Groups Held Amnesty Summit Before Obama Speech

The Washington Post reports that amnesty supporters held a San Diego Summit earlier this month to plan how to neutralize the minimalist enforcement efforts of the Obama administration.

"Members of groups from Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California were among the roughly 45 delegates who came together in San Diego. At the top of the agenda was how to counter Obama's message that further security measures are needed, including 1,000 more border agents and as many as 1,200 National Guard troops. The delegates acknowledged that their goal, comprehensive immigration reform, is unlikely to be taken up by Congress this year."

Apportionment Effects of Census Count of Illegal Immigrants Yet to Be Seen, Expected to Be High

Leah Durant, with Progressives for Immigration Reform, says that the Census is expected to again give undue representation to states with high illegal immigrant populations. "The failure to distinguish legal residents from illegal immigrants has caused the apportionment of House seats to skew unfairly. The distribution of House seats is based on population, with 650,000 residents per House seat. If states with large undocumented populations like California were not allowed to count these populations, they would lose a significant number of House seats to states that had a higher ratio of citizens to undocumented immigrants. California, for example, would lose 5 House seats if its 3 to 5 million undocumented residents were not counted in the population."

Ohioans Support Arizona Style Law

A new poll by Quinnipiac University shows 48 percent of Ohio voters support an Arizona-style immigration law. NBC 4 Columbus interviewed Ohioans who echoed the overall public support for the measure.

ICE Raids California Factory

ICE agents arrested 43 people at the Fullerton, California plant of Terra Universal Inc. as part of a raid targeting illegal employees. Terra, which makes laboratory equipment, said the shutdown cost $250,000 so far.

Wells Fargo, Western Union, Other Banks Financed Drug Cartels and Face No Penalty, Says Bloomberg News

"Wachovia, it turns out, had made a habit of helping move money for Mexican drug smugglers. Wells Fargo & Co., which bought Wachovia in 2008, has admitted in court that its unit failed to monitor and report suspected money laundering by narcotics traffickers -- including the cash used to buy four planes that shipped a total of 22 tons of cocaine," says Bloomberg News. "No big U.S. bank -- Wells Fargo included -- has ever been indicted for violating the Bank Secrecy Act or any other federal law. Instead, the Justice Department settles criminal charges by using deferred-prosecution agreements, in which a bank pays a fine and promises not to break the law again."

"There's no capacity to regulate or punish them because they're too big to be threatened with failure," a former investigator with the U.S. Senate said. "They seem to be willing to do anything that improves their bottom line, until they're caught."

Obama, Legislators Plan Next Move for Amnesty

"Even with Washington distracted by the oil spill, a change in generals in Afghanistan and a Supreme Court nomination, President Barack Obama and his congressional allies are stoking the immigration debate, ignoring signals that the issue is dead for the year," Politico reports. "According to those involved in the meetings, the discussions are not about legislation but about keeping the politics of immigration simmering for a key part of the Democratic base. The Obama administration is preparing a lawsuit against Arizona, challenging that state's toughest-in-the-nation immigration law. And the president told participants Monday that he plans to give a major speech soon urging Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform."

Tennessee Governor Signs Arizona-Style Measure into Law

Gov. Phil Bredesen signed an Arizona-style enforcement bill into law Monday. The measure requires police to check with ICE if they cannot verify the citizenship status of people arrested. "I believe there has been significant political posturing on this issue," Bredesen said. "While I do have concerns about this legislation, this bill seeks to set up a verification process similar to what exists in our state's major cities, and I have been supportive of these efforts."

Obama Holds Secret White House Meeting With SEIU About SB 1070

"President Obama added a late meeting [Monday] afternoon, a closed-to-the-media session of what the White House described as 'grass-roots leaders' discussing 'comprehensive immigration reform,'" USA Today says.

Illegal Immigrants Allegedly Leave Arizona to Avoid SB 1070

The New York Daily News says "droves" of illegal aliens are leaving Arizona to avoid SB 1070. "Some point to the recent departures as a sign that the new law is working and saving the state money because taxpayers won't have to pay for schools or social services."

Supreme Court to Hear Challenge to Arizona E-Verify Law

"The Court's decision to take the case places a harsh spotlight on Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for an apparent reversal on her views of how best to address immigration problems. It also puts added focus on Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan and her role as Solicitor General in asking the high court to take the case," notes Fox News. "Arizona argues that concern is unwarranted because its law works in concert with federal measures. 'Although Congress prohibited the federal government from requiring employers throughout the country to use E-Verify, it did not prohibit state policymakers from requiring employers within their jurisdiction to use this federal program,' Arizona Solicitor General Mary O'Grady told the Court asking the justices to deny review."

Las Vegas 287(g) Program Succeeds in Deporting Criminals

Las Vegas police are having success at arresting and deporting illegal alien criminals, the Las Vegas Review Journal says. "Las Vegas police insist the arrests on minor charges do not violate the department's stated intent to target only illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes. That's because a person who is arrested for jaywalking, for example, would only be referred to ICE if they had a police record that included a violent crime, police said. 'You may have a guy who got arrested for jaywalking, but it wasn't jaywalking that got him deported,' said Officer Jacinto Rivera, a police spokesman. 'It was his prior history of robbery and kidnapping.'' That kind of common-sense hasn't stopped objections from the local ACLU, which argues the policy is profiling.

Univision Host Says Obama Broke Amnesty Promises

Jorge Ramos, the host of the most popular Spanish-language TV news show in the U.S., is on the 'warpath' after President Obama missed a self-imposed deadline to move amnesty legislation. "Armed with a new book, A Country for All: An Immigrant Manifesto , Ramos is the most prominent Hispanic voice inside or outside of politics to blast away at Obama for not keeping his word. 'I believed him and millions of Latinos believed him,' Ramos said by phone from Miami," says a story at the Daily Beast news blog. "Immigration usually trails behind education and the economy in surveys of the most important issues for Latino voters. Ramos says it's the "most important symbolic issue," however, and was crucial to Obama's success. Obama's Promise proved, in a way that's hard to quantify with numbers, that Obama was a friend of the Hispanic community. Obama wound up with 67 percent of the Hispanic vote, 14 points higher than John Kerry's total."

States, Localities Increasingly Look For Immigration Enforcement

"In the first three months of this year, legislators in 45 states introduced 1,180 bills or resolutions dealing with immigrants, an unprecedented number, according to the NCSL (National Council of State Legislatures). By the end of March, 107 laws and 87 resolutions had been adopted by 34 states, with 38 bills pending. Not all of the proposals were designed to clamp down on illegal immigrants. Ann Morse, director of the Immigrant Policy Project at the NCSL, said they represented "a spectrum" of pro- and anti-immigration measures," the Washington Post says.

Arizona Boycotts Watered Down Under Pressure

The Christian Science Monitor says that cities that passed boycott resolutions against Arizona are now watering them down after a confrontation with reality. "The Los Angeles City Council on Wednesday granted itself an exemption to the city's boycott of Arizona to keep a red light photo enforcement program operating. The program generates about $3.6 million in annual ticket revenue for the city. The day before, Oakland voted to approve a $1 million contract with a multinational advertising company with corporate offices in Phoenix."

