Comprehensive Immigration Reform

"Comprehensive Immigration Reform" ("CIR") is a euphemism for an illegal alien amnesty, combined with supposed increased border security and supposed increased workplace enforcement. Some versions include some form of guest worker plan, an increase in bureaucracy to deal with the flood of applications, new ID requirements, and so on.

However, whatever the details, CIR is a scam built on a series of lies. Due to a sympathetic, corrupt media, CIR supporters are constantly allowed to jabber on in support of CIR but are never confronted with the hugely obvious downsides:

1. CIR would give a tremendous amount of additional political power to the Mexican government, far-left organizations like the American Civil Liberties Union, racial power groups like the National Council of La Raza, League of United Latin American Citizens, and MALDEF, and so on. Those groups currently fight against border security and workplace enforcement, and they aren't going to completely do an about-face if CIR passes. They'll continue fighting against the border security and workplace enforcement provisions of CIR, no matter what they say now.

2. CIR supporters say that the system does not work, which is highly misleading. The problem isn't our current laws, the problem is that most politicians are too corrupt to enforce those laws.

3. CIR would not be the last amnesty, and in fact would lead to more amnesties down the road. It's a way for the Democratic Party and various power brokers to obtain more power. They aren't going to pass up an opportunity to add to their power.

4. It will lead to additional illegal immigration. Whatever euphemism supporters want to use, millions - perhaps billions - of people around the world will see it for what it is: amnesty. Millions of those will try to come here, knowing that if they can stay under the radar long enough they'll be granted their own amnesty.

See also the DREAM Act (a mini-amnesty) and this discussion of the talking points used by amnesty supporters.

Last modified Jun 15, 2009
Discussed in (click each link for the full post):

Marco Rubio supports attrition, seems to actually oppose amnesty (but: probably still supports massive immigration) - 11/17/2009

... that he opposes amnesty (aka comprehensive immigration reform). That's definitely a far better position than that of those in his general network, such as Karl Rove and Jeb Bush. And, it makes more clear his position; it wasn't entirely obvious. However, he still probably supports some form of major guest workers program and probably increased legal immigration. He proposed something th...

Deval Patrick, MIRA release list of 131 immigration demands (Massachusetts Advisory Council) - 11/17/2009

Earlier today, Massachusetts governor Deval Patrick released a state-sponsored report making recommendations about how to deal with immigration both in that state and in the U.S. as a whole. The report is from "The Governor's Advisory Council for Refugees and Immigrants", which is basically a joint venture between his office and the far-left, illegal immigration-supporting Massachus...

Dan Griswold of Cato peddles more guest workers snake oil (2009 version) - 11/17/2009

Dan Griswold of the Cato Institute was one of the inspirations for George W Bush's incredibly anti- and un-American guest workers program, one that would have reduced previously middle-class wages by flooding the labor market with lower-wage, skilled foreign labor (video here: peekURL.com/vsaprax). Now, Griswold offers "Will Democrats err in immigration reforms?" (link), complaining...

John King of CNN asks David Axelrod puffball immigration reform question - 11/15/2009

... David Axelrod about plans for comprehensive immigration reform (transcript here, excerpts below). While Dobbs - the "advocacy journalist" per CNN president Jon Klein - might have pressed Axelrod on some of the downsides of amnesty, King simply asked a milquetoast question about process, allowing Axelrod to give a stock speech. The Obama administration wants to give amnesty to 12+ millio...

Janet Napolitano falsely says she needs immigration "reform" to do her job; says border more secure; sounds like Chertoff - 11/13/2009

... Napolitano said that she needs comprehensive immigration reform (downsides at the link) to do her job and that such "reform" (aka amnesty) is more attainable due both to supposed increased border security and due to fewer people trying to cross because of the economic downturn. In her speech, she sounded almost exactly like Michael Chertoff and used several of the stock talking points ...

Meg Whitman spouts amnesty talking points (California governor candidate) - 10/29/2009

... legalization?" she asked. (note: see comprehensive immigration reform for some of the many downsides) Whitman also urged tougher measures against those who hire undocumented workers, and said that as governor "I would be an advocate . . . for the people of California to make sure we really do secure this border." (note: see secure the border) ...[in the past she's] said th...

Leith Anderson of NAE misled: NAE member Salvation Army is "neutral" on amnesty (update: even more don't sign on) - 10/19/2009

... of Evangelicals passed a pro-comprehensive immigration reform (aka amnesty) resolution, and Leith Anderson from that group - in Congressional testimony - strongly implied that all NAE members supported the resolution. His testimony included this: We actually had a vote today on this resolution with leaders in the National Association of Evangelicals and there was no dissent... On the board there ...

