Comment: Border problems made worse by Minutemen, employers [Texas]

MySA.com ^ | 10/27/2005 | Charles A. Gonzalez

[SwinneySwitch]

From anti-immigration and civilian militia bills being introduced in Congress to some of my colleagues welcoming the Minutemen to Texas, I have watched as the all-too-familiar political posturing about undocumented immigrants has become increasingly negative.

I am troubled by the hostility and hateful rhetoric aimed at undocumented immigrants, but I am even more disturbed that these anti-immigrant groups appear to be more interested in gaining a political advantage than doing anything to stem illegal immigration.

I am not advocating open borders or special treatment for those who enter this country illegally. Everyone who wants to immigrate should follow the rules and enter legally. I am a steadfast believer in the need to protect our borders, especially with increased security concerns, and I support increased funding and aggressive measures to protect our borders.

That said, tightly securing the 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border has proven impossible, and it is absurd to suggest, and dangerous to encourage, a group of amateur vigilantes such as the Minutemen to undertake such a task.

The truth is illegal immigration is on the rise not because it is possible to get across our border, but because employers on the U.S. side continue to rely on, exploit, attract and, in some cases, recruit cheap and illegal labor. After all, immigrants don't come for the weather; they come here for a paycheck.

Anti-immigration groups have to look no further than businesses in their own backyards to see who is truly undermining national security interests. Knowing there is an employer willing to violate U.S. law and hire an undocumented immigrant only serves as an incentive to cross the border. No matter how many individuals we deport, as long as that employer is hiring illegal aliens, they will keep coming across the border.

We are seeing this same situation in areas ravaged by Hurricane Katrina. Reports are surfacing about companies hiring undocumented immigrants to do work for wages well below what is paid to American workers. It does not help that this administration, in suspending Davis-Bacon Act requirements for employers in the region, practically gave license to hire illegal aliens. In fact, with the Department of Homeland Security issuing a notice to employers that it will not enforce employment eligibility requirements of the Immigration and Naturalization Act for 45 days, employers now have an "official" excuse to hire undocumented workers for as long as DHS is looking the other way.

To this end, I have introduced legislation, H.R. 4038, which would impose a fine against employers of $50,000 per undocumented worker. States would keep 75 percent of the fines to help reimburse them for the costs that undocumented immigration places on local hospitals and sheriffs departments. I will include whistleblower provisions to further aid in enforcement and close loopholes that encourage unscrupulous employers to exploit workers and drive down wages.

While preparing this legislation, I was shocked to discover how abysmal worksite enforcement efforts are. For instance, last year, of an estimated 10 million illegal workers, only three employers were cited for knowingly hiring unauthorized workers. The number of man-hours spent going after employers is 25 percent of what it was five years ago, and only $212,000 in fines was collected in 2003.

One argument we often hear is that undocumented workers take low-paying jobs Americans refuse to do. However, the reality is that if the jobs paid a living wage, more Americans would do them. If we are successful in putting an end to unscrupulous employers exploiting illegal labor and driving down wages, there will be better paying jobs for more Americans.

Increasing penalties for employers violating the law will lead to a more level playing field for workers who enter the country legally and especially for Americans who have been undercut by cheap, undocumented workers.

If anti-immigration groups, such as the Minutemen, are serious about stemming the flow of illegal immigration, they should refocus their efforts and picket or boycott the worksites and employers who encourage illegal immigration by hiring undocumented immigrants. Ultimately, if you reduce the employment opportunities, you will remove the incentive for the vast majority of people who decide to come here illegally.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rep. Charles A. Gonzalez, D-San Antonio, is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

[SwinneySwitch]

You forgot about the terroristas, slavers and drug smugglers, Charles!

[NavVet]

I wish more people tried to gain political advantage by enforcing our immigration laws. That said, I do think strict employer targeted enforcement would do more to stem the tide than anything else. And if the border wasn't flooded with illegal job seeking immigrants, the terrorist would have a harder time "blending in".

[SwinneySwitch]

Border Ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off this South Texas/Mexico ping list.

[son of caesar]

when senor hernandez states hes not for open borders, you can take that three dollar bill to the bank and know for sure he is for COMPLETELY OPEN BORDERS, do not be fooled by this fool. while reading this article, i figured here is another aztlan activist/liberal/commie whatever. when i saw that senor hernandez is a congressenuch, i just laughed a bit and said, how appropriate. senor doesnt like the minutemen getting political power for their pov, but senorita hernandez sure likes political power for his side of things. he must be one of them white mexicans, after all, they know better than the other type of mexicans.

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION

U.S. IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS ENFORCEMENT

MINUTEMAN HQ

[Cindy]

ON THE NET...

An Ongoing Discussion and Links on FREEREPUBLIC.com: "THUNDER ON THE BORDER -- (MINUTEMAN PROJECT) (Read More...)

[clee1]

I am SO sorry you are offended, Senor Gonzalez. NOT!

[Personal Responsibility]

All anyone needs to know about this article can be inferred from the author's use of "undocumented immigrants" instead of "illegal immigrants".

