Few employers penalized for hiring illegal workers

SacBee ^ | 6-20-06 | Michael Doyle

[SJackson]

 

WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration has been lax in enforcing rules against hiring illegal immigrants, federal records show.

Now, lawmakers and administration officials alike insist it's time to get serious. They say they'll do so, in an immigration reform bill that so far remains stalled. But as the newly compiled records reveal, stern declarations sometimes lack real muscle.

Federal agents arrested 953 illegal immigrants at work sites in 2000, congressional investigators reported Monday. By 2004, the work site arrests had fallen to 159. Likewise, 178 employers received notice of a potential fine for hiring illegal immigrants in 2000. In 2004, only three employers received the fine notices.

 

"It's no wonder that many employers view enforcement as a remote possibility, and any civil penalties as a cost of doing business," Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas said Monday. "And it is also no wonder that many Americans are skeptical that the federal government is serious about enforcing the laws."

Even in California, home to more illegal immigrants than any other state, authorities generally have lagged in enforcing a sweeping 1986 immigration law.

 

[Bikers4Bush]

Someone should have gotten this info to Tony Snow before he talked to Bill Bennett. It contradicts all of Snow's claims with respect to enforcement under this administration.

[randog]

Now, lawmakers and administration officials alike insist it's time to get serious. They say they'll do so, in an immigration reform bill that so far remains stalled.

So they're waiting to pass new laws before they enforce old laws? Spoken like a true politician (and the Sacramento Bee laps it up like a good MSM soldier).

[dennisw]

THANK YOU JORGE BUSH!!! You are worse than Bill Clinton on illegal immigration. This is the proof. Bush has a policy of appointing idiots, hacks, and connected Republicans to the top immigrations/customs jobs. None of them buck White House policy

[brownsfan]

"So they're waiting to pass new laws before they enforce old laws?"

It's crystal clear to me that 99% of Washington wants to do what their employers, (the lobbies, not the taxpayers!), ask them to do... allow illegals. But they know their being watched by the voters.
The politicians are between a rock and a hard spot. So, they're using doublespeak, faulty logic, and whatever other tricks they have in their bag to keep the flow of illegals coming. They hope to confuse and frustrate the voters.
I can't remember the last time I was this disgusted with our government... oh wait, maybe the Carter years?

[el_texicano]

I love this president with his foreign policy, but this kind of data just infuriates me no end. I really struggle with how best to address this. I am not a Bush-basher as some perhaps are/have been on this forum.

But to me, this is an inexplicable dereliction of duty. I would truly hope I am wrong, but the evidence keeps coming. I really want some explanations from this administration. Thus far, I haven't seen any. How can this be with this president?

[randog]

I can't remember the last time I was this disgusted with our government... oh wait, maybe the Carter years?

The Carter years was frustration at the sheer incompetence; this is disgust at the gross corruption.

[stuartcr]

I wonder how many people here on fr have lost their job to an illegal Mexican alien or even know someone that did. We need a show of hands.

[gitmogrunt]

"The Bush administration has been lax in enforcing rules against hiring illegal immigrants, federal records show.

You civilians don't get it do you? The time line for the decline in enforcement, coincides with the creation of the Department Of Homeland Security, the dismantling of the U.S Customs Service and creation Customs and Border and Protection(CBP)... but you still don't get it, right?This was done by both parties in congress to cover up the mistakes of the Immigration and Naturalization Service(INS), and to give the appearance of the clowns in congress as doing something in the wake of 9/11.

The actual results of this action weakened border enforcement, destroyed and demoralized the U.S. Customs Service, and wasted millions of your tax dollars.

Oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative Email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative

In 2003, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the creation of a new Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) position and the “One Face at the Border” initiative. Under this plan, a new position, the CBPO, would combine the duties of legacy inspectors from Customs, the Immigration and Nationalization Service (INS) and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) into a single front-line border security position. With 41,000 employees, CBP is in control of 317 official ports-of-entry for travelers and cargo.

Essentially, the “One Face at the Border” initiative was aimed at unifying the inspection process that travelers entering the United States have to go through. Instead of making three stops – an Immigration Inspector, a Customs Inspector and an Agriculture Inspector – travelers would meet with a single primary inspections officer who was specially trained to do the job of all three.

Consolidating these three organizations has caused logistical and institutional chaos and has taken attention away from critical homeland security priorities. It is true that all three of these organizations deal with front line border and port security, but they do so in very different capacities.

Please email your Members of Congress asking them to oppose the "One Face at the Border" initiative and support a detailed, independent review of the proposal.

[gcruse]

"it's time to get serious. They say they'll do so, in an immigration reform bill that so far remains stalled"

Uh, you don't need the immigration bill to enforce laws on the books.

Conservatism today has become "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today."

Remember how we used to howl at Clinton's lies?

[l33t]

Unrestrained greed has corrupted conservatism.

[gcruse]

Is it unrestrained greed keeping Bush from enforcing the laws on the books? What's a lame duck president to gain from it?

[brownsfan]

"The Carter years was frustration at the sheer incompetence; this is disgust at the gross corruption."

Good call... I guess it's the feeling of hopelessness that comes from both situations that I should have been comparing.

[snowrip]

The Bush administration has been lax in enforcing rules against hiring illegal immigrants, federal records show.

Got any other old news?

[brownsfan]

"Unrestrained greed has corrupted conservatism."

Wow... I had to check to make sure you weren't new here.
On the economic side of things, there are many freepers who think unrestrained greed is conservatism. And they will gladly tell you as much.

[brownsfan]

"What's a lame duck president to gain from it?"

You're asking that, seriously?
It's not complex. GWB has rich and powerful friends. The rich and powerful tend to be business owners. Now, if you employed 10,000 people making widgets, would you rather pay them $8/hour, or $4/hour?
Illegals work cheaper, and many are off the books, so no other benefits are required.
GWB helps the rich and powerful, and in return GWB will be rewarded. That's politics.

[gcruse]

You think Bush is expecting some kind of payola? I bash Bush regularly, but it's never occurred to me that he might be corrupt. Naive and misguided, yes, but I'm not ready to cross that bridge.

[l33t]

The lame duck president is also a leader of a party that does not want to alienate an important segment of their electorate, Hispanic voters and employers who gain from cheap labor.

[Ol' Dan Tucker]

So they're waiting to pass new laws before they enforce old laws?

I'm still waiting for someone in the WhoreHay Arbusto administration, or one of his lickspittles to explain exactly what about the existing immigration laws that needs reforming.

[Biblebelter]

I am sick of bad fisherman. They always think a new boat, a new pole, or a new lure is going to make them more successful. I am sick of bad golfers who think a new set of clubs or switching brand of balls is going to make them more successful.

I am really sick of failed politicians who cannot successfully enforce the laws on the books, but tell us if they just passed a new law everything would be great.

This data here is indictment of all elected officeholders and shows it ain't about the laws or the programs, but a lack of moral will to do what must be done.

The present laws equip them to do the job, to point out where they are lacking in equipment would be rather vulgar, but that would make it no less true.