Opinion

The House approach to immigration reform

Friday, July 12, 2013

The United States Senate recently passed a comprehensive immigration reform bill. However, the House will not 'rubber stamp' the Senate bill. Our founders intentionally designed the House and Senate differently, and intended each chamber to act its will. We have the right and responsibility to consider all issues, including immigration, using a different approach.

The Senate version of the bill is unlikely to get very far in the House because of concerns about border security along with other potential problems. This does not mean the House will not act. We intend to take a piece-by-piece approach to immigration reform based on freedom, opportunity, and the rule of law.

There is no question our immigration system is broken. Under our current structure, legally immigrating to the U.S. is a burdensome, complex, expensive, and bureaucratic process. We are a nation of immigrants, we should welcome those who want to contribute to our economy and society and obey our laws. The current policies force many to hire a lawyer, pay thousands of dollars, and wait years for the chance to provide a better life for their families.

By improving our immigration system, more workers will have the opportunity to legally pursue the American dream. Immigrants would pay taxes and become more integrated in our communities rather than live in the shadows. We also would better know who is in our country, which will help improve our national security.

This solution also would allow us to better focus our resources on stopping drug traffickers, human smugglers, terrorists, and other criminals from illegally entering the country. Despite repeatedly increasing funding for border security, the Border Patrol is still unable to adequately do its job because it is overwhelmed apprehending migrants who are seeking work and opportunity in our country.

I oppose amnesty. We need a solution to illegal immigration which is consistent with our principles as Americans. The rule of law must be respected and we must not diminish the patriotic tradition of those who legally immigrate.

Immigration reform stirs strong feelings on all sides of this complicated issue. There are no easy answers, but failure to act continues the current system which everyone agrees is unsustainable. I am hopeful we can get to the best policy by allowing the legislative process to work.

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  • Amnesty should not even be on the table. Illegal is illegal. Wonder Boy Actor Reagan, gave amnesty to 3 million illegals, now we have 11 million demanding amnesty. I mean demanding!!!

    Your comment that the Border Patrol is still unable to adequately do its job, how would you know sitting back in Washington? Have you worked the border? Do you know anyone that has? Do you even know what has gone on down there and keeps

    going on. Those men and women put their lives on

    the line every day and night to protect that border and then what do they get. Politicians like you that think you have the solutions. You

    got a bunch of 5 year wonders sitting back there in Washington that never been in the field.

    I for one am tired of hearing about a better life

    here. The poor children that were brought here by

    their parents are not at fault. Stop pampering these people. The more you give them, the more

    they will want. Look where it got this country

    when Reagan gave into the demands. We got 11 million more making demands.

    The only broken system we have in this country is Washington. Since the GOP/TEA Party lost the election and decided to obstruct every move till they get back in full control. They didn't do such a whippy job when they were in control.

    Immigration reform isn't needed. New laws are

    not needed, they need to be enforced. That won't

    happen as long as Washington is broken.

    -- Posted by S&P1958 on Sat, Jul 13, 2013, at 2:43 PM
  • *

    Dear Rep Smith,

    I took time to RESEARCH and READ through the more obscene provisions in bill. Judging from your "milk toast" commentary, you have no clue to the extent of treachery hidden deep within this 1200 page crap sandwich. The traitors in the Senate are hellbent on shoving tyranny down our throats; but you had best make certain none of these provisions become law - else "border security" will be the least of your problems ...

    The Senate immigration bill brings yet another 1200 page outrage, packed with a brazenly destructive agenda: We need to bring the "undocumented" from the shadows, and all will be well -- so says the Gang of Eight, and their fellow beltway brothel travelers, who seem keen to gang rape America.

    The prize for the Democrats is a perpetual dependency class and the end of the two-party system; but why must Republicans ally themselves to this entrenched cabal of Alinski operatives? Democrats effectively run their socialist agenda through Congress because Republicans gave up the fight. The GOP leadership apparently does not give a wit whether America remains a sovereign and economically viable nation; because, anxious in pandering to an imagined voting bloc, they shirked their duty to stop dangerous legislation that is guaranteed to undermine both.

