comprehensive immigration reform
Comprehensive Immigration Reform: Page 5
Summary (posts follow):
See the summary for this topic on the main Comprehensive Immigration Reform page.
Discussed in (click each link for the full post):
CATO promotes financial gain from illegal alien amnesty, ignores massive non-financial costs (Peter Dixon, Maureen Rimmer) - 08/14/09
Peter Dixon and Maureen Rimmer of the CATO Institute have a study promoting the 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 of low-skilled immigrant workers by 28.6 percent compared to projected levels would reduce U.S. household welfare by about 0.5 percent, or $80 billion...
Obama puts off immigration "reform" until 2010 at SPP summit - 08/10/09
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 won't like (link):
President Obama said Monday that efforts to change the immigration system would be a major focus for his administration only next year, after other major priorities were accomplished,...
Lindsey Graham working with Chuck Schumer on amnesty; rounding up other Republicans - 08/09/09
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 increasingly divided GOP.
Democrats and Republicans say Mr. Graham of South Carolina is working behind the scenes with Sen. Charles Schumer (D., N.Y.) to gain support from other GOP members. Mr. Schumer is...
Obama reiterates magical, dishonest plan: illegal aliens won't get healthcare because illegal aliens will be legalized first - 07/30/09
As previously discussed, Barack Obama has a magical, deceptive plan to avoid giving healthcare to illegal aliens: give them legal status first. Someone could cross the border illegally one day, obtain easily faked documentation showing they'd been living in the U.S. for years the next, and then get on the path to citizenship - and eligible to receive Obama's largess - the day after that. Most forms of buying votes are more subtle; give Obama credit for boldness.
And, he's made his magical plan even more explicit in an interview with Maria Elena Salinas earlier today (video here, transcription...
Jeb Bush, Mack McLarty, CFR to push immigration "reform" (amnesty) - 07/06/09
According to this, Jeb Bush and Mack McLarty (former chief of staff of Bill Clinton) will this week be presenting a report in support of
Obama admin sends audit letters to possible illegal alien employers; Bush-style prelude to "reform" - 07/02/09
Remember how George W Bush "got tough" on illegal immigration 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 are hiring illegal aliens.
Kelly Nantel, a spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement, said businesses in every state and industry are...
Some police chiefs support "reform", oppose 287g; Damien Cave/NYT misleads about immigration law - 07/02/09
Damien Cave of the New York Times offers "Big-City Police Chiefs Urge Overhaul of Immigration Policy" (link).
Don't be fooled by Chuck Schumer's tough talk on illegal immigration ("illegal") - 06/27/09
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 quote from :
"When we use phrases like 'undocumented workers,' we convey a message to the American people that their government is not serious about combating illegal immigration, which the American people overwhelmingly oppose... ......
Schumer, Senate Democrats discuss their immigration plans, including a national ID card - 06/24/09
Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post discusses a press conference Senate Democrats held earlier 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 will never accept immigration reform unless they truly believe their government is committed to ending future illegal immigration."
It's quite...
Chuck Schumer to discuss outlines of his immigration "reform" plan today - 06/24/09
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 introduce to the Senate later this year. His announcement comes one day before Pres. Barack Obama will host Congressional leaders at the White House to discuss immigration reform.
UPDATE: See Schumer, Senate...
Helen Krieble's absurd Red Card "Temporary" Workers "Solution" - 06/23/09
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.
American Jewish Committee gets half a million from Ford Foundation for immigration "reform" tour - 06/21/09
Back in 2007, the American Jewish Committee teamed up with the Mexican government on a three-day immigration workshop. Whether they've gotten any money out of that government isn't known, but according to this they're going to be getting a $500,000 grant from 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...
Obama at Hispanic Prayer Breakfast: same old immigration speech (+sounds like McCain) - 06/19/09
Earlier today, Barack Obama spoke at the Esperanza National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast [1]. Others in attendance included Cecilia Munoz, Ed Rendell, and Janet Napolitano; the event was organized by Rev.
Chuck Schumer wants national ID card as part of immigration "reform"; liberals, libertarians who support illegal activity to blame - 06/18/09
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.
"The ID will make it easy for employers to avoid undocumented workers, which will allow for tough sanctions against employers who break the law, which will lead to no jobs being available for illegal immigrants, which will...
Harry Reid says there are enough Senate votes for immigration "reform"; offers deportation false choice - 06/15/09
Maria Pena of EFE - the Spanish news agency behind a 2006 smear - offers "Senate Leader Says Immigration Reform Possible This Year" [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 undocumented people, we can't do it physically and financially, as some would want," Reid said. "...
John McCain not invited to Obama immigration "reform" confab on June 17; Obama not serious about "reform"? - 06/04/09
Barack Obama had previously 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 Judiciary Committee chairman. Not invited: Sen. John McCain, who introduced an immigration bill with Sen. Edward Kennedy and played a central role in the debate in recent years...
