House Again Passes Border and Visa Security Legislation

Sensenbrenner's press release. ^ | 3/12/2002 | James Sensenbrenner

[hchutch]

WASHINGTON, March 12 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The House today by a 275-137 margin passed legislation providing critical visa and border security safeguards. These protections, already passed by the House without opposition on December 19, 2001, have been held up by Democratic opposition in the Senate.

"This legislation provides vital changes to our immigration laws to fight terrorism and prevent exploitation by some illegal aliens who wish to harm Americans. It builds upon enhanced data sharing requirements in the PATRIOT Act and includes key changes to our immigration laws such as requiring new biometric visas and strengthening the foreign student tracking system," stated House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (R-Wis.). "It's time for the Senate Leadership to act on this legislation. The visa and border security provisions passed almost three months ago and we've seen zero movement by the Senate."

Visa and border security highlights include:

-- Strengthening the foreign student tracking system by requiring that it track: 1) the acceptance of aliens by educational institutions; 2) the issuance of visas to the aliens; 3) the admission into the U.S. of the aliens and the notification of these educational institutions of the admittance of these aliens; and 4) the enrollment of the aliens at the institutions.

-- Requiring the State Department by October 26, 2003 to only issue to aliens visas and other travel documents that are tamper-resistant and machine-readable using standardized biometric identifiers. Aliens entering the U.S. under the visa waiver program will have to possess passports with the same features (if issued after this date). By the same date (October 26, 2003) the INS must install scanners to read the biometric documents at all ports of entry. The INS must implement an integrated entry and exit data system (for nationals of countries other than Canada) containing arrival and departure data from these documents.

-- Requiring U.S. embassies and consulates to utilize terrorist lookout committees in order to ensure that the names of known terrorists are routinely and consistently brought to the attention of consular officials.

-- Barring nationals of countries that are state sponsors of terrorism from receiving temporary visas unless it has been determined that the aliens do not pose a threat to the safety of Americans or the national security of the U.S.

-- Providing an electronic data system that allows current and immediate access for consular officers and INS officials to information in databases of U.S. law enforcement agencies and the intelligence community.

-- Authorizing an additional 200 INS inspectors and 200 INS investigative personnel for each of the fiscal years 2002 through 2006. Also increases the pay and training of INS personnel, including Border Patrol agents, and beefs up consular offices at U.S. embassies. $150 million is authorized for the INS for improving technology at the border.

Today's legislation also included a temporary extension of the 245(i) immigration program. H.R. 1885 will allow qualifying illegal aliens to utilize section 245(i) as long as they have green card petitions filed on their behalf by the earlier of November 30, 2002, or four months after the date the Attorney General issues implementing regulations. It also requires that aliens must have entered the family relationships qualifying them for permanent residence by August 14, 2001. Under H.R. 1885, section 245(i) is a temporary program that will not become a permanent part of U.S. immigration law. A similar extension of the 245(i) program passed the House on May 21, 2001 by a 336-43 margin.

[hchutch]

First of all, this bill is NOT as bad as some here have described it. Yes, there is a brief amnesty here, but it would go for a limited time, and anyone who DOESN'T file will be much more easy to deport.

We're also getting 2,000 more INS inspectors and investigative personnel over five years. They get a pay hike, too. Not bad, either.

They're also upgrading a lot of technology. This is how you get those with phony documents, folks. Again, a big positive.

The one negative is a TEMPORARY extension of Section 245(i). However, I don't think three million illegal immigrants will know of this provision in the time frame that could be allotted. It seems there is a MAXIMUM period of four months (120 days give or take one or two), and Sensenbrenner's release says TEMPORARY.

The advantage here is that by giving some folks a break, we make it much easier to sort out the sheep from the goats. Those who go through the 245(i) process obviously want to make a life here. Those who haven't can be deported with much less fuss.

I think a lot of people have bought into a few releases, and it might not hurt to talk with the folks who wrote and passed the thing. Furthermore, this thing may not make it out of the Senate.

All in all, this bill has a lot of valuable items in it. The extension is a little hard to swallow, but it also provides a lot of cover once the period is over. It's not perfect, but the good provisions here are items we ought to support.

If we can make green cards and other documents much more tamper-resistant and easier to verify, then the amnesty is less burdensome, IMHO. We can't always get 100%, but this bill looks like it's about 60%. And that is better than nothing.

[hchutch]

Looks like 245(i) was not all that was in here. There's a little more to this story than just Tancredo's side of it.

