The White House would like you to believe that if the Senate Amnesty Bill is not passed, the United States will be left with a "status quo" that is unacceptable.  I agree.  Unless we, the American people, force Congress to fund the enforcement of our current laws, we will be left with a status quo that is entirely unacceptable.  That's why we need enforcement of our current laws, not empty promises in the Senate Amnesty Bill.

The White House says the current immigration system is broken.  I don't know if it's broken, or just not being utilized.  There are so many laws on the books that aren't being enforced it's hard to tell which ones work and which ones don't.

Even though they have done nothing to enforce the current laws, they say the Senate Amnesty Bill is our best chance to move forward and fix the broken immigration system.  I disagree.  I am not confident they will enforce any measures in this new bill.  I think they should try enforcing the current laws and finishing the projects already authorized (the border fence, for example) before promising to do anything else.  We can't even trust them to build 700 miles of fence that has already been authorized, how can we trust them to fulfill all of the triggers in the new Amnesty Bill?

The White House has posted a "Consequences of Inaction" fact sheet.  Let's take a look at it.

1)  The Bill Contains Tough New Border Security And Enforcement Measures.

* The Bill Commits The Most Resources To Border Security In U.S. History.

The bill includes border security triggers such as: increasing border fencing and vehicle barriers at the Southern border; increasing the size of the Border Patrol; installing ground-based radar and camera towers along the Southern border; and ensuring that resources are available to maintain the effective end of "Catch and Release" at our border.

* The Bill Improves Our Laws To Better Safeguard National Security And Prevent Future Illegal Immigration.

The bill:

* Allows the government to detain dangerous criminal aliens who cannot be removed from the U.S. because no other country is willing to accept them.  Under current law, they must be released back into society after just six months.

* Gives the Departments of Homeland Security and Justice tools to keep certain aliens out of the U.S. solely on the basis of their participation in a gang.  No conviction is required -- if an individual has participated in a gang and helped "aid" or "support" its illegal activity, then he or she is not eligible for admission to the U.S.

* Substantially increases criminal penalties for repeated illegal border crossings.

* Imposes substantial new criminal penalties for passport, visa, and other immigration fraud.

* Includes several provisions that would improve coordination between Federal, State, and local governments in enforcing immigration laws and expeditiously deporting criminal aliens.

Last year, the Secure Fence Act authorized the construction of 700 miles of fence, since it passed they have built 2 miles of the border fence, and we can't even see it because so many lawmakers are sitting on it trying to hide the truth from the American people.  

Why should we believe that Congress will appropriate funding for the "increased border fencing" let alone enforce the measure, when they haven't even done what they already promised to do?  

All of the other claims to "strengthen" our laws were covered in my previous post debunking their immigration fact sheet and they are just ridiculous.  Without funding, none of these triggers will be met anyway, and it's not like we can trust our lawmakers when they promise to strengthen border security and interior enforcement.

2) The Bill Will Give Employers The Tools They Need To Verify The Work Eligibility Of Their Employees.
 
Today, we have an entire underground industry dedicated to producing fake IDs and fraudulent Social Security numbers.  If this bill is not passed, the problems of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act would persist -- employers would continue operating under a system in which they have only a limited ability to tell whether documentation is authentic.

*  The Bill Requires The Establishment Of A Reliable Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) To Help Employers Verify The Work Eligibility Of All Employees.

All workers will be required to present stronger and more readily verifiable identification documents.

* EEVS Will Allow Employers To Verify The Authenticity Of Documents By Providing Access For The First Time To Identification Photographs In Government Databases.

* EEVS Will Be Founded On Unprecedented Verification Of Information Across Numerous Electronic Databases.  These include:

* Department of Homeland Security records;

* Social Security Administration records;

* State Department passport and visa records (including photographs);

* Birth and death records maintained by State vital statistics agencies; and

* State driver's license information.

We would be naive to think that those who don't qualify for an existing visa program (whether it's a current or future one) will not be able to fake identification.  These people will try anything to remain in the United States, and it's just a matter of time before they hack the system or learn a whole new way to assume someone's identity.

That's if they even have to.

Remember, none of the "triggers" identified in the Senate Amnesty Bill will be automagically funded.  Congress will have to appropriate the funds and approve them long before anything can be enacted, and we all know where that has gotten us in the past.  (Keep thinking fence, people).

