Spokesman for President Bush Posts on Free Republic About Immigration Bill

Thursday, June 14, 2007 | Kristinn

[kristinn]

A spokeman for the Bush administration sent an e-mail to Jim Robinson and myself confirming the authenticity of a post on Free Republic this afternoon regarding the immigration bill currently before the Senate as having been posted on behalf of the White House.

The spokesman, Nicholas Thompson, works for the White House Office of Strategic Initiatives. The Politico reported yesterday that Thompson and Kerrie Rushton, associate directors in the Office of Strategic Initiatives who work under Karl Rove, would be engaging the blogosphere on the immigration bill.

Thompson's post is on the thread titled Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill, a vanity posted by philman_36. Thompson posted at comment #53.

Thompson's e-mail to Free Republic included a brief introduction and the text of his posted comment:

Hi,

I just wanted to let you know that I just posted a response to the post "Penalty Mitigation in the Immigration Reform Bill."

The White House appreciates the opportunity to respond on Free Republic.

Response:
I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law. Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in. We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.

For those employers who do knowingly hire illegal immigrants, please know that we intend to penalize these employers strongly, and the Administration has already stepped up these penalties in the last couple of years. For example, a 2005 program, “Operation Rollback,” assessed $15,000,000 in civil fines to employers, an amount greater than the sum of administrative fines collected in the previous eight years and was the largest worksite enforcement penalty in US history. In the first quarter of FY07, criminal and civil forfeitures have totaled $26,700,000 for employers.

As a reminder of what’s in the bill, fines for hiring an illegal worker are $5,000 maximum per illegal worker for the first offense, $10,000 maximum per illegal worker for the second, $25,000 maximum per illegal worker for the third , and $75,000 maximum per illegal worker for the fourth. In addition, the bill increases the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of unlawful hiring twenty-five-fold, from $3,000 to $75,000, and would impose a prison term of up to six months. This represents a significant increase in fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.

Nicholas Thompson
White House Office of Strategic Initiatives

[jedward]

Bumpidy! Thanks CM!

[Weeedley]

I am coming to believe that the mexican government bribed high government officials to get this travesty shamesty passed, the same officials are pushing the idiotic idea of giving mexican trucks unfettered access to our highways. Such treachery goes hand in hand with sub rosa payments.

[calcowgirl]

I didn’t catch the “post-partisan” language. No surprise. Arnie’s enviro buddie that he promoted, Terry Tamminen, is on the staff of the NAF. He may not belong to a party, but he’s a flaming liberal. LOL. (btw, in post 875, White House Nicholas Thompson states that he is not the Nicholas Thompson associated with the New America Foundation)

As to Shwortsnayger and Snortzenegger, I still think the prediction of Schwartz-reneger was the best.

P.S. I’m glad you aren’t in CONtempt! ;-)

[Seaplaner]

Mr. Thompson:

Respectfully, I have an additional suggestion...

One of the problems with an amnesty is that it encourages illegal immigration - - unless there is a cutoff day BEFORE the date of enactment of the bill.

I suggest, that if we were to permit an amnesty, it would be for illegals here on or before Sept 11, 2001 AND there would be immediate disqualification of anyone here illegally after that date.

Add this to some of the previous suggestions (build the fence, positively I.D. the illegals, NO anchor babies, NO emergency room services for routine med attention... etc) and you might get some serious FR support.

My highest regards - - (a Marine Dad)

[roamer_1]

Hi nthompsonwhitehouse,

Thanks so much for coming over for a chat. I believe I speak for everyone when I say that we appreciate the possibility of a meaningful dialog with the White House. I have a point or two to add:

I would like to point out that the Secretary is authorized to reduce or mitigate penalities against employers who in good faith are trying to comply with the law.

It is highly important to break the complicity of businesses in this matter.

I would suggest that a firm warning be transmitted via the press that the hammer is about to fall- Give a 6mo. or 1yr. grace period to allow business the time it needs to get "righteous", but thereafter I would expect serious enforcement.

I would then authorize an audit of permanent citizens nationwide, confirming I-9 and Social Security information on a case-by-case basis, be it federal or state/federal by design. Any SoSoc not confirmed by this process should be annulled. The purpose would be to refit and update employer/employee databases for the next logical step:

Each employer would be issued a PIN attatched to his FedID for the purpose of official identification over-the-phone or by the WEB. Each employee/citizen would be issued a PIN attached to his SoSoc for the same reason.

Thereafter, a simple phone call from an employer to a state or federal office would be sufficient to immediately confirm the eligibility of a prospective employee.

Likewise, upon being hired to a permanent position and within the first month, the new employee must call in to the same fed/state agency and declare himself to be himself by way of the issued PIN, and confirm any additional employers/jobs he might be tied to in the database. Any employers/jobs the employee denies would be turned over to authorities for investigation of the imposter.