[StarFan]

Well American Patrol has not painted as rosy a picture as you are painting. Here's the e-mail I received:

CONGRESS SCREWS AMERICA
AMNESTY PASSES
YES 275 NAYS 137
REPUBLICANS YES 92 NO 123
DEMOCRATS YES 182 NO 13

THEY WILL NOT RESPECT OUR EMAILS, NOW LET US TRY OUR FEET!

THE RALLY ON MARCH 23 IS ON

IT IS A PROTEST OF THIS VOTE AND A DEMAND TO RESTORE OUR SOVEREIGNTY!!!

[GraniteStateConservative]

You're trying to reason with FReepers? Ha! How dare you?

They'll have none of it!

Keep up the good fight for the truth, bud.

[hchutch]

FYI

[gov_bean_ counter]

Thanks for the post. Solid. I couldn't handle the shallowness of the discussion on the other thread. Figured there had to be more to it.

[unamused]

This is irrelevant; all citizens of the world are now eligable for American welfare.....

[hchutch]

Maybe some people need to learn that perfect is the enemy of good enough. Four months for people to go legit is a fair trade for much more tamper-resistant immigration documents, as well as tightening the foreign student provisions. It looks like the information struture for INS will be much better, too.

It's not perfect, but it's not as bad as American Patrol is making it out to be. I'd give it a 65%, but the positives can't be denied, either.

[hchutch]

FYI.

[holdonnow]

Most of these security measures were already passed by the House, and have been sitting in the Senate, which has sat on them. The security measures have nothing to do with decriminalizing the illegal status of these aliens. Congress passes the immigration laws, the president signs them, and now they both seek to skirt them. There are tens of thousands of aliens who want to come here. They are law-abiding. They wait in line. They follow a very difficult process Congress and the president have put in place. If these laws are not enforcible, or if they're to be ignored every 10-15 years by the very law-makers who pass them, then they undermine their own legitimacy and the rule of law.

[Miss Marple]

Thank you so much for taking the time to post this.

I note also that apparently, if you read through this, the original bill for immigration security was held up by our favorite majority leader in the Senate.

Now I ask you, how could he in good conscience hold up the immigration and border security bill, IN TIME OF WAR?

Apparently President Bush wanted this, and tagged it onto another version of the immigration reform bill so that Daschle will be forced to pass it.

So it looks to me like some pretty smart legislating.

And I am glad to see that my suspicion about this is correct. It is not a blanket amnesty as has been shouted about for weeks.

Thanks again.

[Miss Marple]

I thought you would like to see this excellent post which explains what was passed this evening.

There's a whole lot of hysteria over a 4-month window. Gee, perhaps people are not informed! OR, perhaps they don't WANT to be informed!

[Ben Ficklin]

bump

[Shermy]

But the extension didn't have to be in this bill. Granted, if the "extension" is only related to 200,000 long-term resident latins who failed to make the ever extended deadlines, it's not a big problem for me. But I fear it's just the beginning of what Bush planned before 9/11, therefore we are right to keep up the pressure, and loud, and persistent.

When I hear Ridge's plans to allow Mexican trucks (anti-U.S. middle class measure), I worry. I worry when there is going to be a "speedy" procedure for "secure" crossings of the border. In other words, the terrorists and coke dealers will insinuate themselves with those who have such special border transit privileges - they will be the ones to benefit along with the importers of cheap motor parts, and whatever. But the deal has the imprimitur of security to deceive the people. So it's wise to watch these folks. It will only get worse.

[gov_bean_ counter]

Although the bill grants limited amnesty to the immigrants, I doubt it provides relief for those entities that may have hired them. Don't be surprised to find massive fines for hiring illegals as a result of this legislation. BTW, had a house bricked lately? Chances are the crew was Mexican and didn't speak a work of English. Here legally? Probably not. And they are everywhere. Best darn bricklayers you will find. You would play heck trying to round them up. Give them a window to become citizens, get a SS# and pay taxes on what they earn. Lots of positives can come of this with limited downsides.

[sarcasm]

How many illegal aliens from terrorist states now qualify for amnesty???

[Texasforever]

How many illegal aliens from terrorist states now qualify for amnesty???

Why don't you know? Hell you know that this is an amnesty for at least 18 million according to the numbers being posted by the quaking cowards. So tell us how many?

[sarcasm]

I guess that we won't see each other at another Busy rally.

[Miss Marple]

None. Read the press release.