Gutierrez unveils immigration "reform" bill principles at Washington DC rally (RI4A, CHC,NCIC,religious leaders) - 10/13/2009

Earlier today, supporters of comprehensive immigration reform held a rally in Washington DC. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Immigration Task Force) laid out outlines of a bill he'll supposedly be introducing later this year. The specifics aren't known but it will be very lax and probably won't include the "symbolic gestures" from the bill h...

Napolitano of DHS: "al-Qaeda-type" terrorists inside U.S.; difficult to track visa exits; supposed border enforcement will lead to "reform" - 10/12/2009

Bloomberg Television interviewed Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano today, and she said among other things (link): "It is fair to say there are individuals in the United States who ascribe to al-Qaeda-type beliefs... And so it makes information-sharing, it makes effective law enforcement and it makes the shared responsibility of law enforcement ever so important."...

*All* National Association of Evangelicals leaders support amnesty, massive immigration; how to take action; UPDATE: not all - 10/12/2009

... (the two key components of "comprehensive immigration reform"). Rev. Anderson answered that there was no dissent in adopting the pro-amnesty resolution on the 75-member NAE board of directors. There's a list of the denominations and their contact information at the link above, and NumbersUSA also suggests sending a link to "Most National Christian Leaders Declare War on Unemp...

Obama admin preparing USCIS for amnesty (millions of visas, comprehensive immigration reform) - 10/03/2009

... administration is able to pass comprehensive immigration reform, aka amnesty: Currently, the citizenship agency can handle applications from about six million immigrants a year, (USCIS head Alejandro Mayorkas) said, including the time-consuming collection of fingerprints and other biometric identity information. Under some plans for legalization, the agency might receive that many applications in...

Rep. Luis Gutierrez wants illegal aliens in healthcare exchange; emulate Blue Dogs for amnesty - 9/15/2009

Rep. Luis Gutierrez - a buffoonish fervent supporter of illegal immigration - recently spoke out in favor of allowing illegal aliens into the Obama healthcare "exchange". Per ABC News (link), speaking in Spanish at a Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute function, he said:

CATO promotes financial gain from illegal alien amnesty, ignores massive non-financial costs (Peter Dixon, Maureen Rimmer) - 8/14/2009

... supposed economic benefits of comprehensive immigration reform aka amnesty ("Restriction or Legalization? Measuring the Economic Benefits of Immigration Reform", freetrade.org/pubs/pas/tpa-040es.html). As with other "economic" studies, theirs isn't really based in economics in that they're ignoring all the costs of what they promote: A policy that reduces the number ...

Obama puts off immigration "reform" until 2010 at SPP summit - 8/10/2009

Barack Obama is continuing a proud George W Bush tradition: holding a "North American Leaders Summit" with the leaders of Mexico and Canada as part of the Security and Prosperity Partnership (SPP.gov) effort. In a Feb. 2008 editorial that apparently no one else read, Obama promised to continue that Bush effort. And, in a move that his allies in far-left and racial power groups probably w...

Lindsey Graham working with Chuck Schumer on amnesty; rounding up other Republicans - 8/09/2009

From this: Senate Democrats have found a Republican in Sen. Lindsey Graham to help them push for passage of a comprehensive immigration overhaul this year. But the lag in getting prominent support from a Republican -- more than two months after Democrats first announced their push -- shows how complicated prospects for passage could be this year, as immigration remains a wedge inside an increasing...

Obama reiterates magical, dishonest plan: illegal aliens won't get healthcare because illegal aliens will be legalized first - 7/30/2009

... illegally - we want to create comprehensive immigration reform so they can get on a path to citizenship. Until they do, we can’t reward them with some of the benefits which quite frankly cost us a lot of money. There will be a lot of resistance when people who are citizens and legal residents aren’t getting these services and we’re giving them to undocumented workers." He's admitt...

Jeb Bush, Mack McLarty, CFR to push immigration "reform" (amnesty) - 7/06/2009

... presenting a report in support of comprehensive immigration reform, aka amnesty. The report is sponsored by the Council on Foreign Relations: The report urges Congress and the Obama administration to undertake a new effort with three central components: "the creation of a more efficient legal immigration system that responds to labor market needs and enhances U.S. competitiveness; a strong e...

Obama admin sends audit letters to possible illegal alien employers; Bush-style prelude to "reform" - 7/02/2009

... in an attempt to push through comprehensive immigration reform? Welcome to the Obama administration's version (link, from Jeanne Meserve of CNN): In a signal that the Obama administration is changing tactics in dealing with illegal immigration, hundreds of businesses were notified Wednesday that federal authorities will be taking a closer look at their employment records to determine if they...

