FOR THE CAUSE DOT US

Duncan Hunter - Human Events:

If We Build It, They Won't Come

It’s much tougher than it should be to secure America’s borders. While the technology and manpower are all within reach, what seems beyond our grasp is the ability to act. Take last year’s legislation calling for construction of 854 miles of fence on our Southern border. It’s all too obvious that America is under threat because its land borders are largely porous and unprotected. In response last year Congress passed, and the President signed into law, legislation calling for the construction of those 854 miles of border fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border. Despite this legislative mandate by the U.S. Congress, the Department of Homeland Security recently announced its intention to build only 370 miles of fencing along the border, not the 854 miles required by the legislation. This directive, despite its clarity, appears to have been interpreted as a suggestion. It is not: it’s the law -- and the border fence must be built.

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Forthecause.us:

They Admit It -- Illegal Alien Advocates Say It's Amnesty!

Illegal alien advocates are adopting a new tactic... They now embrace the "A" word. They rationalize that amnesty is a purely humanitarian gesture and that legal status should be granted to the 12 million or so illegal aliens in this country on that basis alone. No further justification is necessary. So rather than deny that the Senate bill is really an "amnesty" bill, they now freely admit that it is an amnesty bill, just as Republicans have charged all along.

This new strategy was discussed on CNN's Larry King show (of all places) on May 21, 2007. You can view the entire show, commercial free, on Jim Gilchrist's Minuteman Project website. Of course, Jim was part of that show too, along with Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) and Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) and many others. This was a great intellectual discussion from both sides of the debate, without all the shrillness and bad behavior that you might expect on such a hot topic.

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Democrats Trying to Sink Temporary Worker Program
Legal Status to Be Granted With 24 Hours,Background Checks Need Not Be Completed
Taxpayers to Pick Up Legal Costs for Aliens
Amnesty Bill Includes Aid to Mexico
Security and Prosperity PartnershipReaffirmed in Amnesty Bill

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Cal Thomas - Tribune Media Services:

Amnesty by Another Name

I wish I could believe the president and those senators who claim their agreement on immigration legislation will "fix" the problems of open borders and illegal aliens. I can't, because the public has had no input into the measure; the last time Congress "fixed" the problem, it got worse; and it appears Democrats and Republicans care more about harvesting votes for their respective parties than doing what's best for their fellow citizens. The bill would allow for the hiring of 18,000 additional border patrol agents, construction of 370 miles of fence and 200 miles of vehicle barriers, ground-based radar, camera towers and aerial vehicles. Employers would have to electronically verify new hires within 18 months and all existing employees within three years. The priority of border security first, legalization second sounds good. Only after the border is secured, say the senators and White House, will the guest-worker program kick in. Again, I wish I could believe this, but when it comes to immigration, I don't trust either party. It's a safe bet that once the U.S. government legalizes the illegals, many will not abide by the conditions. What then?

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Forthecause.us:

Senate Leaders Put Off Action on Reform Bill Until June

Instead of ramming immigration reform through the Senate by Memorial Day, Democratic and Republican leaders agreed to wait until June to take final action on a bipartisan plan to give millions of unlawful immigrants legal status. Republicans want to make the bill tougher on the nation's estimated 12 million illegal immigrants. Democrats want to change a new temporary worker program and reorder priorities in a merit-based system for future immigration that favors employment skills over family ties. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) is among those who believe the measure's so-called "point system" doesn't do enough to ensure that future immigration will serve the country's economic needs. Other conservative critics denounced the proposal's quick granting of legal status to millions of unlawful immigrants. Deal brokers Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) want to protect the agreement from "deal-breaker" changes that would siphon away support. Their bipartisan group will hold daily meetings to determine whether proposed revisions would sink what they are calling their "grand bargain."