Free Republic

April 16, 2013 – New York – As immigration reform gains momentum in Congress, Latino and Jewish leaders across the country have jointly declared their commitment to engaging in this cause for justice and equality. They also will expand on their efforts to other areas of common concern, including foreign policy, philanthropy and education. The Statement of Latino-Jewish Joint Purpose was one of the outcomes of a recent national two-day National Conversation on the State of Latino-Jewish Relations. “We consider ourselves partners and allies with whom we share common historical experiences, knowledge, challenges and successes,” says the Statement. The National...

"Without legislative language," Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy declared in a statement March 20, "there is nothing for the Judiciary Committee to consider this week at our markup." The subject of the statement was immigration legislation, and his irritation was understandable. "For months, I have urged the president to send his proposal for comprehensive immigration reform to the Senate," Leahy noted. He might have added that the White House, with access to the expertise and experience of the Justice and Homeland Security Departments, could easily have come up with a draft. But the president is holding back, Leahy said,...

According to an ABC News report, senators from the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” pushing immigration reform are expected to drop their bill, estimated at around 1,500 pages, on Tuesday, mere hours before the only scheduled Senate hearing on the topic. “A bipartisan group of senators plans to introduce its long-awaited immigration bill on Tuesday, Senate sources confirmed to ABC News,” Jim Avila and Jordan Fabian wrote on Friday. “Four Democrats and four Republicans, known as the 'Gang of Eight,' wrapped up months of hard-fought negotiations this week and will put forth a bill that includes a pathway to citizenship for...

When I covered the papal conclave last month from Rome and Vatican City, one of the most discussed topics was reform of the Vatican’s bureaucracy, called the Curia. The selection of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentine as Pope Francis was seen as a signal from the College of Cardinals that reform was high on their agenda for the near future. Today the Vatican announced that Francis has created a new commission to revise Vatican law on the Curia and institute reforms, and it’s notable for who is and is not on the panel: Vatican City, 13 April 2013 (VIS) –...

Monster: Illegal alien DUI killer Nicolas Guaman.- by John HillStand With ArizonaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter It was one of the most brutal DUI deaths we've seen at the hands of an illegal alien - and we've seen a lot (here, here, here and here, for starters). In 2011, Ecuadorean illegal Nicolas Guaman, drunk at nearly three times the legal limit, ran through a stop sign in Milford, Mass., striking 23-year old Matthew Denice on his motorcycle. Denice was not killed by the impact, but died as Guaman tried to flee the scene, dragging Denice's body nearly 1/4 mile under...

Is ObamaCare the reform to end all other reforms? The massive health care law's problems are well known. Major tax hikes and Medicare cuts will fund a massive new government program rather than shore up the nation's finances. ObamaCare already is encouraging companies to cut jobs and work hours. With the administration delaying the insurance exchanges that might help small businesses until 2015, even ObamaCare cheerleaders are growing worried. And the law will leave tens of millions of Americans without health coverage. That's the best-case scenario, the government's own estimates agree. But ObamaCare doesn't just roil the health care system....

Above: The Gang of Seven plus their mascot Marco Rubio, yucking it up as they announce their amnesty plan in January. - by John HillStand With ArizonaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter Just when you thought the Senate push for amnesty couldn't get any more shameful...it sets a fresh low All the members of the “Gang of Eight” pushing so-called 'immigration reform' in the U.S. Senate will band together to block any efforts by other senators to offer amendments to their legislation once it is introduced, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. In addition, the Post's David Nakamura reported that the...

Brown-eyed people are more likely than blue-eyed people to pack a gun in North Carolina. Much about the nearly 400,000 concealed pistol permit holders here – including their names, addresses, weights and, yes, even eye colors – is a matter of public record. But state lawmakers are trying to change that. A bill crawling through the N.C. General Assembly aims to make that information confidential, open only to law enforcement. It is one of more than a dozen measures introduced this year as lawmakers bow to long-held demands among gun rights activists. As mass shootings fuel debate about the proper...

AUSTIN (CN) - A Texas Senate committee unanimously approved a bill that will make it easier to get a concealed-handgun license. The Senate Criminal Justice Committee voted 7-0 to send Senate Bill 864 to the full state Senate. It will reduce from 10 to 4 the minimum number of classroom hours needed to get a concealed-carry permit - and let people take classes online to renew their permits. The maximum classroom time will be reduced from 15 to 6 hours. To get a license to carry a concealed gun, applicants must complete the portion of the course and get instruction...

