Postcards - and video - from the edge

http://forthecause.us/

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WorldNetDaily:

Bush OKs 'Integration' With European Union - Congress Never Asked About New Obligation

President Bush signed an agreement creating a "permanent body" that commits the U.S. to "deeper transatlantic economic integration," without ratification by the Senate as a treaty or passage by Congress as a law. The "Transatlantic Economic Integration" between the U.S. and the European Union was signed April 30 at the White House by Bush, German Chancellor Angela Merkel – the current president of the European Council – and European Commission President José Manuel Barroso. The document acknowledges "the transatlantic economy remains at the forefront of globalization," arguing that the U.S. and the European Union "seek to strengthen transatlantic economic integration." The agreement established a new Transatlantic Economic Council to be chaired on the U.S. side by a cabinet-level officer in the White House and on the EU side by a member of the European Commission. The current U.S. head of the new Transatlantic Economic Council is Allan Hubbard, assistant to the president for Economic Policy and director of the National Economic Council. The current EU head of the council is Günther Verheugen, vice-President of the European Commission in charge of enterprise and industry.

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CNN Lou Dobbs

video: Push to Introduce Immigration Reform in Senate

The tone of the immigration debate is sharpening, as lawmakers kick into re-election mode. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC), speaking before the National Council of La Raza earlier this year clearly favors legalizing illegal aliens. "We are going to solve this problem. We're not going to run people down. We're not going to scapegoat people. We're going to tell the bigots to shut up, and we're going to get this right." Getting it right to Graham means giving millions of illegal aliens legal status. But an amnesty bill is not acceptable to many other Republicans and Democrats. Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA) is among a group of lawmakers trying to push through legislation that would pass both the House and Senate: "I believe that there is a universal agreement that the immigration situation in the United States today is an unmitigated disaster." Specter and other senators have been meeting since February three times a week for two hours at a time, trying to reach a consensus. But they don't have one yet, and time is running out.

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CNN Lou Dobbs

video: Church Leaders Announce New 'Sanctuary Movement'

Many religious leaders in this country are ignoring the doctrine of separation of church and state and our laws by interfering in the debate over amnesty for illegal aliens. Evangelical and Catholic leaders are stepping up their efforts, announcing a new coast-to-coast sanctuary movement. Church leaders say they are offering sanctuary to illegal aliens to promote the cause of amnesty. But so far, only a handful of illegal aliens have accepted the sanctuary offer, perhaps fearing that flaunting their presence in front of television cameras might not be the most prudent path to amnesty. Immigration and Customs Enforcement released a statement, saying, "Those who willfully violate U.S. immigration laws face the consequences of their actions. ICE prioritizes enforcement efforts to best protect national security and promote the public safety of communities throughout the country. We carry out enforcement actions at appropriate times and places." The churches offering protection admit they're daring ICE to enter their so-called sanctuaries and apprehend deportable illegal aliens. So far, ICE has refused. U.S. law does not recognize the concept of church sanctuary. So, there is nothing stopping ICE Agents from entering a church and apprehending fugitive illegal aliens.

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Family Security Matters:

The Mexican Border Is a Despicable Revolving Door!

Let me get this straight; Americans are supposed to shed a tear of compassion and warmly embrace arrogant, ungrateful violators of our laws who march down our streets demanding rights as if they were divinely justified, expecting better treatment than our lawful citizens and further accusing Americans merely trying to defend and protest their national rights of being racist, intolerant and hateful monsters? To add more salsa to this burrito, we are also supposed to conceal their illegal status whenever it is not practical, helpful or politically correct to reveal it, since we want to perpetuate the myth that all illegal immigrants sneaking across our border are saints, angels or noble paragons of humanity? Heaven forbid the news should mention that some drunken idiot who runs over a little girl or destroys an innocent family is illegal. The despicable Mexican government winks at the practical exodus of its underclass via illegal immigration yet manages enough hypocrisy to then refuse to extradite its returning citizens after they commit crimes in this country. This insolent arrogance and vile audacity defies belief.

