Amnesty Spin Zone

Human Events Online ^ | 05/29/2007 | James R. Edwards, Jr.

[kellynla]

The White House and U.S. Senate are busy selling us a bill of goods on this amnesty bill.

How to respond to the spin? The falsity level hasn’t been this high since Clinton’s impeachment days.

We’re asked to believe the word of the same folks who proclaimed “catch and release” over, but failed to mention that it still releases many illegal aliens, including Salvadorans.

To foster a toehold for truth, here are a few plain-language, straight-talking explanations of what amnesty proponents are saying.

“We can’t deport 12 million people.” Well, if the government can’t take custody, process, and physically remove the entire illegal immigrant population, what makes Bush, Chertoff, Kennedy and company think the government can repeatedly process and “document” 12 million people, perform background checks, etc. while processing visas for hyperdrive chain migrants and “guestworkers?

The straw man argument implies we have only two choices: mass amnesty or mass deportation. Tons of other options lie between those two options.

Hey, tell Mexico no more visas till it stops its illegal emigration and they’d take care of it themselves.

“Attrition is ‘silent amnesty.’” That’s a clever, cutesy, but stupid moniker. The opposite of “silent amnesty” is “shouted amnesty.” It’s “broadcast amnesty.”

At least with an attrition strategy we get something that hasn’t been tried before: enforcing the laws on the books with some faithfulness.

Let’s actually enforce the 3-year and 10-year bar on re-entry for illegals who remained in the United States. Let’s prosecute felonies for multiple unlawful re-entry. Let’s throw more employers of illegal aliens in the slammer. We’d grow the volume of self-deportation, which currently is at about 200,000 a year.

As it stands, we’re repeating the 1986 amnesty approach -- reward illegality; put amnesty first; loophole- and procedure-laden process and endless appeals; all-promise, no-delivery “enforcement.” At least trying Attrition Through Enforcement for 5 years would be doing something different.

“We have to bring them out of the shadows.” I don’t know what gated community these losers live in, but any politician who thinks illegals are cowering somewhere are worse than out of touch.

Illegals are everywhere. They’re brazen! They march by the hundreds on Commie May Day. They’re at the 7-Eleven, day labor center, overcrowding suburban houses-turned-apartments, criminally preying on innocent Americans, stealing expensive health care at American emergency rooms for which they don’t pay.

“We need to know who these people are.” Why? If the majority are “law-abiding,” harmless busboys and nannies, then what’s the rush?

Rather than reward their lawbreaking, at least they might look over the shoulder now and then. Besides, all we’ll know afterward is who they claim to be.

What else is there to be skeptical about in the Senate bill? Oh, plenty. It’s pure bait and switch.

• “Ends chain migration.” Actually, the distant relative visas don’t disappear for 15 years. Chain migration is escalated, at least doubled, for 15 years for backlogged applicants. The new point system would award aliens points for being extended relatives, i.e., chain migrants. So, no real end in sight.

• “Makes Z visa applicants go to the back of the line.” False. Practically all illegal aliens get “provisional” status immediately. They don’t leave the U.S. for them. Illegals can stay here, work here, have their spouses, children and aged parents with them and receive a Social Security number immediately. In other words, game over! Illegal invaders win!

• “Makes them learn English.” Pure misinformation. The amnestee doesn’t have to know squat in English to get probationary status or a Z visa. After four years when seeking to renew the Z visa the first time, he only has to take -- not pass, just take -- the naturalization language test or be on a waiting list for English classes. “Learn English” only happens after eight years, and then it’s not actual mastery of the language.

• “They pay their back taxes.” Nope. An illegal alien gets complete forgiveness. That’s well worse than last year’s Senate bill, which gave a two-year tax amnesty (i.e., payment of three of the previous five years’ income taxes owed). No IRS penalties. Nothing an American who hadn’t paid his taxes would face, like maybe time behind bars.

Overall, the Senate bill is even worse than last year’s. This one contains an even more generous amnesty, increases overall immigration levels irresponsibly and guts any good things (e.g., enforcement measures, elimination of visa lottery) with spoilers by the Ted Kennedy crowd that decimate the stated effect.

It’s easy to see why President Bush has zero credibility on immigration. His administration let workforce enforcement drop off the map before deciding to put on a show of raids. Within hours of each high-profile raid, many of the illegals are released.

The administration “eliminated” the visa backlog by recategorizing, presto-chango. It sent the National Guard to the border, but tied their hands with Barney Fife bullet-in-pocket rules. It actually stopped sending employers “no-match” letters indicating possible illegal aliens working on stolen Social Security numbers.

