dem Messicans and drive 'em like cattle back across the border.

[sasafras]

MESSAGE TO BUSH AND OTHER RINOS - WE DONT WANT THE ILLEGALS - QUIT FORCING THIS CRAP ON US AND ENFORCE THE CURRENT LAWS ON THE BOOKS - WE ARE TIRED OF ELITIST LIKE YOURSELF AND OTHER DEMS/LIBS/RINOS TELLING US WHAT IS GOOD FOR US - SHIP THE ILLEGALS BACK HOME AND SECURE OUR BORDER - PERIOD!

[exmarine]

This precisely one big reason why I am no longer a Republican. They ignore the Constitution almost as often as Democrats.