March 22, 2007

STRIVEing for amnesty: the Flake/Guitierrez "Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy" Act

We're seemingly moments away from the release of the Jeff Flake/Luis Guitierrez "STRIVE Act", a massive amnesty for illegal aliens. "STRIVE" stands for the Orwellian-named "Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy". Please contact your representatives and stress your opposition to the scheme, and if you find anyone promoting it do your best to discredit them.

The far-lefties have anticipated the bill, with the Asian American Justice Center "encouraged" and, not to be outdone, the American Immigration Lawyers Association "enthusiastically welcomes" it.

Turning to the "news":

Millions of undocumented immigrants could get legal permission to stay in the U.S. by paying fines and symbolically re-entering the country, under an immigration reform bill introduced in the House Thursday.

Well, at least they're being honest about it. After "symbolically" re-entering, they'd be put on a non-symbolic "path to citizenship".

The bill also would allow up to 400,000 foreign workers to come to the U.S. legally every year.

Presumably that's refering to the "guest" worker program, which in an earlier bill was capped at 200,000. And, for those of you who think Jeff Flake isn't a liar, consider this quote from Flake:

"This bill will end illegal immigration"

It'll do that in about the same way as the 1986 amnesty did. Any "tough" provisions would eventually be ignored or watered down. The forces that would do that would include the racial power groups, industry groups, corrupt banks, foreign governments, and such that have been pushing "reform". They currently support illegal immigration, and this bill will give them even more political power from which to continue their support for illegal immigration. Flake is simply a liar.

The legislation would require Homeland Security officials to certify that border security and worksite enforcement measures are in place before allowing foreign workers to apply for new visas. It would force undocumented immigrants to leave the country and then re-enter before they could apply for conditional legal status that would eventually lead to citizenship.

Those mandates were added to the proposed legislation during careful negotiations aimed at giving cover to Republican supporters of the bill in hopes of avoiding the partisan standoff that killed similar legislation last year.

If they're looking for cover, that means they know they're doing something deeply unpopular. And, as indicated above, the certification would be watered down, and, while I don't know exactly what it entails in past proposals the certification only dealt with the money being spent, not on the overall success of various programs.

UPDATE: From this:

"What is reform? What Congressman Flake and I have presented, and we're supporting today, this is reform," Gutierrez, speaking in Spanish, told a reporter at a Capitol Hill press conference...

[In a written statement, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said:] "Our first responsibility to the American people is their safety... We must enact immigration reform that is humane and honors our American tradition of being a nation of immigrants and a land of opportunity for all... It provides an excellent framework for Congress and the president to begin work on the vital task of immigration reform...

And, from this:

Despite their optimism and good cheer, the group was not joined by the relevant subcommittee or committee chairs or ranking Republicans, nor any of the elected Democratic leadership of the House.

Meanwhile in Detroit, the Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength (MOSES) came out in support of the scheme. Those quoted were: Noel Saleh, "president of the board at the Dearborn-based Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services", Father Tom Sepulveda, "pastor of Saint Anne de Detroit Catholic Church, where the majority of worshippers are immigrants", and Dawud Walid, "head of the Michigan branch of the Council on American-Islamic Relations."

UPDATE: Ralph G. Neas - president of the People For the American Way issues his support for the bill, launching a flock of canards:

"In several states where anti-immigrant measures have caused worker shortages, growers are being forced to leave their products to rot. In small towns across the country, immigrants are being accosted by ordinances that purport to root out lawlessness but in reality foment hate and distrust – and are draining the life out of some communities that had been invigorated by immigrants... In November, Americans rejected many proponents of anti-immigrant extremism. Now this Democratic-led Congress has the perfect opportunity to prove that it not only received the message, but is prepared to act in a responsible way to address a serious national problem..."

Posted to Immigration2007a at March 22, 2007 10:42 AM