It secretively is pushing a sovereignty giveaway called the Security and Prosperity Partnership with Mexico and Canada. It dumbed down the Ashcroft Justice Department’s NSEERS registration program, morphing it into the joke called US VISIT -- this program is only at airports, only applies upon entry and exempts Canadians and Mexicans.

The administration, pro-amnesty Senators, special interests and others do the country and the American people a grave disservice by engaging in lies, half-truths and distortions. If the nation is to come to some agreement on how to address the multifaceted immigration conundrum, the proponents of amnesty-guestworker ought at least to be truthful.

Until the pro-amnesty crowd can agree to discuss these matters spin-free and truthfully, the immigration issue should be tabled. “Trust us”? No, thanks!

[kellynla]

The chart above clearly shows, among other things, that in those industries that employ illegals the MAJORITY of the jobs are held by....GASP!...AMERICANS. That puts a HUGE HOLE in Bush's claim that illegals are doing jobs Americans won't do.

It also shows, as Bush has claimed, that more than a million illegals a year have been deported since Bush took office.

Well if they can deport 6 million, they can double their efforts and deport 12 million.

Lastly, after BOTH borders have been secured, all illegals should be deported including the incarcerated. Why should Americans pay to incarcerate other countries' criminals. It's not like we're short on American criminals and long on prison cells. And by deporting the foreign incarcerated in American prisons we not only lower our prison costs but we open up slots for AMERICAN criminals who are now roaming about the country unabated.

The 2008 Conservative Revolution has started! Now all we need is a CONSERVATIVE to lead the revolution. Because we are in danger of not only losing our two party system but our sovereignty. It is time for CONSERVATIVES to take back the GOP and the time is NOW

[kellynla]

Immigration real time counter:
http://www.immigrationcounters.com/

[Red Badger]

“We can’t deport 12 million people.”

But they can keep records on 12 million gunowners without hesitation..................

[JoanneSD]

I went to home depot yesterday, and the illegals were not in the shadows.. they were standing out in the S. California sunshine..trying to get my attenton to pick them up to do day labor, or case my house, to return later and rob it..

[PhilCollins]

I heard Rep. Brian Bilbray, a Republican from the San Diego area, say that ICE officals should arrest more employers who hire illegals. If that happens, illegals won’t be able to find jobs, and they’ll leave the U.S. without being deported.

[Tennessee Nana]

Yep, what James R. Edwards, Jr said.....

[relictele]

Er, I don’t think this is quite what Reaganites have in mind when they reminisce about bipartisanship.

[PA-RIVER]

Let them in by the millions and give them all welfare.

Maybe we will see the welfare system collapse. That would be a treat.

[Earthdweller]

I'm just hoppin' mad! I've decide I'm gonna go with the crowd and go against this bill..no workers, no fence! Just keep the same laws we have...that will fix it!/s

I'm trying out my new sombrero tomorrow to celebrate my brave new stance! Gotta get a rush on the latest fashion don'tcha know.

PS..go suck eggs GW!!(Nice emotional touch there isn't it. I thought so)

[whinecountry]

Excellent article—thank you for posting. I’ve passed it on to many others.

[Cacique]

CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!

WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!

Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them.

STOP AMNESTY NOW!! WE CAN DO IT!!

The best way to stop Shamnesty

[omega4179]

How do other countries survive without unskilled mexican slaves?
They do just fine.

[ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas]

>>“They pay their back taxes.” Nope. An illegal alien gets complete forgiveness. That’s well worse than last year’s Senate bill, which gave a two-year tax amnesty (i.e., payment of three of the previous five years’ income taxes owed). No IRS penalties. Nothing an American who hadn’t paid his taxes would face, like maybe time behind bars.<<

The senate passed McCain amendment 1190, which on the surface appears to make Z-visa former illegals owe back taxes. However, if you read the fine print, they don't have to pay or "make arrangements" to pay unless and until they get a green card ("adjustment of status"). And we know they don't have to apply for a green card. This deception is already in Bush's talking points. Don't be fooled.

See my tagline.

[dez]

Enforce the damn law! Then, and only then, will we talk about accommodations.

[goldstategop]

I don't trust them - and the President didn't change any minds today in Georgia. They can spin it all they want but this bill is reward to those who break the law and don't want to become citizens of our great country. Just say NO!

Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." -Manuel II Paleologus

[PghBaldy]

He is worse than Clinton was on immigration. Clinton, at least, had no motives besides winning - he would have done whatever his pollsters told him to do. Bush actually believes this crap.