Obama drops by immigration meeting, promises reform

[sfc_darrel]

Obama drops by immigration meeting, promises reform

By Kevin Bogardus

Posted: 08/20/09 06:05 PM [ET]

Advocates for creating a pathway to citizenship for millions of illegal immigrants pushed Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to be a more forceful voice on the issue at a White House meeting Thursday. But despite the low-key approach by Napolitano and others in the administration on the issue so far, advocates took heart when President Barack Obama made an unscheduled visit to the meeting and reiterated his support of pushing through a comprehensive immigration package this Congress. Obama urged leaders to work together in order to pass comprehensive immigration reform. Advocates took the presidential visit as a sign of the administration’s commitment to the issue. “It shows the president is committed to fixing the country’s immigration system. He is committed to moving forward and that he needs our help,” said Ali Noorani, executive director of the National Immigration Forum. “He said ‘The American people want to see change.’” “The president understands our nation’s immigration system is broken and needs to be fixed, and that’s why he asked Secretary Napolitano to work with stakeholders and members of Congress to move the legislative process forward on this important issue,” said Nick Shapiro, a White House spokesman. “The president has consistently said we would begin work on comprehensive immigration reform this year, and that’s what we’re doing.” Napolitano has drawn criticism from the groups because she “hasn’t been speaking about the need for comprehensive immigration reform as much as she has been speaking about the need to enforce current laws,” said Frank Sharry, executive director of America’s Voice, a group that favors providing a way for illegal immigrants to stay in the country and become citizens. “What we hope comes out of this meeting as a concrete result is Janet Napolitano lifting her profile and explaining to Congress and to the American people is the way to stop illegal immigration is to pass immigration reform.” Napolitano, who as Arizona’s governor gained a national reputation on the issue by signing into law that penalized businesses who were found to have hired illegal immigrants, said at the meeting that she realizes she needs to be a more vocal advocate for reform, according to several attendees. “She said she got the message,” Sharry said. “We will evaluate it on what she does over the next few weeks, not what she said at a White House meeting.” A broad spectrum of interests were represented at the meeting, which included officials from the AFL-CIO, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the International Chiefs of Police as well as huge corporations such as McDonalds and Microsoft. Nearly 100 different leaders were in attendance at the meeting that was hosted by Napolitano and moderated by several White House aides, including Melody Barnes, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council, according to a list of attendees released by the Homeland Security Department. Attendees described the meeting as more of a listening session than direct negotiations. Some of the groups disagree over whether a final bill should include a guest worker program. Business groups want it to provide a stable labor force but unions feel it could lead to the exploitation of workers’ rights. “There wasn’t agreement on the details,” said David Ferreira, vice president for government relations for the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Chamber. In addition, many said while the administration should move quickly on immigration reform, it was more important to craft legislation that could pass Congress than stick to a strict timeline. “Passage is the number one goal here,” Ferreira said, who added the administration wants a “bipartisan consensus” for the eventual bill. In comments at a summit in Mexico more than a week ago, Obama himself said it is unlikely that Congress will act on legislation until 2010 due to the debate consuming Washington over healthcare reform along with a climate change bill and an overhaul of financial regulations that is waiting in the wings. This story was posted at 3:50 and updated at 6:05.

http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/...009-08-20.html

[sfc_darrel]

Obama’s Community Organizing Experience Appears in his $80-million Immigration Reform Bill

By Marinka Peschmann, Special to Canada Free Press Friday, September 12, 2008

Senator Barack Obama said he was “puzzled” recently when his early experience as a community organizer was mocked by Governor Sarah Palin at the Republican Convention. “I would think that that’s an area where Democrats and Republicans would agree,” he added after describing its good works. Indeed, Obama’s community organizing experience is noteworthy because it appears within his immigration legislation costing U.S. $80 million.

“Obama’s bill reverses large fee increases for legal immigrants seeking to become citizens,” and reminiscent of his community organizing days, it “provides grants to states to help promote citizenship.”

