Kyl’s border crackdown plan reflects political, security realities

EastValleyTribune ^ | May 29, 2005 | Tribune Editorial

[Happy2BMe]

Kyl’s border crackdown plan reflects political, security realities

May 29, 2005

Tribune Editorial

After being pummeled for two months by critics who claim he’s too weak on illegal immigration, U.S. Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., is proposing sweeping get-tough legislation to tighten border security and crack down on those who hire undocumented workers.

Groups pushing liberal immigration policies quickly criticized the plan, which is being co-authored by Sen. John Cornyn, R-Tex., but it may actually nudge meaningful reforms forward that include a guest-worker program as well as tougher border security.

Kyl has been harshly criticized following publication of a Tribune article on March 31 quoting him as favoring reforms that would include an avenue for working and otherwise law-abiding illegal immigrants to gain legal status. Kyl also said he favored creation of a fraud-proof Social Security card utilizing the latest biometric technology to curb the hiring of illegal immigrants.

In a column on these pages April 3, Kyl strongly objected to the word "amnesty" that appeared over the March 31 article on his proposal. "I do recognize that there are more than 10 million illegal immigrants in the United States, and that we are in dire need of a realistic policy to deal with them," Kyl wrote.

"But there is a big difference between allowing such people to temporarily work in the U.S. and granting them legal permanent residence and a right to apply for U.S. citizenship, all without leaving. That’s blanket amnesty, and I oppose it."

But Kyl’s explanation didn’t quell the anger of what appears to be a growing number of Arizonans who want immigration laws enforced — period. And the introduction of comprehensive immigration reform legislation earlier this month cosponsored by U.S. Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., and U.S. Reps. Jeff Flake and Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., further inflamed the critics. The fear is that this latest round of immigration reform will be a carbon copy of reforms passed two decades ago that amounted to little more than amnesty — and hence sent a clear signal to Mexicans that the door to America is wide open.

Workable immigration reform must include some provision for guest workers to accommodate the American economy’s need for a continuous supply of entry-level workers. But such reforms are not politically possible without serious border enforcement. Kyl’s plan, which includes 10,000 more Border Patrol agents and $500 million for barriers, surveillance cameras and other infrastructure, is the most serious effort in that regard that we’ve yet seen.

Critics may not like it, but they’re going to have to live with it. Americans appear more determined than ever to hold the federal government to its responsibility to ensure homeland security in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. And most people know that homeland security is not complete as long as our borders remain porous.

Comprehensive immigration reform is necessary. But clearly it cannot happen without an accompanying commitment to border security. Sen. Kyl deserves credit for putting a meaningful proposal on the table.

[Happy2BMe]

Selling?

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

BRACE YOURSELF - MEXICO SEEKS PROTECTION FOR 'RIGHTS' OF ILLEGAL ALIENS

(CLICK ON THE ABOVE LINK - BRACE YOURSELF)

'LAISSEZ-FAIR' POLITICS WILL KILL US BEFORE THE JIHAD DOES

[onyx]

Well done! Good posts, all.

[Happy2BMe]

Hope you are doing well.

[onyx]

Pretty good, thanks. Hope to be all moved and settled and back on your ping list before too long. I'll let you know!

[Brad’s Gramma]

BTTT to find later.

[dvan]

"I still can't believe Bush and Fox agreed to let illegal aliens collect US social security benefits',

What's so difficult to believe about Fox wanting illegals to collect Social Security?

[grania]

"I do recognize that there are more than 10 million illegal immigrants in the United States, and that we are in dire need of a realistic policy to deal with them," Kyl wrote.

Note to Senator Kyl:

What we're reading here is a great improvement. You sound like a person who wants to get re-elected.

Dealing with the invaders...send them home, do not let them back in the US for anything...medical, vacations, graduations, NOTHING, for the rest of their lives. Anyone who knowingly (or without adequate checking) hired them, rented to them, sold them houses, etc., gets jail time, fined, and gets to reimburse every level of government that subsidized them.

And, I wish we wouldn't hear any more "guest worker" BS. It's about time teens started doing chores again. How about hiring on reservations and in minority communities? Boomers are beginning to retire, and will do all kinds of stuff for part time work.

Senator Kyl might be improving. He's got a bit of penance to do, however.

[Happy2BMe]

Jobs Americans Won't Do: Voodoo Economics from the White House.

Jobs Americans Won't Do: Voodoo Economics from the White House.

[jackbenimble]

Kyl’s plan, which includes 10,000 more Border Patrol agents

The amazing thing about this is the brass balls this guy has! It is another (non)-enforcement plan based on smoke, mirrors, winks, nods and deceiving the American people.

Guess what!? Congress already passed legislation authorizing the expansion of the border patrol by 10,000 agents and it was signed into law back in December, 2004. The 9/11 Security and Intelligence Bill authorized the expansion of the Border Patrol by 2000 per agents per year for five years beginning in 2006.

Kyl now wants to sell us the same expansion of the Border Patrol a second time in return for us allowing him to give his open borders cheap labor lobby friends their unlimited supply of cheap immigrant labor. He is going to pretend like the law that got passed back in December never happened and that he is promising a whole bunch of new enforcement in return for surrendering our borders.

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Be Ever Vigilant!

Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!

[JarheadFromFlorida]

[[First stop these politicans from doing more harm. The Republican party needs to seriously wake up. The notion that "I support Bush but dislike his immigration policy" is leading to disaster. Immigration is THE issue, folks. It's the issue which will change the face of this country for decades to come. Long after the Iraq war is forgotten, we'll be dealing with the consequences of immigration decisions today.]]

Well put Altair. My setiments exactly. As much as I agree with Bush on the war on terror, I disagree with him even more on illegal immigration. Whoever has the balls to stop this illegal invasion from Mexico is the person who will be sitting in the whitehouse in 2008. This is THE issue NOW and in the next presidential election.

[FlashBack]

Thanks for the ping...seems like there are more than a few pols waking up to the fact that a majority of us have had it and want this fixed!

[janetgreen]

Thanks for the links. It's a good thing you warned us to brace ourselves! I think my blood pressure went up several notches...

[Happy2BMe]

Amnesty plan puts citizenship up for sale

[Reaganwuzthebest]

The McCain-Kennedy scamnesty is a disgrace and will go nowhere. Not even the RINO congressmen from NY I predict will swallow that poison pill.

[blackie]

Protect our borders and coastlines from all foreign invaders!

Be Ever Vigilant!

Minutemen Patriots ~ Bump!