Some police chiefs support "reform", oppose 287g; Damien Cave/NYT misleads about immigration law - 7/02/2009

... reiterated their support for comprehensive immigration reform and their opposition to the 287g program [1]. Their supposed solution would only solve the situation temporarily, if that. The "reform" they support would lead to more illegal immigration, and the problems they pretend they want to solve would simply recur sooner or later. If they're sincere - and not just playing politi...

Don't be fooled by Chuck Schumer's tough talk on illegal immigration ("illegal") - 6/27/2009

Dena Bunis of the OC Register offers "Democrat talks tough on illegal immigration/Key senator in upcoming debate could help sway GOP votes" (link). The "key senator" is Charles Schumer, and part of his "tough talk" was discussed here. Bunis has some more quotes and she does at least consider whether what he's just playing or not. Here's the extended Schumer ...

Schumer, Senate Democrats discuss their immigration plans, including a national ID card - 6/25/2009

... today to discuss their plans for comprehensive immigration reform (link). As previously discussed, Charles Schumer supports a national ID: "I'm sure the civil libertarians will object to some kind of biometric card -- although . . . there'll be all kinds of protections -- but we're going to have to do it. It's the only way," Schumer said. "The American people wi...

Chuck Schumer to discuss outlines of his immigration "reform" plan today - 6/24/2009

From this: Senator Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who also chairs the Senate Immigration Subcommittee, will unveil an outline for an immigration reform bill on Wednesday that will likely detail a plan to offer amnesty to the nation's more than 11 million illegal aliens. ...Sen. Schumer plans to announce on Wednesday the principles that will guide the immigration reform bill that he plans to introduc...

Helen Krieble's absurd Red Card "Temporary" Workers "Solution" - 6/23/2009

Helen Krieble - president of the Vernon K. Krieble Foundation, an heir to the Loctite fortune, and an associate of Dick Armey - has been pushing her own guest workers plan for a few years. Now, apparently she wants to give it yet another try and has come out with the "Red Card" scheme, which is similar to the plan offered a few years ago by Mike Pence. In a word, her plan is absurd: it&#...

American Jewish Committee gets half a million from Ford Foundation for immigration "reform" tour - 6/21/2009

... the Ford Foundation to promote comprehensive immigration reform: [The grant] will go toward an AJC yearlong initiative that will include a series of roundtable discussions with those involved in the immigration debate in order to seek common ground, the AJC announced in a news release. The AJC also will offer advocacy skills-building workshops to Latino leaders and organizations in Arizona, Chica...

Obama at Hispanic Prayer Breakfast: same old immigration speech (+sounds like McCain) - 6/19/2009

... reiterated his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform as he's done several times before, and he uttered the same old canards about that amnesty scheme. Despite the fact that he keeps saying the same thing over and over, expect the MSM to pretend he said something new. Also, in one part of his speech he sounded like John McCain. More on that and the talking points he's using belo...

Chuck Schumer wants national ID card as part of immigration "reform"; liberals, libertarians who support illegal activity to blame - 6/18/2009

From this: A "forgery-proof" worker ID card, secured with biometric data such as fingerprints, is an idea favored by Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y), the new chairman of the immigration subcommittee. Schumer, who will lead the effort to craft the Senate's comprehensive immigration overhaul legislation, called the card the best way to ensure that all workers were authorized. "Th...

Harry Reid says there are enough Senate votes for immigration "reform"; offers deportation false choice - 6/15/2009

... [1]: He added that although (comprehensive immigration reform) does not have the backing of all Democrats, the bill will overcome the obstacles that stymied the failed 2007 reform. The majority leader said he has "no doubt" he could find as many as a dozen Republicans who support the measure to make up for defections in Democratic ranks. "We can't deport 11 million undocumente...

John McCain not invited to Obama immigration "reform" confab on June 17; Obama not serious about "reform"? - 6/04/2009

... scheduled a meeting with Congress on comprehensive immigration reform for Monday. That's now been moved to the 17th. And: The White House has kept the guest list private, but invitees include, Sen. Chuck Schumer, who may introduce an immigration reform bill by the end of this year, as well as Reps. Xavier Becerra, the vice chairman of the Democratic Caucus, and John Conyers, the House Judici...

Harry Reid says want immigration "reform" this year; NCLR, MALDEF; business-friendly guest worker plan; promotes unrealistic chain migration - 6/04/2009

... La Raza, presumably to discuss comprehensive immigration reform. Before or after, speaking to reporters, he said this: "As far as I’m concerned, we have three major issues we have to do this year, if at all possible: No. 1 is healthcare; No 2 is energy, global warming; No. 3 is immigration reform... It’s going to happen this session, but I want it this year, if at all possible... ...We n...