According to Obama’s Plan for America at barackobama.com, Obama played “a leading role in crafting comprehensive immigration reform.” The Presidential hopeful “believes” that the “immigration system can only be fixed by putting politics aside.”
However, a closer review of Obama’s bill, called the Citizenship Promotion Act, which, in part, organizes the “immigrant community,” suggests despite his “putting politics aside” posture that his bill puts his political interests over America’s. Moreover, Obama’s bill could potentially become an exploitable boondoggle. But first, let’s take a look at what’s not debatable in the immigration debate.

America’s immigration system is broken, and that failure uniquely affects both critical issues facing voters in the November elections: national security and the economy.

The U.S. Citizenship & Immigration Service (USCIS) is tasked to keep individuals out who seek to harm Americans while granting visas, residency, and citizenship to law abiding foreign-born workers to enhance America’s economic interests while maintaining the American tradition as a nation of immigrants. But the borders are broken. There are reportedly 12-20 million illegal aliens living in the shadows affecting both national security and the economy. How did that happen?

Under the Bush Administration, in 2003, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS), evolved into the Department of Homeland Security as the USCIS. For decades, the agency has been overwhelmed, ineffective and is an understaffed bureaucracy that invites corruption. Instead of always serving America’s interests, it often appears to benefit the unscrupulous.

The agency’s checkered history is marked by arrests of immigration employees who’ve been caught taking cash and gift bribes or demanding sexual favors from foreign nationals in exchange for processing their applications to live in America.

A cursory Google search provides scores of examples, such as;

• In Immigration Labyrinth, Corruption Comes easily—headline, New York Times September 12, 1994. “…the word quickly spread through immigrant communities. Come to the… offices of the INS (now the USCIS). Bring cash. Buy the right to live or work in the United States… Smooth-talking middlemen took care of the details, bribing immigration service employees… Every year dozens of INS employees are arrested… an investigation… during the past decade… has found that the agency has repeatedly failed to shore up security weaknesses, even when corruption arrests have exposed them over and over again.”
• U.S. agents accused of aiding Islamist scheme—headline, Washington Times, August 15, 2007. “A criminal investigations report says several USCIS employees are accused of aiding Islamic extremists with identification fraud and of exploiting the visa system for personal gain. The confidential 2006 USCIS report said that despite the severity of the potential security breaches, most are not investigated “due to lack of resources…"
• Former Immigration Official Says Fraud, Corruption Rife at Agency, ABC News, April 6, 2006. “A House subcommittee heard from Michael J. Maxwell, former director of the office of security and investigations of the USCIS. He portrayed a dysfunctional agency crippled by corruption both inside and outside that’s trying to handle too many cases with too few employees.”
• Cash, cars, jewelry: Some corruption cases involving immigration officers --headline, Associated Press, September 24, 2006.
• Immigration Official Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Documents--headline Washington Post, December 1, 2006. “A Department of Homeland Security supervisor pleaded guilty… to pocketing more than $600,000 in bribes in exchange for falsifying immigration documents...”
• An Agent, A Green Card, and a Demand for Sex—headline, New York Times, March 21, 2008. A USCIS adjudicator was arrested after he was caught on tape, telling a 22-year old Colombian woman, “I want sex,” he said… “One or two times. That’s all. You get your green card.” Currently, he is awaiting trial, suspended with pay.

Under the Bush Administration the USCIS was mandated to address a backlog of applications from foreign nationals who lawfully seek the privilege, not the right, to live in America. In response, the USCIS opened “Backlog Eliminations Centers” to tackle the 20-year backlog crisis. It’s a good start. Because an efficient USCIS should impede the lure of bribe schemes that thrive within the agency’s inefficiency—where questionable immigrants bribe their way through; plus stop desperate immigrants from taking that dubious path. Besides, it would free up resources to address the 12-20 million illegal aliens living in the shadows.

Now back to Obama’s bill which he introduced in the Senate on March 7, 2007.