The agency then would confirm that transaction with the new employer along with a transactional number as a receipt.

If the employee is not confirmed, the employer has the right to withhold payment of wage without fault, and the employment must be terminated.

This method puts the onus upon the government to certify the eligibility of the employed, as it should be. Provided that the employer called in, he cannot be held liable in any way. It also assures that any social security number is able to have ONE INSTANCE within the database, and removes the need for I-9, Nat'l Identity, or other forms.

Admittedly, this would not work for short-term workers unless hired through an employment agency... Short-term work has always been "cash" anyway, and is hard to track. But it is not where the good money is.

It also does not address the self-employed. That could be addressed by requiring insurance companies to confirm citizenship before issuing liability insurance to business entities (sole-prop, partners, or inc. officers). Contractors without insurance will perish in the service and construction industries.

Certainly, we understand that not all employers knowingly hire illegal immigrants; this will remain the case, especially before the bill’s new secure documentation requirements are fully phased in.

I can predict that your secure documents will be crap. Any document can be forged, and any chip can be hacked. Don't waste your time. Proving citizenship in voting and employment should require singular personal confirmation. the PIN system I suggest does that (and could be used in voting too, BTW).

We do not seek to wrongly penalize honest employers who unknowingly hire illegal immigrants, therefore we reserve the right to reduce or mitigate their penalties if the employer can show good faith compliance in following the law.

That statement is fine, as there can always be mistakes and a slap-on-the-hand can sometimes be enough. But please let me reiterate: I would expect serious enforcement.

A second issue:

I read that you work for Rove, and I suppose that your job (as is his) is to manage the "package". This includes a fair bit of salesmanship. Considering the obvious opposition to this bill, I can't imagine that y'all can't see the opportunity that this issue represents:

All conservatives don't want it.
The Unions don't want it.
The Blacks don't want it.
70% of Americans don't want this stinker.

Any salesman of any caliber should be able to see how to turn this sows ear into a silk purse. If handled properly, the man who rises against this bill and those who stand with him will OWN the next election.

That you (the Administration) choose not to take this obvious advantage leads me to question your motives.

There is no way that you are this tone deaf, and you need no bill to do what the people ask of you.

In conclusion, let me join the chorus:

Build the fence. Enforce the law. Deport abusers. No z-visas, no amnesty, no nothing-at-all until y'all get that done. I am not talking short-term here, I am talking 10 years of enforcement AFTER the border is completely controlled. If you'll do that, I expect that the rest will be easier to swallow when the time comes.

An immediate large scale military presence is needed on the border. Please include guns (and bullets) and the will to use them. Secure the border NOW or the next AQ attack will be on your heads. We will not forgive that.

Oh and BTW, Don't even start with that North American Union thing. The torches and pitchforks are close by and at the ready.

Thank you for your time.

-Bruce

[EdReform]

BTTT. Excellent post!

[roamer_1]

Oops... Sorry for being such a bucket-mouth. It didn’t seem that long when I was writing it.

-Bruce

[LilAngel]

Here’s some more “what ifs” for your file. What if you had to bear the burden of the problems created by illegal aliens? What if it was your home instead of mine that had Mexican gang graffiti painted on it, declaring your home the territory of foreign enemies? What if it was your wages instead of mine that dropped steadily until you were at risk of losing your gang-controlled home to the tax office?

Would you still be pushing for special privileges for the criminals who did this to you? Or do you deserve to be treated better than the rest of us?

[SierraWasp]

Man, Oh man! It's sure a long way to scroll between my #1517 and your brilliant reply to me!!!

Ok, smartypants! CONgress is the antithesis of PROgress, right? We all need some of Rush's "CONgress Insurance," everytime they're in session!!! (CONgressional Gridlock is one of my favorite things!)

Thanks for digging out Reply #875 from this high intensity "peasants with pitchforks" thread. (I'm so sad that P.J. Buchannan demeaned that most pleasant mental picture for so many) My pitchfork is a highly maneuverable three tine model with a high leverage handle!!! (watch out for that middle tine!!!)

Carry_Okie came up with Schwartzenrenegger, IIRC...

I speculate the NAF is the umbrella organization for all the new mediocre moderate Repellican groups like the Placer County Republican CONgress and The New Repellican Majority, etc...

[ravingnutter]

Oh please...I am not a "deport them all now" person, but I am not your "enemy" either, so cut out the attacks. I am for the border fence, kicking out the criminal aliens, fining those that broke the immigration laws, making sure that those that do stay are sponsored by their employer, immediate family only entry and no anchor babies.