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KPHO News Channel 5:

Napolitano Vetoes Bill Restricting Acceptance Of Mexican ID Cards

Vetoing another bill in which lawmakers targeted illegal immigration, Gov. Janet Napolitano rejected a measure that would have prohibited state agencies and local governments from accepting ID cards provided by the Mexican government to its citizens. The ID cards can be obtained at Mexican consulates throughout the state. Phoenix is among more than 360 cities across the country that accept the credit card-sized Mexican ID cards for such purposes as getting water service, library cards or help from community health centers. The legislation would not have affected the use of the card for private transactions such as opening a bank account or buying a car. Napolitano said the bill would have hindered law enforcement officers' ability to confirm the identities of foreign nationals, including those pulled over for traffic violations "or stopped for any reason." Without the cards, foreign nationals are more likely to try to obtain forged documents that are accepted by the state, she added. "The state is better served by having foreign nationals use identification that accurately identifies them as foreign nationals." Rep. Russell Pearce, R-Mesa, the bill's sponsor, said Napolitano was pandering to "open border groups and the pro-illegal immigration community."
[Our take: While running for re-election last year Gov. Janet Napolitano talked tough on illegal immigration, boasting of being a "champion of law-enforcement and border security". Political pundits proclaimed that, finally, Napolitano "gets it" on illegal immigration. Since winning another term, Napolitano has returned to her old ways of vetoing every immigration bill that reaches her desk. It must be pretty easy to fool Arizona voters. They fall for this charade every time.]

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Chicago Sun-Times:

Bill Drives Immigration Debate - Certificates Would Require Passing State Test, Buying Car Insurance

Somebody has come up with an idea to induce adult illegal immigrants in Illinois to report to the state to be photographed and fingerprinted. They'd have to produce a valid passport, turn in any fake IDs and prove they have a legit taxpayer identification number issued by the Internal Revenue Service. And rather than running for cover or protesting in outrage, the immigrant community is clamoring for the Illinois Legislature to turn the proposal into law. You say there must be a catch. Sure, there's a catch. If somebody meets all those requirements -- and passes their driving tests and provides proof of insurance, then they would be eligible to obtain a new Illinois "driver's certificate" that would allow them to drive legally. These certificates would be visually distinct from driver's licenses and would state on their face that they aren't valid for federal identification purposes (i.e. not to be used for hijacking airplanes). Currently, illegal immigrants can't get a driver's license because they don't have a valid Social Security number. Without a driver's license, they can't get automobile insurance. With an estimated 250,000 adult drivers in Illinois falling in that category, we've got a problem.

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The Fairfax County Times:

Neighborhood Feels Overcrowding Pains

Since the overcrowding of neighboring houses began 10 years ago, a who's-who of county officials have descended on their two-level rambler on Dana Avenue in Springfield. Two county attorneys and the head of the county's zoning enforcement office have visited the Gaults. So have Lee District Supervisor Dana Kauffman (D), and county board chairman Gerry Connolly (D). But the attention they have received from the county makes no difference, Harry Gault said, because the neighborhood is beyond the point of no return. Dawn Rihaly is a nurse at Garfield Elementary and has seen evidence of the unsanitary conditions overcrowding brings. She has lived in the neighborhood for 16 years and, two years ago, the house next door housed about 30 people. "One family was living in the back shed, using our back yard as a bathroom," she said. "They would sleep anywhere. In tents, on the grass, in the backs of trucks, everything."
[Our take: We're not too concerned about illegal aliens jamming themselves 30 deep into small homes and causing health and safety problems for communities. If Congress passes an amnesty, such overcrowding will be commonplace, as a new and unrelenting wave of illegal aliens races across our southern border. Overcrowding will seem trivial compared to the insurmountable new problems amnesty will create. Don't count on Congress to help; they're the ones creating this mess! The way they see it, you should be thankful.]