Bush faces GOP fight over guest workers

AP via Bakersfield.com ^ | 12/27/2004 | TOM RAUM

[bill1952]

>People on your side of the debate need to police your own side's posts better;

No Sir, we do not.

You need to police your own posts, and I will police my very own.

>it is really everyone's responsibility, but especially to your side

Again Sir, no it is not.

Writing "especially your side" is needlessly inflammatory, bombastic, pompous, egocentric, and disingenuous.

- You sound like an left coast ACLU attorney, and that Sir, is not a compliment.

[RS]

"Of course they don't list their medical problem on the visa application."

So they roll them up on a gurney for the interview ? and wait weeks while the application is reviewed ?

I'm sure this happens from every country - are you suggesting we withhold emergency medical care for travelers ?

[RS]

Confused - did the Canadians not get the care they came for ? or were all the Canadians Hispanic ?

BTW - how did you know they were here on visas ? I didn't think you were allowed to ask.

[Baraonda]

bump

[Baraonda]

Tom Tancredo for President, 2008/2012

[Cultural Jihad]

. . . I never, ever processed any such patient that was not of Hispanic origin.

Do Floridian busy-bodies have some sort of racial quota while looking at the recipients of medical care in Canada?

[Cultural Jihad]

Jenjis Khan for President, 2008/2012

[FBD]

I agree with Marine inspector-
good info on that post.

[FBD]

>"Actually, Tancredo has a better proposal, which we should be supporting."<

-I believe Tancredos plan addresses something the others don't:
guest worker eligibilty for social security benefits.

It makes no sense to award social security to non-citizens, so they can export the money back to their home country when they leave.

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm of the impression that proposals are that after 18 months of paying into social security, guest workers will be eligible to collect.

That would really bankrupt the SS system.

[FBD]

Just a heads up, I no longer waste time folks who engage in the liberal smear tactics of mindless emotional hyperbole, name calling, and NAACP style charges of racism and bigotry.


Your post #254 wouldn't even qualify as an intelligent post at DU.com;
So please don't ping me again.
Thank you.

[Marine Inspector]

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
January 7, 2004

Fact Sheet: Fair and Secure Immigration Reform

Today's Presidential Action

• Today, President Bush proposed a new temporary worker program to match willing foreign workers with willing U.S. employers when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs. The program would be open to new foreign workers, and to the undocumented men and women currently employed in the U.S. This new program would allow workers who currently hold jobs to come out of hiding and participate legally in America's economy while not encouraging further illegal behavior.
• President Bush also asked Congress to work with him to achieve significant immigration reform that protects the homeland by controlling the borders; serves America's economy by matching a willing worker with a willing employer; promotes compassion for unprotected workers; provides incentives for temporary workers to return to their home countries and families; protects the rights of legal immigrants while not unfairly rewarding those who came here unlawfully or hope to do so. This legislation must also meet the Nation's economic needs and live up to the promise and values of America.

Background on Today's Presidential Action

America is a welcoming nation, and the hard work and strength of our immigrants have made our Nation prosperous. Many immigrants and sons and daughters of immigrants have joined the military to help safeguard the liberty of America. Illegal immigration, however, creates an underclass of workers, afraid and vulnerable to exploitation. Current immigration law can also hinder companies from finding willing workers. The visas now available do not allow employers to fill jobs in many key sectors of our economy. Workers risk their lives in dangerous and illegal border crossings and are consigned to live their lives in the shadows. Without harming the economic security of Americans, reform of our Nation's immigration laws will create a system that is fairer, more consistent, and more compassionate.

• Principles of Immigration Reform -- The President's proposal is based on several basic principles:
  • Protecting the Homeland by Controlling Our Borders: The program should link to efforts to control our border through agreements with countries whose nationals participate in the program. It must support ongoing efforts to enhance homeland security.
  • Serve America's Economy by Matching a Willing Worker with a Willing Employer: When no American worker is available and willing to take a job, the program should provide a labor supply for American employers. It should do so in a way that is clear, streamlined, and efficient so people can find jobs and employers can find workers in a timely manner.
  • Promoting Compassion: The program should grant currently working undocumented aliens a temporary worker status to prevent exploitation. Participants would be issued a temporary worker card that will allow them to travel back and forth between their home and the U.S. without fear of being denied re-entry into America.
  • Providing Incentives for Return to Home Country: The program will require the return of temporary workers to their home country after their period of work has concluded. The legal status granted by this program would last three years, be renewable, and would have an end. During the temporary work period, it should allow movement across the U.S. borders so the worker can maintain roots in their home country.
  • Protecting the Rights of Legal Immigrants: The program should not connect participation to a green card or citizenship. However, it should not preclude a participant from obtaining green card status through the existing process. It should not permit undocumented workers to gain an advantage over those who have followed the rules.
• Temporary Worker Program

  President Bush does not support amnesty because individuals who violate America's laws should not be rewarded for illegal behavior and because amnesty perpetuates illegal immigration. The President proposes that the Federal Government offer temporary worker status to undocumented men and women now employed in the United States and to those in foreign countries who have been offered employment here. The workers under temporary status must pay a one-time fee to register in the program, abide by the rules, and return home after their period of work expires. There would be an opportunity for renewal. In the future, only people outside the U.S. may join the temporary worker program, and there will be an orderly system in place to address the needs of workers and companies.

