Is This Country for Sale?

By Stanford Matthews originally posted at: Blog @ MoreWhat.com This is not the time to rely on elected officials to protect this country or enforce the rule of law. Congress will again take up the issue of illegal immigration. Recent reports indicate failure of Congress to pass HR4437 in 2005 was the result of a plan to appear concerned about illegal immigration while knowing the House bill would never pass in the Senate. Again, the Senate is the focal point of deciding this nation's course on illegal immigration. This chapter on illegal immigration comes complete with typical back room deals as shown in the following article.

Senators are Working Quietly on An Immigration Reform Bill Likely to Feature a Guest Worker Program By Michael Coleman Albuquerque Journal Wednesday, May 9, 2007 WASHINGTON— A bipartisan group of a dozen senators— including Pete Domenici of New Mexico— is working behind closed doors to craft a new immigration reform proposal that could have an expanded guest worker program as its centerpiece.

Senator Kyl is among a small group of Senators who would have you believe he is in favor of strict immigration enforcement. If Kyl is 'working' with the White House and Edward Kennedy on immigration, what are the chances that again, the results from Congress will do nothing to stop the flow of illegal immigration? This may highlight the the reluctance of Congress to admit that sanctions against employers would deport illegals by attrition.

Sen. Kyl guiding immigration reforms DANIEL GONZALEZ AND MIKE MADDEN The Arizona Republic Sen. Jon Kyl is leading the Republican charge in Washington to broker a passable bipartisan immigration bill. It is a role that would have seemed almost unfathomable a year ago, when Arizona's other Republican senator, John McCain, was controlling the reins and Kyl was backing a rigid approach to reform. But, for the past few months, Kyl has been working closely with the White House and Sen. Edward Kennedy, the Democrats' main point man on immigration reform, to come up with a bill that will pass muster with immigration hard-liners and those who favor a temporary-worker program and a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. Kyl's emergence as the key Republican negotiator on immigration reform at a time when Democrats control Congress seems out of step with the enforcement-first approach he took last year. But his clout among conservatives is precisely why he is leading the charge.

Another example of a contradiction in support of immigration enforcement comes from Senator Jeff Sessions. Requiring illegals to return home before re-entering the US legally can be circumvented by a guest worker program as is part of the problem with illegal immigration now. If you do not enforce laws, having them is of little significance. Perhaps Mr Sessions is relying on the public's short memory. He may think if they pass something that sounds tough and is rendered useless over time, political success will be in hand. It is not like that hasn't worked before. Immigration laws passed in 1986 and later, as well as all immigration laws, have been ignored for years.

Sessions supports immigration plan Friday, May 11, 2007 By SEAN REILLY WASHINGTON -- With lawmakers again squaring off over changes to the nation's immigration laws, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions on Thursday tentatively backed a blueprint that calls for millions of illegal immigrants to return home while urging creation of a tightly structured temporary worker program.

To those who believe in open borders or allowing illegal immigrants to remain in this country, the following article will probably fall on deaf ears. For the reality impaired, a reminder that not all who cross the border are innocent and without effective control of immigration, reducing the number of threats crossing the border along with the honest immigrants is futile.

Senate Urged to Rethink Immigration Bill After NJ Arrests By Susan Jones CNSNews.com Senior Editor May 09, 2007 (CNSNews.com) - The arrest of six foreign-born Muslims accused of plotting to attack Fort Dix, N.J., should stop the Senate from producing an immigration bill that includes a "pathway to citizenship" or any other let-them-stay-here program, said a group that strongly opposes "amnesty" for illegal aliens.

Another reminder of the practical side for all in favor of uncontrolled immigration is displayed in the following link. Most of what immigration is about is not the altruistic motive of freedom and democracy. The United States and the lax enforcement of law or liberal policies on immigration provide financial opportunity for all involved. While life long citizens continue to take things in stride and for granted, newer arrivals are actively supporting agendas that will affect this country's future in alarming ways. As at risk as this country is from lack of national security, those alarming changes are already here.

Coveted Hispanic vote is state's sleeping giant Ray Hagar (RHAGAR@RGJ.COM) RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL May 9, 2007 Elvira Diaz, owner of the Sierra Bakery in Carson City, admires the spirit of the people who marched for immigration reform on May 1 for the past two years. Yet Diaz, who actively supports Democratic U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton for president, is clear in her message for other Hispanics: If the Hispanic community wants to be a force in Nevada politics, they can't just march, they also must vote. "Many of the Hispanics who are here have come from Mexico or other Latin American countries," Diaz said. "There, the (political) system doesn't work as good as it does here. It is really important to register to vote and participate in the system. They need to see that the system works, and that will motivate them."

The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Coalition Against Illegal Immigration, Blogs for Borders, Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC) are a few of the organizations formed to oppose the problems of illegal immigration and a return to sensible legal immigration. And there are representatives at all levels of government who express their concerns over the danger of illegal immigration as shown below.

Enforcement of law, not amnesty, needed for illegal immigration May. 10, 2007 01:49 PM I am disgusted by Congressman Jeff Flake and Luis Gutierrez's betrayal to America and their constituents by proposing the Security Through Regularized and a Vibrant Economy Act - in other words, "cheap labor."

Will the voices opposed to illegal immigration and lax security and enforcement be enough to protect this country? Most arguments in favor of open borders, increased visa quotas, guest worker programs are centered around the proponents' economic ambitions. Money is central to this issue as it is in most others. Corporate interests increase their profits with cheaper labor. Illegal immigrants increase their options for generating income, legal and illegal. Businesses see profit in a new market of illegals. Politicians see votes and lobbyist money. Taxpayers see another drain on public money. The cost of illegal immigration is shouldered by the public while the profits of illegal immigration are distributed among its proponents. Taking open borders to its extreme would imply that this country, or any country, has the ability to absorb an unlimited number of immigrants without any adverse effects. Taking immigration control to its extreme would imply closed borders are the solution. Neither case is sensible and the solution remains in between the extremes. It is however possible to return to where the country was before allowing illegal immigration to advance to its present condition. Secured borders, effective immigration control, no amnesty or visa increase or guest worker program with severe employer sanctions for violations would restore this country's national security. At that point, sensible adjustments to address any deficiencies in the system could be considered. To do anything less is irresponsible. The demand for immigration should not dictate security policy for this nation. Lax immigration enforcement only makes this country a bigger target. Ignoring security for financial gain implies that once again, this country is for sale. We can recover from errors to the side of caution. We may not recover from errors in the opposite direction.