The Citizenship Promotion Act, S. 795’s, primary goal is “to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted to becoming citizens of the United States.” It does not provide funding to secure the borders or assist in the USCIS’s quest towards efficiency or its capabilities to root out corruption. Instead, Obama’s bill will organize the immigrant community by allotting U.S. $80 million for outreach programs targeted at immigrants and future voters.

In Section 6 of Obama’s bill, costing U.S. $80 million, the Secretary of Homeland Security would “award grants,” to “not for profit organizations” with “experience working with immigrant communities” to “carry out outreach activities,” including teaching English, providing education and citizenship classes, plus provide legal assistance” to applicable aliens towards citizenship and the right to vote. Typically, studies show that immigrant voters vote Democrat.

If passed into law, organizations seeking Obama’s grant eligibility must show, how they plan “to leverage available private and State and local government resources;” their experience “in carrying out the activities, including the number of aliens and geographic regions served; and, …[how] to employ best practices developed by adult educators, State and local governments, and community organizations.” The Secretary of Homeland Security would also “develop outreach materials” such as “public service announcements; advertisements…other media…” to “encourage” applicable aliens to become U.S. citizens.

The Secretary of Homeland Security serves at the pleasure of the President; if elected that would be Obama.

According to barackobama.com, Obama “believes the immigration issue has been exploited by politicians.” If so, then perhaps the U.S. $80 million Obama intends to use to organize the immigrant community towards citizenship, and the ballot box; that would compound the USCIS’s backlog challenges, where it takes years for new applicants to be processed—unless bribed through, might better serve Americans elsewhere; like beefing up the USCIS or securing the borders.

Incidentally, it’s worth noting that last fall, according to the Los Angeles Times, impending immigration fee hikes, triggered “millions of people to apply for their citizenship,” inundating an already congested USCIS backlog, that’s vulnerable to corruption – without an U.S.$80 million immigrant community organizing bill.

Seven years after 9/11, America has been kept safe from another terrorist attack, but national security and economic challenges remain for the new President. When it comes to meaningful immigration reform and Obama’s bill, like Obama’s response on community organizing, I’d say, “I would think that that’s an area where Democrats and Republicans would agree.” Obama’s bill is not in America’s interests.

Obama’s Citizenship Promotion Act is currently in the Committee on the Judiciary.

S. 795: Citizenship Promotion Act of 2007
A bill to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted in becoming citizens of the United States, and for other purposes.
Overview

