Posted on 09/18/2014 5:08:33 PM PDT by mandaladon
Sen. Ted Cruz tried to get the Senate to consider a measure Thursday providing that any American who joins the fight with terrorist groups such as the Islamic State would immediately renounce their U.S. citizenship, but a Democratic senator objected, saying more time is necessary to weigh the significant constitutional issues it raises.
Ahead of the Senates scheduled consideration Thursday afternoon of a proposal to arm and train Syrian rebels, part of President Obamas strategy to combat the terrorist group, the Texas Republican asked for unanimous consent to pass the Expatriate Terrorist Act he introduced earlier this month.
The measure makes providing support to or fighting for a terrorist group targeting the U.S. an affirmative renunciation of American citizenship, Mr. Cruz said on the Senate floor Thursday. He pointed out that former Sens. Joe Lieberman, Connecticut independent, and Scott Brown, Massachusetts Republican, introduced a similar measure several years ago related to al Qaeda.
If we do not pass this legislation, the consequence will be that Americans fighting alongside ISIS today may come home tomorrow with a U.S. passport, may come home to New York or Los Angeles or Houston or Chicago and innocent Americans may be murdered if the Senate does not act today, Mr. Cruz said.
Sen. Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Democrat, objected, saying the bill has not been brought before the Senate Judiciary Committee and it affects fundamental constitutional rights, which should be given the full deliberation of the Senate.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
>> Sen. Mazie Hirono, Hawaii Democrat
Does Hirono rearize ISIS membership is ress honoraber than average Kamikaze?
I agree with you. No one should have their citizenship revoked on the mere accusation of wrongdoing, especially without any form of due process (jury trial). I think that the proper way to handle this situation is to charge them with treason. And in this case, the Congress should first pass a resolution clearly identifying which groups or states are enemies of the USA.
Most of the Senate Democrats are already guilty of treason.
Total agreement. I feel Ted blew this one.
You mean, like, Bengazi? Smuggling arms to AleQueda and helping them to -clean up- all traces is treasonous by this definition.
But they can be punished for same.
If upon the conviction of treason, the punishment is death.
Thus the citizenship issue is mooted.
This country needs a civil war anyway. Cruz is right and I hope Obama and Biden get Ebola disease.
Precisely. There is utterly no reason to create this can-of-worms that the liberals will abuse terribly, expanding the list of UnPersons to many millions.
Think about it: If we are declared UnPeople, then we lose the Constitutional protections of the Bill of Rights.
NOT COOL.
BTTT
Yesterday, Speaker Blank Check Boehner approved the spending of $ 500,000,000 of US Taxpayer Dollars to train 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels in Saudi Arabia for one year.
Here are a few discussion points that were NOT mentioned by Boehner:
* Each Syrian Muslim Rebel will cost $ 100,000 to train.
* 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will be removed from the battlefields in Syria to a training site in Saudi Arabia for one year.
* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will leave their families with reduced protection from attack by Syrian Army troops, for one year.
* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels will leave their families with NO protection from attack by ISIS troops, for one year.
* The removal of 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels from the battlefields of Syria will help both the Syrian and ISIS troops to more easily take over areas controlled by the Syrian Muslim Rebels.
BTW, before the US Senate approved Boehners Bailout Bill today did any US Senator mention that removing 5,000 Syrian Muslim Rebels from the battlefields of Syria, was in effect, Giving Aid and comfort to the ENEMY for the period of one year?
That is the way the U.S. works now. May God help us if we actually do something to protect ourselves. We are standing here watching our country go straight downhill in ALL matters.
The coming elections might be the most important of our times.
Thanks mandaladon.
You read my mind.
I feel Ted blew this one.
_________________________________________
I hate to disagree with the honorable Senator Cruz from the great state of Texas. This is the ONLY issue on which I have ever disagreed with him.
Senator Cruz argues that the Homeland will be better protected if we immediately revoke the citizenship of people who are found to be joining the terrorist IS. He argues that with revoked citizenship, these people will not be able to freely reenter the USA and then be able to attack targets here. But that is a rather weak argument. If we could identify a suspected traitor who has joined our enemy and then revoke their citizenship, then we could just as easily charge them with treason and issue an arrest warrant (all legal and constitutional) and apprehend them once they make any attempt to come back into US jurisdiction. And this would be made even easier if the traitor is actually dumb enough to use their US passport for reentry!
And upon conviction of treason, the guilty should get the death penalty (which as FReeper sarasmom says Thus the citizenship issue is mooted. For sure LOL!!!)
The dems need them as college professors. Old terrorists and their sympathisers like Bill Ayers and Noam Chomsky are going to start dying offsoon.
I agree, completely!
When push comes to shove, we have our constitution on our side and used properly, no judge or court in the land could rule such legislation unconstitutional ..... NONE! The only question that remains is where are the leaders with the fortitude to use our constitution properly?
Charge them with treason, but leave the possibility open that they return to the US and avoid arrest (because we know how well DOJ goes after criminals)... While I agree with your premise, this is a difficult situation. Maybe there should be a screening process for ANYONE coming back to the US from a Muslim nation. Profiling? Yes. Sorry, but until we start doing the non-politically correct things that will upset a few, we are going to continue to have the threats we do now.
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