Poll Freep: Should the U.S. give an amnesty to illegal immigrants?

CNN Asia ^ | 01.08.04

[Dr. Marten]

The Poll is located in the lower right hand of the web page.

This QuickVote is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, nor the public as a whole. The QuickVote sponsor is not responsible for content, functionality or the opinions expressed therein.

[ChefKeith]

Yes 42% 2326 votes

No 58% 3238 votes
Total: 5564 votes

BTTT

[robertpaulsen]

"which gives them a window of opportunity to register."

If they have a window of opportunity to register, and they don't, then we should be able to deport them. I'm just saying that we won't, and you know it.

They'll be caught, the press will show up, people will be crying, the illegal will have a zillion excuses why he didn't register .... then we'll let him register. (Look at us. Aren't we a good people? (smile, smile). Aren't Americans kind-hearted? (grin, grin)).

I know this. You know this. The illegals know this. They'll register when they're caught. There's no reason to do so ahead of time -- besides, maybe it's an INS el-trap-o!

[kevao]

I was happy to vote yes, although I agree with Dawn that this is not an amnesty proposal.

Yes, it IS an amnesty. NO illegal is going to be prosecuted or deported for having violated our immigration laws. Some here have argued that it isn't an amnesty because FUTURE violations of immigration law can still be prosecuted.

But let's face it, just because you can still be punished for future violations of the law, whenever you have been forever absolved of your past infractions, you have indeed been granted...amnesty.

[Salvation]

Should the U.S. give an amnesty to illegal immigrants?
Yes		42%	2376 votes
No		58%	3346 votes
Total: 5722 votes

This QuickVote is not scientific and reflects the opinions of only those Internet users who have chosen to participate. The results cannot be assumed to represent the opinions of Internet users in general, nor the public as a whole. The QuickVote sponsor is not responsible for content, functionality or the opinions expressed therein.

Related:   

• Bush calls for changes on illegal workers

[sarcasm]

Another one HERE

[Dr. Marten]

Bush undocumented worker plan: pragmatic solution or disastrous politics?
Compassionate approach to intractable political problem.
	31 votes (20%)
Disastrous rewarding of illegal immigrants and will result in more coming to US.
	122 votes (80%)
153 people have voted so farYour vote was Disastrous rewarding of illegal immigrants and will result in more coming to US. on 1/8/2004 11:39 am

[stop_fascism]

Your describing the system as it exists today. Additionally, today people are working against catching illegals to begin with. Some police in California are prevented from even checking to see if someone is illegal while he is being arrested for another crime. The status quo is unlimited illegal imigration with almost no chance of punishment.

The new proposal will give illegals an opportunity to legalize their status. If they don't take advantage of that, and remain illegal it will be much more difficult to argue that they "just want to work" etc. etc. INS can say that they can work legally, but choose to break the law. That will remove their main defence and make it easier to deport them. Now it we will actually take advantage of that is another question.

[stop_fascism]

I'm old enough to remember the Reagan amnesty. I consider it one of the few mistakes that great man made as president. This is not that.

[kevao]

Then how do you define "amnesty"?

[stop_fascism]

The Reagan amnesty made everyone who had been in this country illegally for a certain length of time legible to become a citizen. It rewarded law breaking. The Bush plan does it's best to restore order to immigration. It doesn't forgive their crime and put them in front of the line to become citizens.

[kevao]

It doesn't forgive their crime and put them in front of the line to become citizens.

It sure does forgive their crime, unless I'm wrong in saying that no illegal who registers for the program will be imprisoned or deported for having violated U.S. immigration law.

Sorry, but when a criminal has been forever absolved of his past infractions, he has indeed been granted...amnesty.

[BJClinton]

FReeped and bumped.

Created: Wednesday, January 07, 2004, at 23:18:30 EST

Should the U.S. give an amnesty to illegal immigrants?
Yes		39%	3294 votes
No		61%	5137 votes
Total: 8431 votes

[hunter112]

Bush is not proposing an "amnesty program" in the traditional sense of the term.

