AMNESTY: Urgent Action Needed
Senators Are Feeling The Pressure! Keep Calling!
When the House of Representatives attached amnesty for illegal aliens to the Enhanced Border Security and Visa Entry Reform Act (H.R. 1885), urgent constituent calls flooded the Capitol switchboard with demands that the Senate kill the bill. Because of this pressure, the Senate delayed action on amnesty and will have hearings. The House has passed two versions of the border security bill, one containing amnesty and one that does not. However, amnesty isn't dead yet. Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle, who supports amnesty, will decide which border security bill to bring to the floor.
EXTENSION OF 245(i) IS AMNESTY
Because of the outrage over amnesty, proponents of open borders have claimed that extension of section 245(i) of the Immigration and Nationality Act is not really amnesty, but they are 100 percent wrong. Extension of 245(i) permits visa overstays and aliens who crossed the border illegally to remain in the U.S. Furthermore, it forgives an illegal alien for his lawbreaking and excuses him from significant penalties normally levied. Under 245(i), illegal aliens are permitted to stay permanently in the U.S. The INS almost never deports an illegal alien under Section 245(i) unless he has committed a non-immigration-related felony.
WHY AMNESTY IS A BAD IDEA
Amnesty should be rejected because it encourages more illegal immigration.
In 1986, we gave amnesty to 3 million illegal aliens and were promised it would be a one-time-only. Today, we have eleven million illegal aliens. Amnesty sends a powerful message that law-breakers, not law-abiders, will be rewarded.
Amnesty is a slap in the face of legal immigrants who play by the rules.
Legal immigrants will ask: why linger on the waiting list? why fill out papers? why learn English? Amnesty sends a message to prospective immigrants that it's simpler and more rewarding to sneak in.
Amnesty threatens national security by further overwhelming an already inept agency.
The September 11 attack was a failure of U.S. immigration policy. In March, the INS issued visas to two dead 9/11 terrorists. In the last six months, the INS has issued over 50,000 visas at consulates in the Middle East, including to nationals from countries where al Qaeda is known to be active. Senator Jeff Sessions said, "The INS is completely incapable, at this point, of enforcing our very generous immigration laws." National security must start with border security. Amnesty puts that in jeopardy.
Urge your Senators to reject amnesty for illegal aliens. Amnesty can be completely killed, but only by immediate action from grassroots Americans. Make sure that they hear from you often.
Tell Senator Daschle to keep amnesty off the Senate floor.
Tell Senator Trent Lott that amnesty would be a crucial mistake.
Capitol Switchboard (202) 224-3121
http://www.congress.org/congressorg/...alertid=162761