Immigration Reform Needed
-
Washington Post (via
Hyscience)
Smith is part of an effort to track down 370,000 "absconders" -- illegal immigrants who have disobeyed orders to leave the country. As part of a get-tough approach after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, the Homeland Security Department has deployed 18 fugitive squads to catch these immigrants, including a team in Maryland.
[snip]
At the top of the list were 6,000 absconders from Muslim and Middle Eastern countries, officials announced.
But by early 2003, authorities had resolved only 38 percent of those cases, either by detaining the immigrants or by confirming that they had left the country or gotten legal status, according to the 9/11 Commission. In a report on terrorist travel, the commission concluded: "It is very difficult to find alien absconders without extraordinary effort or pure luck."
The absconder program started after 9/11 and is directly responsible for tracking down illegal aliens. While I agree with this program, it should prove far easier as well as far more efficient to prevent as many illegals from entering the U.S. instead of hunting down those who have defied orders to leave.
Our lax border policy, which is borderline attrocious under President Bush, is a primary concern of mine since numerous reports of people of Middle Eastern descent have crossed our pourus border with Mexico. Our Border Patrol is both undermanned and tied up with full jails and restrictions upon apprehending illegals crossing for them to do anything.
When the Intelligence Bill passed in December, the crisis of immigration was put off until 2005 with a promise to re-visit the topic to put the best policy in place. While the passing of the Intelligence Bill by Congress was neeeded, there is a further need to actively enforce our immigration policy and patrol our borders with more than unmanned drones and stationary Border Patrol Agents.
Digger's Realm has led the blogger front in combating immigration issues with more ferver than anyone else concerning this topic. While he has written too many posts to link to, check out his archives and you will see illegal immigration is a threat to our national security.
Cross-posted at In the Bullpen
Posted by: Chad at
10:03 PM
| Comments (5)
| Add Comment
Post contains 365 words, total size 3 kb.
1
Whoever ended the requirement for all aliens to register annually has a lot to answer for.
Posted by: Gene 6-Pack at January 03, 2005 08:59 AM (7XPVo)
2
I'm gonna say it again . . . You have to create laws that will give Illegal Aliens no reason to come . . If no one would hire an "Undocumented worker" for fear of having a $100k fine levied against him if caught . . economics would rule.
Deny citizenship to anyone who cannot read, write and speak english. And if you are born to an Illegal Alien in this country . . You're still an Illegal Alien . . Go Back whare you came from, submit the paperwork . . we'll look into it!
Posted by: large at January 03, 2005 11:36 AM (VRK2g)
3
Here is one issue that our president is totally wrong on; and his proposals to make legal pretty much all of the current illegals along with making things easier on those wishing to come here is way off base as to the best interests of the future of the USA. While our country is based on free, open immigration policy, we cannot sustain this in the long term and hope to preserve anything the likes of you and I know and love about America. This is one place it is best to defy the Bush policy and demand that the legislation from those looking to prevent this from happening is what gets passed this year. Bush would probably veto the bills but it would send him a message that he needs to listen to.
Posted by: Geoff at January 03, 2005 06:36 PM (6krEN)
4
LARGE: I agree with you accept. When I lived in Miami, I know several Cubans that escaped to America that were simply to old to learn a new language. In particular, with them living in an American community that only speaks spanish. I would like to see these people live out their days in freedom.
Most cities have locations where people can choose from many day laborers at minimum wage for a few days. I don't believe this is exploitation has the workers seem to be happy to get a few days wages. The equal of weeks of hard work in their home countries. This supplies a need on both sides. My heart goes out to them.
On the other hand, the wife soon has a baby at a welfare hospital. This makes it a U S citizen. This means we cannot send the parents back if we wanted to. They then sponsor the grandparents back whereever watching the rest of the kids. who again since they cannot speak the language or have marketable skills end up on the tax payers backs. The babies brothers and sisters (left behind while daddy jumped the border to find work) are permitted to come here to live because it would be cruel to separate the family. They then enroll in school and need special tutors (paid for by guess who) because the cannot speak english. Then American kids are told about cutbacks in school due to finances.
I believe illegals should be sent back and never have the privilege of applying again. If they cannot follow our immigration laws then why would they follow any other laws. Remember the LA riots. The blacks were doing the burning but who was emptying the stores.
Of course saying this makes me a RACIST as the vast majority of illegals are not white.
Posted by: greyrooster at January 03, 2005 07:35 PM (XioYD)
5
GEOFF: Granted but remember cheap labor for the super wealthy and super corporations is always on the republican agenda. As a republican I am well aware of this. The democrats may claim to be the saviors of the poor but ask the Unions (100 democrat) if they favor immigration.
Myself. I do not wish to pick the lettuce, carrots, onions, etc: I don't do well with a mop and bucket.
What ever happened to the bracero program? Where people could come, work, earn money and then return home. I guess that was degrading to workers with hungry families back home.
I thought that was the best thing since the long legged blond. (Whoops, racist remark again, left out short legged brunettes).
Remember the main rule of political parties.
When Republicans are in office they will do something greedy.
When Democrats are in office they will do something stupid.
Posted by: greyrooster at January 03, 2005 08:03 PM (XioYD)
Hide Comments
| Add Comment
22kb generated in CPU 0.133, elapsed 0.375 seconds.
118 queries taking 0.3291 seconds, 249 records returned.
Powered by Minx 1.1.6c-pink.
