Immigration Reform - Action Request

[mousie]

The Senate is now choosing between two different approaches to immigration reform. One, backed by the extreme Right and Majority Leader Bill Frist, rehashes the inadequate border enforcement policies that have failed for the past 20 years while making criminals of priests, domestic violence counselors, and social service providers who help undocumented people in need. The other, proposed by Senators Kennedy and McCain -- and endorsed by PFAW -- combines border enforcement with policies that are fair and realistic. It includes provisions that:

*provide a path to earn citizenship for those already working in the country after paying a fine for having broken our immigration laws;
*make the reunification of families a priority, removing the need for immigrants to come illegally to join their fathers, mothers, and spouses;
*create a visa program recognizing the demand for immigrant workers to fill jobs Americans cannot or will not do.

It's critical that that you add your name to this petition. If Senator Frist and his allies get their way, our immigration system will still be broken while millions continue to be forced to live in the shadows. Stand up for the American principle of fairness by signing today!

http://www.kintera.org/site/apps/ka/ct/contactcustom.asp?c=feIJKQMEF&b=1485661&sid=113811078

[Deep13]

1. No way. No legal status for law-breakers.

The reason the system has failed is becauser we want it to fail. People like their cheap winter vegetables and and construction labor and big busness likes suppressing wages. Anyone who sneaked into this country without a passport should be treated like a criminal and those who harbor them should be prosecuted. Voters want this problem controlled without rewarding crime and they will support Dubya this fall if our side does not do what the people want rather than what we think they ought to want.

[mousie]

2. ok - just curious, how many other DU'ers feel this way?

[proud2BlibKansan]

3. Not me

Treating them like criminals will just tax our judicial system. Besides, they aren't criminals. They are human beings wanting a better life for their families. They are no more guilty of criminal behavior than a motorist exceeding the speed limit. Every time I see this 'illegals are criminals' label, I want to ask the person making that accusation if they never ever once in their entire life broke a law. And what would they be willing to do to feed their family?

I am in favor of an amnesty program and helping the illegals become citizens. They aren't going away, more come every year and the threats of a bigger wall, increased border security and criminal penalties are not working to stem the flow across our border. So let's reduce the size of the 'criminal' illegal immigrant population by helping them become legal.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. As the son of an immigrant who fled poverty, I sure as hell don't.

Victimizing poor people because of their poverty is not on my list of things to do.

I'm amazed at the number of alleged "progressives" who favor draconian laws and punishment for poor immigrants.

[951-Riverside]

7. I'm the son of an immigrant who came here legally

He came here, went to school and has been working for the State of California for many years.

This is not about victimizing poor people this about Law & Order, every time this argument is brought up someone is always blurring the line between legal and ILLEGAL immigrants but thousands of people have come here legally why can't the others?

Are they "too good" to take the time to study for a few tests, fill out some forms, etc?

Remember Bush supports these pro-illegal laws, remember Bush supports people being brought over here for slave wages, poor work conditions, etc and I'm equally amazed how many support the continual exploitation of poor human beings and although alot of illegals don't have horrible work conditions or are being paid slave wages that is the intent the RW.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

8. Then you must support more relaxed immigration laws?

The "others" can't come here legally because of restrictive immigration laws.

The "slave wages" that they are paid are better than what they get at home. The living conditions are better. The opportunities better.

Probably they come here for the same reason your father and my mother came here.

[951-Riverside]

12. Re: No!

Then you must support more relaxed immigration laws?

Where the hell did you get that from?

I clearly DO NOT support any laws that reward people who came here ILLEGALLY

The "others" can't come here legally because of restrictive immigration laws.

We either have those laws are we don't, I assume (although I can't say for sure) that your position is immigration laws are too strict and we should relax them, Millions of people have come here legally obviously someone is going to find the laws strict no matter what so why have them to begin with?

The living conditions are better. The opportunities better.

I think most people can agree on that but that doesnt give everyone the right to barge in, when I'm shopping I stand in line & pay for my products like most honest people I don't bolt out of the door without paying.

Probably they come here for the same reason your father and my mother came here.

Obviously my father came here for a better life but he also obeyed the law, worked, studied & got his green card. Being poor shouldnt give anyone the exclusive right to barge into a nation but I do believe we have the duty to work on improving their enconomic sitation at home.

[foreigncorrespondent]

5. You need to realize...

...that is just isn't migrant workers who are in the U.S. illegally. I happen to know of several binational gay and lesbian couples where the foreign partner has been forced to overstay, simply because they want to be with the person they love.

Had I decided to remain in the U.S. with Sapphocrat, then what the Dem's are actually proposing would have helped me become legitimate.

The immigration issue isn't just about cheap veggies at all!

[951-Riverside]

6. Me!

Anyone who sneaked into this country without a passport should be treated like a criminal and those who harbor them should be prosecuted.

I agree with this point specificly of course I live in one of those states flooded with illegals so people in other states who have not been affected probably will not understand why we are against people getting legal status when they have no respect for our laws.

Personally I don't think price of products will skyrocket if we start hiring americans since we're already paying illegals minimum wages.

[porphyrian]

9. You've never gone over the speed limit while driving?

You've never put something in someone else's mailbox? You've never threatened anyone with violence? You have never used a controlled substance illegally or while underage?

Probably less than 1% of Americans have never broken a law, whether they knew it or not (ignorance is no excuse in court). Do you really think none of us should enjoy legal status, or does that just apply to immigrants who came after you were guaranteed citizenship? Maybe we should remove that plaque on the Statue of Liberty.

[Deep13]

10. What the hell does that matter?

I never committed an offense by how I came to be here. Sneaking into someone else's country is not double parking. It is a willful choice to disregard the laws of another country that continues while that person is there. Again, it subverts the standards, especially the labor standards, of that country. When I went to other countries it was with a passport with the full knowledge of that country's government. If we really want more cheap labor, there are plenty of people in Mexico and elsewhere that did not sneak into this country illegally to choose from.

This country is rich because of artificial, non-sustainable practices. Our prosperity depends on cheap labor, cheap materials and land and cheap energy. We allow illegal immigrants to do menial labor because it is cheaper than paying prevailing wages. We outsource jobs to China because it is easier than obeying environmental laws and other standards. We import educated people from India and other places because it is cheaper than funding education adequately. We consume open space for development to feed the middle class' expectations because it is cheaper than taking care of cities. We consume one third of the world's energy because it is easier than being efficient or acting like we know where energy comes from. This whole way of doing things.

[porphyrian]

11. You said "No legal status for law-breakers."

Weren't you aware of what you wrote?

So, what you really meant to say was that your breaking laws doesn't matter because you didn't break them to get here, so no one else can break that law and get legal status?

How is illegal immigration more of a "willful choice to disregard the laws of another country" than the breaking of any other law of that country?

I'm not arguing that we have social and economic problems that are exacerbated by illegal immigration that must be addressed. I am merely speaking to your "no legal status" statement, and why you feel that is justified and not hypocritical.