Clinton vows to block bill criminalizing illegal immigrants

AP ^ | March 22, 2006, | BETH FOUHY

[Boston Blackie]

NEW YORK -- Invoking Biblical themes, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton joined immigration advocates Wednesday to vow and block legislation seeking to criminalize undocumented immigrants.

Clinton, a potential 2008 presidential candidate and relative latecomer to the immigration debate, made her remarks as the Senate prepares to take up the matter next week.

Clinton renewed her pledge to oppose a bill passed in December by the House that would make unlawful presence in the United States _ currently a civil offense _ a felony.

[MortMan]

Now you understand better why I'm so proud to be an ex-new yorker!

[Shomer]

again, the question is: which law?

Actually there are quite a number of laws that they are perpetually violating and they are enumerated under Title 8 of the USC. If any immigrant is working in the US without the proper and valid visa, then that immigrant is violating federal law. If that immigrant is not filing taxes for said work, then that is a felony violation of our tax laws. If that immigrant files taxes based on an invalid TID or SS, then that immigrant is engaging in felony tax and/or document fraud and perjury. If the immigrant is operating a motor vehicle without the proper documents and/or insurance (which often requires valid licenses and documentation) then that immigrant is engaging in violations of state law regarding the motor vehicle codes plus the larger crime of document fraud and perhaps identity theft.

Let's say that the immigrant lays around all day drinking beer and soaking off the charity of others. If any of that money comes from government sources, then it is a violation of the Title 8 of the USC (plus document fraud). People just can't squat in the US unless they are US citizens, legal residents (which requires the proper forms and registration) or aliens on a valid visa. (there are exceptions, but your garden variety "undocumented immigrant" is not covered). If that immigrant is living off of a private party, then that immigrant still needs to be registered along with specifying their sponsor who must, by law, have a sustained income that is at least 125% the current federal poverty levels. If those documents are not on file, then the alien is in a state of violation.

So what part of "illegal" don't you understand? :)

[Elyse]

Hillary is preaching to the choir and alienating any swing voters. Her and her liberal buddies just got through working everyone into a tizzy over US security and making people start to think like Protectionists and then she spouts this hairbrain scheme? I hope she just keeps yapping about her crazy ideas all the way to the polls.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Howa bout an analogy: If I break into my neighbor's house, I have committed a crime. If I then leave the house and go back to my own, that doesn't mean that I didn't commit the crime or that I should get off. I've already broken the law - just as someone who murders, robs, rapes, or embezzles does.

I see your point, but I don't think it matters one bit. Can you think of any crime that someone has to continue doing in order to be guilty of it? I can't.

[Serenissima Venezia]

Good answer - thank you.

[KevinDavis]

But but she was going to get "tough" on illegal immigration..

[Serenissima Venezia]

How many of these people will realize, once they are legal citizens, what most of our other poor citizens have realized - it's easier to sit on your butt, have babies and draw welfare than get out in the field and work for a living?

I think they already know this. I've read 35-40% of illegals are on welfare. I'm sure that's the big draw for them to come over here right before giving birth - that's been going on for decades.

[Elyse]

I think they already know this. I've read 35-40% of illegals are on welfare. I'm sure that's the big draw for them to come over here right before giving birth - that's been going on for decades

I had my first child in Houston a few decades ago. We didn't have insurance and I didn't have money to pre-pay for a hospital, so I ended up having to go to a charity hospital.

My husband made a whole whopping $6 an hour and we were told we didn't qualify for any charity. I was only admitted because I was in full labor, but we had to sign a payment agreement before they admitted me. (We didn't mind making payments, we just couldn't afford to pre-pay.)

After giving birth I was put in a ward with about 20 other women. Two-thirds of them were Mexican and only one spoke English. She told me that almost all of them were illegal and they didn't have to pay a cent for being in the hospital. Being young and naive, I asked if she was worried they were going to deport her and she just laughed.

[Serenissima Venezia]

That is just sickening. And you and your hubby probably had to work your bottoms off to pay the bill.

Just think in the intervening decades how many descendants of illegals are now citizens just because they were born here. And they inherited the attitude of 'what more can I take?' from their parents.

[toddlintown]

Why criminalize this? What part of "illegal" am I not getting? Making more laws when the law is already there. What we need is good old enforcement.

[dread78645]

Something sounds weird about this... illegal=criminal doesn't it?

‘It's illegal’
- Sonny Bono, when asked what he thought of illegal immigration.

[Serenissima Venezia]

emotionally loaded term like "criminal."

If the shoe fits. If you've committed crimes so you now identify with these criminal invaders, I think that's your problem. I haven't and I don't. I think everyone is responsible for their own behavior and actions. I'm not going to justify criminal behavior by psychoanalyzing childhoods or saying that everyone does it. That's the liberal agenda.