Rep. Shuler joins with Progressives for Immigration Reform to promote SAVE Act

[Omaha Steve]

http://populistdemocrats.blogspot.com/2009/05/rep-shuler-joins-with-progressives-for.html



CONGRESSMAN HEATH SHULER D-NC WORKING FOR REAL IMMIGRATION REFORM

The Washington Examiner reports:

Rep. Heath Shuler will soon reintroduce the SAVE Act (Secure America through Verification and Enforcement) within the next few weeks. The legislation is built around a three part plan to reduce illegal immigration. This includes: a strict emphasis on border security, the verification of an employee’s legal status, and increased enforcement of existing laws.

Shuler outlined his plan and discussed its prospects at a forum held near Capitol Hill Tuesday evening at the office of Progressive for Immigration Reform.
Shuler emphasized the importance of “interior enforcement” in his talk and said the E-Verify program could serve as a foundation for future efforts aimed at reducing the flow of illegal immigration. The electronic system would provide local officials with the ability to cross check federal databases and would essentially work like a Google search, he explained.

“This is not about discrimination because E-verify is activated after someone has been hired,” Shuler said. “This helps to ensure that local officials can identify who they arrest. Interior enforcement is crucial.”

Shuler also said there were not enough immigration judges available to hear cases and this complicates the interior enforcement of federal law. But he sees enough common ground among members in both parties to rally around key provisions in the SAVE Act that would help change the current dynamic.

Up until now the cause of tighter border security and interior enforcement has been identified with conservative Republicans but Leah Durant, executive director of Progressives for Immigration Reform, believes there is an opportunity to broaden this base of support.

“We started this organization because we wanted to bring in more liberals on the side of tighter enforcement,” Durant said. “There is a lot of concern about the impact mass immigration will have on the environment. In fact, there is a natural marriage here between immigration reform and environmental preservation. So we can have people across the political spectrum.”

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/Examiner-Opinion-Zone/Rep-Shuler-Joins-with-Progressives-for-Immigration-Reform-to-Push-SAVE-Act-44135177.html
Posted by RightDemocrat at 6:55 PM