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On immigration, snatch a victory (DHS Sec'y Chertoff flip-flopping)
Yahoo! News ^ | July 2, 2007

Posted on 07/02/2007 4:19:59 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet

Both gloat and glum hang over Washington after last week's Senate defeat of the immigration bill. But now what? Homeland Security chief Michael Chertoff has the best answer: Enforce current laws, however imperfect they may be.

"To regain the credibility with the American people that has been squandered over 30 years, we're going to have to be tough," he said, after losing a months-long struggle on Capitol Hill to pass immigration reform.

The squandering he refers to is the unfulfilled promise by several presidents to treat illegal immigrants with justice – and fairness.

The justice lies in better securing the border, timely deportation of those who break immigration laws, and sustained enforcement of laws against the hiring of illegal workers and against the forging of identification documents.

The fairness lies in finding more humane ways to conduct raids on work places with illegal workers, in better preventing exploitation of such migrants, and in not stepping on their basic civil rights.

President Bush has an opportunity to impel those US agencies that deal with immigration to better enforce the law. "A lot of Americans have lost faith in their government," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R) of Arizona, who helped negotiate the bipartisan bill. "They don't think we can control our borders. They don't think we can win a war. They don't think we can issue passports...."

Mr. Chertoff said he will work harder to fulfill last year's law that calls for 18,000 Border Patrol agents, 370 miles of border fencing, and a "virtual" fence of electronic surveillance. He's also persisting in creating a uniform standard for state driver's licenses.

And many Democrats and Republicans are ready to approve the $4.4 billion that Mr. Bush requested for additional border security and workplace enforcement during the negotiations over the failed bill.

As this new push for enforcement squeezes the number of illegal aliens available for work, employers can better use the existing – and legal – channels to find the foreign employees they need to stay in business. Congress can also easily raise the quotas for the number of visas from each country.

More improvements are also needed for a 1996 federal program called Basic Pilot that helps employers check the legality of applicants. While the bill defeated last week had a provision for a more secure system of checking applicants, Basic Pilot can go much further in detecting fake Social Security information. In the meantime, a few states are toughening their own laws on worker eligibility.

All of these existing federal programs can be better funded by Congress as it heads to a Sept. 30 deadline for appropriations.

Immigration reform need not be another third rail of US politics like Social Security. Since Sept. 11, the number of Americans who worry a great deal about illegal immigrants has jumped from 15 percent to 45 percent. Most welcome more foreign workers, but they want them in the United States legally.

A consensus has been created out of this near miss on reform to correct the federal government's failure to meet its basic responsibility on immigration. Americans are in Missourian show-me mood.

Now's the time to deliver. Then other immigration reforms can begin.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Editorial; Government; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; borders; bush; deathofthegop; dhs; georgebush; homelandsecurity; illegalimmigration; immigrantlist; immigration; laraza; mexicans; michaelchertoff; noamnestyforillegals; reconquista; wheresthefence
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I wish Mr. Chertoff were serious, but I think we know he's not.
1 posted on 07/02/2007 4:20:03 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
It would seem to be the case that the only reason this little weasel now sits in his position as a Cabinet member is that he has a picture of Rove with a sheep.

Can't be certain, of course. Maybe it's an armadillo.

2 posted on 07/02/2007 4:22:33 PM PDT by SAJ
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"A lot of Americans have lost faith in their government," said Sen. Jon Kyl (R) of Arizona,

A lot of people think you Mr kyle and jerkoff are two of the kind. You both are lying through your teeth.

3 posted on 07/02/2007 4:24:23 PM PDT by org.whodat (What's the difference between a Democrat and a republican????)
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To: SAJ; All

Demand a border fence! Build it NOW!! Beef up the border patrol and close our borders!

U.S. Senate switchboard: (202) 224-3121

U.S. House switchboard: (202) 225-3121

White House comments: (202) 456-1111

Find your House Rep.: http://www.house.gov/writerep

Find your US Senators: http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

Toll free to the US Senate:

1-800-882-2005. (Spanish number)
1-800-417-7666. (English number)

Courtesy of a pro-amnesty group, no less!!

Republican National Committee
310 First Street, SE Washington, D.C. 20003
phone: 202.863.8500 | fax: 202.863.8820 | e-mail: info@gop.com


4 posted on 07/02/2007 4:24:29 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet (Fred Thompson/John Bolton 2008)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I wish Mr. Chertoff were serious, but I think we know he's not.

As my Dad always said,
He's full of more S^it than a Christmas goose.

5 posted on 07/02/2007 4:28:46 PM PDT by mdittmar (May God watch over those who serve,and have served,to keep us free)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Chertoff is all over the place lately.


6 posted on 07/02/2007 4:32:50 PM PDT by Shermy
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; F15Eagle
Time will tell if they actually enforce the laws... I sure hope so. It SOUNDS like they got the message, but politicians are not exactly known for speaking truths.

The fairness lies in finding more humane ways to conduct raids on work places with illegal workers, in better preventing exploitation of such migrants, and in not stepping on their basic civil rights.

