[JustPiper]

Lawmakers Introduce Companion Farm Worker Amnesty Legislation

On September 23, Senators Larry Craig (R-ID) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) and Representatives Chris Cannon (R-UT) and Howard Berman (D-CA) introduced companion farm worker amnesty bills S.1645 and H.R. 3142. “The Agricultural Job, Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003” (AgJOBS) provides an amnesty for illegal aliens engaged in farm work and their spouses and children. The bill also expands the H-2A agricultural guestworker program. A broad coalition consisting of labor unions, agribusiness, the hospitality industry, the immigration law bar, and the usual supporters among open borders and illegal alien advocacy groups have aligned themselves in support of the legislation.

FAIR opposes this legislation and all other attempts to reward illegal aliens with amnesty. Please read our action alert to learn how you can help defeat this pro-illegal alien legislation.

[JustPiper]

Entry-Exit Tracking System Faces Criticism

The congressionally mandated entry-exit tracking system, U.S. Visitor and Immigration Status Indication Technology system (U.S. VISIT) appears to be in trouble. This is alarming because one of the keys to identifying potential terrorists, criminal aliens, and visa violators will be the effective operation of an entry-exit tracking system. On September 23, the General Accounting Office released a scathing report citing several factors making the U.S. VISIT program “a risky endeavor.” These factors were attributed to poor management and include the potential cost, the low current staffing level, and the fact that the system’s final structure remains unclear. GAO recommended that DHS establish a multi-agency body to guide and direct the program.

Congressional support for U.S. VISIT also appears to be waning. The 2004 Homeland Security appropriations bill (H.R. 2555) approved by Congress includes only $330 million for U.S. VISIT, a full 31 percent less than the $480 million President Bush requested. Appropriators based the funding reduction on the fact that DHS has been slow to provide congressionally mandated spending plans and other information on the program, as well as more details on how the program will work.