Bloomberg Ramps Up Amnesty Coalition

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg, making good on an inaugural pledge, has stepped up to help lead the national battle for immigration reform. On Thursday, he announced a partnership of mayors and business leaders to make the economic case for [amnesty], including mayors of Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Antonio, Phoenix, and top executives of companies like Walt Disney, Hewlett-Packard, Boeing and the New York Mets," the New York Times said.

House Judiciary Members Say Kagan Should Answer About 2007 Arizona Law

"Fourteen members of Congress sent a letter today to Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jeff Sessions asking him to question Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan about her role in the Obama administration's decision to ask the Court to overturn a 2007 Arizona immigration enforcement law," notes a statement from Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee.

Napolitano Picks Sanctuary City Police Chief to Lead ICE Local Coordination?

"Former Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt, who has been a vocal critic of a controversial program at Immigration and Customs Enforcement, has taken a high-profile job at the federal agency. At ICE, Hurtt will act as the new director in charge of outreach with local and state law enforcement and non-governmental organizations," the Houston Chronicle reported. "Hurtt and former Mayor Bill White faced harsh criticism during their tenures over the city's role in immigration enforcement. Much of the conflict during the past year focused on HPD's participation - or lack thereof - in ICE's 287(g) program, which trains local law enforcement to assist ICE with immigration screening."

Napolitano Says Border Is As Secure As It's Ever Been

DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano echoed the purported statements of President Obama at a forum in Washington D.C. yesterday, according to Congress Daily. Speaking at the Center For Strategic and International Studies, she said, "The plain fact of the matter is that the border is as secure now as it's ever been but we know we can always do more. . . The notion that you're going to somehow seal the border and only at that point will you discuss immigration reform -- that is not an answer to the problem."

CEOs Form Amnesty Coalition

"Chief executives of several major corporations, including Hewlett-Packard, Boeing, Disney and News Corp., are joining Mayor Michael Bloomberg to form a coalition advocating for immigration reform -- including a path to legal status for all undocumented immigrants now in the United States," CBS TV reports. "The group includes several other big-city mayors and calls itself the Partnership for a New American Economy. It seeks to reframe immigration reform as the solution to repairing and stimulating the economy."

Read Mexico's Incredible Amicus Brief Against SB 1070

The Mexican government has managed with the assistance of several U.S. law firms to produce a brief so stunning in its overall outrageousness that they have outdone themselves. Mexico's position through their brief, filed against SB 1070, is that the democratic will of the Arizona electorate, the inalienable right of self-determination and republican government guaranteed by the Constitution, is as nothing compared to the demands of a foreign state that continues to claim the right to meddle in U.S. domestic policy. Anyone who maintains that illegal immigrants are "subject to the jurisdiction" of the U.S. for the purposes of the 14th amendment has better never read this brief, because the convenient fictions about birthright citizenship would evaporate in the harsh realization that the Mexican government clearly believes it has something to say about that conclusion and considers Mexicans in the U.S. to be, in some form, always under its jurisdiction.

Arizona Democrats Asking Obama NOT to Sue

"Arizona Democrats facing tough reelection races are distancing themselves from the Obama administration as it prepares to file a lawsuit against the state over its controversial immigration law. Rep. Harry Mitchell (D-Ariz.) on Monday sent a sharply worded letter to President Barack Obama urging him not to sue," The Hill's blog reported.

Arizona Attorney General Steps Down from SB 1070 Defense

"Saying he's saving taxpayer funds, Attorney General Terry Goddard on Friday bowed out of defending the legality of the state's new immigration law. In a letter to Gov. Jan Brewer, Goddard said he still disputes her contention that she alone can control the defense of SB 1070 in five separate federal court lawsuits that have been filed so far," Capitol Media Services reported. Goddard said that while he opposed the law, he was prepared to defend it in court.

State Dept. Changes Refugee Stance, Will Allow More Iraqis to Detroit

The State Department has changed a policy restricting Iraqi refugee resettlement to Detroit because of the bad local economy. The change comes after the State Department doubled the amount of money given to resettlement agencies for each refugee.

Bloomberg Defends Mass Immigration, Financial Industry

New York mayor Bloomberg said at the New York Forum conference today, "Our immigration policy is national suicide. I can't think of any ways to destroy this country quite as direct and impactful as our immigration policy. We educate the best and the brightest and then we don't give them a green card." Bloomberg also criticized Congress for financial regulations currently being debated.

Arpaio, Brewer Say Suits Against SB 1070 Without Merit

"Arizona's governor and Sheriff Joe Arpaio seek dismissal of a federal class action challenging the state's new immigration law. Gov. Jan Brewer and "America's Toughest Sheriff" claim the complaint from the ACLU, NAACP and others lacks factual basis to show that members will racially profiled when the law is enforced," Courthouse News reported.

Nebraska Town Passes Immigration Ordinance

Fremont, Nebraska residents approved a measure to help stop illegal immigration. Unofficial results showed the measure got 57 percent of the vote. "City leaders said now that the people have spoken, they will do their best to enact the ordinance. 'We'll just go ahead and follow the will of the people,' mayor "Skip" Edwards said. 'We just need to implement it and move forward,'" the Fremont Tribune reports.

All Virginia Counties Now Using Secure Communities

"A new system that lets local law enforcement check fingerprints of people who are arrested against immigration records maintained by the Department of Homeland Security is now in use in every county in Virginia, according to a joint release by the Attorney General's office and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE)," the Washington Post says. DHS's goal is to roll the program out nationally by 2013.

Tennessee Bill Would Require Police to Verify Legal Status

The ACLU is asking Tennessee's governor to veto a bill that would require police at jails to verify someone's legal status when they are taken into custody. "Under the proposed law, sheriffs are required to send booking information to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement for all people who cannot prove their legal status," notes the Tennessean.

Border Enforcement Hostage to Amnesty

Sen. Jon Kyl says the reason that Obama administration is foot-dragging on border security is to gain political leverage in passing amnesty. "They don't want to secure the border unless and until it is combined with comprehensive immigration reform," Kyl said. "They frankly don't want to do it. They want to get something in return for doing their duty."

Tamar Jacoby: I Hate SB 1070 But Obama Shouldn't Sue

Amnesty supporter Tamar Jacoby says that the Obama administration should not sue to overturn SB 1070 because it will polarize the immigration debate. "It's a disastrous course -- and one all too familiar in American politics. How long before the immigration debate is as stalemated as the standoff on abortion? Each side sees the other as morally reprehensible. Each is sure it's right. We as a nation can't resolve the problem, but we can't let go of it, either -- and it soon poisons other issues, making it hard to do even basic things, like confirm judges."

Amnesty Supporters Upset By Any Enforcement Effort

"Homeland Security is under fire by disillusioned activists who believe the Obama administration is only paying lip service to a different strategy, and that in reality it is detaining criminal and noncriminal immigrants the same way the administration of George W. Bush did," according to the Miami Herald.

"As a law enforcement agency, ICE never said we were going to cease arresting noncriminal aliens. Noncriminals are simply the lowest priority. ICE still detains and removes noncriminals, but ICE's priority as an agency is to remove criminal aliens with convictions," a DHS spokeswoman said.

Lansing Tries EB-5 Visas to Recruit Foreign Investors

"The term might not be part of the everyday American lexicon. But to foreign nationals and Lansing officials, EB-5 translates into green - green cards for the foreign nationals, and money for city businesses and developments," says the Lansing State Journal. "In May, Lansing became an EB-5 Regional Center. The designation allows immigrants to obtain permanent U.S. residency when they invest $500,000 in a commercial enterprise that creates at least 10 direct or indirect full-time jobs."

