Jeff Flake, Luis Guitierrez STRIVE amnesty: America's new favorite comedy duo?

[UPDATE: Send a free FAX about this here. Links to our full coverage about this below]

Could Reps. Jeff Flake and Luis Guitierrez be the Abbott and Costello of a new generation? The STRIVE amnesty ("Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy") they introduced today makes me think that instead of being duped by them - what they apparently think will happen - we'll all soon be laughing at them once all the details of their scheme have been released.

Consider the farcical "touchback" provision [1]:

Under the legislation, undocumented workers, who pay a fine and pass extensive and thorough background examinations, would be eligible for conditional status with work and travel authorization for 6 years. If, during those six years, the worker remains employed, continues to be an upstanding member of the community, learns English and civics, and pays any owed taxes, they could be eligible to adjust their status if they leave the country and re-enter legally.

I can't find the actual legislation, but that sounds not only like a massive amnesty, but it sounds like the "touchback" feature wouldn't have to be acted on immediately. In other words, the former illegal alien would get a status adjustment immediately, and only if they want to get on the "path to citizenship" would they need to "touchback", and they could do it at any time during the six-year period. In addition, some of the requirements (if they were to be actually enforced) sound slightly close to indentured servitude. What if they become disabled, or what if there's an economic downturn? Will they still get their chance at permanent residency?

And, of course, there's the irony of those who've shown a general lack of respect for our laws then being required to take civics courses.

Then, there's the "guest" worker scheme:

The Gutierrez-Flake bill sets up a new worker program for low-skilled workers, when a U.S. worker cannot be found to fill a needed job... employers would be required to provide foreign workers with the same wages and working conditions enjoyed by U.S. workers...

Let's say U.S. notaries make $20 an hour, and employers know that there are 400,000 potential "guest" notaries who'd be happy with $5 an hour. Flake and Gutierrez think we're dumb enough to think that employers wouldn't find a way to get those foreign notaries into the U.S. one way or another.

Flake flunky Matthew Specht is fielding calls about this scheme at 202-225-2635 or send him an email at matthew.specht *at* mail.house.gov.

[1] flake.house.gov/News/DocumentSingle.aspx?DocumentID=61241

UPDATE: Straight outta the AILA come these two:

lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/files/STRIVE_Act_Shorter_Summary.pdf
lawprofessors.typepad.com/immigration/files/STRIVE_Act_Longer_Summary.pdf

UPDATE 2: See also these other entries:
Bill Richardson: up with Kennedy-McCain, down with Flake-Gutierrez (MyDD sponsored by SEIU)
STRIVE Act: MALDEF, Juan Hernandez, ANLA support; Chertoff kinda
STRIVE Act: not everyone happy with "touchback" (even for just one day)
Trouble in paradise: AFL-CIO, ACLU, NIF, AFSC not fully happy with Flake-Gutierrez; Teamsters, Democrat Lampson
All you need to know about immigration reform (Flake-Gutierrez)
H.R.1645 Summary, Co-Sponsors, Full Text (Flake, Gutierrez, HR1645, STRIVE Act)
Flake-Gutierrez could nearly triple H-1B visas
STRIVEing for amnesty: the Flake/Guitierrez "Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy" Act
"Bill offers temporary legal status to undocumented immigrants..."
Jeff Flake, Luis Gutierrez to introduce amnesty bill in House

Comments

Both guys work for mexico city both guys are pigs and the bill is just one more outrage against us all AND THE IDEALS OF LAWS AND DUTY. But it will get into the system one way or the other, buy guns you will need one soon.

oh yes! "You all do understand when not if this bill is passed within 10 years or less, 90 percent of this non government will have only hispanics running it right? Do you understand what that means to you and your children? "you who think its a joke best start to get the evil plan for all non hispanics" and start Reading what the plan is and understand who you are being used by, race hate is not only something in the white world its part of all the so-called people on earth, population is a weapon and is being used against you who make up only 9 or 10 percent of the worlds population, don't be the new jew! that is what this bill is all about making you a new jew. see the history of the third world, and read what happen to people in all areas of the world who did not fit in, think, fight live its up to you now, and may God help you all.

They don't appear too broken up about rampant law breaking, do they? And, as always, they attribute the problem to the policy, or law, itself, NOT the lack of enforcement of existing law (which is the true cause). They want us to think all we need to do is just change the label (remove the ‘il’ prefix) and everything will be great. Remember, this is the group which goes on and on with claims of microscopic numbers of legal immigrants when those numbers are actually quite substantial, especially compared to Europe. It’s silly to even ask them what the exact number should be because however big the numbers are they will always want more—it’s their business, after all. Whatever level were to shake out, post-amnesty/big guest worker enforcement would be as necessary as ever but this concept seems to elude some people. At first I figured there would simply be assurances (believable or not) that we will be 'tough' with future enforcement once the ‘broken’ system is fixed. With the implication, at least, that enforcement is actually necessary. For instance, Tamar Jacoby says enforcement is currently unrealistic but post-amnesty/big ongoing guest worker it will transform overnight into being realistic and faithfully carried out. However naïve that sounds, the scarier attitude is that the amnesty/bigger guest worker numbers will somehow reduce the need for enforcement or eliminate it altogether. What will surely not change is the attitude prevalent among this crowd that enforcement is inherently wrong. But under CIR, they will say it's not just wrong but no longer needed. No matter how badly in practice CIR might be going we will be told the amnesty and guest worker components fixed everything and in a rerun of ’86, enforcement will be an afterthought. Just as they dubiously claimed that Arizona sent an anti-enforcement message, they will claim (and the MSM will parrot) that passed CIR shows that the enforcement crowd is discredited and that view is not indicative of the will of the people. ICE will be ridiculed as a dinosaur and there will be a movement to scale it back and/or assign it a ‘new mission’. Thus, I disagree with Tamar. I think the overall attitude of the open borders crowd toward enforcement won't suddenly turn more tolerant but will be even more negative than it is now (if that is possible). Once it’s impossible to deny nothing’s changed regarding illegal immigration, the proposed solution will be, you guessed it, MORE amnesty/guest worker. Forever and always, it couldn’t possibly be an enforcement problem.

Part 1 (part 2 above): 'The American Immigration Lawyers Association is the national association of immigration lawyers established to promote justice...' Sure, if by justice they mean a bleeding heart 'fairness', i.e., never saying no to a single person who wants to come to America however many kazillion that might be. Sure, if by justice they mean a removal process as onerous as possible to bring deportations to a standstill. Justice as in enforcement of law? Based on their track record, if they thought STRIVE had any enforcement teeth, they'd be bitching about that aspect of it even if it accompanied the biggest amnesty and guest worker numbers in history (which it does). On the contrary, they don't appear worried in the slightest. So if these guys are in love with STRIVE you know it's really, really terrible without even having to read it. "Raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials at meat-processing plants around the country yesterday clearly point out that our immigration system is broken and that America needs comprehensive immigration reform right now," said Carlina Tapia-Ruano, President of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA). "By not having a reasonable immigration policy in place, we have created a system that practically begs for people to break the law." http://www.aila.org/content/default.aspx?docid=21199

As part of the pitch for conservative support, Gutierrez pointed to the provision requiring illegal immigrants to leave the country. "This will say, 'Listen, you left and you Â… actually went through the legal process of entering the United States,' " he said in a conference call with members of the nation's ethnic media. "Is it going to sound somewhat absurd to some people? Certainly it will. But it's a requirement that many [Republicans] wish in the bill." http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-immig21mar21,1,2381449.story?coll=la-news-a_section You weren't kidding about Abbott and Costello. The author himself seems to think his own bill is ridiculous. I hope all future proposals think 'touchback' is a winner because even the least sophisticated among us can see that it's nothing more than a gimmick. //// "They keep changing the shade of lipstick, but like I've said time and time again, it's still the same old pig," said Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., who is running for the GOP presidential nomination on a fiercely anti-illegal immigration platform. http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0322immig0322-ON.html

Wonder why it is always the lawyers who have trouble obeying the law. This problem is so simple to solve it is ridiculous. ENFORCE THE FRIGGING LAW!!! That's all.....the law is already on the books.....what makes anyone think they will obey the next law they write?....They already ignore the one they already have.......This country is being run by idiots, traitors and morons.

And should this law be passed in some form or the other, just keep this in mind: The laws on the books now allow family reunification. This means spouses, minor children, and parents first, siblings and grown children later. Then these new immigrants get to bring in still more family. Has anybody in the open borders lobby ever given any thought as to how many "minor children" will flood our already over-burdened schools? I doubt it because most of them either live in exclusive school districts or send their children/grandchildren to private school. Have they thought about how many sick aged parents will be placed on SSI and other social services? I doubt it because they will never have to worry about living on social security themselves.

the system is owned by the drug dealers of the third world, when this bill becomes a so called Law its time to get what comes next, if you know what I mean? by the way anyone make note about the mass pick-up/arrests? I hope the system will not just disappear the people of MM, BEEN IN THE NEWS.