How about all the employers that the Feds were going to come down on like flies on s*** after the 1986 amnesty? There has been nearly two decades of illegal employment of wetbacks, and where's the sanction or fine on these employers, who should have been employing American workers? What's the downside for them?

I guess its none, as long as they're willing to write out big checks for Bush's re-election.

[WOSG]

Here are about 14 things that are better ideas than amnesty.
Amnesty rewards lawbreaking and give America a new underclass ready to harm our culture, degrade our public services, and bankrupt border states (notice whats happening to Cali??)...

A better way. Enforce the immigration laws properly and change the immigration laws to discourage the abuses that are harming us.

Enforcement:
1. Abolish the EOIR, it is a failure of an agency; abolish the BIA that
handles immigration 'appeals' as well. This system is not designed
to deport aliens that deserve to be deported, it's designed to frustrate
the enforcement of immigration law. Michelle Malkin suggests in her
book "Invasion":
"Finally, Attorney General John Ashcroft should abolish the Executive Office
for Immigration Review and the Board of Immigration Appeals and transfer
their functions to existing law enforcement officers within the immigration
bureaucracy. ... Restoring integrity to the immigration process will require
closing the loopholes and black holes into which so many fugitive absconders,
criminal aliens, and unwelcome guests have disappeared. " - Michelle Malkin
INS and Border Patrol Counsels could replace this byzantine process
and administrative removal orders could simply be given administratively.
Replace the agencies with law enforcement agents and lawyers who prosecute
and win deportation cases rather than drag them out.
Use the powers of Article III section 2 to repeal through law
the ability to appeal deportation orders to death (and to the
Supreme Court).
2. Fund the FBI's enforcement of immigration law so that it is a priority for them.
3. Increase funding and manpower of U.S. Border Patrol;
assign US. military troops to help the Border Patrol regain control of our border.
4. Increase funding to enforce laws against employing illegal aliens
5. Create verifiable documentation for use in employment that end documentation
fraud. Set up a national database for document verification so document
fraud is tracked down. Require employers to verify employment and hold
employers responsible for hiring illegal aliens.
6. Pass laws and use verifiable documentation to end immigration benefit fraud.
It is rampant (see the GAO, http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d0266.pdf)
- give incentives and rewards to private citizens who turn in illegal aliens
who are subsequently deported.
" One simple change could put teeth into the law. Employers should be required to
confirm that the Social Security number presented by a worker has in fact been
issued to that worker. A computerized database, much like the nationwide
instant-background check used to verify gun buyers, could handle that job easily.
Such a database already exists, but it is seldom used. " - Jay Bookman
7. Increase alien detention space so that aliens ready for deportation
are held in detention and not released to the streets where they merely
evade deportation.
8. Abolish 245(i) and other provisions of stealth amnesty that have been put
there through law or court rulings. Criminal aliens should be deported
without exceptions. For example, a loophole that gives women citizenship
or LPR status for "spousal abuse" is an open invitation for fraud.
Many men's lives have been destroyed by fraudulent allegations designed by
illegal aliens to gain citizenship. End that loophole in 204(a)(1)(A)(iii)
of the immigration act.

Changing the incentives for illegal aliens and immigration:
1. The law (or stupid custom) granting automatic citizenship to the children of
illegals must end.
Children born here of foreigners would not automatically become US citizens
nor residents, unless their parents are *legal* residents of this country.
2. Abolish the requirement that hospitals must serve all those, including
illegal aliens, who show up at emergency rooms.
3. End all federal public assistance to non-citizens except emergency health care
4. Abolish the adult parents and siblings of immigrants from
getting in on family sponsorship and getting at the head of the line.
End chain migration.
5. Defund federal bilingual education programs.
6. Prohibit affirmative action benefits for non-citizens

[WOSG]

"Additionally, today people are working against catching illegals to begin
with. Some police in California are prevented from even checking to see if someone is illegal while he is being arrested
for another crime. The status quo is unlimited illegal imigration with almost no chance of punishment. "

The solution obviously is to change those bad laws and bad policies that hamstring law enforcement of immigration law.