Posted on 12/15/2004 7:26:47 PM PST by nanak
If President Bush is going to keep his promise to spend political capital on a bold second-term agenda, he should include comprehensive immigration reform that offers deserving illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.
To do so, he'd have to face down a noisy, but not large, anti-immigrant claque in the Republican Party that's determined to use the threat of terrorism as an excuse to, in effect, erect "Stay Out!" signs at the U.S. border, even to restrict legal immigration.
In reality, creating a process to legalize illegals would help homeland security by allowing law enforcement agencies to concentrate on border security and tracking down criminals and potential terrorists — rather than chasing after millions of ordinary undocumented aliens, especially Hispanics.
This logic seems to have impressed border-state Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who has told immigrant-rights groups that comprehensive immigration reform is his top priority for the next Congress.
McCain has begun working on reform with Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., who favors granting legal status — and, eventually, citizenship — to illegals who have been in the country for several years, have jobs, pay taxes, maintain clean records, learn English and pay a fine.
Bush has a record of favoring immigration reform, but it remains unclear how far he's willing to go with it. In 2001, he seemed to favor a process that would allow illegals to earn their way to citizenship. This year, he's advocated a worker-permit program that may or may not lead to permanent legal status.
It's a good sign that the administration worked to exclude language sought by House Judiciary Chairman Jim Sensenbrenner, R-Wis., from the intelligence reform legislation that recently passed Congress.
Bush will face a new test when Sensenbrenner's measure — which would bar states from giving drivers' licenses to illegal aliens — comes back for consideration next year. He and other restrictionists argued that, because some of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists gained access to aircraft using drivers' licenses as identification, all illegal aliens should be denied them.
But this is simply a device to make life more difficult for illegal aliens. The 9/11 terrorists, or any terrorists, just as easily could have used their passports — or could use phony passports, or drivers' licenses — to board aircraft.
The commission that investigated the 9/11 disaster specifically declared that its report called for "strong federal standards for the issuance of birth certificates and other sources of identification, such as drivers' licenses, to avoid the identity fraud that terrorists can exploit. We did not make any recommendations about licenses for undocumented aliens. That issue did not arise in our investigation, as all hijackers entered the United States with documentation ... (and) were therefore 'legal immigrants' at the time when they received their drivers' licenses."
To foster humane and effective immigration reform, Bush will need to re-educate the public, which tends to hold (according to polls) that America would be better off with fewer immigrants, both legal and illegal.
In fact, most serious studies show that immigrants are a net asset to the country. Illegal immigrants tend to take menial jobs that Americans won't. They pay taxes. But because they live in the legal shadows, they often get exploited by unscrupulous employers.
On Sept. 6, 2001, with Mexican President Vicente Fox at his side, Bush said, "There are many in our country who are undocumented, and we want to make sure their work is legal."
Soon after, in a White House briefing, officials told immigrant-rights groups that the administration leaned toward allowing illegals to earn their way toward citizenship.
But all work on immigration reform stopped after Sept. 11. It resurfaced this year as Bush worked to expand his support among Hispanic voters. At one point, he called for a work-permit system for illegals and told the League of United Latin American Citizens, "We will keep working to make this nation a welcoming place for Hispanic people, a land of opportunity para todos (for all) who live here in America."
On the other hand, apparently in a bid to appease restrictionists in the GOP, administration officials also indicated that workers would have to return to their home countries when their work permits expired. This provision almost surely would discourage illegals from signing up.
Though analysts differ on the quality of exit-poll data on Hispanics, the Election Day numbers do indicate that Bush gained anywhere from five to nine points among Hispanics. Future growth for the GOP in this demographic depends upon who calls the shots on policy — Bush and McCain, or restrictionists such as Reps. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., Elton Gallegly, D-Calif., and Dana Rohrabacher, R-Calif.
Even though Tancredo and company get wide publicity — and have been aided recently by anti-immigration television and radio hosts, such as CNN's Lou Dobbs — their legislative power in Congress has actually been waning.
In 1995, by a vote of 257-173, the House passed an amendment offered by Gallegly that would have required public schools to expel the children of illegal immigrants.
By contrast, this May, the House defeated, by a vote of 331-88, a Rohrabacher proposed amendment that would have prevented hospitals from being reimbursed for medical care provided to undocumented immigrants unless they reported them to the Homeland Security Department.
On the other hand, this November, Arizona voters approved ballot Proposition 200, a measure designed to squeeze illegal immigration, by almost 60 percent. (Its implementation is being held up in court.)
McCain cited Prop. 200 — plus vigilante action by Arizonans against illegals and the deaths of illegal border-crossers in the Arizona deserts — as his motivation for making immigration reform his top priority.
In the 108th Congress, McCain sponsored, along with Reps. Jim Kolbe, R-Ariz., and Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., legislation similar to Kennedy's that would have granted a path to citizenship to qualified illegals.