If we just allowed local law enforcement to actually enforce the existing laws and act upon them accordingly, we wouldn't need to worry about any Employment Eligibility Verification System.

Once again our lawmakers are making a promise that they most likely will not keep.

3)  The Bill Will Bring As Many As 12 Million Current Undocumented Workers Out Of The Shadows.

If the bill is not passed, these workers would remain in the shadows of our society, where they are often exploited, underpaid, and afraid to go to the police for fear of deportation.

* The Senate Bill Provides A Mechanism For Undocumented Workers With Clean Records And Steady Jobs To Come Out Of The Shadows And Be Accounted For In A Regulated System, On A Probationary Basis.

This will help keep our Nation secure by letting law enforcement officials know who is in the country and allowing immigration enforcement officers to focus their resources on apprehending violent criminals and terrorists.

* The Senate Bill Provides Greater Incentives For Employers And Workers To Follow The Law By Implementing Much Tougher Worksite Enforcement Measures. 

EEVS will give employers the tools they need to verify the status of workers they hire.  Employers who continue to hire illegal workers will face stiff new criminal and civil penalties -- for example, the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of hiring illegal workers will increase 25-fold, from $3,000 per alien to $75,000 per alien.

As I stated in my previous debunking post, why aren't we doing this now?  Why are we allowing people to live in the shadows in the first place?

Our immigration enforcement officers should already be focusing their resources, on securing our borders and apprehending those who are here illegally.  If they have no intention of fulfilling their duties now (because their hands are tied by a system that punishes them for doing so), what makes you think they are suddenly going to be able to do anything in the future?  Remember, there is no guarantee that these "triggers" will be in place <em>anytime</em> in the future.

And why do employers need more incentive to follow the law?  Shouldn't they be required to uphold the law now, as well as later?  If they aren't following the law now, what makes you think they are going to start in the future?  Seriously.  The truth of the matter is businesses want cheap labor, and they will do anything they can to get it.  If it means ignoring the law to get it, then so be it.  That won't magically change just because there are new laws on the books.  If the fear of penalty was a factor in their decision, the Senate's "great compromisers" wouldn't be suggesting an EEVS in the first place.

4)  The Bill Will Clear The Current Family Backlog And Reform The Immigration System To Better Balance The Importance Of Family Connections With U.S. Economic Needs.

Currently, applicants wait up to 30 years for green cards.  In addition, our immigration system places far too little emphasis on the skills and attributes necessary to fill the needs of our growing economy and further the national interest.

* The Senate Bill Will Clear The Current Decades-Long Backlog Of Family-Based Applications Within Eight Years.

During this time, there will be a surge in family reunification, as more than two-thirds of green cards issued will go to family members.  Even after family backlogs are cleared and the rebalancing of visas is complete, there will be more family-based green cards issued than merit-based green cards.

* The Bill Will Help Keep The U.S. Competitive In The Global Economy By Establishing A New Merit-Based System For Immigration That Is Similar To Those Used By Other Countries.

Under the merit-based system, future immigrants applying for permanent residency in the U.S. will be assigned points for attributes that further our national interest, including: skills and work experience, with added points for U.S. employment in a specialty or high-demand field; education, with added points for training in science, math, and technology; employer endorsement; ability to speak English; and family ties to the U.S.

* Once The Backlogs Of Employment-Based Applicants And Family-Based Applicants Are Cleared, There Will Be 380,000 Green Cards Available Under The Merit-Based System -- Up From 140,000 Employment-Based Green Cards Today.

This is a 170 percent increase over the current level of employment-based green cards, reforming our system from one in which about 13 percent of green cards are employment-based to one in which about 32 percent of green cards are issued through the merit-based system.

* The Bill Includes A Large, Immediate Increase -- From 65,000 Today To 115,000 For The First Year -- In The H-1B Visa Cap For Skilled Foreign Workers.

After the first year, the cap will rise and fall based on economic need, allowing it to adjust up to as high as 180,000.

Wow.  According to the grand compromisers, this bill will put a stop to chain migration, yet right there in black and white, the White House admits that there will be a surge in family reunification.  You know what that means don't you?  If the Amnesty Bill passes, we'll be offering amnesty to 12 million people, and inviting millions more to 'come on in' as well.  Talk about chain migration at it's worst.