[...
Harry Reid says want immigration "reform" this year; NCLR, MALDEF; business-friendly guest worker plan; promotes unrealistic chain migration - 06/04/09
Earlier today, Harry Reid met with MALDEF and the National Council of 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 need (a guest workers plan not just in agriculture but) in the food industry; we need it in the tourism [business]
Aside from a massive...
"Reform Immigration For America": business, labor, CAP, NCLR, CHIRLA begin new push; summit, townhall meeting; John Quigley - 06/01/09
A new group called "Reform Immigration For America" recently 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.
Michael Dukakis mindlessly spouts massive immigration talking points (Michael Bendetson) - 05/24/09
Remember Michael Dukakis? You know, former Massachusetts governor? The tank photo you see to the right? Ran for president in 1988? In case no one still remembers, raid a game of Trivial Pursuit, he's probably in there somewhere.
Chuck Schumer: the border is secure enough to pass immigration "reform" - 05/20/09
Per this:
according to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), the borders are now safe enough to take a step forward. "We can pass strong, fair, practical and effective immigration reform this year," he said following a hearing on border security Wednesday.
Obviously, the borders aren't secure enough, but it's good that he was kind enough to show how some view border security and immigration 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 - 05/15/09
The US Chamber of Commerce spent almost $10 million on lobbying in the first quarter of 2009 for all issues combined. The Associated Press enumerates the issues here:
The government's $700 billion financial rescue package and Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP, were among the high-profile issues the Chamber lobbied on during the first quarter... The group also lobbied on: union organizing, wage discrimination, the children's health insurance program, transportation and port infrastructure, travel restrictions to Cuba, pension security, medical liability reform, greenhouse gas standards,...
Angela Kelley/CAP, Gary Langer/ABC News admit: immigration "reform" is amnesty - 05/12/09
One of the games that illegal immigration supporters 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.html):
In fact, in the poll a majority of Democrats, Republicans, Independents, moderates, and conservatives supported an Amnesty Program. "Seven in 10 liberals...
Washington Post /ABC News poll shows 61% favor illegal alien legalization; didn't ask about citizenship - 05/12/09
Last month, the Washington Post and ABC News conducted a telephone poll that included this question (link):
Would you support or oppose a program giving ILLEGAL immigrants now living in the United States the right to live here LEGALLY if they pay a fine and meet other requirements?
61% supported that vs. 35% against, up from 49/46, 51/44, and 52/44 in the second half of 2007. The uptick in support is slightly worrisome, as is the fact that this poll 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...
Tamar Jacoby pins immigration "reform" hopes on Obama-induced "reformist mood", bad policy, racialization - 05/07/09
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 with things like this:
Neither the economic downturn nor enhanced enforcement has driven 12 million illegal immigrants to leave the country. Enforcement is still far from effective, either on the border or in the workplace.
That "enhanced enforcement" has been...
Obama immigration budget: does a McCain: border security, then amnesty; fulfills promise to Mexican government; worried about *southbound* flows - 05/06/09
Remember how when John McCain used the cheap, misleading tactic of talking about how he wanted to "secure the border first" and then use that to push for amnesty, and Obama supporters lied 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 Nicholas of the Los Angeles Times;...
Simon Rosenberg /NDN: seven good reasons *not* to pass immigration "reform" - 05/01/09
Simon Rosenberg of the New Democratic Network offers "Making the Case: 7 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 aliens below the minimum wage:
it needs to be understood that these undocumenteds are already here and working. If you are undocumented, you are not eligible for...
Shepard Fairey creates posters for immigration "reform", to halt raids - 04/30/09
Shepard Fairey - creator of the iconic Obama posters - has thrown his full intellectual heft behind a new set of posters in support of comprehensive immigration reform.
"National Council for a New America": new GOP, same old amnesty? (Jeb, McCain, Romney) - 04/29/09
On Thursday, a group of putatively moderate Republicans will announce a new effort called "National Council for a New America". While they claim that they're non-partisan, it's clearly a GOP effort. And, the list of those involved that CNN has obtained (link) includes several supporters of comprehensive immigration reform.
4/30/09: Chuck Schumer holding immigration "reform" hearing (Alan Greenspan, Joel Hunter, Doris Meissner) - 04/28/09
On April 30, Chuck Schumer and the Senate Judiciary Committee/Subcommittee on Immigration, Border Security and Citizenship will be 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
Tim Gaynor /Reuters tries, fails to find economic benefits of amnesty; MPI: little effect - 04/27/09
Tim Gaynor of Reuters offers "Could legalizing immigrants improve U.S. economy?" (link) Just because the only booster he could find to say that granting amnesty to illegal aliens would have a major financial benefit was Scott Smith, mayor of Mesa, Arizona doesn't mean that there aren't others out there; we know there are. However, whenever even Marc Rosenblum of the Migration Policy Institute says the following perhaps massive immigration activists might want to give up:
"A lot of this conversation about economics has to do with the political optics... Immigrants are still a small proportion...