Dan Stein on Fox News: Obama Lawsuit Against SB 1070

White House sources are confirming that the Department of Justice will file suit to stop implementation of SB 1070. FAIR president Dan Stein appeared on Fox News this afternoon shortly before the suit was confirmed. Watch below.

New Video: Dan Stein on SB1070

Fox News Covers Cartel Incursions into AZ

"We have squad sized paramilitary elements that are working deep in our country," says Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu in this Fox News clip.

This post updated 6/18, originally posted 6/16

Hillary Says Obama Will Sue Arizona, Gov. Brewer Launches Defense Fund

"The Obama administration has decided to sue Arizona over the state's controversial immigration law, according to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The Justice Department declined Thursday to confirm such a plan," the Washington Post reported.

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has set up a defense fund to help with legal costs associated with SB 1070. "Nearly 440 individuals in 46 U.S. states and the District of Columbia have contributed to the fund. The smallest contribution is $1 and the largest is for $750, which came from a Kansas resident," the Arizona Republic reports.

Inman Family Holds Vigil in Georgia

The family of Dustin Inman held a vigil at his grave this week, 10 years after he was killed by an illegal alien drunk driver. "On June 16, 2000, the Inman's were sitting at a traffic light in Ellijay when another car hit them from behind. Sixteen-year old Dustin Inman was killed and his mother Kathy Inman was left paralyzed. Billy Inman was injured and left picking up the pieces. Inman said the other driver was taken to the hospital, but then checked himself out and went on the run. Police said the driver was an illegal immigrant," CBS-TV reported. The Dustin Inman Society was founded after his death to work for immigration reform in Georgia.

DHS Considers More Drone Patrols

"The Homeland Security Department is "seriously considering" expanding its arsenal of unmanned drones to patrol the nation's borders and does not expect to have a comprehensive border security assessment completed until the end of the year, a senior DHS official told lawmakers today," according to Congress Daily. "Borkowski did not offer a timeline for making a decision to buy more drones. Instead, he said the department is conducting an assessment of two border areas where SBInet technology is being used and expects it to be completed by the end of December."

Nebraska Town Struggles To Halt Illegal Immigration

The New York Times reports from Fremont, Nebraska, where citizens managed to get an ordinance designed to halt illegal immigration on the ballot. "[I]n a special election Monday, residents will decide whether to ban businesses from hiring illegal immigrants and bar landlords from renting to them. Residents demanded the vote, fighting off challenges by some of their elected leaders all the way to the State Supreme Court."

Dissention in the Amnesty Ranks?

Alfredo Gutierrez, who writes for La Frontera Times, says the Reform Immigration For America campaign disrespected DREAM Act activists by meeting with Sen. Schumer while students were staging a hunger strike by his office. Gutierrez says RIFA and the major national amnesty groups are 'aparatchiks'. "Ten years of consistent failure, ten years of sacrificing the lives and dreams of perhaps six or seven hundred thousand youngsters should be enough to persuade even the most ardent aparatchik that one should reconsider. Unfortunately, the uncreative who populate many of the mainstream advocacy plod on without a hint of irony arguing that their failure represents loyalty to principle."

Sen. Pearce Says Anchor Baby Problem Next Up for Legislation

"Emboldened by passage of the nation's toughest law against illegal immigration, the Arizona politician who sponsored the measure now wants to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in this country to undocumented parents," notes the Associated Press.

ICE Tries Re-Branding Effort to De-Emphasize Illegal Immigration

"U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement will realign its duties to promote criminal investigations over immigrant deportation, officials have announced," the Washington Post reported. "By streamlining and renaming several offices, officials hope to highlight the agency's counterterrorism, money laundering and other complex criminal investigations and in the process "re-brand" ICE, turning the public -- and political -- spotlight away from its immigration work."

Taking Obama to Heart . . . About Media Coverage of the SPLC

"[President] Obama has had a few choice words for reporters recently. He warned graduates at the University of Michigan of the damage the media do by playing up 'every hint of conflict' to produce 'sexier' stories. Vilification on both sides, Obama said, 'prevents learning - since after all, why should we listen to a 'fascist' or a 'socialist' or a 'right-wing nut' or a 'left-wing nut'?" says Jamie Holmes with the New America Foundation in a Christian Science Monitor Op-Ed.

He continues, "[The SPLC's] exaggerations, and reporters' more-or-less intentional acquiescence, are deeply counterproductive. They smear Americans who are merely exercising their right to free speech, and sap funds from other organizations and issues that are much more critical to promoting tolerance. Exaggerations like the SPLC's help stifle rational debate."

Arpaio to Launch New Crime Sweep

"Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio says he plans to launch his 16th crime and immigration sweep on July 30, the day after Arizona's new immigration law is set to take effect," KSWT-TV reported. "The sheriff's office hasn't revealed where it will conduct the sweep."

Denver Amnesty Rally Ends in Arrests

Denver Police arrested 14 people who were protesting the lack of amnesty legislation. "The activists who kneeled on the street in front of the federal courthouse were part of a much larger protest and march aimed at urging President Barack Obama to immediately tackle immigration reform. Many of the estimated 110 activists who participated in yesterday's protest were furious that Obama hasn't make good on his campaign promise to tackle immigration reform within his first year of office," the Denver Daily News says.

Mexico Should Skip Immigration Lectures

Barbara Lydick in the Visalia Times-Delta says Mexico has not leeway to criticize Arizona for enforcing immigration laws. "Absent enforcement of federal law, what was Arizona to do? There are nearly 500,000 illegal immigrants living in Arizona, availing themselves of schools, hospitals and social services. Last year, the Border Patrol apprehended 241,453 people and confiscated 1.3 million pounds of marijuana in just the Tucson sector and one-fifth of those had a U.S. criminal record."

Illegal Aliens are Often Career Criminals says Border Agent

Jennifer Kendall tells Human Events readers about her interview with a Border Patrol agent who explained to her that many illegal aliens are career criminals. "When it comes to whom illegal immigrants are, the Border Patrol officer says 'There are a certain amount of people in the group that are just looking for a better life. They're hardworking people and they are coming here to do what people have done for many, many years, come here for opportunity. But there's also a certain amount of those people that are career criminals, you know... they're trying to manipulate the system. They just come here and break laws, not pay taxes, and benefit from all the public programs and that type of stuff.'"

Why Arizona's Immigration Law Will Work in Massachusetts

"The economic cost of illegal immigration is taking its toll, especially in Arizona. According to a recent study by the Federation for American Immigration Reform, Arizonans paid $2.7 billion in 2009 to support illegal immigrants. This figure does not include costs associated with an increase in violent crime and a flood of drugs in the state," notes Michael Stoppa in a Boston Globe commentary.

Is Border Security an Inconvenient Truth?

"The dispute over just how much border security is enough looms as the biggest impediment to any attempt by the Obama administration and Congress to overhaul the nation's immigration laws," says the LA Times. "Republicans say they can't support an immigration bill until the border is under control. The Obama administration points out that crime in U.S. border cities is down, as are illegal border crossings."