Not only will we be offering the equivalent of amnesty to those already here, but once the backlog of green cards is complete, the number of green cards issued each year will almost triple.  The only difference is instead of calling them "employment based" green cards, they will be known as "merit-based" green cards.

The H-1B Visa cap will be almost tripled as well.

It's one thing to invite a few people to move in, but leaving the door wide open is just a little bit stupid, don't you think?

5)  The Bill Will Create A Temporary Worker Program To Alleviate Pressure On The Border And Provide The U.S. Economy With An Efficient Mechanism To Match The Skills Of Willing Foreign Workers To The Demands Of Available Jobs.

* Under The Senate Bill, A Temporary Worker Program Will Allow U.S. Law Enforcement To Focus More Of Its Resources On Apprehending Violent Criminals And Terrorists Who Pose A Threat To Our Security.

The temporary worker program will help reduce the number of people trying to sneak across our borders by providing a lawful and orderly channel for foreign workers to fill the jobs that Americans are not doing.

* This Temporary Worker Program Has The Toughest Labor Standards And The Most Robust Protections For U.S. Workers Of Any Existing U.S. Nonimmigrant Worker Program.

* Before hiring a temporary worker under the bill, an employer must first try to recruit U.S. workers for 90 days -- three times longer than any other temporary worker program.

* Temporary workers under the bill must be paid the prevailing competitive wage, which is based on the wages paid to U.S. workers, and ensures that the wages of U.S. workers cannot be undercut.

Right now, we don't know exactly how many people have crossed illegally into our country.  Passage of the Senate Amnesty Bill will not suddenly clear the border of everyone except violent criminals and terrorists.  In fact, there will be more people attempting to gain entry into our country.  They will range from those who want to sneak in and claim to have been here all along so they too can stay, to those who know they cannot gain access legitimately (because of criminal records or other factors) and sneak in the old fashioned way.  Remember, there is nothing in the bill (even with the new $4.4 billion promise of better security) that requires any money be spent on any of the triggers required by the bill.

Why is the White House suddenly willing to throw money into securing the border? Why must be accept amnesty for that security?  If they're willing to spend $4.4 billion to strengthen our border security why can't they do that first, and then consider other options, like the Senate Amnesty Bill, later?

Truth be told, the money won't be spent on securing the border, it's just eye candy for fence sitting Republican Senators who will feel better voting for the measure.

When all is said and done, we'll get no security and we'll still be stuck with amnesty... Again.

You can follow all of Slobokan's immigration posts at Slobokan's Site O' Schtuff
 

The White House wants you to believe they can debunk what they call the 10 myths about immigration in our country...

They obviously think we're all stupid and don't know any better.

Below, I will help shed some light on the truth behind those "facts".

1. MYTH: This is amnesty.

FACT: Amnesty is the forgiveness of an offense without penalty.  This proposal is not amnesty because illegal workers must acknowledge that they broke the law, pay a $1,000 fine, and undergo criminal background checks to obtain a Z visa granting temporary legal status.

FACT: To apply for a green card at a date years into the future, Z visa workers must wait in line behind those who applied lawfully, pay an additional $4,000 fine, complete accelerated English requirements, leave the U.S. and file their application in their home country, and demonstrate merit based on the skills and attributes they will bring to the United States.

FACT: Workers approved for Z visas will be given a temporary legal status, but they will not enjoy the full privileges of citizens or Legal Permanent Residents, such as welfare benefits and the ability to sponsor relatives abroad as immigrants
    
TRUTH:  The White House says amnesty is the forgiveness of an offense without penalty.  We all know what the offense is, but where exactly is the penalty?  Admitting you broke the law is not a penalty, it's an admission that you committed a crime. So, that makes the admission irrelavent.  The $1,000 fine as they call it, is nothing more than an administrative fee that can be paid $5 per week which makes it irrelavent as well.  And what about those criminal background checks?  Unless a disqualifying factor is triggered within 24 hours, yup, you guessed it, they too are irrelavent.  If a background check does not trigger a disqualifying factor within 24 hours, the illegal immigrant will receive their Z-Visa regardless.
    
TRUTH:   Does it matter if they wait in line behind those who applied lawfully?  The majority of those illegal immigrants already in our country have no intention of paying the $4,000 fine, learning English, leaving the United States to file their application, or to demonstrate (except by the thousands marching in the streets to get even more of a compromise) merit based on the skilled and attributes they will bring to the United States.  So why does it matter?
    