    Lethal prescriptions are hidden within the Senate's latest treachery -- and, dear reader, do not imagine that these poison pills will fail to find their way into the House version of the bill ...

    Sections 3401, 3502 and 3504 remove controls on asylum, and jeopardize national security:

    Section 3401 waves the 1 year deadline to declare; Section 3502 gives the Attorney General discretion to pay legal bills of asylum seekers who have appealed a decision; Section 3504 creates a new layer of appeals for those denied asylum. The Boston bombers are the perfect illustration of why this is stupid policy.

    Section 2106 outsources and politicizes the amnesty process:

    2106 removes federal oversight of the amnesty process, placing "guidance" and decision responsibilities into the hands of ten national community organizations and activists groups, such as La Raza -- and the government must permanently fund these groups. This will end transparency, accountability and non-partisanship standards. The goal is not to "guide" illegal immigrants through the amnesty process, but rather to create Democrat voters. Implementing 2106 will corrupt our electoral process by exploiting the procedure of obtaining citizenship.

    It creates an independent 501c3 -- the U.S. Citizenship Foundation, which will be run by those same ten favored community organizations, but work in coordination with the government. This 501c3 will operate without government oversight or rules to prevent partisanship, but enjoy permanent federal funding. 2106 creates a Fifth Branch of government, employing methods identical to those used by Lenin to control Soviet Russia.

    These same groups are "navigators" for the execution of Obamacare in all 50 states, and receive federal money for their role in the healthcare exchanges; so they will now obtain additional funds -- and this too is permanent.

    These groups will exist in every community. They will have power over all decisions regarding amnesty ... a permanent power to meet out benefits, to enroll and indoctrinate aliens, and control communities -- all without government rules to limit their actions.

    Section 245C-b 'Provisional Status to Obtain Green Card in 10 Years':

    This section states the immigrant "must be employed" -- unless: they are: in high school; earning a GED; in college; caring for a child or elderly person; or unemployed but "believe it not your own fault "... So you must be employed -- unless you are unemployed.

    Over the next decade this provision will DOUBLE the number of LEGAL immigrants entering the U.S. with a Green Card. Present legal immigration is 484,000 annually; but this will double because of a 19-year backlog. A "back of the line provision" requires that aliens here illegally be incorporated in the work visa system within 10 years; thus the rate for those on the legal waiting list must double. How will that increase affect classroom size in our public schools? How about healthcare use?

    Editors of this newspaper recently opined we not exaggerate the impact of immigrant healthcare; but did they read 245C-b? It provides FULLY SUBSIDIZED healthcare for immigrants below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. The subsidy is $9000 per person; and, over the next decade, it will add $100B to the cost of Obamacare. That cost does not include housing -- or food stamps, which constitute 80 percent of the $980B "farm" bill cost.

    Sections 1111, 1112 and 1113 place the U.S. Border Patrol under the supervision of the Justice Department's Civil Rights division. The provision prevents INS agents from sending home those who illegally cross our border if doing so "will cause them undue hardship" -- and thus border security will never be enforced.

    This Bill is exempted from the 'Pay As You Go' statute, by declaring most provisions an "emergency." Nothing in this beltway brothel trash is an emergency, except to the political ****** who have prostituted themselves for votes.

    The real emergency -- securing our open border -- is an undertaking that neither party has the backbone to see through. Yet, ironically, on this one aspect Republicans are myopic; and for this single tree they cannot see the forest of rotting timber towering over them -- all of which is about to fall on our heads.

    Politicos often act as if stupidity were a virtue -- but clueless Republicans seem eager to make a science of it.

    Bruce C. A. Desautels

    15 July 2013

    Stratton, Nebraska

    -- Posted by Bruce Desautels on Thu, Jul 18, 2013, at 12:31 AM
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