Last week I wrote about the battle for words and need to reclaim the language. We have to make sure words have meaning, no matter who how offensive a tiny slice of people find some of them. No sooner had the ink dried on that piece than the Associated Press stepped up and declared the term “illegal immigrant” dead. “The Stylebook no longer sanctions the term “illegal immigrant” or the use of “illegal” to describe a person. Instead, it tells users it assumes another option will “evolve.” Can’t you just imagine hundreds of “senior fellows” at various George Soros-funded Flying...

by John HillStand With ArizonaWebsite | Facebook | Twitter Chris Crane, president of the National Immigration and Customs Enforcement Council 118, made a number of stunning revelations during his testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee — and he’s begging Congress for help. The ICE union boss argued that agents are no longer allowed to arrest illegal aliens solely for illegal entry or expired visas and morale is at an all-time low.Most Americans would be shocked to find out that immigration agents are regularly “prohibited from enforcing the two most fundamental sections of United States immigration law,” he said. Instead, the...

HB495, sponsored by Rep. Terry Johnson (R) and passed into law last December, became effective March 27, 2013, and is now the law of the land. The reforms make three changes to current law: Eliminates the "demonstrated competency" requirement for second and future CHL renewals, making CHL training similar to a hunting license. Fixes the definition of a "loaded gun" to match the commonly accepted definition. Allows law-abiding gun owners to have their firearms stored in their cars in the state-owned parking garages such as the one under the Statehouse. There are now ways to have a loaded magazine in...

March 27, 2013: HELP US MOVE TENNESSEE KNIFE RIGHTS BILL: Knife Rights has just received word that HB0581, a Knife Rights requested bill that would enact Knife Law Preemption, repeal Tennessee's antiquated ban on automatic knives (switchblades) and repeal the the state's four-inch knife length limitation, is being held in the Tennessee House Ways and Means Committee. If you live, work or travel in Tennessee, please call Ways and Means Committee Chairman Mike Harrison at 615-741-7480 and politely request that he move HB0581 to a vote in the committee. If you get voice mail please leave a message for him...

The NRA apparently does not want its members to know what is in a gun related bill pending before the General Assembly. SB 101 was amended to do the following things. The NRA apparently does not want its members to know what is in a gun related bill pending before the General Assembly. SB 101 was amended to do the following things. Campus carry on public colleges, except dorms and athletic events; Campus carry on private colleges if the president adopts a policy permitting it; Government building carry where there is no security screening or courthouse (and permitting a way...

Come on in...it's all free, courtesy of the American taxpayer!- by John HillStand With ArizonaJoe Wilson is right....again.Remember Rep. Joe Wilson (R-S.C.) and his outburst at Obama's 2010 State of the Union address? Here's a refresher: Obama said his healthcare plan would not cover illegal aliens - twice. Wilson shouted "You lie!" to the outrage of many, and for which he was later censured by Pelosi & Co. Democrats said it was ridiculous to suggest that illegal aliens would EVER be able to receive Obama Care benefits. Wilson was right, of course, as SWA pointed out and way back in...

South Dakota Gov. Dennis Daugaard has signed a bill making concealed weapons permits valid for five years, up from the current four years.

Members of Congress are taking action to confront last summer’s move by the Obama Administration to gut the 1996 welfare reform law of its work requirements.

America has almost 12 million illegal immigrants. Many of them came here on visas and never left. But about 60 percent of them walked in from just one country -- Mexico. Though the stalled Obama Economy has caused about 900,000 to go home since 2007, there are still about 6 million Mexicans living in the United States who've sneaked across our borders. Everyone from Marco Rubio to John McCain and our golfer in chief are trying to figure out how to deal with the illegal immigrants we have already and prevent future waves of Mexican migrants. But no one seems...

For years, the Republican base has demanded a more patrolled, better reinforced, and more secure border as a prerequisite to even discussing immigration policy. Janet Napolitano had a message for them at Wednesday’s Senate hearing: Congratulations, you won! “Our borders have, in fact, never been stronger,” Napolitano testified. Boasting of the “unprecedented progress we have made” in border security since the last immigration debate, Napolitano noted that the number of Border Patrol agents had doubled since 2004, border apprehensions had plummeted 78 percent from their 2000 peak, and a variety of new technologies had been deployed to stop illegal crossings....

by John HillStand With ArizonaHe’s known as “America’s Toughest Sheriff”. But Joe Arpaio continues to show he deserves the moniker of “America’s JOBS Sheriff”. Because every time Sheriff Joe conducts a raid, he frees up jobs for legal American workers. And at a time when raids by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are almost unheard of - Barack Obama has slashed workplace enforcement by a staggering 70% since 2009 - Sheriff Joe and his department keep on working to crack down on illegal aliens in the workplace. Today was no exception, as Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputies raided Sportex Apparel in Tempe, AZ,  a custom-made...