Immigration Group Offers Roadmap for Reform in the New Admn
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
By Jim Kouri
NWV News Director
NewsWithViews.Com's
news director attended a special Washington, DC news conference held
by advocates for tighter border security and enforcement of immigration
laws.
The
Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the nation's leading
public interest immigration policy organization held the news briefing
on Tuesday, December 9 at 10 AM to discuss the implications of the recent
elections and an agenda for true immigration reform in the 111th Congress.
FAIR presented evidence refuting the unsubstantiated claims of special
interests that the 2008 elections provided a mandate for amnesty for
illegal aliens and still higher levels of immigration to the US.
During
the press conference Dan Stein, president of FAIR, presented polling
data to NewsWithViews.com that shows strong support for continued immigration
enforcement in the workplace and along America's borders, and continued
public opposition to amnesty for illegal aliens and guest worker programs.
Stein
also introduced FAIR's legislative agenda for the 111th Congress, and
discuss the prospects for passage of meaningful immigration reform legislation.
The
news briefing included:
--
Polling data about the public's views (72% want tougher legislation)
on immigration policy conducted during or immediately after the election
among all voters.
-- The implications of the current economic crisis
and rising
unemployment for immigration policy.
-- An analysis of efforts by special interests to use
the election
results to promote their own agenda.
-- Cost burdens to state and local governments associated
with illegal immigration and a potential illegal alien amnesty.
Stein,
along with FAIR executive director Julie Kirchner answered questions
from reporters participating in the press conference.
NewsWithViews.Com
questioned the appointment of a new Secretary of Homeland Security and
the changes that can be expected in border control and immigration enforcement.
Stein
replied, "As President-elect Obama’s nominee to head-up the
Department of Homeland Security, Gov. Janet Napolitano will assume the
role of the nation’s chief immigration enforcement officer. If
she is confirmed by the Senate, her purview will include the enforcement
of our borders and ports of entry, enforcement of immigration laws in
the interior of the country and in the workplace, and vetting all individuals
applying for immigration benefits."
"However,
Gov. Napolitano’s record on immigration as governor of Arizona
has been inconsistent and there is little reason to believe that she
will be committed to immigration enforcement," Stein quickly added.
Gov.
Napolitano's record shows that she is a vocal opponent of building of
a border fence, something that troubles millions of Americans when that
fact is revealed to them.
"As
governor she worked to defeat Proposition 200, a 2004 Arizona ballot
initiative designed to deny most non-essential benefits and services
to illegal aliens. When the measure was overwhelmingly approved by voters
in Arizona, she sought overrule the electorate by limiting its scope
to five minor state benefit programs. She later vetoed legislation that
would have ended in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens attending
public colleges and universities in her state," Stein said.
In
2007, Gov. Napolitano signed into law a bill that denies business licenses
to companies that knowingly hire illegal aliens, calling it the “business
death penalty.” That law among the toughest of any state laws
designed to discourage businesses from hiring illegal aliens has withstood
legal challenges from the illegal alien advocacy network and provides
a model for other states to follow.
Gov.
Napolitano has called for “tamper-proof immigration documents,”
and an electronic system to verify a worker’s eligibility to hold
a job in this country using information in the Social Security Administration’s
database. “We have the technology; now we need to put it to work,”
she has said.
One of the first tests of her sincerity will be the role she and the
Obama administration play when Congress takes up the issue of reauthorizing
the E-Verify system which is set to expire in March 2009.
"Disturbingly,
Gov. Napolitano opposed implementation of the federal REAL ID Act. That
2005 law requires all states to make driver’s licenses and state-issued
ID documents more secure and prevent individuals who are not legally
present in the U.S. from obtaining these valuable documents," said
FAIR's Julie Kirchner.
"In
June 2008, she signed a law barring Arizona from complying with REAL
ID. In contrast to her apparent indifference to the costs of providing
state services and benefits to illegal aliens, Napolitano testified
before a Senate committee that implementation of the law would cost
states $11 billion," she added.
Gov.
Napolitano has been a strong proponent of new and expanded guest worker
programs. These programs have been promoted heavily by business lobbyists
in an effort to suppress wages. With the economy in sharp decline and
unemployment on the rise whether her views on guest worker programs
change will be of crucial interest to struggling American workers.
"The
Arizona governor also supports amnesty for illegal aliens. Although
she will not call it amnesty, she is on record supporting legislation
that would legalize virtually every illegal alien living in the United
States," warns Kirchner.
As
governor of Arizona, Napolitano frequently complained about the federal
government’s failure to exercise its responsibilities to control
our borders and enforce our immigration laws. These failures, she claimed,
imposed unfair burdens on state and local governments that were forced
to deal with the consequences of illegal immigration.
"As
Secretary of Homeland Security, Gov. Napolitano will have the opportunity
to correct the federal failures that she justifiably complained about
as a state official," said political strategist Michael Baker.
"I
fear the government's immigration scam will only get worse under Obama
and Napolitano," said Baker.
Jim Kouri, CPP is currently fifth vice-president of the National Association of Chiefs of Police and he's a staff writer for the New Media Alliance (thenma.org). He's former chief at a New York City housing project in Washington Heights nicknamed "Crack City" by reporters covering the drug war in the 1980s. In addition, he served as director of public safety at a New Jersey university and director of security for several major organizations. He's also served on the National Drug Task Force and trained police and security officers throughout the country. Kouri writes for many police and security magazines including Chief of Police, Police Times, The Narc Officer and others. He's a news writer for TheConservativeVoice.Com and PHXnews.com. He's also a columnist for AmericanDaily.Com, MensNewsDaily.Com, MichNews.Com, and he's syndicated by AXcessNews.Com. He's appeared as on-air commentator for over 100 TV and radio news and talk shows including Oprah, McLaughlin Report, CNN Headline News, MTV, Fox News, etc. His book Assume The Position is available at Amazon.Com. Kouri's own website is located at jimkouri.us
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