McCain won't support union-driven immigration "reform" push; other uncertainties - 04/19/09
Change to Win and the AFL CIO recently joined forces to promote comprehensive immigration reform. Now. per this, John McCain says:
"The current plan being developed by the administration and organized labor calls for immigration reform that does not adequately address either securing the border or a legal temporary worker program and is a plan I cannot support... We need to act on the pressing issue of border security now, and then seek comprehensive immigration legislation that includes a temporary worker program... Any legislation that does not address these two key components is not real...
Change to Win, AFL-CIO join to push immigration "reform"; ditching big business; labor commission - 04/14/09
Julia Preston and Steven Greenhouse of the New York Times offer 'Immigration Accord by Labor Boosts Obama Effort" (link).
Immigration Policy Center absurd study claims immigration "reform" would help economy - 04/14/09
The Immigration Policy Center (IPC) - part of the American Immigration Lawyers Association-linked American Immigration Law Foundation - has released a new, canard-rich study called "What Immigration Reform Could Mean for the U.S. Economy" (immigrationpolicy.org/index.php?content=fc011309):
John McCain using support for Obama's amnesty to raise re-election funds (John Cornyn, Jason LeVecke) - 04/13/09
In response to last week's NYT story saying that Obama was going to push amnesty, John McCain's Senate re-election finance committee co-chair Jason LeVecke sent out an email to supporters in Houston asking for money so that McCain could help Obama push amnesty (link):
April, 2009: Mitt Romney now wants immigration "reform" - 04/05/09
Last year, it was difficult to tell where Mitt Romney stood on immigration matters because he crafted his various statements in an ambiguous fashion and - of course - neither MSM journalists nor citizen journalists tried to find out exactly what he supported. Now, he's let us know where he stands (for now at least). From this:
Romney believes that one way to attract more minorities to the GOP is to pass immigration reform before the next election, saying the issue becomes demagogued by both parties on the campaign trail.
"We have a natural affinity with Hispanic-American voters, Asian-...
George Gascon DC trip paid for by "a group of nonprofit organizations that are seeking immigration reform" - 04/04/09
On Thursday, two congressional subcommittees held a hearing on the 287g program which included the following exchange (link, via this) between Mesa, Arizona police chief George Gascon (an opponent of the program) and Rep. Ted Poe (a supporter):
"Who paid your way to get here today?" Poe asked. Gascon replied by repeating the question.
"You heard me," Poe said. "Who paid your way?""A group of nonprofit organizations that are seeking immigration reform," Gascon answered.
"Would you agree with the statement that we dance with the one who brung us?" Poe said, suggesting that Gascon was...
NALEO, LULAC, SEIU, Univision: ending raids for census not enough, immigration "reform" needed - 04/01/09
Following up on her report of yesterday, Hope Yen of the Associated Press informs us that a group of illegal immigration-supporting Hispanic groups - including one with a direct albeit minor link to the Mexican government (NALEO) and one whose treasurer is an extremist (LULAC) - want their race-based power and they want it now (link):
Saying traditional census outreach will not be enough, Hispanic groups on Wednesday urged the Obama administration to follow through now on its pledge to pass immigration reform or risk an undercount of millions of people.
The National Association of Latino...
Soros-funded Democratic immigration push might ditch business interests - 03/28/09
According to Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times, unspecified immigration groups will be making a push for comprehensive immigration reform this fall that would see the Democrats try to get it on their own without bringing business interests into their big, crooked tent: link (See also last month's "Hilda Solis to prefer labor enforcement to immigration enforcement?")
Under their scheme, there'd be a massive amnesty, following by:
an independent commission that would assess labor and industry data to decide how many foreign workers should be allowed into the country. The system, designed...
Mexican consul: "We're not demanding amnesty but immigration reform." (travel boycott) - 03/21/09
A group of illegal immigration opponents including the California Coalition for Immigration Reform are passing out fliers encouraging tourists to visit the U.S. southwest instead of Mexico (link). More on the boycott below, but first:
[Orange County, CA] Mexican Consul Carlos Rodríguez y Quezada disputes the fliers' claims that Mexico urges amnesty, is violent and is a bad neighbor.
"We've always been good friends and good neighbors," he said. "We're not demanding amnesty but immigration reform."
1. Mexico isn't in the position to start "demanding" things, especially something that the vast...
Mel Martinez to be "irritant" to get immigration "reform"; Gebe Martinez has no concern for U.S. workers - 03/18/09
Gebe Martinez of the Politico informs us (link) that Sen. Mel Martinez (no relation) is initiating an unfocused push to get comprehensive immigration reform: