September 06, 2007

The Flake-Gutierrez STRIVE Act amnesty returns...

The Flake-Gutierrez STRIVE Act - a House amnesty scheme - was discussed at hearings of the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law today (chaired by former immigration lawyer Zoe Lofgren). Here's the text of HR 1645, and here's a somewhat cynical report. Whether this stands a chance or not, or whether Lofgren was just looking to get in the last word isn't clear. But, it's always good to be prepared.

The list of those testifying is more than a bit interesting, including:

* Reverend Luis Cortes, Jr./President/Esperanza USA
* Cassandra Q. Butts/Senior Vice President for Domestic Policy/Center for American Progress
* Michael L. Barrera/President and CEO/United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
* Joshua Hoyt/Executive Director/Illinois Coalition for Immigrant & Refugee Rights

CAP was the author of the extraordinarily idiotic study purporting to show how much it would cost to deport all illegal aliens.

However, the most galling one on the list is the ICIRR. Their president is Juan Salgado, someone who serves on an advisory council to the Mexican government, who visited Los Pinos (the Mexican White House) after the first Chicago immigration march, and who wrote this letter to Vicente Fox. Saying that he has divided loyalties may not entirely be accurate: I'm not sure he has any loyalty to the U.S. whatsoever.

Previously:
Jeff Flake: STRIVE Act (House amnesty) doesn't have a prayer. But... (July)
Luis Gutierrez laughs at touchback: it's a "symbolic rebooting", a "gesture" (May)

Posted to Immigration2007b at September 6, 2007 08:38 PM