  • American Workers Come First: Employers must make every reasonable effort to find an American to fill a job before extending job offers to foreign workers.
  • Workplace Enforcement of Immigration Laws: Enforcement against companies that break the law and hire illegal workers will increase.
  • Economic Incentives to Return Home: The U.S. will work with other countries to allow aliens working in the U.S. to receive credit in their nations' retirement systems and will support the creation of tax-preferred savings accounts they can collect when they return to their native countries.
  • Fair and Meaningful Citizenship Process: Some temporary workers will want to remain in America and pursue citizenship. They should not receive an unfair advantage over those who have followed the law, and they will need to be placed in line for citizenship behind those who are already in line. Those who choose the path of citizenship will have an obligation to learn the facts and ideals that have shaped America's history.
  • Reasonable Annual Increase of Legal Immigrants: A reasonable increase in the annual limit of legal immigrants will benefit those who follow the lawful path to citizenship.
• Benefits to America of the Temporary Worker Program
  • A more prosperous economy -- for America. The program would allow workers to find jobs and employers to find workers, quickly and simply.
  • A more secure homeland -- to improve the efficiency and management of all people who cross our borders. It is in the interest of the Nation, and each community, to identify foreign visitors and immigrants and make clear the nature of their intentions.
  • A more compassionate system -- to protect all workers in America with labor laws, the right to change jobs, fair wages, and a healthy work environment.
• Homeland Security and Border Enforcement
  • Border Patrol has increased from a strength of 9,788 on September 11, 2001 to 10,835 on December 1, 2003. Between ports of entry on the northern border, the size of the Border Patrol has tripled to more than 1,000 agents. In addition, the Border Patrol is continuing installation of monitoring devices along the borders to detect illegal activity.
  • The Bush Administration's Operation Tarmac was launched to investigate businesses and workers in the secure areas of domestic airports and ensure immigration law compliance. Since 9/11, DHS has audited 3,640 businesses, examined 259,037 employee records, arrested 1,030 unauthorized workers, and participated in the criminal indictment of 774 individuals.
  • President Bush announced the Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), an internet-based system that is improving America's ability to track and monitor foreign students and exchange visitors. Over 870,000 students are registered in SEVIS. Of 285 completed field investigations, 71 aliens were arrested.
  • This week, the US-VISIT program began to digitally collect biometric identifiers to record the entry and exit of aliens who travel into the U.S on a visa. Together with the standard information, this new program will confirm compliance with visa and immigration policies.

###

---

Return to this article at:
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/01/20040107-1.html

[FBD]

re: Fact Sheet: Fair and Secure Immigration Reform

-thanks for posting that info, M.I.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Thank you for the information. I guess I misunderstood my Congressman. "Fair and Secure Immigration" is the goal. It's the details of the actual proposal that is yet to come.

[FITZ]

And who provides the free health care and humongous educational costs of this "guest" worker amnesty program? Obviously their employers don't expect to be paying.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

I have mentioned my fascination with the SSA's Earnings Suspense File (ESF). It contains the W-2 and 1099 data of SSN's that do not match SSA's master files. Earnings data with IRS-assigned tax ID numbers in lieu of SSN's also wind up in the ESF and routinely processed later.

There are a host of reason why there can be mismatches. Simple errors, name changes, etc.

The size of the ESF exploded during the second BJ administration.

The market for phony / stolen SSN's exploded during the second BJ administration.

2 + 2 = ? Some at SSA don't know the answer.

With 250 million earnings documents and growing every year the SSA is deperately looking for a way to reduce the size and get the earnings to their "rightful owners" in SSA's master file of valid SSN's.

I just read the "Statement of The Honorable James B. Lockhart, III, Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration, Testimony Before the Subcommittee on Oversight of the House Committee on Ways and Means, March 10, 2004"

No mention of ILLEGAL immigrants. Not a word about phony / stolen SSN's and ILLEGAL immigrants. Though not all phony / stolen SSN's are for work, often they are needed to get public assistance.

The Honorable James B. Lockhart, III, Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration did describe the efforts to get legal immgrants to stop using SSA's non-work SSNs for employment.

But as for the 9.5 million no matches in 2003 nothing more than sending "no-match" letters to employers and employees -- you see the SSA wants the earnings in the ESF to get to their rightful owners in SSA's master file of valid SSN's -- and the ESF goes back decades.

The Honorable James B. Lockhart, III, Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration assured the Committee that the letters contained a warning to employers that no action against any employee would be tolerated or words to that effect.

(There had been complaints about prior "no match" letters. Whole lot o' fear goin' on out 'der, I reckon.)

The Honorable James B. Lockhart, III, Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration described how SSA is developng intelligent software that can try all combinations and contortions to make the ESF earnings documents fit somebody's valid SSN -- hey! put all 9.5 million on my SSN, I'll taken 'em.

Mean while another report I read described a contractor's evaluation of the SSA's efforts. That year's goal was to get at least 18 million earnings documents out of ESF and to their "rightful owner" or purged. Didn't work. They only got about three million.

2 + 2 = 4, Honorable James B. Lockhart, III, Deputy Commissioner, Social Security Administration.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

RE: the Northeastern U. report.

It just occurred to me after several months that the MSM did cover the report last summer. I just did not recognize the coverage to be about the report that I read.

The MSM articles mentioned only the last paragraph, ". . .increased employment of immigrants appears to be displacing some native born workers, including teens, young adults without college degrees, and Black men in the nation's central cities."

The emphasis was on teens having trouble finding summer jobs. I thought at the time, no big deal. There was some mention of "Black men in the nation's central cities," also. Why don't the MSM mention the other Northeastern report I wondered. There was no other report.

Well it is a big deal and also all the more reason journalism should wash those MSM fecal stains off its shorts.

[Happy2BMe]

NEWSFLASH - RINOS WAKE UP - FOUR YEARS TOO LATE!

============================================

President Bush faces a major rebellion within his own party if he follows through on a promise to push legislation that would offer millions of illegal immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship. Almost no issue divides Republicans as deeply.

[Travis McGee]

[devolve]