Sponsor:	Sen. Barack Obama [D-IL]show cosponsors (5) Cosponsors [as of 2008-08-31] Sen. Jeff Bingaman [D-NM] Sen. Richard Durbin [D-IL] Sen. Joseph Lieberman [I-CT] Sen. Robert Men?ndez [D-NJ] Sen. Ken Salazar [D-CO] Cosponsorship information sometimes is out of date. Why?
Bill Text:	Summary | Full Text
Status:	[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Darrel/LOCALS~1/Temp/checkmark.gif[/IMG] Introduced Mar 7, 2007 [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Darrel/LOCALS~1/Temp/box.gif[/IMG] Scheduled for Debate - [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Darrel/LOCALS~1/Temp/box.gif[/IMG] Voted on in Senate - [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Darrel/LOCALS~1/Temp/box.gif[/IMG] Voted on in House - [IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME~1/Darrel/LOCALS~1/Temp/box.gif[/IMG] Signed by President - This bill is in the first step in the legislative process. Introduced bills go first to committees that deliberate, investigate, and revise them before they go to general debate. The majority of bills never make it out of committee. Keep in mind that sometimes the text of one bill is incorporated into another bill, and in those cases the original bill, as it would appear here, would seem to be abandoned. [Last Updated: Aug 30, 2008]
Last Action:	Mar 7, 2007: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. SEC. 6. NATIONAL CITIZENSHIP PROMOTION PROGRAM. (a) Establishment- (1) IN GENERAL- Not later than January 1, 2008, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall establish a program to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in becoming citizens of the United States. (2) DESIGNATION- The program required by paragraph (1) shall be known as the `New Americans Initiative' (in this section referred to as the `Program'). (b) Program Activities- As part of the Program required by subsection (a), the Secretary of Homeland Security shall-- (1) award grants in accordance with subsection (c); and (2) carry out outreach activities in accordance with subsection (d). (c) Grants- (1) IN GENERAL- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall award grants to eligible entities to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in becoming citizens of the United States. (2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY DEFINED- In this subsection, the term `eligible entity' means a not-for-profit organization that has experience working with immigrant communities. (3) USE OF FUNDS- Grants awarded under this subsection shall be used for activities to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in becoming citizens of the United States, including-- (A) conducting English language and citizenship classes for such aliens; (B) providing legal assistance, by attorneys or entities accredited by the Board of Immigration Appeals, to such aliens to assist such aliens in becoming citizens of the United States; (C) carrying out outreach activities and providing education to immigrant communities to assist such aliens in becoming citizens of the United States; and (D) assisting such aliens with applications to become citizens of the United States, as allowed by Federal and State law. (4) APPLICATION FOR GRANT- (A) IN GENERAL- Each eligible entity seeking a grant under this subsection shall submit an application to the Secretary of Homeland Security at such time, in such manner, and accompanied by such information as the Secretary shall require. (B) CONTENTS- Each application submitted pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall include a description of-- (i) the activities for which a grant under this section is sought; (ii) the manner in which the entity plans to leverage available private and State and local government resources to assist aliens who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence in becoming citizens of the United States; (iii) the experience of the entity in carrying out the activities for which a grant under this section is sought, including the number of aliens and geographic regions served by such entity; and (iv) the manner in which the entity plans to employ best practices developed by adult educators, State and local governments, and community organizations-- (I) to promote citizenship and civic participation by such aliens; and (II) to provide assistance to such aliens with the process of becoming citizens of the United States. (d) Outreach- The Secretary of Homeland Security shall-- (1) develop outreach materials targeted to aliens who have been lawfully admitted for permanent residence to encourage such aliens to apply to become citizens of the United States; and (2) make such outreach materials available through-- (A) public service announcements; (B) advertisements; and (C) such other media as the Secretary determines is appropriate. (e) Authorization of Appropriations- There are authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Homeland Security, $80,000,000 to carry out this section.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:s795:

[reconeil]

Just because most everyone in government & press have longtime been DUPING Americans PACIFYINGLY by referring to CRIMINALLY ILLEGAL ALIENS as: "Illegal Immigrants",...just does not make such so. It's just "Their" way of: "Keeping natives from getting restless".

Besides, ONLY legitimate or documented immigrants SHOULD EVER APPLY FOR & RECEIVE CITIZENSHIPS,...whether in France, Bora Bora, Tobago or The United States of America.

Thus, all of America's obvious foreign nationals panderers for whatever reasons of both government & press are flat-out-lying when stating that: "America needs Immigration Reform". Nonsense! Quotas long ago took care of such and/or supplied bodies for America's ever growing NEEDS. Needed railroad workers, raise quotas for Chinese. Need more factory workers, raise all European Quotas.

Whereas, The ONLY REFORM ACTUALLY NEEDED here is by all Foreign Embassies.
The U.S. Taxpayer have way too long suffered the expense for illegals & what Foreign Embassies INSTEAD are responsible for & should have INSTEAD been paying for over the years (about 1/3 of U.S. Prison population also).

DON'T let politicos keep perpetually BS'n you otherwise. They're ust trying to get more foreign national votes.

Then too it's just plain: "Stupidly" "Insensitive" to make legitimate immigrants wait 10-15-20 years on quotas for entry into this supposed; "Land of Laws",....while asininely (especially during wartime) letting nomads, farmers, gun smugglers, dopers, thieves, rapists, spies, moles & even terrorist illegals sneak into America en mass & whenever-the-hell-damn-pleased. Some Honesty & Common Sense FOR-A-CHANGE regarding America's Longtime Perverted Immigration System,...couldn't hurt either.

Neil