Posted on 03/13/2010 9:16:53 AM PST by AuntB
Yesterday, SEIU Executive Vice President Eliseo Medina joined other labor, faith and immigrant rights leaders for a meeting at the White House on next steps for comprehensive immigration reform legislation. President Obama spent over an hour with the group, carrying out a lively and open discussion about how to move immigration reform forward.
"Today's meeting is yet another reminder that comprehensive immigration reform remains a key priority for the White House. It's also a reminder that we need more than just the White House and Senators Schumer and Graham to get this bill done," said Medina in a statement.
During the meeting, the President made clear that importance of garnering greater GOP support in order to push the bill to the Senate floor.
"Just days away from a massive mobilization of labor and diverse immigrant rights activists from across the country, the time is now for Senators on both sides of the aisle to step on the gas and push for smart immigration reform that America needs. That means it's time for Senator Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader John Boehner to join with us in passing reforms that are good for immigrants, good for workers, and good for America," continued Medina.
"This is Congress' time to, in the President's words, 'overcome the numbing weight of our politics.' For the good of our economy, of America's workers, and of our country, it's time for the Senate to step on the gas. It's time for them to roll up their sleeves and get immigration reform done right, get it done quickly and make sure it works for America."
Read Medina's full, statement. And read coverage of the meeting in the Associated Press, New York Times, MSNBC, and The Hill.
Especially as the topic of immigration legislation heats up in Washington, it is critical to make March 21's immigration mobilization a huge success. This is the time to create the momentum and urgency for comprehensive immigration reform.
Join us on March 21!
More democrats pandering for new voters:
SILVER SPRING - Rep. Chris Van Hollen committed to fight for comprehensive immigration reform at a rally Thursday night, vowing to work toward amnesty to protect and keep immigrant families together.
“I pledge, yes, to fight to make sure that the comprehensive immigration reform bill that we enact will ensure family reunification,” said Van Hollen. “And also to make sure that as part of the immigration reform, we allow people to come out of the shadows as fully participating citizens.”
Any reform, Van Hollen said, should also include the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, also known as the DREAM Act, which would grant conditional residency status to undocumented high school graduates who are in “good moral character” and plan to finish college.
“The fundamental idea is ... that people have the opportunity to live the American dream,” Van Hollen said.
His commitment was appreciated by a cheering crowd — many of them hoping for more action from politicians.”
The Hispanic Bar assn. weighs in:
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: America’s Clarion Call for Greatness
WASHINGTON, March 12 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Yesterday, President Barack H. Obama met with Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) as yet another step to establish common ground for forging a solution to one of America’s greatest challenges, comprehensive immigration reform. The HNBA commends the President and the Senators for reaching this highly visible benchmark towards achieving a comprehensive reform of our nation’s immigration laws and processes. “It is important to remind our Congressional leaders that the country, especially the U.S. Hispanic community, supports their bipartisan efforts to address this pressing issue,” said Roman D. Hernandez, HNBA National President.
The HNBA has a history of working with bipartisan partnerships to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. In 2006 and 2007 the HNBA established a task force of legal experts to review the numerous amendments and legal provisions of proposed initiatives. The HNBA’s highly structured mechanism interacted proactively with all levels of government and ensured that the community at large understood the importance of the debate and content of the legislation. HNBA intends to continue this type of effort.
“America’s brightest moments in history stand as beacons of hope and justice built by men and women who led our country to meet the very challenges that make America great, and that have a resounding, positive effect throughout the world,” said Hernandez. “Now is one of those times. The HNBA remains committed to immigration reform, and we are gathering our forces, skills, and talents to work at all levels, from the White House to our barrios, to achieve a reform that is fair, just, effective, and that protects our nation’s security. As a nation, we cannot let this moment pass.”
The HNBA is an incorporated, not-for-profit, nonpartisan, national membership organization that represents the interests of the more than 100,000 Hispanic attorneys, judges, law professors, legal assistants, and law students in the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. territories. For more information about the HNBA, please visit www.hnba.com.
SOURCE Hispanic National Bar Association
We have one of the most liberal immigration policies in the world. You follow the law, prove your commitment to THIS country, pass a minor history test, and a judge swears you in. That's it, you are a full blown American. The ONLY thing you can't do is run for President.
That's it, welcome to America, Mr and Mrs CITIZEN!!
These #$@-#@!$% %(*&@$# $&@#$$@ make me so $@%&*!@ angry.
More whoring from PRN (Public Relations News). They will publish/promote anything if you pay them enough. Worthless.
Well, we have at least ONE US representative standing up and saying NO!
U.S. Rep. King: Amnesty bill is latest White House crisis
3/12/2010
http://www.iowapolitics.com/index.iml?Article=188800
Amnesty Bill is Latest White House Crisis
by Congressman Steve King
In November 2008, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel famously said, “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste. And what I mean by that is an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” The Obama White House has followed this Rahmism to the tee.
