Standards for Immigration Reform

PREAMBLE

Our nation’s immigration system is broken and our laws are not being enforced. Washington’s failure to fix them is hurting our economy and jeopardizing our national security. The overriding purpose of our immigration system is to promote and further America’s national interests and that is not the case today.  The serious problems in our immigration system must be solved, and we are committed to working in a bipartisan manner to solve them. But they cannot be solved with a single, massive piece of legislation that few have read and even fewer understand, and therefore, we will not go to conference with the Senate's immigration bill.  The problems in our immigration system must be solved through a step-by- step, common-sense approach that starts with securing our country’s borders, enforcing our laws, and implementing robust enforcement measures. These are the principles guiding us in that effort:

[Simple question: why are those who are violating their oaths of office not impeached for perjury (violating one’s oath) and/or criminally prosecuted as an aider and abettor of criminal statutes? Why isn’t President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder being impeached for violating existing law by refusing to enforce existing laws and/or making up rules that sanction violating existing laws?]

Border Security and Interior Enforcement Must Come First

It is the fundamental duty of any government to secure its borders, and the United States is failing in this mission. We must secure our borders now and verify that they are secure. In addition, we must ensure now that when immigration reform is enacted, there will be a zero tolerance policy for those who cross the border illegally or overstay their visas in the future. Faced with a consistent pattern of administrations of both parties only selectively enforcing our nation's immigration laws, we must enact reform that ensures that a President cannot unilaterally stop immigration enforcement.

[Bullshit times ten. How many times have we heard politicians say exactly the same thing and then look the other way when they have clearly failed their oath of office?]

Implement Entry-Exit Visa Tracking System

A fully functioning Entry-Exit System has been mandated by eight separate statutes over the last 17 years. At least three of these laws call for this system to be biometric, using technology to verify identity and prevent fraud. We must implement this system so we can identify and track down visitors who abuse our laws.

[Again, this is an example where politicians have violated their oath of office and failed to protect America and Americans based on their own self-interests.]

Employment Verification and Workplace Enforcement

In the 21st century, it is unacceptable that the majority of employees have their work eligibility verified though a paper - based system wrought with fraud. It is past time for this country to fully implement a workable electronic employment verification system.

[We have a workable e-verify system now, unfortunately the politicians claim that 98% reliability is not good enough because it disadvantages a number of people.] 

Reforms to the Legal Immigration System

For far too long, the United States has emphasized extended family members and pure luck over employment –based immigration. This is inconsistent with nearly every other developed nation.  Every year thousands of foreign nationals pursue degrees at America’s colleges and universities, particularly in high skilled fields. Many of them want to use their expertise in U.S industries that will spur economic growth and create jobs for Americans. When visas aren’t available, we end up exporting this labor and ingenuity to other countries. Visa and green card allocations need to reflect the needs of employers and the desire for these exceptional individuals to help to grow our economy.

[The United States politicians have a de facto policy that imports illiteracy, poverty, ill-health, and criminal activity because they refuse to uphold and enforce existing laws for political reasons. This is related to the special interest corruption of politicians and the politicians’ willingness to sell-out their nation for their political well-being.]

[The statement that when visas aren’t available … is nonsensical – as these people never come to this nation, so it is impossible that we export this labor and ingenuity to other countries. In fact, many multi-national companies maintain development teams in other countries such as Russia, Israel, Ireland, India, and other countries known for their technological talent. There is little or no need to provide these people with visas unless “working in the United States with a possibility of citizenship is being used to entice their employment.”]

The goal of any temporary worker program should be to address the economic needs of the country and to strengthen our national security by allowing for realistic, enforceable, usable, legal paths for entry into the United States.  Of particular concern are the needs of the agricultural industry, among others. It is imperative that these temporary workers are able to meet the economic needs of the country and do not displace or disadvantage American workers.

[There is no need to provide temporary workers with a path to amnesty, only to insure they leave when their visas expire.]

Youth

One of the great founding principles of our country was that children would not be punished for the mistakes of their parents. It is time to provide an opportunity for legal residence and citizenship for those who were brought to this country as children through no fault of their own, those who know no other place as home. For those who meet certain eligibility standards, and serve honorably in our military or attain a college degree, we will do just that.

[This is backdoor amnesty that is exploited on behalf of children not born in the United States and is another attractive magnet for the illegal violation of our nation’s sovereignty. Many activists are demanding that the parents also be allowed to remain in this country because they want to avoid “breaking up the illegal alien family.” And, by the way, when parents are deported, they can take their children with them.]

Individuals Living Outside the Rule of Law

Our national and economic security depend on requiring people who are living and working here illegally to come forward and get right with the law. There will be no special path to citizenship for individuals who broke our nation’s immigration laws - that would be unfair to those immigrants who have played by the rules and harmful to promoting the rule of law. Rather, these persons could live legally and without fear in the U.S., but only if they were willing to admit their culpability, pass rigorous background checks, pay significant fines and back taxes, develop proficiency in English and American civics, and be able to support themselves and their families (without access to public benefits). Criminal aliens, gang members and sex offenders and those who do not meet the above requirements will not be eligible for this program. Finally, none of this can happen before specific enforcement triggers have been implemented to fulfill our promise to the American people that from here on, our immigration laws will indeed be enforced.

[This is de facto amnesty, period!]

House GOP Immigration Principles Omit the Most Important Principle: Protecting the Interests of the American People

In response to today’s release by the Republican House leadership of their principles for immigration reform, the following statement was issued by Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):

“Instead of standing up for Americans, House Republicans have unfortunately offered nothing more than a vague set of principles in a seeming effort to satisfy special interests, while wholesale ignoring the American People."

“The Republican principles call for illegal aliens to be allowed to ‘live legally and without fear in the U.S.’ of having the law enforced against them. This is clearly and undeniably amnesty. There is one way for illegal aliens to ‘get right with the law,’ and that is to obey the law.

“In addition, the document calls for immediate and unconditional amnesty for younger illegal aliens. The DREAM Act has been repeatedly rejected by Congress and the American people. It is an inducement for millions more parents to send or bring their children to the United States illegally in the future.

“Like the Senate bill they disavow, the House GOP principles would grant immediate legal status to illegal aliens before any enforcement provisions are in place.

The Republican principles reiterate enforcement promises that have already been enacted and routinely ignored by both Democratic and Republican administrations. 

“The principles clearly bear the fingerprints of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other corporate interests that have been aggressively lobbying the House leadership for more cheap foreign labor, both permanent and temporary.

Moreover, while criticizing the current family chain migration policy, the Republican principles do not call for the elimination of immigration entitlements for extended family members.

Like President Obama, the House leadership’s principles would put a dagger through the heart of the struggling American middle class by flooding our already saturated labor market with millions of new workers who will compete against them for jobs and undercut wages.

Like President Obama, the House leadership’s plan for immigration reform would place unsustainable burdens on our already overburdened and underfunded social safety net.

In short, the principles offered by the House leadership not only ignore the core interests of the American people, they willingly sacrifice those interests to satisfy the demands of powerful special interest groups.