INHOFE INTRODUCES IMMIGRATION BILL

Sen James Inhofe Website ^ | 2 May 2007 | Sen James Inhofe

[PhiKapMom]

May 2, 2007

WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.) today once again introduced his immigration legislation aimed at addressing the ever-increasing influx of illegal immigrants to the United States and its strain on society. Inhofe’s ENFORCE - Engaging the Nation to Fight for Our Right to Control Entry -Act (S.1269) increases U.S. border security, emphasizes greater enforcement of existing immigration laws and prevents amnesty and other shortcuts for illegal immigrants.

“Illegal immigrants continue to cross our country’s borders, strain our economy and exploit our resources,” Inhofe said. “The gravity of this situation warrants that Americans of all political stripes come together to address this problem immediately. I will not stand idly by and watch our great nation collapse under the pressures of uncontrolled illegal immigration; this is a crisis and one that must be addressed aggressively.

“Simply granting citizenship to immigrants, who are currently in our country illegally, is not the answer. We must enhance our border security, hold those accountable who encourage illegal immigration and ensure that those who violate our laws by entering our country illegally do not have this illegal activity easily forgiven and even rewarded with permanent residence or citizenship. Our nation’s future rests on Congress’ actions of today, and the ENFORCE Act is a strong step in the right direction to help solve our growing problem of illegal immigration.”

Major Provisions in Inhofe’s ENFORCE Act:

· Establishes the National Border Neighborhood Watch (NBNW) Program allowing retired law enforcement officers to assist Border Patrol agents by reporting illegal border crossings.
· Makes unlawful-presence in the United States a felony.
· Establishes an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
· Authorizes funding for online immigration training for state and local law enforcement officers.
· Eliminates the practice of granting automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrants in an effort to reduce ‘anchor babies.’
· Establishes an independent verification system for Social Security numbers; also mandates that immigrant’s Social Security numbers expire when visa runs out.
· Establishes electronic birth & death registries to fight fraudulent Social Security cards
· Helps reduce Individual Taxpayer Identification Number abuse.
· Empowers state & local law enforcement to carryout immigration laws (but does not make it mandatory).
· Establishes penalties for most flagrant employer tax violations—i.e. if an employer willfully files incorrect tax returns, they will be assessed the maximum penalties available.
· Makes it illegal to operate day laborer centers for illegal aliens and to give them unemployment assistance.
· Eliminates in-state tuition benefits for illegal aliens.

[PhiKapMom]

Mark —

My first priority is to enforce the laws on the books. I know in OK they just passed a comprehensive immigration bill which some expect to be challenged in court as it is the toughest in the nation.

[PhiKapMom]

If people have a problem with it, they can talk to Jim who I have already talked with.

I am looking for support for Sen Inhofe’s short Immigration bill and for his reelection bid.

No one is allowed to make a mistake?

[RavenATB]

Thank God! And thank YOU, Senator Inhofe!

[PhiKapMom]

A perfect bill for a difficult situation caused by 40 years of non-enforcement of our border laws.

Exactly and why I am trying to get people to call their Senators and tell them to support the Inhofe bill so it can be heard in the Senate instead of ignored to take up a 1,000 page document which I shudder to think what is in that disaster.

[RavenATB]

“One element of the bill will, I believe, require an Amendment to the Constitution.”

Ah, the anchor baby item. I agree. And, I think such an Amendment would get great public support.

[PhiKapMom]

I suggest you go visit Jim Inhofe’s site and get the facts. Link is at the top.

[PhiKapMom]

I am here to drum up support on this thread for the Senate to hear the Sen Inhofe bill and not put it in File 13 never to see the light of day and asking for help.

Thanks for your comments!

[cookcounty]

It is NOT an "Immigration Bill."

It's an "Illegal Immigration Bill."

Part of the problem we are having is that out of laziness, our side has conceded that legal and illegal immigration are pretty much interchangable terms,thus playing into the hands of those wishing to dismiss us as "bigots" (to quote GOP Senator Lindsay Graham).

[PhiKapMom]

Will never get over a 1,000 page bill for this issue — ludicrous.

[PhiKapMom]

Good point!

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for the link! Very interesting!

[Osage Orange]

Ummmmm, I had no idea.........

[PhiKapMom]

I had no idea either and look at the date — do believe our media was not very upfront with this. I went to Jim’s site looking for a phone number and this was on page one. All I had seen before was a one paragraph comment about the 1,000 page bill and here this was this afternoon.

[Osage Orange]

What I meant was...I had no idea about your FR troubles...

I knew about Inhofe's bill.

[RavenATB]

“Thanks for your comments!”

I’m simply delighted to see that there is someone in the Senate who hasn’t yet gone insane. From the bullet points that are posted, this looks like a great bill...some sadly uncommon common sense.

[PhiKapMom]

Actually I never had trouble here — it was at another site. Got convinced we had trouble when we didn’t but that is all cleared up. I wasn’t banned or suspended from here despite the rumors. I have been gone a lot and working on items for some campaigns.

[Osage Orange]

Okay, good.

Whose campaigns have you been working on?

FRegards,

[The Mayor]

BTTT!

[PhiKapMom]

Doing a local Senate race for starters. My State Senator is up for reelection. Doing some database work which I hate but it is necessary. We need to take over the OK Senate so we can get all the election board offices and NO Deals like the GOP made after the last election where only Tulsa and OKC changed.

We also have a special election here for County Commissioner. Signed on to Inhofe’s campaign during our County Convention when his campaign aide was there so keeping busy. Also President of one of the oldest Women’s Club’s in OK and we are getting ready for our two summer fundraisers.

Guess we are going to have two candidates for Corp Commission in the next election since Denise resigned to go to DC. I assume Jeff Cloud is running again but haven’t heard about the second one.

[WFTR]

Latest Major Action: 5/2/2007 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Patrick J. Leahy CHAIRMAN, D-VERMONT
Edward M. Kennedy D-MASSACHUSETTS	Arlen Specter RANKING MEMBER, R-PENNSYLVANIA
Joseph R. Biden, Jr. D-DELAWARE	Orrin G. Hatch R-UTAH
Herb Kohl D-WISCONSIN	Charles E. Grassley R-IOWA
Dianne Feinstein D-CALIFORNIA	Jon Kyl R-ARIZONA
Russell D. Feingold D-WISCONSIN	Jeff Sessions R-ALABAMA
Charles E. Schumer D-NEW YORK	Lindsey Graham R-SOUTH CAROLINA
Richard J. Durbin D-ILLINOIS	John Cornyn R-TEXAS
Benjamin L. Cardin D-MARYLAND	Sam Brownback R-KANSAS
Sheldon Whitehouse D-RHODE ISLAND	Tom Coburn R-OKLAHOMA

Once again, Mr. Inhofe makes me proud that one of the last things I did as an Oklahoma resident was vote for him. However, I don't see much chance of this bill getting out of the Judiciary Committee.

Bill