Pinal County Sheriff: Cartels Control Parts of Arizona

Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu says that Mexican drug cartels now control parts of Arizona stretching from the border to Phoenix. "Pinal County investigators say an area known as the smuggling corridor now stretches from Mexico's border to metro Phoenix. The area , once an area for family hiking and off road vehicles has government signs warning residents of the drug and human smugglers," says MaryEllen Resendez with ABC News.

SPLC: Amnesty Advocates, Not Impartial Sources

Reporters beware: for those who thought the Southern Poverty Law Center was a neutral broker on immigration policy, they are actually pushing their own agenda in what has increasingly become a partisan policy debate. As recently as 2007, the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) found funding to start attacking immigration reformers nationwide - attacks that have now become part of their daily "to do" list. Early on, SPLC staffers justified their polemical assault by claiming they were detached and disinterested observers of the immigration debate, telling reporters the SPLC doesn't even have an immigration policy position. Now the truth is out - and it turns out they lied. Recently, the SPLC not only began litigating immigration issues, but it has taken legislative positions in favor of amnesty - joining open-borders coalitions virulently opposed to all border enforcement. Most recently, they've joined the "Immigration Reform for America" coalition - the main amnesty coalition in the U.S.

So much for claiming to be a neutral broker on the immigration issue. Even more recently, SPLC staffers have spent months culling through public archives of materials donated by FAIR and others in this movement in their attempt to smear political opponents. The SPLC ignores 99.99% of the professional and creditable material before their very eyes, all the while trying to find evidence of bias or unsavory motives in an arcane fragment here and there. To some, this open access position of the immigration reform movement is a tribute to our commitment to openness and the spirit of free inquiry. It would be interesting to know where one can go to examine the private papers of Morris Dees, Richard Cohen or old SPLC organizational files. An innocent inquiry into a few SPLC financial matters by the Montgomery Advertiser earned that paper more than a few legal threats from SPLC lawyers. Award winning reporters like Jerry Kammer and Ken Silverstein (Harpers) have published block-buster exposes on the unethical practices of the SPLC. But do they even respond?

The SPLC's revelatory behavior is leading more and more people to see the organization for what is really is - an organization out of step with the challenges facing America in the 21st Century and reduced to DaVinci Code-style "exposes" aimed at getting donations from anyone credulous enough to believe them. Beyond a cozy relationship with the liberal fringe parked at MSNBC, the SPLC's pretensions of being an arbiter of acceptable speech and thought are viewed with increasing skepticism.

Clarence Jones: Arizona Law Opponents Should Protest Mexico's Policy

"As an African-American who lived through and before the Civil Rights Movement, I'm no fan of assessing people based on their skin color. But holding a struggling State's feet to the fire on tactics is missing the point . Why are protests not being directed to our national government and the government of Mexico? Why aren't these groups demanding that our porous border with Mexico be closed, once and for all? It's not impossible," says Clarence Jones at the Huffington Post.

Texas GOP Moves to Support Arizona-Style Law

"Texas Republicans voted Saturday to call for a state law to require local police officers to verify that people arrested on suspicion of a crime are in the country legally. If Republicans have their way, the Legislature would make it a crime for an illegal immigrant to "intentionally or knowingly" be in the state of Texas. The proposal, similar to the controversial law in Arizona, is part of the legislative priorities section of the platform approved Saturday at the state GOP convention in Dallas," the Southern Political Report says. The Houston Chronicle has more coverage.

Sheriff's Deputies Raid Sizzler Restaurants in AZ

Maricopa Sheriff Deputies raided several Sizzler restaurants to enforce the law against hiring illegal immigrants. "The raids were part of a yearlong investigation into whether the operators of the two Sizzler locations broke a civil law by knowingly hiring illegal immigrants, Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Lt. Brian Lee said in a statement," the AP reported.

Rep. Lamar Smith : Holder's Hostility on Arizona Part of a Broader Pattern

"The Obama administration has all but abandoned worksite enforcement efforts. Through April, administrative arrests are down 80 percent, criminal arrests are down 68 percent, the number of criminal indictments is down 74 percent and convictions are down 75 percent since 2008. What an insult to the millions of unemployed citizen and legal immigrant workers who need those jobs held by millions of illegal immigrants!" says Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) in an op-ed today.

The Immigration Policy Center Sweeps American Workers Under the Carpet

by Jack Martin

The Immigration Policy Center - a creation of the immigration lawyers association - is trying to convince policymakers and the public that illegal aliens do not compete for jobs with American workers. They assert that:

"The data demonstrates. . . that most foreign-born workers differ from most native-born workers in terms of what occupations they work in, where in the country they live, and how much education they have. What this means in practical terms is that most native-born workers are not directly competing for jobs with immigrant workers because they are in different labor markets."

The word "most" is used to sweep under the carpet the social injustice of allowing illegal alien workers to undercut wages and working conditions of America's most vulnerable workers. Sure, most American workers are not high school dropouts. Sure, most illegal immigrant workers do not have college degrees - and would have difficulty getting a professional job anyway. But that does not mean that there are not millions of Americans today looking for jobs - or full-time jobs, and especially jobs that offer some security, and it does not mean that there aren't millions of illegal aliens filling jobs that those unemployed and underemployed Americans are seeking.

Is the Ground Shifting on Immigration?

by Ira Mehlman

The political debate over immigration policy in the U.S. and in other developed nations has often been mischaracterized as a Left vs. Right one. In fact it has never been, and is becoming increasingly less so every day. Immigration is (and always has been) an Elite vs. Everyone Else issue. (cont'd)

The Elite have always been a distinct minority wherever the immigration debate has played out. But what they lacked in numbers they have been able to make up for by being - well, The Elite. Lately, however, The Elite aren't feeling so comfortable, and it's not just in the U.S. Ordinary citizens in this country and in many other Western democracies seem to finally have had enough. High on the list of things they've had enough of is excessive immigration.

Voters in the Netherlands, this week, registered their feelings loudly and clearly by electing 24 members of the Freedom Party to the Dutch Parliament. The Freedom Party's leader, Geert Wilders, campaigned on a platform that called for dramatic reductions in immigration to the Netherlands. The traditional center-right and center-left parties claimed just 31 and 30 seats respectively. Perhaps even more significant than the Freedom Party's large gains in Parliament was that their message on immigration was so popular with the electorate that it was all but co-opted by the winning center-right Liberal Party.

Here in this country the ground has been gradually shifting under the feet of the political establishment for some time. But they were really forced to sit up and take notice when, in spite of their most eloquent expressions of displeasure and consternation, the American public, nevertheless, cheered Arizona's bold move to enforce laws against illegal immigration.

After decades of being ignored (even scorned) by both major parties in the U.S., there are some encouraging signs that even the political elite are beginning to get the message on immigration. As recently as 2007, there was a sizeable contingent of congressional Republicans prepared to support amnesty and mass immigration. No more. The open immigration wing of the GOP has been reduced to a coalition of one: Sen. Lindsey Graham - and even he isn't sure he wants to be a member.

The Democratic Party line on immigration hasn't changed (although there are many Democratic elected officials who oppose amnesty and mass immigration, and are pressuring the party leadership to leave the issue alone), but even they have been forced to bow to political realities. A June 10 article in Politico notes that when it comes to the immigration issue these days, almost no one wants to sound like they are condoning illegal immigration or supporting amnesty. The political strategy employed by the Democratic leadership is to talk-the-talk and hope that no one will notice that they aren't walking-the-walk.