"Reform Immigration For America": business, labor, CAP, NCLR, CHIRLA begin new push; summit, townhall meeting; John Quigley - 6/01/2009

... launched in order to push for comprehensive immigration reform, aka amnesty. They're a coalition of business, labor, and far-left/racial power groups; see their slick site here: reformimmigrationforamerica.org. A surprising variety of amnesty hacks this side of raving extremist (or thereabouts) is involved with their organization; see [1] and [2]. On this video, new U.S. Congressman John Qui...

Chuck Schumer: the border is secure enough to pass immigration "reform" - 5/20/2009

... enforcement: as simply a way to get comprehensive immigration reform.

U.S. Chamber of Commerce: $10 million for lobbying in 1Q 2009, including twelve lobbyists on immigration - 5/15/2009

... to just general lobbying for comprehensive immigration reform, they also list the following bills from the 110th Congress that haven't yet been re-introduced in the 111th as well as various rules. Looking into their positions on the more obscure ones is left as an exercise:

Angela Kelley/CAP, Gary Langer/ABC News admit: immigration "reform" is amnesty - 5/12/2009

... like to play is to pretend that comprehensive immigration reform isn't amnesty; they use a variety of misleading euphemisms, such as "earned legalization" and so on. But, sometimes the mask slips, as it did with Angela Kelley of the Center for American Progress. Referring to the recent Washington Post/ABC News poll, she says (americanprogress.org/issues/2009/05/immigration_friends....

Washington Post /ABC News poll shows 61% favor illegal alien legalization; didn't ask about citizenship - 5/12/2009

... can be spun as supportive of comprehensive immigration reform when it doesn't include a main component of most CIR plans: a "path to citizenship" where former illegal aliens would eventually become citizens. The poll question is mostly useless and could also be read as supportive of a massive guest workers plan. And, as with other questions along these lines it fails to inform resp...

Tamar Jacoby pins immigration "reform" hopes on Obama-induced "reformist mood", bad policy, racialization - 5/07/2009

America's favorite immigration "expert", Tamar Jacoby, takes to the pages of the Los Angeles Times with "The immigration debate, again" (link). It contains the usual smears ("there's a danger that populist resentments will curdle into xenophobia", Lou Dobbs and Tom Tancredo are "anti-immigrant" with "inflamed, angry followers") together w...

Obama immigration budget: does a McCain: border security, then amnesty; fulfills promise to Mexican government; worried about *southbound* flows - 5/06/2009

... and said he didn't support comprehensive immigration reform anymore? Well, now Barack Obama wants to secure the border first and then use that to push for amnesty. Somehow it's different this time. From "Obama budget puts security first at the border/He'll ask Congress to help curb the flow of arms to Mexico before seeking any immigration reform" (by Anna Gorman and Peter...

Simon Rosenberg /NDN: seven good reasons *not* to pass immigration "reform" - 5/01/2009

... Reasons Why Congress Should Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform this Year" (huffingtonpost.com/simon-rosenberg/making-the-case-why-congr_b_193621.html). As one might expect from the source, all seven are actually reasons *not* to pass "reform". His first reason is that we need "reform" in order to remove the "trap door" that allows employers to pay illegal ali...

Shepard Fairey creates posters for immigration "reform", to halt raids - 5/01/2009

... set of posters in support of comprehensive immigration reform. While one source doesn't like at least the attached poster because it's not revolutionary enough and because Fairey is white [1], I rush to remind my far-far-left readers that it's OK: Fairey has teamed with not just one but two (2) Hispanics on the effort. In fact, one of them is Zach de la Rocha of Rage Against the Ma...

"National Council for a New America": new GOP, same old amnesty? (Jeb, McCain, Romney) - 4/29/2009

... includes several supporters of comprehensive immigration reform. It's not going out too far on a limb to assume that they'll support amnesty, even if they call it "reform" or pretend that they want to secure the border first. Their "National Panel Of Experts" will include John McCain, Jeb Bush, and Mitt Romney. The first two are obviously strong amnesty supporters; t...

4/30/09: Chuck Schumer holding immigration "reform" hearing (Alan Greenspan, Joel Hunter, Doris Meissner) - 4/28/2009

... holding a hearing called "Comprehensive Immigration Reform in 2009, Can We Do It and How?" (judiciary.senate.gov/hearings/hearing.cfm?id=3793) It would be a tough debate about the issue if not for the fact that all five witnesses are on the same basic side: * Alan Greenspan * J. Thomas Manger, Chief of Police, Montgomery County, Maryland. Previous testimony from him opposing the 287g pr...

Independent, in-depth coverage of immigration, politics, and media bias since 2002. Also: multiculturalism, Los Angeles, California, privacy, and occasionally celebrities and wacky humor...


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