I was responding to someone that said there was no enforcement. When I pointed out that enforcement had increased substantially, which is a fact, they then said "well, then how many have come back across the border". That is what I meant by what-ifs, they are presenting scenarios which had no bearing on the facts I presented to their assertion that there was no enforcement.

Y'all are getting so deranged about this that you can't discuss the issue in a civilized manner and choose to ignore facts when presented. Take a frigging chill pill.

[Kozak]

Nearly 195,000 aliens were removed from the United States last fiscal year, a record for ICE and more than a 13 percent increase over FY 2005. ICE removed 50,222 aliens from the United States via Justice Prisoner and Alien Transportation System (JPATS) flights to foreign countries.

Big deal. THREE times that number have been ordered deported and are at large. And please we all realize the game the administration is playing. They temporarily increased enforcement in order to get us to swallow this pig of a bill. Once the bill is signed the status quo will return and enforcement will go down to the lowest priority where it's been since the last amnesty.

[LilAngel]

E-mail address mother lode marker. Thanks for posting them.

[LucyT]

I don't think the WH listens to us, no matter what we say. They want amnesty, even if over 65% of the people do not.

I agree. They're probably sitting in the WH laughing their heads off at us dumb sheeple. They think we think we have some influence. This entire thread is to make us "feel good" because we *think* we were able to participate in a government decision, sort of like a town hall meeting.

Someone mentioned the John Birch Society was correct about the Trilateral Commission and NWO. (I don't know enough about it to discuss the matter.)

[calcowgirl]

Ok, smartypants!

heh heh heh....

CONgress is the antithesis of PROgress, right?

I love that!

I speculate the NAF is the umbrella organization for all the new mediocre moderate Repellican groups like the Placer County Republican CONgress and The New Repellican Majority, etc...

Another thing to look into in all my spare time, lol.

[ravingnutter]

Again, as I posted above...I was just presenting facts to someone who said there was no enforcement. The facts I presented show enforcement has increased substantially. Enforcement went up because the INS organization was a disaster and ICE is now running things more efficiently since it's inception in March of 2003. You see, I have my tin foil hat securely on so I don't get those conspiracy radio waves that make some on here so deranged that they can't discuss an issue with facts, civility and reason. It is getting to where I can't point out a simple fact without getting attacked on here, it is getting ridiculous.

For the record, while I am not a "deport them all now" person, I am for the border fence, kicking out the criminal aliens, fining those that broke the immigration laws, making sure that those that do stay are sponsored by their employer, fining and arresting employers who flaunt the law, immediate family only entry and no anchor babies.

[LilAngel]

You are irrational. I called the illegal invaders the enemy. If that means you, I had no idea. I only knew you were spinning for them. I didn’t know you considered yourself one of them.

You seem to have a problem telling the difference between fact and fantasy. Do not tell me that the crimes committed against me by your fellow criminals are not a fact. (You identified yourself as the enemy I referred to, so if you didn’t mean it, feel free to retract your confession).

Whether you meant to or not, you answered my question. You do have a different standard of treatment for yourself than you have for those of who must shoulder the cost of the crimes you defend. Thank for being so candid.

[blam]

"Someone mentioned the John Birch Society was correct about the Trilateral Commission and NWO. (I don't know enough about it to discuss the matter.)"

I probably owe some of my John Birch Society friends an apology. There does seem to be a worldwide cabal that's trying to destroy America with the help of many in high government office.

I believe the JBS headquarters is situated on property left to them by Joseph McCarthy. The FBI's Venona Project supports most of McCarthy's claims, btw.

[blam]

"You see, I have my tin foil hat securely on so I don't get those conspiracy radio waves that make some on here so deranged that they can't discuss an issue with facts, civility and reason."

I assume you're the one who chose your screen name, huh?

[Travis McGee]

We need a few Tommy Paines about now.

His theme of "inevitability", whether it was the eventuality of US independence, or an eventual repetition of the same conflicts if the colonies attempted to reconcile with GB, seem to ring true once more.

We know the break is coming either way. If amnesty passes, we're on to the next stage of the American experiment, with CWII in store for our descendants; if it's somehow defeated, we may forgive, but we'll never forget.

At best, shoving the shamnesty treason down our throats will be a pyrhic victory. It will be directly stoking the flames of a CW2, which would be the worst national tragedy to strike the USA since the first CW.

All thanks to the greedy OBL turncoats.

[Travis McGee]

This is from the inside page of my new book, directly opposite page one of the story:

"There is no such thing as a hyphenated American who is a good American. The only man who is a good American is the man who is an American and nothing else. We are a nation, not a hodge-podge of foreign nationalities. We are a people, and not a polyglot boarding house."

Teddy R. must be spinning in his grave, seeing the leaders of the USA pimping us out in a polyglot whorehouse for their greed and power lust.