It seems that Everyone Else may finally be getting their attention.

Socialist Rages Against Arizona and SB1070

"The assortment of older, white, Republican Party functionaries and political aspirants, Tea Party activists, AM talk-radio entourages and Minuteman groups reveal the underlying nature of this movement. Far from being an organic and widespread mobilization of disaffected citizens, the latest anti-immigrant surge is a highly orchestrated campaign, emanating from within the Washington beltway," says Justin Akers Chacon at the Socialist Worker site.

AZ Law Opponents Believe in Unlimited Right to Immigrate to the U.S.

Philip Cafaro with RightSideNews says that the opposition to Arizona's new law is ultimately due to opponents of the measure believing in an unlimited right of immigration to the U.S. "[W]hat makes immigration law-breaking special? It is special, because many immigrants' rights advocates don't think breaking immigration laws is wrong. In effect, they believe that immigrants have a right to settle in the United States regardless of our laws. While this is not the explicit view of the American Civil Liberties Union, it seems implicit in their overall stance on immigration."

"One is forced to ask: if all these laws, including the new Arizona law, are unfair and biased, what law - what law that actually worked - would the ACLU accept as fair and unbiased? My sense is that the answer for the ACLU and many supporters of mass immigration is 'none.' No law that actually worked would be acceptable to the ACLU, for the simple reason that they don't think immigration laws should be enforced."

H-1B Body Shops File Suit So They Can Keep Abusing Employees

TechServe Alliance, the American Staffing Association and three body-shop H-1b companies are suing to stop DHS regulations meant to combat wage and other abuses commonly committed by firms hiring temporary foreign workers. The policy changes was announced by Donald Neufield, of Citizenship and Immigration Services, earlier in the year. It requires companies that sponsor H-1b employees to directly supervise them on a daily basis - something that body shops don't do.

"If the mere requirement that people actually work for their employer will put many companies out of business, that demonstrates the extent of the rampant abuse in the H-1B program," John Miano, founder of the Programmers Guild, said in a Computerworld article.

It's Really About Zero Enforcement

Proving that there is no immigration enforcement measure that the open-border lobby will support, Stewart J. Lawrence attacks the Secure Communities program in the Christian Science Monitor.

"As with Arizona's recent law, it is susceptible to racial profiling and a lack of due process in the jailing and deportation of illegal aliens. It's a program that has potentially far-reaching consequences if not properly managed. In the rush to tackle immigration, and in the wrong hands, it could turn into a mass deportation program."

Mass. Legislators Move To Cut Benefits for Illegal Immigrants

The New York Times reports on efforts by Massachusetts legislators to cut down the benefits given to illegal immigrants. "Five days after the Arizona measure became law, the Massachusetts House came close to passing a Republican proposal to block public benefits for illegal immigrants. A similar bill failed overwhelmingly just a year earlier. But supporters said the Arizona law - and pockets of anger here over the case of President Obama's Kenyan aunt, who had been living in public housing in Boston while fighting a deportation order - turned the tide."

Immigration Views Swing GOP Primary in Florida?

Fox News says that "A surprising surge by mega-millionaire Rick Scott in the Republican race to replace Charlie Crist as Florida governor puts the political neophyte 13 points ahead of Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum."

"Scott, who came to enjoy some name recognition as a vocal opponent of the health insurance overhaul enacted into law earlier this year, has ubiquitously used television ads, to strongly criticize McCollum for saying that the Arizona immigration law would not work in Florida."

New Videos of Speeches At Phoenix Rising Rally

Dan Amato of DiggersRealm.com has posted video of the speakers at the Phoenix Rising Rally, June 5th, 2010. The rally was held in support of Arizona SB 1070.

Continental Breakfast, Other Amenities Coming for Immigration Detainees

Among the changes coming to detention centers for illegal immigrants are bingo nights, vocational classes and continental breakfast, says the Houston Chronicle. ICE union leaders said the changes posed problems for officer safety. The elimination of pat-down searches and lockdowns will make it harder to protect detainees from one another.

Utah Counties Move to Adopt Secure Communities

"The Secure Communities Program, an initiative headed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement that helps law enforcement officers match fingerprints to federal immigration records, started in six other Utah counties in March and is now moving to Washington, Beaver and Sevier counties," The Spectrum reported. "The program uses biometric information-sharing technology to take fingerprints already recorded upon booking and send them to ICE and the Federal Bureau of Investigations."

Joe Wurzelbacher - FairTax Would Help to Fix Immigration

"You won't hear Senor Calderon talking about his country's failure to create a viable middle class in Mexico because that might mean sacrifice by the wealthy class there. Instead, Mexico has built factories on their side of the US/Mexico border to steal away American businesses and attract more Mexicans from the interior to our border," says Joe Wurzelbacher at Andrew Breitbart's Big Government. "The FairTax is a national retail consumption tax to replace all federal taxes on income. It comes with a monthly "prebate" check which wipes out or offsets the new tax on the necessities of life. Millions of illegal immigrants become taxpayers, overnight, under the FairTax as consumers but won't get the monthly prebate. That means that if you come here illegally you can expect to spend 23% more than anyone else on your daily purchases. For an American family of four this prebate allows more than $29,000 a year of federal tax free spending-but illegal immigrants get no such break."

Sheriff Says Illegal Aliens May Be Working on Oil Cleanup

St. Bernard Parish Sheriff Jack A. Stephens says he asked ICE to investigate reports that illegal immigrants were getting jobs doing cleanup to respond to the Deepwater Horizon leak. "Stephens says he wants to protect the community from 'criminal elements' and not 'people who want to earn an honest buck,'" according to the AP.

Debate Heats up Over Fremont Ordinance

"Dramatic growth in Fremont's foreign-born population and citizen concerns about illegal immigration's costs culminated in July 2008 with the City Council narrowly defeating a proposed ordinance aimed at clearing Fremont of undocumented workers. Now that ordinance is back before voters June 21," says the Omaha World Herald. "The same day the Nebraska court ordered the Fremont election to proceed, Arizona's governor signed a law compelling local police to ask for proof of residency from people they suspect of being illegal immigrants, stepping up the debate over immigration nationally. Former Fremont City Councilman Charlie Janssen, who voted for the ordinance, now is a state senator who has said he plans to offer similar legislation for Nebraska."

The Real Story of California Penal Code 834b and Arizona's SB 1070

Many people concerned with immigration reform have been forwarding the text of California Penal Code 834b. Section 834b is very similar to Arizona's newly passed SB 1070 in that it provides for effective state and local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Here, FAIR and IRLI (Immigration Reform Law Institute) provide some answers for the most commonly asked questions about California Penal Code 834b and immigration enforcement. (cont'd)

Frequently asked questions:

Q: Why is California ignoring 834b and not enforcing the law?

A: California Penal Code 834b is the statutory language added to the California Penal Code by Prop. 187. In 1997, then-Governor Gray Davis moved to put the lawsuit filed (League of United Latin American Citizens v. Wilson, 908 F.Supp. 755, 763 (C.D.Cal.1995)) into mediation. Subsequently, the initial injunction that held that provisions of Prop. 187 were pre-empted was not challenged. The move by Davis allowed the challenge to Prop. 187 to prevail, and the 9th Circuit opinion about the pre-emption issue was never litigated to a conclusion.