TRUTH:   Most illegal immigrants don't care about citizenship. If they did, they would have already applied legally.  They could care less about the welfare benefits because they'll just march in the streets and the bleeding hearts in Congress will attempt to pass a bill giving it to them.  Don't even get me started on the "sponsoring relatives abroad" claim.  Why would they?  It will be a cakewalk for their relatives to sneak across our still unsecured border and just claim to have been here since January 2007.  It's that simple, so why would they need to sponsor anyone?  Unless they plan on attending Immigrants Anonymous or something, then they might want (or need) a sponsor.
   
2. MYTH: This proposal repeats the mistakes of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act.</blockquote>

FACT: The 1986 Act failed because it provided amnesty for 3 million immigrants, did not adequately secure borders, did not include a workable employer verification system, and created no legal avenue to meet the labor needs of the American economy.

FACT: This proposal addresses every one of the shortcomings from 1986:

*  No Amnesty: Illegal workers must acknowledge that they broke the law and pay a fine to be eligible for a Z visa.

*  Border Security: Border security benchmarks must be met before the Z visa and temporary worker programs go into effect.  These triggers include miles of fencing and vehicle barriers at the border and increasing the size of the Border Patrol.

*  Employer Verification System: An Employment Eligibility Verification System must be established and in use before any temporary worker or Z visas are issued.

*  Temporary Worker Program: A temporary worker program will relieve pressure on the border and provide a lawful way to meet the needs of our economy.

FACT: The 1986 Act offered green cards after just 18 months, but under this proposal, green card applicants must meet a number of responsibilities -- something which will take most candidates more than a decade.
    
TRUTH:   Who cares about the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act?  This is not 1986 and we're not talking about 3 million illegal immigrants.  For the record, this is 2007 and we're talking about 12-20 million illegal immigrants.  There is nothing in the current bill that ensures any of the "triggers" will be fully funded, let alone implemented.  There is no guarantee that the border will be more secure, no guarantee that the Employer Verification System will be established, or functioning, and no guarantee that the Temporary Worker Program will relieve pressure on the border.  There's simply no comparison.  This bill won't repeat the mistakes of the 1986 Immigration Reform and Control Act, it will multiply them 10 fold.       

3. MYTH: DHS has only one day to complete background checks for illegal immigrants already in the U.S.

FACT: To obtain probationary status, illegal immigrants must come out of the shadows to acknowledge they have broken the law and pass a preliminary background check.  There is a provision in the bill that says DHS has one day to find a "disqualifying factor," but that is not the end of the process. That is a very short term way of ensuring that if someone comes out of the shadows and admits their illegality, they will not be deported while the process is ongoing and can continue working while the full background check is completed.

FACT: Illegal immigrants may not obtain probationary status without applying for the Z visa.  Probationary status may be revoked at any time if a worker is found ineligible for the Z visa, fails to maintain a clean record, or fails the background check required for obtaining a Z visa.

FACT: To remain in the United States, Z visa holders are subject to updated background checks on criminal and security history and must maintain a clean record.

TRUTH:  No one said the background check must be completed in 24 hours.  The bill states that if no "disqualifying factor" is found, the illegal immigrant will be allowed to work while the process continues.  If an illegal immigrant knows they have a disqualifying factor that will show up after 24 hours, do you really think we'll see them at the immigration offices again anytime soon? 

TRUTH:   Probationary status <em>may</em> be revoked at any time for various reasons, that doesn't mean it <em>will</em> be.  The term "probationary status" alone should help you realize that we will still have illegal immigrants within our borders, because those who can't make the cut are going to do what they can to remain here, "in the shadows" as they say.

4. MYTH: The temporary worker program is bad for American workers.

FACT: The temporary worker program relieves pressure on the border and meets our economic needs by allowing workers to enter the country to fill jobs that Americans are not doing.

FACT: The program protects American workers by requiring U.S. employers to advertise the job in the United States at a competitive wage before hiring a temporary worker.

FACT: To ensure "temporary" means "temporary," workers are limited to three two-year terms, with at least a year spent outside the United States between each term.

FACT: A cap of 200,000 is set on the program.
    
