Replies

No, his position is EXACTLY what I said it is... any attempt to portray him otherwise is "dishonest" (nice try at the insult). I provide facts and evidence... you provide distortion to fit your agenda.
---

Solving the Immigration Impasse

Summary:

Immigration has been the engine of California's economic prosperity and the richness of our culture. Almost 9 million Californians were born in a foreign country and nearly 40% of all households in our state speak a second language in addition to English. We have a proud tradition of being one of the most ethnically diverse places in the world.

But it is important to ensure that new immigrants enter California the right way, so that they can get on a path toward fully participating, and contributing, to the California economy. And we should make sure that we do so without undermining important national security protections.

Full Policy:

There are approximately 8 million undocumented immigrants in the United States; 2.5 million reside in California. The costs of providing social services to these individuals and incarcerating illegal immigrants is staggering - easily exceeding $3 billion a year.

Clearly, the federal government must do a much better job of enforcing the security of our borders, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. Washington must also provide more money to border states like California which ultimately shoulder the burden and the costs associated with illegal immigration. And Washington should pursue a responsible immigration policy that offers undocumented immigrants a path to permanent legal status.

As someone who came to the United States thirty-five years ago looking for opportunity, I understand the challenges immigrants face and I will work hard to elevate the debate on this important issue.

Fair Reimbursement for Illegal Immigration Costs

Immigration is a national responsibility and California should not be left to shoulder the massive burden of providing public services to illegal immigrants.

Last year, California only received $220 million to offset the costs of keeping illegal immigrants in jail. This is insufficient, and as governor of California, I will work with Congress, President Bush, and the Governors of other border states to correct this situation.

As Governor I will:

Organize a coalition of states most impacted by immigration to lobby Congress. This coalition will include Texas, New York, New Mexico, Arizona, Florida, Illinois, in addition to California. Together, we represent 183 electoral votes. If we speak with a unified voice, Republicans and Democrats in Washington will listen.
Seek reimbursement from Washington for health care and education costs associated with illegal immigration.
Putting Immigrants on a Path toward Citizenship.

It is important to ensure that new immigrants enter California the right way, so that they can get on a path toward fully participating, and contributing, to the California economy. And we should make sure that we do so without undermining important national security protections.

As Governor, I will:

Aggressively lobby Washington to set a more responsible policy for addressing the undocumented immigrants currently in the United States.
Deportation is not an option. We need to find a way to legitimize these individuals and get them on a path toward legal residency status in the United States.
Let me be clear: I do not support an amnesty program. The last time we tried that in the late 80s it didn't work, and there's little reason to think it would work now.
I am encouraged by the approach laid out by Senator McCain to provide a clear path for legitimizing undocumented immigrants who currently live their lives in the shadows. McCain's bill S 1461 - The Border Security and Immigration Act of 2003
A new H-4A visa for immigrants seeking temporary employment with important protections to ensure that immigrant workers are not exploited and that Californians are not displaced by unscrupulous employers;
A new H-4B visa for undocumented immigrants who entered the country before August 2003, have held a job since that time, and do not have a criminal record.
The opportunity for holders of these new visas to gain legal permanent residency status.
" Senator McCain's plan contains the key principles that should guide any proposal to solve the immigration impasse:
U.S. Employer Benefits: A market driven employment process and an easy, effective means to confirm employment eligibility;
U.S. Worker Protections: Initial availability of jobs only to U.S. workers and periodic review to ensure that U.S. workers are not displaced;
Foreign Worker Protections: Applicability of all U.S. labor standards and portability so that workers may change jobs without jeopardizing their immigration status.
Punish Immigrant Smugglers and Human Traffickers

Human traffickers and smugglers exploit and endanger immigrants as they violate our criminal and immigration laws. As Governor, I will crack down hard on those who engage in illegal human smuggling:

Traffickers and smugglers should be prosecuted as organized crime syndicates. If their schemes result in death of immigrants, they should be eligible for the death penalty.
The federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2001 establishes a special visa, the T-visa, for immigrants who assist in investigations. As governor, I will order state law enforcement officials to work with their federal counterparts to prioritize and process applications for T-visas expeditiously.
Promote English and Advance Citizenship

Immigrants who are not proficient in English pay a price: they earn 17% less than immigrants of similar backgrounds, experience, and education who are proficient in English.

Likewise, when English is the primary language taught in schools, immigrant children show marked improvement. In June 1998, California's voters gave a 61% landslide to public policy entrepreneur Ron Unz's Proposition 227 outlawing bilingual education. By the end of the following school year, immigrant 2nd graders in those California schools that were already in compliance with Prop. 227 were reading at the 35th percentile, compared to the 19th percentile for those in schools that were still bilingual.

As Californians bounded in diversity, we share a common language and culture regardless of our backgrounds.

As Governor, I will:

Work to improve education for all Californians and especially to help new immigrants learn English so they could participate and prosper as Californians.
Restore meaning to citizenship, so that all Americans, new and old, share the same commitment to tolerance, equality, and compassion.
Work with the federal government to provide expedited consideration of citizenship applications to immigrants whocomplete advanced civic education and English immersion programs.
SB 60 - Driver's Licenses for Illegal Immigrants

I am an immigrant. I waited for ten years to get my American citizenship. And I know first-hand how immigrants who come to this country and obey the laws have struggled to achieve their dreams.

But we should not invite fraud or undermine law enforcement. Attorney General Bill Lockyer, the California Sheriff's Association, and the federal government have all expressed security concerns over this measure, and in a time of heightened national security, we should not undermine our nation's immigration laws.

Unfortunately, Governor Davis decided to put his political interests above the people's interest. He signed SB 60 into law even though he vetoed similar legislation before, citing security concerns. But SB 60 actually contains fewer protections than the bill Davis vetoed a year ago.

Under SB 60, there is simply no way to verify that a drivers' license applicant is actually who he says he is or whether he is a criminal or fugitive from justice.

As Governor I will:

Work to repeal SB 60 as quickly as possible

http://www.joinarnold.com/en/agenda/#E1