Q: How is Arizona SB 1070 different from California Penal Code 834b?

A: Arizona SB 1070 was very carefully drafted after a legal analysis of the arguments in the LULAC v. Wilson case. Arizona SB 1070 incorporates federal law - a different approach from Prop. 187's. Arizona SB 1070 represents years worth of research and litigation (including other state level measures in Arizona upheld by federal courts) to completely fall within acceptable state action.

Prop. 187 is still the "toughest" state immigration enforcement measure ever enacted - a point made by IRLI General Counsel Mike Hethmon in this op-ed on April 30, 2010. (Read Here)

Q: Isn't there a way for California to start enforcing Section 834b?

A: No, because of the decision in LULAC v. Wilson, California cannot enforce those provisions. California voters or California's legislature need to pass an Arizona-style immigration measure again, and also defend it in court as Arizona is preparing to do.

Q: Is there any enforceable provision of California Law Similar to SB 1070?

A: There is a California Code Section that is in place, has been upheld by a California Appellate Court and is similar to the Arizona Statute. Under Section 11369 of the Health and Safety Code, "[w]hen there is reason to believe that any person arrested for a violation [of any of 14 specified drug offenses] may not be a citizen of the United States, the arresting agency shall notify the appropriate agency of the United States having charge of deportation matters." Fonseca v. Fong, (2008). Similar to that provision, SB 1070 requires an Arizona State Officer who has reason to believe that someone is in the country unlawfully, to contact the federal government, so that the federal government can determine the suspect's immigration status.

Penn. Bills Target Illegal Employment

"Some Pennsylvania employers could be asked to take extra steps to make sure they aren't employing illegal immigrants, if some lawmakers get their way. The state House overwhelmingly approved two proposals that would require contractors to verify that their employees are legally authorized to work in the state," PennLive.com reported. "These bills stand up for decent, hardworking Pennsylvanians who play by the rules and are begging for our help," said bill sponsor Rep. John Galloway, D-Bucks County.

Border Patrol Says Citizens Should Text Suspicious Activity at Wash., Montana Borders

The Border Patrol says it is now encouraging citizens to text in reports of suspicious activity along the Washington and Montana borders with Canada. "Ira Mehlman, spokesman for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, said the plan makes good sense, adding that many police departments are set up to receive text message tips," the AP reported. "There is no reason this cannot and should not be implemented in the area of border security," he said.

Illegal Immigrants Preparing to Leave Arizona

"Though no one has precise figures, reports from school officials, businesses and individuals indicate worried Hispanics - both legal and illegal - are leaving the state in anticipation of the law, which will go into effect July 29," says USA Today in a report on Arizona. "About 100,000 illegal immigrants left Arizona after the state passed a law in 2007 that enhanced penalties on businesses that hired them, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Some early signs suggest another exodus."

LA City Council to File Brief in Case Against SB 1070

The LA City Council voted to file an amicus brief in support of a legal challenge to Arizona SB 1070. "On an 8-2 vote, the council agreed to file paperwork siding with the plaintiffs in Friendly House, et al vs. Whiting, which charges that Senate Bill 1070 interferes with federal power and authority over immigration matters," the LA Times blog says.

The Similarities Between Health Care and Immigration "Reform"

"[T]he simple fact is that there is no consensus in the Democratic caucus for a specific approach because there is no consensus in the country either. As we hear everyone from Mr. Obama on down talk about immigration reform as the Holy Grail for ending the public uproar, we hear echoes of the 2008 presidential campaign when there was consensus on the need for 'health care reform.' But that agreement on health care reform quickly morphed into widespread disagreement about what health care reform meant once the election was over. When it came time to translate support for the concept into actual legislative language, the consensus disappeared," says Peter A. Brown with Quinnipiac University's polling center.

Webb County Reports Success With Secure Communities Program

"Secure Communities, which was launched in Laredo (Webb County) last June, has led to the removal of more than 20,000 convicted criminal aliens from the country. Additionally, the biometric information-sharing capability is being expanded to 12 additional south Texas counties on Tuesday," says the BorderFire Report.

Knox County Deputies Join Secure Communities Program

"Law enforcement agencies in Knox County are used to working together. Starting Monday they will also be teaming up with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement through the "Secure Communities" program," says WBIR. "Everyone who is arrested and processed in Knox County will have their information is sent to immigration officials."

Agriprocessors Boss Acquitted in Child Labor Case Because Illegal Alien Teens Lied

Former Agriprocessors Inc. executive Sholom Rubashkin was found not guilty on child labor charges because the illegal alien teenagers working at the plant used false documents to gain employment. The judgment came after 12 hours of deliberation by the jury, which said they were unable to find a guilty verdict that Rubashkin "knowingly" hired children to work at his meatpacking plant. "After the verdict was read, District Associate Judge Nathan Callahan said the prosecution had served notice to employers across the state that child labor will not be tolerated. For that alone, he said the case was 'worth every penny' the state spent."

SB 1070 Supporters Rally in Phoenix

"Hundreds of people supporting Arizona's new law cracking down on illegal immigration gathered near the state Capitol Saturday afternoon as temperatures reached 105 degrees. The Pennsylvania-based group Voice of the People USA organized the demonstration, which it touted as a grassroots effort. Attendees traveled from every region of the U.S., Voice of the People president Daniel Smeriglio said," according to an AP account.

Time to Finish the Fence

"Why did building the fence along our southern border stop? Instead of building the fence, Barack Obama would rather build a political party of illegal aliens and their supporters. Unless we want to be dealing with immigration problems in perpetuity, the fence must be completed," says Jeff Lukens of Right Wing News.

Kobach Talk Highlights Immigration Problems

"Kris Kobach, who helped write the controversial immigration law in Arizona, says terrorists are streaming over the United States-Mexico border, armed Mexican cartels have taken over some territory on the U.S. side, and that some Democrats support illegal immigration because they see potential voters," the Lawrence Journal World says. "Kobach said the issue of stopping illegal immigrants at the border is a matter of national security. In 2005, the Border Patrol captured 3,722 people crossing from Mexico into the United States who were from countries that are considered state sponsors of terrorism, Kobach said. He said that probably represents one-fourth of the total from those countries who entered the United States illegally."

NYC Hotel Offers "Birth Tourism" Package Deal

"Thanks to the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, children born on U.S. soil automatically become U.S. citizens, regardless of where their parents hail from. Hence the phenomenon of U.S. birth tourism, which appears to be a growing trend. Enter New York City's Marmara Manhattan hotel, a Turkish-owned enterprise on the Upper East Side that emphasizes extended stays through packages such as its Suddenly Splitsville option for the newly divorced," says Springwise.com in a write up of the package deal being offered by the hotel targeted to foreign women.

Obama Promises "Help" in Meeting With Arizona Gov. Brewer

President Obama promised more assistance for Arizona in a meeting with Gov. Jan Brewer yesterday. Brewer described the meeting for Fox News, including Obama's deferral to the Justice Dept. on comments about SB 1070. "He indicated to me today that the majority of those [National Guard] resources will be coming to Arizona. Now, in two weeks, I assume that we'll have definite information on that. And I'm encouraged. I'm encouraged by that," Brewer said.