TRUTH:   How exactly does a temporary worker program "relieve pressure" on the border?  I have seen many illegal immigrants within our borders that don't appear to be working, so I'm sure that's not the only reason they come here.  I still don't get the correlation between the two, since those with criminal backgrounds are still going to be pouring across our unsecure border. 

TRUTH:  The only reason Americans might not be doing some of those jobs is because employers currently only pay $2 an hour and Americans know they can't support their family on that.  Once the temporary worker program kicks in and employers are required to advertise the job at a competitive wage, you can bet your bobby-socks those Americans will be more than willing to step up and do the job.

TRUTH:   Once the first two-year term expires, they too will be back "in the shadows" with those who couldn't get a Z-Visa because of their criminal history.  They'll just return to living life the way they did before the Z-Visa program, unless of course, the bleeding hearts in Congress change that requirement so they don't have to return to their home country for a year before their next two-year term.  Hmmm. Maybe we should do the same thing to our Congressmen.  They can be elected to one term, then they have to return to their home state for one year before they can serve again.  That has a nice sound to it, doesn't it? 

TRUTH:  Caps change, even in amendments to this bill they have changed.

5. MYTH: The government will not and cannot meet its promise to crack down on the hiring of illegal workers.

FACT: Before any temporary worker or Z visas are issued, an Employment Eligibility Verification System (EEVS) must be established and in use to prevent unauthorized workers from obtaining jobs in the United States.

FACT: Employers will be required to verify the work eligibility of all employees using the EEVS, and all workers will be required to present stronger and more readily verifiable identification documents.  Tough new anti-fraud measures will be implemented to restrict fraud and identity theft.

FACT: Employers who hire illegal workers will face stiff new criminal and civil penalties.  For example, the maximum criminal penalty for a pattern or practice of hiring illegals will increase 25-fold, from $3,000 per alien to $75,000 per alien.
    
TRUTH:   I doubt this Employment Eligibility Verification System is going to be in place at every company in America.  If so, how are we going to fund it?  Oh wait, that's right, we aren't supposed to concern ourselves with how these plans will be implemented or funded.  My bad.

TRUTH:   Employers will be required to verify the work eligibility of all employees.  Huh?  Shouldn't they be doing that now?  You can bet the farm that those who aren't doing so now, still won't be when the temporary worker program and the EEVS are in place either.

TRUTH:   Whoa, employers who hire illegal workers (a clear admission by the administration that there will still be illegal workers here in our country) face stiff new criminal and civil penalties.  These sound like "enforcement" words.  If our government knew anything about enforcement, we would already be enforcing the immigration laws already on the books and this bill would be a moot point.

6. MYTH: Illegal immigrants will come out of the shadows and on to the welfare rolls.

FACT: Z visa workers are not entitled to welfare, Food Stamps, SSI, non-emergency Medicaid, or other programs and privileges enjoyed by U.S. citizens and some Legal Permanent Residents.

FACT: In order to apply for Z visa status, workers must be employed; in order to maintain Z visa status, they must remain employed

FACT: CBO estimates increased revenue from taxes, penalties, and fines under the bill will offset any estimated increases in mandatory spending, such as emergency Medicaid, and produce a net fiscal surplus of $25.6 billion over 10 years.  This surplus will be used to cover costs of implementing the bill, including a significant portion of the costs of better securing our borders and improving interior enforcement through additional Border Patrol and ICE agents.
    
TRUTH:   Z-Visa workers won't care if they're entitled to welfare, Food Stamps, SSI, non-emergency Medicaid, or other programs and privileges.  Do they care now?  Exactly.

TRUTH:   There they go again... Talking enforcement... "In order to maintain Z-Visa status, they must remain employed." HA!  Who's going to patrol the streets, take names, and compare them to employment records?  We can't even secure our border let alone police millions of companies across the United States, so exactly how is this going to be done?  Ooops.  My bad again, I'm not supposed to ask questions like that.

TRUTH:   A net fiscal surplus of $25.6 billion over 10 years, and a significant portion will go to better securing our borders and improving interior enforcement.  Wait a minute.  I thought all of the triggers were going to be in place before the Z-Visa program would be implemented?  That's what the bill says.  Doesn't that mean the border would already be secure and we would already have those additional Border Patrol and ICE agents?  Did I miss something?  Is this part of that whole "fuzzy math" thing?
   