Kennedy's legislation, however, also would have expedited citizenship for the spouses and children of legal immigrants, clearing backlogs of five to seven years, depending on the country of origin.
It's not clear whether Bush will propose his own legislation next year or wait for Congress to act and get involved, as he often does, when House and Senate conferees are hammering out final legislation.
On this issue, though, having Bush's leadership early on would be welcome. He could also order the Homeland Security Department to use judgment before it summarily expels illegals who are parents of small children or locks up asylum-seekers whether they present a terrorist threat or not.
Restrictionists will charge that "amnesty" simply encourages illegal immigration. Bush can respond that "earned legalization" recognizes the reality that 9 million illegal aliens are not leaving — and that authorities should stop chasing them and focus on terrorists.
The real fact is only about half do that. The other half is paid under that table and no taxes are paid.
And many would be wrong. Senator Kennedy got it rolling in the 60's by changing our immigration policy from importing the world’s brightest (brain drain) to importing third world unskilled workers.
Just because a reproter writes in a column doesn't make it true.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Certainly. First, thanks for finding the thread.
The link at the top of the thread at the time it was posted linked directly to the poll about Bush's approval rating. Now it does not.
The Thread contained only an excerpt of the poll, not the entire findings of the poll. At the time that the thread was posted one could click on the link and read the entire poll results, including the issue priorities.
I didn't remember having posted on that thread, but if I had incorrectly stated the findings of the poll, don't you think someone would have corrected me at the time?
If you still doubt me, why don't you avail yourself of the free thirty day trial offer?
"The anti-Mexican crowd has never known that kind of responsibility."
Responsibility starts with hiring only those authorized to live and work in the United States. Most that post here believe in obeying the law. It makes no difference to me if an illegal alien is from Mexico, Canada, UK, Germany, Iran, Iraq...if they have not properly applied for and been issued a Visa they have absolutely no business in the USA.
If they are here illegally they should be arrested and deported never to be given the opportunity to enter the USA again. Their employers should be arrested for breaking the law, made to appear before a court and if found guilty pay the price.
I don't swing that way wku man, but if that is how you get your thrills it doesn't make me think any less of you than I already do.
then you're as much my enemy as the invaders. Don't be downrange when the shooting starts.
Well don't be suprised if I fire back.
Sorry, the Gallop poll was "open", meaning it was not multiple choice.
Illegal immigration has never been an issue in any campaign other than Buchanan's, and he got less than four tenths of one percent. No matter how important you think it is, 99% of the people don't rate it as their most important concern.
Bush has always been consistent and up front about his immigration policies. The people elected him. Get over it.
I'll take Mr. Kondracke seriously on this issue after he moves his family into the barrio for about 5 years.
Jealous much?
If I recall correctly, Travis was serving as a Navy SEAL when he was a teenager. You should think before making snotty comments.
I doubt you'd know which round of a firearm the round comes out. But go ahead and fire back (if you can figure how to take the safety off)...I'll be waiting.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Most of us do.
But, many of us--who are paying attention (don't equate the fact that the masses aren't in the streets with pitchforks with acceptance or understanding of the issue) realize that taking in a good quarter to a third of your population from ONE, SINGLE culture or country is not only stupid, it is culturally suicidal. Especially, when you do nothing to assimilate this population.
If some were out of status at times while employed by me I did not know it.
So, there are Americans willing to do the work that Americans supposedly won't do?
I have nothing against affluent American teens enjoying their family swimming pools. What I can't stand is encouraging them to develop a Brazil or Mexico-style master/servant social/ethnic caste mentality. In the long run, this will turn America into just another Mexico.
I wish their parents would make these lazy American teens mow their own damn lawns, before enjoying a dip in the pool.
I want to count myself out of your the law-ain't-to-be-enforced crowd. The purpose of tattooing the crimaliens -- and it is a criminal offense to be in this country if you are an alien who does not have permission to be here -- is to prevent deported crimaliens from becoming repeat first-offenders by simply giving another false name. We need to deport those people once and enforce the felony provisions in current immigration law for repeat offenders.
I also reject the notion that my point of view, that we need to round up these ciminals -- and a good place to start is by checking those employed by current and former police commissioners -- and deport them permanently.
People tried. Not that it matters.
I prefer not to give up being a member of the "anglo" (loosely defined) majority.
I happen to enjoy that and folks in my position normally only give that up after military defeat by an invader.
Does that make me a racist?
(like I care...lol)
How many children of illegals have you actually seen working those kinds of jobs? Believe it or not --- most think they're too good to do the work their parents might have to do --- and you're more likely to see American kids taking those jobs.
Wrong. There were no replies at all to my post on that thread. No one tried to contradict the statement of fact that was contained in the poll that was the subject of that thread. Now if you want to say that the poll did not say what I said it did pay your money to join Gallop and look at the poll yourself.
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