Fred Thompson's White Paper on Border Security and Immigration

Fred Thompson ^ | 01-08-08 | Fred Thompson

[pgkdan]

Border Security and Immigration Reform Plan

In the post-9/11 world, immigration is much more of a national security issue. A government that cannot secure its borders and determine who may enter and who may not, fails in a fundamental responsibility. As we take steps to secure our borders and enforce our laws, we must also ensure that our immigration laws and policies advance our national interests in a variety of areas, and that the immigration process itself is as fair, efficient, and effective as possible.

Securing the Border and Enforcing the Law

A fundamental responsibility of the federal government is to secure the nation's borders and enforce the law. The following policies and initiatives will put the nation on a path to success:

1. No Amnesty. Do not provide legal status to illegal aliens. Amnesty undermines U.S. law and policy, rewards bad behavior, and is unfair to the millions of immigrants who follow the law and are awaiting legal entry into the United States. In some cases, those law-abiding and aspiring immigrants have been waiting for several years.

2. Attrition through Enforcement. Reduce the number of illegal aliens through increased enforcement against unauthorized alien workers and their employers. Without illegal employment opportunities available, fewer illegal aliens will attempt to enter the country, and many of those illegally in the country now likely will return home. Self-deportation can also be maximized by stepping up the enforcement levels of other existing immigration laws. This course of action offers a reasonable alternative to the false choices currently proposed to deal with the 12 million or more aliens already in the U.S. illegally: either arrest and deport them all, or give them all amnesty. Attrition through enforcement is a more reasonable and achievable solution, but this approach requires additional resources for enforcement and border security:

1. Doubling ICE agents handling interior enforcement, increasing the Border Patrol to at least 25,000 agents, and increasing detention space to incarcerate illegal aliens we arrest rather than letting them go with a promise to show up later for legal proceedings against them.
   

2. Adding resources for the Department of Justice to prosecute alien smugglers, people involved in trafficking in false identification documents, and previously deported felons.
   

3. Maximizing efforts to prosecute and convict members of criminal alien gangs, such as MS-13 and affiliated gangs. These gangs have brought unusual levels of violence to more than 30 U.S. states and have also become very active in drug-smuggling, gun-smuggling, and alien-smuggling.
   

4. Implementing fully and making greater use of the expedited removal process already allowed under federal law.
   

5. Enabling the Social Security Administration to share relevant information with immigration and law enforcement personnel in a manner that will support effective interior enforcement efforts.

3. Enforce Existing Federal Laws. Enforce the laws Congress has already enacted to prevent illegal aliens from unlawfully benefiting from their presence in the country:

1. End Sanctuary Cities by cutting off discretionary federal grant funds as appropriate to any community that, by law, ordinance, executive order, or other formal policy directs its public officials not to comply with the provisions of 8 USC 1373 and 8 USC 1644, which prohibit any state or local government from restricting in any way communications with the Department of Homeland Security "regarding the immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of an alien in the United States."

   
   

2. Deny discretionary Federal education grants as appropriate to public universities that violate federal law by offering in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens without also offering identical benefits to United States citizens, regardless of whether or not they live in the state, as required by 8 USC 1623.
   

3. Deny discretionary Federal grants as appropriate to states and local governments that violate federal law by offering public benefits to illegal aliens, as prohibited by 8 USC 1621(a).

4. Reduce the Jobs Incentive. Ensure employee verification by requiring that all U.S. employers use the Department of Homeland Security's electronic database (the E-Verify system) to confirm that a prospective employee is authorized to work in the U.S. Now that the technology is proven, provide sufficient resources to make the system as thorough, fast, accurate, and easy-to-use as possible.

5. Add to the Cost of Hiring Illegal Aliens. Deny a tax deduction to employers for the wages they pay to illegal aliens, thereby dramatically increasing the real cost of employing illegal aliens. Businesses that do not play by the rules should not be rewarded under our tax system.

6.Bolster Border Security. Finish building the 854-mile wall along the border by 2010 as required by 8 USC 1103. Extend the wall beyond that as appropriate and deploy new technologies and additional resources to enhance detection and rapid apprehension along our borders by 2012.

7. Increased Prosecution. Deploy the additional assets outlined above to prosecute alien smugglers ("coyotes"), alien gang members, previously deported felons, and aliens who have repeatedly violated our immigration laws much more vigorously.

8.Rigorous Entry/Exit Tracking. Complete the implementation of a system to track visa entrants and exits, as has been required by federal law for more than ten years, and connect it to the FBI's National Crime Information Center (NCIC), in order to curb visa overstays and permit more effective enforcement.

Improving the Legal Immigration Process

The United States is a nation of immigrants. We must continue to welcome immigrants and foreign workers who come to our country legally, giving priority to those who can advance the nation's interests and common good. Immigrants and foreign workers who play by the rules need to be rewarded with faster and less burdensome service, not delays that last years. Advancing the following initiatives will require close cooperation between all levels of government, the business community, and concerned citizens:

1. Maximize Program Efficiency. Reduce the backlogs and streamline the process for immigrants and employers who seek to follow the law. Also, simplify and expedite the application processes for temporary visas. This can be accomplished by hiring more personnel at Citizenship and Immigration Services and the FBI. Caps for any category of temporary work visa would be increased as appropriate, if it could be demonstrated that there are no Americans capable and willing to do the jobs.

2. Enhanced Reporting. Improve reporting to the government by businesses that rely on temporary workers so that the government can track whether the visa holder remains employed.