Last year, the Obama Administration utilized our economic crisis to nationalize the largest entities they could get their hands on. From General Motors to Chrysler to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to AIG and three large investment banks, at times President Obama’s domestic agenda appeared no different than Hugo Chavez’s.
The White House pushed hard last spring for a cap and tax plan that would force American companies to comply with costly new energy regulations, thus giving companies in China, India and foreign countries without these rules a competitive advantage. Thankfully the American people spoke out and effectively killed this bill.
In town hall meetings and tea parties across the country, we’ve seen the American people have a similar reaction to the Obama Administration’s attempt to pass a national health care bill. Created in the backrooms of Washington and flavored to please special interest groups and lobbyists, this health care bill became a toxic stew that the American people have rejected by the bowlful, the ladleful and the spoonful.
And now there are signs that the White House is moving on to a new target: comprehensive immigration reform. President Obama is meeting with Senators Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to work on a bill that would grant amnesty to the 12-20 million illegal aliens currently in the United States.
The American people flatly reject any form of amnesty. In 2006 and 2007, they jammed Capitol Hill phone lines with calls in opposition to a Senate bill that would have granted amnesty to illegal aliens. The national opinion on illegal immigration has not changed.
According to a recent Rasmussen national survey, 67% of U.S. voters say that illegal immigrants are a significant strain on the U.S. budget. Not only do they believe illegal aliens are a strain on our national budget, they also believe that the government welcomes this strain. Sixty-six percent of U.S. voters believe the availability of government money and services draw illegal immigrants and 56% say the policies and practices of the federal government encourage people to enter the United States illegally.
A recent example of this is the recent case of an illegal alien in Schuyler, Nebraska. In February, an illegal alien tried to turn herself in at the federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office in nearby Omaha because she thought it would get her on the path to U.S. citizenship. She believed this was an acceptable road to citizenship because President Obama and liberals in Congress continue to promote and support amnesty in their public comments.
I agree with the Obama Administration that our current economic crisis warrants action on immigration policy. However, rather than grant amnesty, we need to crack down on illegal immigration to provide opportunities to American workers looking for jobs. There are 15.3 million unemployed American citizens while the Pew Hispanic Center reports that eight million illegal aliens hold American jobs.
I have introduced a bill called New IDEA (Illegal Deduction Elimination Act) that will immediately reduce America’s unemployment and result in the hiring of millions of unemployed Americans. New IDEA will crack down on employers and illegal workers and level the playing field for law-abiding American employers and employees.
New IDEA will make E-Verify permanent and authorize its use on all current and prospective employees. E-Verify is an online government system that enables employers to determine whether an employee is eligible to work in the U.S. E-Verify is currently a voluntary program that by law can only be used on new hires.
Under New IDEA, employers that use E-Verify will have “safe harbor.” By using E-Verify to check the legal status of new hires, employers will not be punished if they mistakenly hire an illegal alien. Employers who fail to check their employees via E-Verify or ignore proof of an employee’s illegal status will be subject to wage and benefit taxation, including interest and penalty on past taxes.
We cannot allow the Obama Administration to use our current economic crisis to dramatically reshape America to fit its liberal political agenda. The economic crisis does present opportunities for reform, but we need common-sense solutions that protect America’s sovereignty and put Americans back to work.
Immigration law needs to be designed to enhance the economic, social and cultural well-being of the Unites States. We must reject amnesty, pass New IDEA, get Americans back to work and dramatically reduce the strain of illegal immigration on our economy.
We have 10+% unemployment in this country, and these Marxists want to let 20,000,000 lawbreakers skirt the Constitution and go free. IDIOTS,all. They should be drummed out of office and scorned until they do the honorable thing. The Japanese have a way out for someone this disloyal//
Legislator Blasts Bill To Provide Workers Comp To Illegal Aliens
March 12, 2010
Legislator Blasts Bill To Provide Workers Comp To Illegal Aliens
3/12/10 - A Livingston County legislator is sounding off about a new bill that would provide workers compensation benefits to illegal aliens living in Michigan. State Representative Cindy Denby of Handy Township says she was shocked by what she called “frivolous” legislation introduced by Detroit Democrat Rashida Tlaib that would allow illegal immigrants to receive the benefits. Under the bill, those who use false documents to obtain employment or to seek work would also be eligible for the benefits. Denby says “the state needs to take steps to stop illegal aliens from taking already scarce jobs, not provide them with an incentive to come to Michigan”. Representative Tlaib defends that allowing compensation for all injured workers is a better system than allowing people to be part of a black market of undocumented workers. She adds that Michigan is one of only two states in the nation that does not allow undocumented workers to be compensated when they’re injured on the job. The bill has now been referred to the committee on labor. (JM)
http://www.whmi.com/news/article/9836
The members of the HBNA who support this travesty should all be disbarred for openly encoraging and supporting criminal behavior.
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