7.  MYTH: Illegal immigrants may stay in probationary status for years without having to apply or meet requirements for a Z visa.

FACT: Illegal immigrants may not obtain probationary status without applying for the Z visa, which requires coming out of the shadows and passing a background check.

FACT: Probationary status is valid only while a Z visa application is pending -- it may be revoked at any time if the applicant is found ineligible for the Z visa, fails to maintain a clean record, or fails the background check required for obtaining a Z visa.

FACT: If a worker is deemed eligible for a Z visa, probationary status terminates, and the worker must transition to a Z visa or leave the country.  Transitioning to Z status will require the worker to pay a $1,000 fine for head of household and $500 per dependent; up to $1,500 in processing fees per applicant, including heads of household and dependents; and a $500 state impact assistance fee.

FACT: To remain in the United States, the worker is subject to updated background checks on criminal and security history and must stay employed, maintain a clean record, and meet accelerated English and civics requirements by set deadlines.  In addition, Z visa holders must pay processing fees of up to $1,500 every four years in order to renew the visa.  Z visa holders are not entitled to welfare, Food Stamps, SSI, or non-emergency Medicaid.
    
TRUTH:  Here we go again, repeating ourselves and watching those "probationary" illegal immigrants slip back "into the shadows".

TRUTH:  They must transition to a Z-Visa or leave the country?  Well hell, if it's that easy, why can't we just make them leave the country now?

TRUTH:   I don't get it.  They apply for a Z-Visa, which is good for two years, and pay up to $1,500 for it.  They must then leave for a year before applying again.  Wouldn't those processing fees of up to $1,500 be every three years?  Damn that fuzzy math!
   
8. MYTH: Illegal workers who remained in the country after they were ordered deported by an immigration judge are eligible for Z visas.

FACT: Illegal workers who ignored deportation orders are not eligible for the Z visa program, except in exceedingly rare cases in which they can demonstrate their departure would "result in extreme hardship."

FACT: The determination of what constitutes "extreme hardship" lies entirely within the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security, who has no interest in allowing this exception to be abused.
    
TRUTH:   Actually, Senate Amendment 1184, sponsored by Republican Senator John Cornyn of Texas, which would have barred felons, including those who were court-ordered to be deported, failed by a vote of 51-46.  So, in actuality, those who have been ordered to deport would in fact still be eligible for the Z-Visa program.

TRUTH:   Do you really want to trust the "discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security" when it comes to extreme hardship cases?  Shouldn't there be something in writing that defines what is, and isn't an extreme hardship, in case we get a real softy Secretary of Homeland Security?

9. MYTH: The bill allows dangerous gang members access to the Z visa program if they renounce their gang affiliation.

FACT: Any gang member convicted of any of a wide range of criminal conduct is not permitted in the Z visa program, whether he or she has renounced his gang affiliation or not.  The list of crimes that disqualify Z visa applicants extends into the thousands and includes:

*  Any felony.
*  Any three misdemeanors.
*  Any serious criminal offense.
*  Violations of any law relating to a controlled substance.

FACT: Even if a gang member or other applicant has not been convicted of a crime, he or she is ineligible for the Z visa program if the Government concludes that he is sufficiently dangerous.  This is true for all applicants, including gang members who have renounced their affiliations. For example, among those ineligible is any gang member (or other applicant):

*  About whom there are "reasonable grounds" for regarding as a danger to the security of the United States;
*  Who the Government knows or has reason to believe seeks to enter the U.S. "solely, principally, or incidentally" to engage in unlawful activity; or
* About whom there are reasonable grounds for believing has committed a serious criminal offense outside the U.S.

FACT: The bill would, for the first time, give the Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and Justice (DOJ) tools to keep certain aliens out of the United States solely on the basis of their participation in a gang.  No conviction is required -- if an individual has associated with a gang and helped "aid" or "support" its illegal activity, then he or she is not allowed to remain in the country -- even if he renounces his gang affiliation.
    
TRUTH:   Only certain gang members will be barred from the program.  Which "certain" ones?  And those who are barred will simply slip across our unsecure border (which apparently won't be "better secure" until 10 years and $25.6 billion later).

