Calling For Sensible Immigration Reform
Press Release from Rep. Linda Flores & Rep. Kim Thatcher, February 15, 2007 “I believe new immigrants are good for America…but mark my words, unless we handle this well, immigration of this sweep and scope can threaten our union.†Those are the words of former President Bill Clinton speaking at a commencement ceremony at Portland State University.
The need for enforced and updated immigration laws isn’t just an Oregon phenomena, and it’s surely not a partisan issue. Last year a total of 84 new immigration laws were enacted in 32 states across the country, more than double the number from the year before.
While immigration is a federal issue, states like Oregon play a critical role because they implement and manage many of the programs handed down by the feds. In Oregon, the Governor and all the agencies he oversees have systematically created loopholes allowing illegal immigrants access to our state programs. As a result, we really have no idea how many illegals are receiving taxpayer-funded services. In some cases, it is against the law for us to even ask if someone is in Oregon legally or not!
We know we’re fighting an uphill battle against a liberal agenda that is out of step with average Oregonians. This session we’ve created a common sense approach to deal with Oregon’s illegal immigration problem. We’ve introduced the Sensible Immigration Reform Package. There are ten bills in the package. They represent a good first step in Oregon’s ability to make positive changes to protect the integrity of our state services.
We hope these concepts build even more steam for meaningful immigration reform in Oregon. They are not lip-service for campaign ads – they represent a thoughtful approach to dealing with an issue that is important to a majority of Oregonians. To see the list of bills go to the news section on our web pages. www.leg.state.or.us/flores or www.leg.state.or.us/thatcher
Prior to the start of session we approached House Speaker Jeff Merkley about forming a special committee on immigration reform so bills could be debated in a central location. That didn’t materialize and now Legislative Leadership is saying they will deal with the immigration issue “laterâ€. There’s a good chance these bills will be swept under the rug. Don’t let that happen. We need your help. Let your legislators, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President know immigration reform is important to you.
To contact your local lawmaker, Go to the Oregon Legislature’s web page www.leg.state.or.us.
We hope these concepts build even more steam for meaningful immigration reform in Oregon. They are not lip-service for campaign ads – they represent a thoughtful approach to dealing with an issue that is important to a majority of Oregonians. To see the list of bills go to the news section on our web pages. www.leg.state.or.us/flores or www.leg.state.or.us/thatcher
Prior to the start of session we approached House Speaker Jeff Merkley about forming a special committee on immigration reform so bills could be debated in a central location. That didn’t materialize and now Legislative Leadership is saying they will deal with the immigration issue “laterâ€. There’s a good chance these bills will be swept under the rug. Don’t let that happen. We need your help. Let your legislators, the Speaker of the House and the Senate President know immigration reform is important to you.
To contact your local lawmaker, Go to the Oregon Legislature’s web page www.leg.state.or.us.
In my opinion, one good place in which we can start is to finish building the fence along the US/Mexico border. This would stop the cyoties and other smugglers that bring them across the borders.
Except this is not an issue to wait for the government to solve. For they are to busy trying to get re-elected. They know that if they pass a bill to grant this effort on putting up the border, then they will lose votes. In particular fundraising from the restaurant industry.
For this is just one in which source that donates millions into the different parties to get re-elected. Putting these people into a huge bind.
My Idea is very simple.
1. Removing the barriers that allow those who wish come to seek work or live in this country.
2. securing to borders but keep respect to 1. The goal is controlling the flow but not restricting or shutting off the flow of immigrants.
3. Get rid of the minimum wage.
How does any of this legislation infringe on people's rights? We are talking about non-citizens that have broken into our country and are stealing the services we pay for.
You live in a dream world. No nation in the world has open borders. We are the closest thing to a country with no boundaries and lack of enforcement has been an unmitigated disaster.
It is all too obvious that this invasion is enabled by employers that do not want to pay a living wage or proper benefits. They expect taxpayers to subsidize their employees through all manners of social services, to the point that our police, schools, jails and hospitals are being overwhelmed.
The negative cost is outrageous and continues to grow, as long as law enforcement is forbidden from helping it's citizens through safe haven laws.
These employers further escape things such as workers compensation, taxes, and unemployment compliance because the illegals they hire often will not report anything due to their illegal status.
To add insult to injury, illegal immigration into the US is the number two source of revenue to the country of Mexico. Billions of untaxed dollars are leaving our econmoy to support a corrupt government. The very government that cooperates with drug gangs to export meth to Oregon up the I-5 corridor.
Immigrants have long been an important part of the evolution of the United States, LEGAL IMMIGRANTS. They stood in line, filed the proper paperwork, learned the language, and followed the rule of law. The invasion we are experiencing now has made a mockery of every legal immigrant, and denies citizenship to those all over the world that genuinely want to become Americans. It also puts an unfair burden on our existing poor legal citizens of this country by limiting social resources and depressing wages.
To reward the criminal behavior of these invaders is in itself criminal. The stealing of identities, forging documents, and killing 25 Americans a day must stop , and the Oregon Legislature has an opportunity to impact illegal immigration and protect us through legislation.
As other states pass similar-and in some cases, more stringent- legislation it is imperative that Oregon protect its citizens to avoid becoming a more attractive “safe haven†for this criminal behavior.
This is not a partisan issue, as you tried so hard to make it, it is an issue of livability, fairness, safety and cost.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,â€
These words were penned before the founding of out nation, noting the universality of our rights that are based on Gods Holiness not the nations of man; the foreigner, as will as the citizen have the same rights including seeking work. Furthermore, the wealth is created, I know simpletons with a light shade of red at the neck would not comprehend wealth is created and is not static. There no limit to wealth created except number of men willing to trade value for value. The money exchanged is only the method wealth is traded. The money earned in the trade for work belongs to the person who has every right to dispose of it any was that person wishes to. The ideas of a problem of Mexicans send their hard earn wages home is moot.
Secondly, you know that the intent of the words of our founding fathers were not intended to induce or allow a mass invasion of our country.
You completely ignore the distinction between legal and illegal immigration. In theory, I'll agree, your thoughts feel good. In reality, we cannot allow everyone to cross without regard to their background or intentions. In other words, the bad comes with the good. Along with well intentioned people come murderers, rapists, drug traffickers and ID thiefs. I'm frankly tired of the unfair burden that illegal aliens put on our police departments and county jails.
You also ignore the fact that our porous border will likely eventually let a terrorist or group of terrorists into our country. But I would guess that you think that Al Qaeda had a valid reason to attack this country you so dislike. Do you think the Mexican government will be screening out the bad people who enter this country in your Utopian dreamworld?
Finally, the issue I have with the money being sent back to their home country has to do with taxes. Every dollar that an illegal alien sends back home contains a portion of my income, in the way of social services that I (we) paid for and they did not pay for.
You can continue to live in your Utopian dreamworld while the rest of us do the heavy lifting of fixing the problems your failed idealism created.
By the way, I have many friends who are first and second generation immigrants from Brazil, Isreal, China, Ireland, Mexico and Canada. I can tell you that they are even more unhappy with the our current policy than most people in this country.
In addition to the above their immigration applications will be through the same process that first and second generation legal immigrants from Brazil, Isreal, China, Ireland, Mexico and Canada had to go through.
Now that is sensible immigration reform!
One thing I do agree with him on though is that he stated that Mexicans sending money home isn't a problem. I agree! It's all illegal aliens in this country that's the problem. (unlike Richard I won't stereotype one particular race as the problem; it must be finds himself so much more superior to the Mexican than other illegal aliens, perhaps a racially biased Freudian slip on his part... though I'm sure he'll never admit it )