Saturday Rally in Phoenix to Support SB 1070

"Backers of Arizona's new immigration law will rally at the state Capitol on Saturday and the following weekend in another round of demonstrations over the controversial legislation. Saturday's "Phoenix Rising" rally comes about a week after thousands of people on both sides of the Senate Bill 1070 dispute demonstrated in Phoenix and Tempe. The rally June 12 is being led by two Florida radio-show hosts," the Arizona Republic reports. See http://www.phoenixrally.com for more information about Saturday's event.

AZ Business Groups: Only Illegal Aliens Are Getting Kidnapped So Don't Worry About Crime

The Phoenix Business Journal says that Arizona business groups are concerned that bringing attention to the crime problems associated with illegal immigration will harm businesses. "[It] worries economic developers, tourism officials and others who want to attract high-wage jobs to the state. They say it sends a negative message that could dissuade visitors, skilled workers and companies from coming to the state." The Business Journal notes that "Phoenix has had 1,000 kidnapping reports the last three years, according to various sources. Many other crimes against undocumented immigrants, including sexual assaults against women, often go unreported. Still, much of the crime related to drug and human smuggling does not impact tourists or law-abiding Arizonans."

How Arizona SB 1070 Supports Federal Law

Arizona's law supports federal immigration enforcement, says an Oregonian columnist. "Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer has stated, "The federal government has failed in its obligation and moral responsibility to secure our border. A government's principal responsibility to its citizens is to provide safety and security." Since the federal government has abdicated its responsibility, the state of Arizona has taken prudent steps to fill that role."

Man From Diverted Flight Detained on Immigration Violation

"The U.S. government said Wednesday it is holding a Somali man on immigration violations, but gave no indication why the man was deemed to be a threat to a commercial jet that was denied permission to overfly the United States on Sunday," CNN reported. "Gaal admitted to having committed fraud when he applied for refugee status in Canada in October 2008 and to abandoning his "legal permanent residency" status in the United States by departing the U.S. for more than 10 months and applying for refugee status in Canada, a U.S. official told CNN on condition of not being identified by name."

Whitman, Poizner Split on Arizona SB 1070

"Less than a week before Republicans choose their nominee for governor of California, the two major candidates appear to be drawing lines in the sand over a law enacted in a neighboring state. Meg Whitman, campaigning in San Diego, said she has a better plan for immigration control than Arizona, according to Signon San Diego," says Michael McGuire with the Examiner. "Steve Poizner, the other major Republican contender for governor, on Wednesday again endorsed the Arizona law and criticized the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for its vote Tuesday to boycott Arizona over the immigration law."

Obama's National Guard Plan Lacks Specifics

The Austin American-Statesman editors say the Obama administration needs to release more information about the 1,200 National Guard troops ordered to the border. "What we haven't heard in that week is anything resembling specifics of the mission, how Washington imagines that mission to be accomplished or which states will provide the troops. There isn't even a hint as to how those units are going to be dispersed. What is known generally is that the 1,200 troops will provide sort of very loosely defined 'support' for law enforcement."

Pakistani Man Facing Deportation in Times Square Bomb Plot Faces Deportation

"One of three Pakistani men arrested in New England last month as part of the investigation into the attempted bombing in Times Square entered the country illegally through Mexico, which makes him subject to deportation, an immigration judge ruled yesterday," the Boston Globe reported. "Government officials have said the three men might have handled informal money transfers for Shahzad, but that it was unclear whether they knew how the funds would be used."

Hate Crime Math by National Hispanic Media Coalition Doesn't Add Up

by Jack Martin, Special Projects Director

According to the Ars Technica website, a number of organizations have joined a request by the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) to the Federal Communications Commission to investigate "hate speech" in the media. In support of their request, the NHMC petition claims, "Hate crimes against Latinos have gone up 40 percent over the last four years."

That claim ignores four facts. (1) Because more jurisdictions are reporting on hate crimes to the FBI, the FBI warns that any increase may simply represent broader coverage. (2) The Hispanic population is rapidly growing, so the overall number could rise even though there was zero change in the number of hate crimes per capita. For that reason meaningful data must be adjusted for population size. (3) The selective choice of dates for comparison hides the fact that the trend over time of hate crimes against Hispanics is downward. (4) The NHMC complaint ignores that the FBI data on hate crimes show that Hispanics are the target of hate crimes much less frequently than blacks or Jews.

The actual FBI hate crime data for Hispanics dropped from a high of 2.91 Hispanic hate crime victims per 100,000 in 1996 to 1.49 in 2003 (down 95%). Then it rose again to 1.85 in 2006 (still down 57%) and dropped again in 2008 to 1.74 (down 67% from 1996. The NHMC cites just the short-range upward change and ignores drop after 2007 and the fact that even the highest recent crime data is down from earlier years. See also Illegal Immigration and Hate Crimes: Is There a Relationship?

Translating the Code Words of the Illegal Alien Lobby

What the Illegal Alien Lobby Says Versus What They Really Mean

by Bob Dane
Communications Director-Federation for American Immigration Reform

The illegal alien special interests are working overtime making their last ditch pitch for amnesty before mid-terms elections, robotically reciting how they want to “fix” our immigration problems.  In today’s media spin-cycle, consistency counts, repetition rules and the illegal alien lobby is true to form, all working from the same playbook, line by line, word for word. Whether it’s the National Council for LaRaza, the Mexican American Legal Defense Fund, or America’s Voice arguing for amnesty, you can rest assured that they will use any one, or any combination of, the phrases below: (cont'd)

“We need to fix our broken immigration system. We need a path to citizenship for undocumented workers so they can go to the back of the line, get right with the law, and implement an orderly flow of needed workers, and a policy which secures the borders.” 

For those in the know, of course, it’s all nonsense - word play and empty promises.  Fortunately, the code words can be deciphered and their true motives revealed with a minimal of effort:

Fix A Broken System: On its surface this sounds good, urgent and necessary, but as Plato said, “Everything that deceives is said to enchant.”  Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano has been leading the amnesty lobby by repeating the phrase “we must fix a broken immigration system “and “we need 21^st century laws.” When they say the system is broken they actually mean illegal aliens face deportation, and that America is not admitting enough legal immigrants fast enough. The fact is illegal aliens aren’t supposed to be in the United States—by definition they do not have legal status. As regards our level of legal immigration, America currently allows in more than one million people a year, more than any other industrialized country on the planet.

The bottom line is that the only thing broken about our immigration system is an unwillingness to impose sensible limitations and enforce the laws.  Truth in labeling might suggest that their version of “fixing a broken system” should be read as “making a broken system worse.”

Path to Citizenship: Euphemisms for amnesty wear thin quickly so the new phrase “path to citizenship” and “earned legalization” has also entered the lexicon.  We already have a “path to citizenship” and it starts with applying for a green card and getting in line.  “Earned legalization” is kind of crafty. It implies that as long as illegal aliens actually have to do something, no matter how inconsequential like paying a modest fine, it is not really amnesty.  Beware of both phrases.  Substitute the word “amnesty” and remind yourself it applies to 13 million illegal aliens and the context and consequences become abundantly clear. 

Go to the Back of the Line:  To most people, going to the back of the line would mean returning home, visiting the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, filling out the necessary forms, and then waiting for a reply.  What amnesty advocates mean by going to the back of the line is that we create a brand new line for those who have broken the law right here in this country. 