[nyconse]

If you imposed massive fines and jail time on employers who hire illegals...then illegal immigration would go away. However the government won't do that because it would interfere with globalism policies...American companies can not afford to pay Americans real wages and compete globally with countries which use child labor, slave labor and very poor third world labor (work for a bowl of rice basically).

[generalhammond]

Lets analyse the language here: hostility and hateful rhetoric aimed at undocumented immigrants. By whom?

undocumented immigrants - come on, are thieves undocumented owners.

Then a bit of - hey I'm really one of you guys, really lines followed by The truth is...

Sorry bub, but you liberals espouse post modernist arguments when it suits and then hypocritically shove THE TRUTH down our necks. The truth is the borders need to be closed and, until then, they need to be watched.

In Australia, when the government came down hard on illegal "boat people", locked them up and deported them - the flow stopped within a matter of months. Just do it.

 

[ConsentofGoverned]

"In Australia, when the government came down hard on illegal "boat people", locked them up and deported them - the flow stopped within a matter of months. Just do it."
......................................................
This is so simple. I was called by senator DOLE fund raiser yesterday who said she was from Phoenix. When I said not one penny until they secure the border..The fund raiser lady said "do you know how big the border is" Well since I graduated HS in 1966 I do know the geography of USA and this is no reply..Our Republican elected better wake up and do something not just talk about the rights of illegals in this country. Sick of the RINO's talking tough but doing nothing.

[RoadTest]

The only thing that makes border problems worse are illegal immigrants.

[steve8714]

You can't enforce immigration laws without changing EEOC.
Their penalties are much harsher than INS, and also can be open-ended civil penalties.
We cannot question docs unless the pics don't match the face.

[DH]

 

All anyone needs to know about this article can be inferred from the author's use of "undocumented immigrants" instead of "illegal immigrants".

Just in case some of you have a hard time understanding some English words, I present the definitions for some of the most basic words used to describe the criminals who come into our country illegally.

One of the first things you will notice is the very distinct difference between the words "immigrant" and "alien."

I hope that this helps in describing the criminals who break our laws by illegally entering our country to live there on a permanent basis.

immigrant

n : a person who comes to a country where they were not born in order to settle there

a·li·en   
adj.

1. Owing political allegiance to another country or government; foreign: alien residents.

il·le·gal   
adj.

1. Prohibited by law.
2. Prohibited by official rules: an illegal pass in football.

crim·i·nal   
adj.

1. Of, involving, or having the nature of crime: criminal abuse.
2. Relating to the administration of penal law.
3.  
   1. Guilty of crime.
   2. Characteristic of a criminal.

[HiJinx]

One argument we often hear is that undocumented workers take low-paying jobs Americans refuse to do. However, the reality is that if the jobs paid a living wage, more Americans would do them. If we are successful in putting an end to unscrupulous employers exploiting illegal labor and driving down wages, there will be better paying jobs for more Americans.

Well, well. Good on ya', Congressman. Keep saying that daily for another 15 years and you might get one or two of your colleagues to believe you.

But, don't despair. We're helping you get the word out...you just get that legislation passed, y'hear?

[NavVet]

I'll bet you dollars to donuts, that I could go down the street to where some new houses are going up and if I asked for documents (in Spanish), the only reply I would get is, "Documents, we don't need no stinkin' documents."

[TLI]

and dangerous to encourage, a group of amateur vigilantes such as the Minutemen to undertake such a task.

Dangerous to whom? I just finished 32 days in El Paso on the Texas Minutemen Border Watch Op and by the second week of October the Juarez Newspaper was printing "If you have come here to cross the border you are too late, the Minutemen are here." We were getting a few stragglers, but the six major crossing areas east of Fabens that usually had two or three cars and five to twenty five people hanging around trying to cross at any given time were empty. Nada! No one to be seen.

The only danger was the coyotes going out of business.

[DumpsterDiver]

Well, well. Good on ya', Congressman. Keep saying that daily for another 15 years and you might get one or two of your colleagues to believe you.

It IS a little difficult to believe that Charlie is sincere.

I have watched as the all-too-familiar political posturing about undocumented immigrants has become increasingly negative.... While preparing this legislation, I was shocked to discover how abysmal worksite enforcement efforts are.

Immigration-Reduction Report Card for Charlie A.Gonzalez:
OVERALL GRADES
Career Grade: F-
Recent Grades: F-

In fact, with the Department of Homeland Security issuing a notice to employers that it will not enforce employment eligibility requirements of the Immigration and Naturalization Act for 45 days, employers now have an "official" excuse to hire undocumented workers for as long as DHS is looking the other way.

Those 45 days are up. Has this been extended? I haven't been able to find information on this..

If anti- illegal immigration groups, such as the Minutemen, are serious about stemming the flow of illegal immigration, they should refocus their efforts and picket or boycott the worksites and employers who encourage illegal immigration by hiring undocumented immigrants.

This is not an either/or situation. We can do both.

[justshutupandtakeit]

What terrorists?

Terrorists are not going to come in through the Southern border and haven't. But the Northern border is one to be concerned about.

[Marine Inspector]

This bill would do more to stem illegal immigration then any other bill out there.

Finally, someone in Congress gets it right.