TRUTH:  To what standard will our government hold those who might be considered "sufficiently dangerous".  If they have not been convicted of a crime, how are they going to know?  They didn't know what those men were going to do on September 11th.  They were unaware of the men in the Fort Dix planning.  When they start talking about "reasonable grounds" you can rest assured that every single one of them will be qualifying for the Z-Visa program.

10. MYTH: By providing an opportunity for citizenship to illegal immigrants already here, the bill will exponentially increase extended-family chain migration.

FACT: The proposal reforms our immigration system to create a new balance between family connections and our national interests and economic needs.

FACT: Green cards for parents of U.S. citizens are capped, while set-asides for the siblings of U.S. citizens and the adult children of U.S. citizens and green card holders are eliminated.

FACT: To help keep our economy competitive, a new merit-based system similar to those used by other countries will give preference to attributes that further our national interest such as: job offers in high-demand fields, ability to speak English, and education.

TRUTH:   The chain migration limitations do not kick in for 10 years, much like the border security and interior enforcement mentioned in number 6.

TRUTH:   These family members won't need green cards.  They will simply cross that unsecure border of ours, obtain a job, and claim to have been here since January 2007.  Instant Z-Visa, no green card required.

TRUTH:   According to the bill, all illegal immigrants currently in our country will be eligible for the Z-Visa, which makes this new "merit-based" system null and void, and more importantly, irrelavent.

Now you know the truth about the facts the White House wants you to foolishly believe.

You can follow all of Slobokan's immigration posts at Slobokan's Site O' Schtuff

Our downward spiral into the hell known as illegal immigration began, in earnest, with the Immigration and Nationality Act Of 1965.  Also known as the Hart-Celler Act, it abolished the national origin quotas which had been in place since the Immigration Act of 1924.  Prior to 1965, our Congress had passed 21 different immigration related acts, but none of them opened the floodgates as efficiently as this one.

In the past, our country's immigration acts had always worked to restrict the number of immigrants who could enter our borders.  Some of them, like the Immigration Act of 1917 barred specific people, like those from eastern Asia and the Pacific Islands.  It even barred idiots, epileptics, and those people aged 16 or older who were illiterate.  

The Immigration Act of 1924 set quotas on the number of people who could enter our country legally.  These quotas restricted the number of immigrants who could enter our country to 2% of the population from that country who were already in the United States.  This act also excluded Asians entirely, and was more restrictive of those coming from southern and eastern Europe, eliminating many Catholics and Jews from migrating.  There was, however, no limit to those entering from Latin America.  I suppose that's because we didn't have a great number of people crossing our southern border at the time.

New York Representative Emanuel Celler was opposed to the national origin quotes and staunchly opposed the measure.  Forty-one years later he proposed the Hart-Celler Act, which took the national origin restrictions out of consideration, and on October 3rd, 1965 with staunch support from Massachusetts Senator Edward Kennedy, the quotas set by the Immigration Act of 1924 were abolished when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 into law.

During debate on the Senate floor, Senator Kennedy told the American people that our cities would not be flooded with immigrants and that the ethnic mix of our society would not be upset.  The Hart-Celler Act created a limit of 20,000 visas allowed per country with an annual limit of 170,000 visas.  These visas were on a first-come, first-served basis.  The Hart-Celler Act did not place a limit on family reunification visas, and chain immigration became a huge problem, which resulted in immigrants flooding our cities and a complete change in the ethic mix of our society.  

While the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 opened the floodgates, subsequent bills have done even more damage, like the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

During the debate of the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, Senator Kennedy argued that the amnesty provided by the act would give citizenship to no more than 1.3 million illegal immigrants, the borders would be secured, and Congress would never again bring forward another amnesty bill.  After the bill was signed into law on November 6, 1986 by President Ronald Reagan, 2.7 million illegal immigrants were given amnesty, the border was never secured, and, as you know by now, we have been fighting yet another amnesty bill on the Senate floor.

So the next time you hear Edward Kennedy bellowing his re-assurances about immigration reform from the floor of the United States Senate, please remember, we wouldn't be facing these immigration reform issues if he and the rest of Congress had just done the job correctly at least once in the past 83 years.

Read more about the history of Immigration reform in our country:

Wikipedia: List of United States Immigration Acts
The 1965 Immigration Act: Anatomy of a Disaster
Wikipedia: Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965

You can follow all of Slobokan's immigration posts at Slobokan's Site O' Schtuff