3. Modernize Immigration Law/Policy. Change the nature of our legal immigration system to welcome immigrants who can be economic contributors to our country, are willing to learn the English language, and want to assimilate.

1. Reduce the scope of chain migration by giving family preference in the allocation of lawful permanent resident status only to spouses and minor children of U.S. citizens, and no one else (no siblings, no parents, no adult children, etc.).
   

2. Eliminate the diversity visa lottery.

   4. English As Official Language. Make English the official language of the United States to promote assimilation and legal immigrants' success, and require English proficiency in order for any foreign person to be granted lawful permanent resident status.

   5. Freedom from Political Oppression. Preserve U.S. laws and policies to ensure that the United States remains a beacon and a haven for persons fleeing political oppression, while assuring appropriate admission standards are maintained.

   6. Service to Country. Place those foreign persons who are lawfully present in the country and who serve honorably in the Armed Forces of the United States on a faster, surer track to U.S. citizenship.

[rightinthemiddle]

Bashing Christians isn’t going to win any votes for Fred. Don’t fall into the MSM-Democrat plan to divide and conquer the Republicans.

[sand88]

There's a lot more Christians against Huckabee than for him.

Yes, but are they as motivated to vote for Fred? I hope with Mark Levin and Rush's frontal assault on McCain and Huck, that they can start to fall and Fred rise. It defies reason for anyone to believe that Huck and McCain are anything but ultra left Socialists. McCain would want nothing less than to screw conservatives. I pray McCain and Huck are repudiated in the South. The MSM is Hell bent on pushing these Socialist down our throats.

[SatinDoll]

I forgive you for presumption. If you had read all my posts you would know that I am a Christian. Just not a dumb one.

[Ron H.]

There's a lot more Christians against Huckabee than for him.

Can I get a Big Amen here for this brother ladies and gentlemen?! Amen brother!

[Kevmo]

Hunter’s criticism of Thompson over this issue is well aimed. We need someone in the white house who isn’t a johnny-come-lately on this issue.
Road to Des Moines Conversions on Immigration (Hunter Press release)
News Which Cannot Lose ^ | 10/25/07 | Duncan Hunter/staff
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1916889/posts

[Ron H.]

.... Yes, but are they as motivated to vote for Fred?

As I seem to recall Fred was the one back along about August or September of last year or somewhere along that timeline said he wasn't going to court the christian conservative right, that if they wanted to support him they could find their way to his door or words to that effect. He more or less stuck his finger in their collective eyes. Real bright?!?

I initially started out wanting to support Fred but he has been false starting, stumbling, bumbling and gaffing his way ever since he first started talking about running last year and it has only marginally improved since then. He still continues to give the impression (to me at least) that his heart just isn't in this race.

[Shelayne]

What? Fred clearly stating his plans and polices AGAIN?

I want to know how he’s doing in the polls. What TV show was he on today? What did the pundits say about Fred?

Don’t bore me with positions and strategy. I want Fred kiss my rear end so I can vote for him...as long as everyone else I know is voting for Fred.

I don’t want a President with a clear PLAN! I want a President who’s had Botox!

LOL. Perfect.

I know, I am fed up to here (you can't see me, but trust me it's up there) with the incessant whining about and bashing of Fred, especially by pundits and people that call themselves conservatives. Sheeeesh.

[bnev]

Ok, you can shut up now......
http://fredfile.fred08.com/blog/2008/video-judge-paul-pressler-supports-fred/

[Ron H.]

Hit a testy nerve I see.

[Bogtrotter52]

“I’m not finding any mention of addressing the anchor baby situation, did I miss it?”

Like you say, pgkdan, he will focus on things he can accomplish. Any candidate who claims they can do anything to easily change the anchor baby situation is making a very empty promise. To change this will take years and years.

[bnev]

My wife gets testy nerves, I just find ignorance abhorrent.

[Carry_Okie]

I don't think you can correct that abuse short of an amendment to the Constitution.

There is a cure for that kind of thinking.

[Shelayne]

But there are some people who just don’t delve into the past activities of people running for office and make their political decisions based on perceived commonalities or emotions.

That is definitely true. My hope is that fellow Christians will want to be better informed before they vote.

I, too, was looking at Huckabee at one point thinking, "Heeey..." Then I actually did a little research. This Bible-believing, born-again, fundamentalist, Jesus FREAK is NOT a Huckabee supporter--no matter how HARD the MSM and the Christian press try to push him on me.

[tlj18]

Unfortunately, Fred doesn’t have a chance in SC. I’m sorry, I wish he did - but he doesn’t. The next best choice is Mitt Romeny, IMO.

[bnev]

BIG AMEN there, brother!
Thompson is the only REAL conservative in this race with a chance of winning at this point. I would love to support Hunter, but right now, we have to get Thompson a win in SC, or the Right’s cause is cooked in the general election. There’s no chance Huck will win against HillObama.

[TheThinker]

This immigration white paper has some merit to it. It emphasizes attrition which is vital. It limits chain migration, which is vital.

It's going garner a lot of opposition from liberals though, because it would be so effective in eliminating illegal immigration. Those illegals who have been in the U.S. who have children would be exempt but I can see that fact could be used to dampen the liberal uproar.

As far as getting Fred elected, this should definitely help because he needs a good issue he can sink his teeth into.

[Shelayne]

BIG AMEN there, brother!

Sister. At least last time I checked. ;^)

[bnev]

Oops, sorry! No offense intended.

[Shelayne]

None taken. :^)

[DTogo]

Sounds great, now Fred just has to keep himself well-caffeinated and somewhat interested in the whole thing.