I'm a little confused here -- What is 'inhumane' about the way raids are conducted currently? What basic civil rights are we 'stepping' on when they apprehend these criminals?

Let's just get one thing straight here -- like any criminal, these illegal aliens are knowingly breaking our laws (many laws -- not just the immigration ones). They know the consequences for breaking these laws. They have no right to complain if we impose the punishments they deserve -- the ones they KNEW they were risking all along. I can't understand what the problem is when all we are asking our officials to do is enforce the laws on the books...
7 posted on 07/02/2007 4:36:15 PM PDT by LibertyRocks (Liberty Rocks Blog: http://libertyrocks.wordpress.com)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Mr. Chertoff said he will work harder to fulfill last year's law that calls for 18,000 Border Patrol agents, 370 miles of border fencing, and a "virtual" fence of electronic surveillance.


WAIT A MINUTE!

I thought the law that was passed last year mandated an 854-mile fence. What happened to that???
8 posted on 07/02/2007 4:36:51 PM PDT by Deo volente
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Mr. Chertoff said he will work harder to fulfill last year's law that calls for 18,000 Border Patrol agents, 370 miles of border fencing

Uh, last year's law called for almost 800 miles of double fencing. Another great piece of reporting.
9 posted on 07/02/2007 4:37:04 PM PDT by TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"The justice lies in better securing the border, timely deportation of those who break immigration laws, and sustained enforcement of laws against the hiring of illegal workers and against the forging of identification documents. "

All Americans have become Missourians on this issue:

SHOW ME!!

10 posted on 07/02/2007 4:40:29 PM PDT by blam (Secure the border and enforce the law)
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To: All
Americans are in Missourian show-me mood.

Psssst.. Mr. Chertoff, the SSA employer "no match" mailing list.. business names and addresses of about 130,000 worst offenders. Think about it. Show us.

11 posted on 07/02/2007 4:42:59 PM PDT by WilliamofCarmichael (If modern America's Man on Horseback is out there, Get on the damn horse already!)
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To: org.whodat

“A lot of people think you Mr kyle and jerkoff are two of the kind. You both are lying through your teeth”

They ARE two of kind........


12 posted on 07/02/2007 4:43:31 PM PDT by stephenjohnbanker ( Hunter/Thompson/Thompson/Hunter in 08! "Read my lips....No new RINO's" !!)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
Sen. Jon Kyl: [Americans] "don't think we can control our borders." "They don't think we can issue passports...."

NOT TRUE, Senor Kyl.
We believe the government CAN do these things.
We believe that the laws CAN be properly enforced.

We just don't believe the Federal government WILL enforce the laws.
It will take more than a few well publicized catch-and-release raids to prove we are wrong.
Enforce the laws vigorously and thoroughly for a few years and we will start to believe.

13 posted on 07/02/2007 4:46:25 PM PDT by BoneShaker ("There is no distinctly native American criminal class except Congress." - Mark Twain)
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To: TheLawyerFormerlyKnownAsAl
370 miles of border fencing

Uh, last year's law called for almost 800 miles of double fencing.

The amount for the fence was cut after that. They will only fund 370 miles now.

14 posted on 07/02/2007 4:52:41 PM PDT by YellowRoseofTx
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To: SAJ

“Maybe it’s an armadillo.”

LOL!!


15 posted on 07/02/2007 4:55:04 PM PDT by upchuck (If you don't have borders, you won't have a nation ~ Mark Steyn)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
I’ll believe it when I see it in practice for a sustained period.

Until then, I’m going to assume that both parties will only pretend to enforce the law, while doing everything possible to make sure the status quo continues.

16 posted on 07/02/2007 5:04:57 PM PDT by absalom01 (The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.)
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To: YellowRoseofTx
"The amount for the fence was cut after that. They will only fund 370 miles now."

And half of that has to go for roadways and technology...that's why they need more funds from Congress in September. It still doesn't excuse the excessively slow rate at which they are building it with the money they do have. MR.DHS thinks the fence is mostly symbolic. What's the rush? People are only so angry they could pull his hair out...such a small worry.

17 posted on 07/02/2007 5:07:46 PM PDT by Earthdweller (All reality is based on faith in something.)
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To: YellowRoseofTx

"My plan to import Tuberculosis and other diseases into America
is acceptable to the UN, La Raza, and especially al Qaeda"."


18 posted on 07/02/2007 5:11:28 PM PDT by Diogenesis (Igitur qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

You got that right-this is “lip service” only to appease us bigots. Besides enforcement of current laws is too easy and straightforward.


19 posted on 07/02/2007 5:13:42 PM PDT by izzatzo
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“The squandering he refers to is the unfulfilled promise by several presidents to treat illegal immigrants with justice – and fairness.”

I suppose giving them everything we own and more mostly without our knowledge is treating them unfairly. I suppose putting them ahead of Americans and legal immigrants is treating them unfairly. I suppose throwing our country to them with open hands is treating them unfairly. I suppose arresting decent people instead of criminals is treating them unfairly. Need I say more?


20 posted on 07/02/2007 5:35:27 PM PDT by freekitty
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