Get Right with the Law:  This beguiling phrase is meant to imply that that amnesty recipients will follow the rule of law. If illegal aliens have already broken the law, what assurance do we have they will follow the law now?  This phrase also suggests that administratively converting 13 million people from illegal status to legal status “gets them right with the law.” Accommodating law-breaking by simply rewriting the rules to fit the circumstances is one of the most insidious aspects of amnesty.

Undocumented Workers: Given the huge sums of money the special interests have, one would assume their high-paid consultants would have told them that this euphemism expired years ago.  We all know it means illegal aliens, but amnesty advocates believe that using the adjective “undocumented” magically erases the illegality, while claiming they are “workers” suggests all are gainfully employed, which they’re often not.  And very few who do work pay taxes. The proper reference is “illegal aliens.”  “Illegal” means prohibited by law.  Yes, entry without inspection into the U.S is prohibited.  And “alien” is a term defined in 8 U.S.C. Section 1101 and used by legal professionals across the board including the United States Supreme Court.  It’s ok to say illegal aliens. You’ll be in good company.

Orderly Flow of Workers: This is a phrase that by its own definition assumes we actually need more workers. It refers to our foreign guest worker program.  In addition to the 1.2 million legal immigrants the U.S. admits each year, and the 13 million illegal aliens currently living here, the U.S. also brings in another one million foreign nationals through work visas year after year. With a national unemployment rate of 9.9 percent and 25 million Americans either unemployed or working part-time involuntarily, any endorsement of our massive foreign guest worker flow, or a suggestion that we should increase it, should be challenged on the grounds that it is imposing unfair competition for scarce jobs. Instead of “orderly flow of workers” the proper translation is “more foreign labor to take your job.”

Secure the Border: They save the biggest and boldest claim for last. Amnesty advocates promise to secure the border for no other reason than to make their plans for massive amnesty more palatable. The special interests don’t mean it and they don’t want to do it. After all, they have stymied every single piece of immigration enforcement legislation in recent years and relentlessly pressured the Obama administration to systematically dismantle most existing immigration enforcement.  But, they remember all too well that the amnesty bill of 2007 was shot down because Americans could see that the borders were not secure and that meaningful interior enforcement was nonexistent. The amnesty lobby may remember 2007, but we remember 1986 when, in exchange for roughly 3 million illegal aliens getting their amnesty, the American public was promised more enforcement.  That grand bargain rewarded illegal aliens with citizenship while the American public got squat. Promised enforcement was simply a deceitful bargaining chip to advance an amnesty agenda.  Their repeated claim that they want to secure the border rings hollow given their record of working against it.

There is immigration enforcement and then there is amnesty.  One has nothing to do with the other and true immigration reformers know this.  Revealing the motives of the illegal alien lobby is an ongoing responsibility because as Burke said, “a very great part of the mischiefs that vex this world arise from words.”  

AZ Governor Tells DOJ: We'll See You In Court Over SB 1070

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer said in an interview with CNN that she plans on vigorously defending Arizona's new law, SB 1070. "'We'll meet you in court,' Brewer told CNN' when asked how she would respond if President Barack Obama's Department of Justice decided to challenge the law. 'I have a pretty good record of winning in court.'"

DOJ Asks Supreme Court to Rule on Arizona Hiring Law

"The [Department of Justice] told the Supreme Court on Friday that a 2008 Arizona law that punishes employers for knowingly hiring illegal immigrants may infringe on federal authority and should be examined and possibly struck down," Yahoo News says.

Examining the Republican Split on Immigration

Ramesh Ponnuru says that the GOP needs more realism on immigration. "The Right's division on immigration cuts across the usual lines: There are social conservatives, hawks, and economic conservatives in each camp. The division goes deep: It reflects differences about not only what policies the government should adopt but the moral convictions that should underlie them and the political strategies that should accompany them. One thing all of these camps share, however, is a lack of political realism."

"Stepping up enforcement while deferring the question of amnesty is not a perfect solution to the dilemmas created by current immigration policy. It does not open the door to a reform of legal immigration, for example. But it would promote the most important goal of that reform, assimilation, by reducing the total inflow from Mexico," Ponnuru says.

Rand Paul Says Birthright Citizenship Should End

"Children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants should not get citizenship, Republican U.S. Senate nominee Rand Paul told an English-language Russian television channel shortly after his May 18 primary election victory," the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Interview With Ohio Sheriff on Immigration, Need for State Laws Like SB 1070

Fox News interviewed Ohio Sheriff Richard Jones about why a law like Arizona SB 1070 is needed there.

Greta Van Susteren: Sheriff, you were also down there. Tell me, how does illegal immigration impact your job in Ohio, if at all?

RICHARD K. JONES, BUTLER COUNTY, OHIO SHERIFF: Pretty simple, Greta. Basically my jail is full. We have people that ripping off our workers' comp in our county in Butler County, Ohio, the eighth largest county of 88 in Ohio. Our courts are full. We have interpreters in our court. Our court system is slowed down.

Obama Jeopardizing 'Win the West' Strategy With Arizona Stance

"Despite the attentive courtship, though, Arizona voters appear to be even less receptive to Obama's ideas than they were during the 2008 presidential election when McCain eked out an unimpressive victory in his home state," the Arizona Capitol Times says. "Last month, when Obama called Arizona's new immigration law 'misguided,' he may have permanently damaged his image in a state that his party has targeted for years. Polling shows most people nationwide support the law, but it's even more popular in Arizona, where a politician's position on illegal immigration can make the difference between winning and losing an election."

New Poll Shows Americans Want Arizona-style Law in Their State

A new poll by Quinnipiac University shows that a plurality of Americans want a law like Arizona's SB 1070 in their state. About 48% of those polled supported the measure. "The Arizona immigration law has emerged as a major divide in the country, but the numbers are on the side of those supporting it," said Peter Brown with Quinnipiac University's Polling Institute.

Gutierrez/Hayward debate on Meet the Press: Gutierrez Continues to Pressure Obama

Rep. Luis Gutierrez and former Rep. J.D. Hayworth appeared on Meet the Press this weekend to debate amnesty for illegal immigrants. "People want to see the laws enforced. To paraphrase Mr. Justice Brandeis, when the government itself supports lawlessness, you end up with anarchy. And the fact is, we need not only to enforce the border, we need interior enforcement," said Hayworth.

Detained Illegal Immigrants Counted in Census

Over 30,000 illegal immigrants in detention centers around the U.S. were counted in the Census. "[B]ecause the population snapshot determines the allocation of federal dollars, those in custody could help bring money to the towns, cities and counties in Texas, Arizona, Washington and Georgia where the country's biggest and newest facilities are located," the AP reported.

Hypocrisy in Opposition to Arizona SB 1070

Kirk Adams tells Atlanta Journal Constitution readers that Arizona's new law, SB 1070 is a measured response to the severe crime problems that accompany illegal immigration. He calls out opponents for piling on when they would demand even harsher measures. "If such drug- and gang-related crimes were affecting public safety in Manhattan or Boston, East Coast elites would be declaring a national emergency."

Californians Want Arizona-Style Immigration Measure

The latest poll of Californians says that Californians favor a law like SB 1070 by a 50-43 margin. The percentage of those who 'strongly' favored or opposed the law were very high compared to those who 'not so strongly' favor or oppose.