Posted on 11/15/2005 4:32:41 PM PST by Nachum
Homeland security chief defends Bush plan, says border eventually will be impenetrable
In defending President Bush's so-called "guest worker" program for illegal aliens – which critics have dubbed an amnesty program – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says it's just not practical to deport the millions of foreigners in the country illegally.
"The cost of identifying all of those people and sending them back would be stupendous. It would be billions and billions of dollars," Chertoff told Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel program "Hannity & Colmes" last night.
"One of the reasons I think that we've been focusing on the idea of a temporary worker program as part of a larger strategy for border security is because it would be a way to siphon off people who really want to do nothing more than work here, put them into a regulated program – we would know who they are – we would then be able to send them back at the end of a period of three years or six years. They would have made some money, they could take it back home, and then we could focus our other resources on the people that don't want to do it the right way, and we could get those people sent out."
Hannity challenged Chertoff, saying such a plan rewards those who "didn't respect our laws and sovereignty."
Asked the talk-show host: "Why don't we say, no, you're here illegally, you didn't respect our laws, you ought to go home?"
Chertoff again appealed to the issue of cost, saying, " Sean, you know, it's really an issue of practicality. I mean, as a practical matter, we've got to identify these people and pull them out of the shadows."
The Homeland Security chief emphasized that Bush's plan "is not an amnesty."
Said Chertoff: "The president's proposal is not a path to citizenship. It's clearly temporary, and it clearly envisions people who would have to commit to go back. … What this would let us do is acknowledge the reality that we've got hundreds and thousands of employers all over this country who are employing illegal aliens. Sometimes, individual citizens employing people in their home."
When Hannity suggested quadrupling the number of Border Patrol agents to help deal with the flood of illegals coming across the southern border, Chertoff pointed to training constraints.
"Right now, our capacity for training really is fully stretched," the official said. "Because it is obviously not an easy job, to train a Border Patrol agent. It's very dangerous work on the border."
Chertoff emphasized that since 9-11, the number of Border Patrol personnel has increased by 3,000.
The homeland security chief said he believes there will be a point in the future – using new technology and infrastructure, and more agents – when the border will be impenetrable.
"I think we have a day coming," he told Hannity. "I can't give you
Any who would argue with that quote by Reagan is telegraphing way too much information for their own good.
How about starting with deporting Chertoff.
We don't care. You can't fund the NEA and complain about the cost of enforcing our immigration laws. This excuse is pathetic and should be dropped immediately.
You are welcome.
Homeland does not describe the Mexican crash pad without doors or windows, any more than Security describes the feeling of the citizens upstairs.
Why did Bush slander the Minutemen by calling them "vigilantes" when they were only doing the jobs Americans won't do?
Now the Senate coddles terrorists with no-torture legislation and demands for an exit timetable.
The greatest threat to national security is paid for with taxpayer dollars.
Chertoff is the perfect government worker. Everything he has ever touched has been worked into an extreme "LONG TERM" program with perpetual funding.
The private sector loves "closers". They get the job done.
ShirtOff builds hierarchies, his private sector value is nil.
As taxpayers, aren't we lucky. (/sarc)
Unfortunately, they would never be able to pay for their jailing. Not the way our penal system works. Last I heard, it cost something like $20K per year per prisoner. No way is their unskilled labor worth that.
But to say it would cost too much to find them and deport them is just nonsense. If there are 10 million of them, then that is probably 3 million families and you have to figure at least 4 million kids going to public schools. That's 40 billion dollars every year all by itself. Not to mention the cost of free ER medical care and all the other programs. Plus the cost to the economy of all these bozos driving around without insurance and speeding away from hit 'n' run accidents.
I agree the place to start is with the employers. Make it too expensive to hire illegals and illegals will stop coming and go home on their own. Without work they won't stay, so that is where to hit the problem.
With employers, you'd have to make it easy to have a positive ID or you couldn't hold them liable. A first step would be a database check to see if the SS number is in use somewhere else. If so, the employer would need to contact the owner of the SS number THROUGH the other employer to verify they are really the same person applying for the new job.
Even better would be to REQUIRE a valid State Drivers License or offical ID card with biometrics. Swipe the magnetic card, take a fingerprint, check both against the photo in the DMV database. Personally, that level of identity checking wouldn't bother me. In fact, I think every cop should be required to check an ID in real-time the same way any time they stop anyone. And be required by Federal law to hold that person for deportation.
The saddest part is that the people have a will to control this. It is only politicians and courts who don't for some reason. Californians overwhelmingly passed Prop 187 which was relatively mild but would have denied at least some social services to illegals. 9th Circuit shot it down.
Illegal immigrants should not be voting in the first place.
Sheesh.
Sheesh cubed!
And how much does CA, that would be ONLY CA, spend on illegals per year???
On thing alone to think about...
The second largest construction project in the United States, second only to the Boston 'Big Dig', is the school buliding project in Los Angeles, which cannot build them fast enough to house the flood of new immigrant children.
I suspect were talking over ten billion in California alone.
Americans Lose $68 Billion to Illegals in 2002 or $136 billion with other factors
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1350227/posts
Illegal Aliens Threaten U.S. medical system: reports hospitals being closed diseases spread
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1361944/posts
Illegals Cost us $10 Billion a Year;Amnesty Would Nearly Triple Cost
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1199631/posts
Put a bounty of Five ($5.00) for a pair of ears.
Lets do away with the citizenship by birth funny business. Our policy is encouraging an explosion in the illegal population.
No citizenship for the children of illegal aliens.
Change the constitution if necessary or we'll end up like the French.
Something smells really really bad........
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