Boozman

Interesting story in the New York Times on how lower courts have affirmed state and local immigration laws which have met opposition by illegal immigrant organizations.

And, in an even more sweeping ruling in December, a judge in Oklahoma, James H. Payne, threw out a lawsuit against a state statute enacted last year requiring state contractors to verify new employees’ immigration status. Judge Payne said the immigrants should not be able to bring their claims to court because they were living in the country in violation of the law.

(snip)

Judge Payne of Oklahoma, ruling Dec. 12 on state laws that took effect in November, went furthest in questioning the rights of illegal immigrants.

“These illegal alien plaintiffs seek nothing more than to use this court as a vehicle for their continued unlawful presence in this country,” he wrote. “To allow these plaintiffs to do so would make this court an ‘abettor of iniquity,’ and this court finds that simply unpalatable.”

From the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR):

Government and academic estimates indicate that as of 2006 there are 11 to 12 million illegal aliens living in the United States. The Center for Immigration Studies estimated the illegal alien population at 10 million as of November 2004. FAIR estimates that in 2007 the illegal alien population is above 13 million persons.

We want to direct you to this article in the McAllen (Texas) Monitor about Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to the Rio Grande Valley.

After her HESTEC speech, Pelosi called the border fence set go up in parts of the Rio Grande Valley “a terrible idea.”

“I’ve been against the fence,” she said. “It shows a lack of understanding of what the communities are on our borders. These are communities that have borders going through them.”

Kudos to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Northwest Arkansas police for taking 41 illegal aliens with gang ties off the streets.

Most arrests were in Rogers and Springdale, Reyes said. Suspects have ties to three Mexican gangs — the Mexican Mafia, Sureno 13 and Latin Kings — and with an El Savadoran gang, Mara Salvatrucha, he said.

Cloture motion in the Senate on Immigration Bill fails, 46-53.

Food for thought, exclusively from the Washington Times. It seems some in Mexico consider the Senate plan an amnesty, as well.

The head of a Mexican forgery ring was convinced he could make phony documents that illegal aliens could use to indicate fraudulently that they were eligible for a new amnesty, says a government affidavit recounting wiretapped phone calls the man made.
Julio Leija-Sanchez, who ran a $3 million-a-year forgery operation before he was arrested in April, was expecting Congress to pass a legalization program, which he called “amnesty,” and said he could forge documents to fool the U.S. government into believing illegal aliens were in the country in time to qualify for amnesty, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent said in the affidavit.

From the AP:

The key breakthrough came when negotiators struck a bargain on a so- called “point system” that would for the first time prioritize immigrants’ education and skill level over family connections in deciding how to award green cards.

(snip)

The proposed agreement would allow illegal immigrants to come forward and obtain a “Z visa” and—after paying fees and a $5,000 fine—ultimately get on track for permanent residency, which could take between eight and 13 years. Heads of household would have to return to their home countries first.

They could come forward right away to claim a probationary card that would let them live and work legally in the U.S., but could not begin the path to permanent residency or citizenship until border security improvements and the high-tech worker identification program were completed.

A new temporary guest worker program would also have to wait until those so-called “triggers” had been activated.

Those workers would have to return home after work stints of two years, with little opportunity to gain permanent legal status or ever become U.S. citizens. They could renew their guest worker visas twice, but would be required to leave for a year in between each time.

Democrats had pressed instead for guest workers to be permitted to stay and work indefinitely in the U.S.

UPDATE FROM NY TIMES

Under the proposal, the government would evaluate the qualifications and claims of many people seeking permission to immigrate using a point system.

Family ties would remain an important factor, but would have less weight than they do under current law.

The point system is one element of a comprehensive bill that calls for the biggest changes in immigration law and policy in more than 20 years. The full Senate plans to take up the legislation next week.

Although Democrats now control the Senate, the bill incorporates many ideas advanced in some form by President Bush. A draft of the legislation says that Congress intends to “increase American competitiveness through a merit-based evaluation system for immigrants.”

Moreover, it says, Congress will “reduce chain migration” by limiting the number of visas issued exclusively on account of kinship.

It’s happening in South Texas.

Hundreds of illegal immigrants have registered to vote in Bexar County in recent years and dozens of them have actually cast ballots, canceling out the votes of U.S. citizens, 1200 WOAI news will report Thursday morning.
Figures obtained by 1200 WOAI news shows 303 illegals successfully registered to vote, and at least 41 cast ballots in various elections.

An interesting tidbit from the Associated Press: 12 illegals arrested for working at Camp Robinson, Arkansas’ National Guard HQ.

Video from Fox 16

ICE agents were using a program called Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP), a program gutted from the recent Homeland Security plan put together by the House leadership.

Whoops…

Earlier this week, I signed on to co-sponsor the Photo Identification Security Act (H.R. 1314), legislation offered by my good friend, Rep. Marsha Blackburn .

In my opinion, and the opinion of many, this legislation is basic, common-sense. H.R. 1314 requires both the federal government and banks to accept secure forms of identification, and would prevent the latter from issuing credit cards to undocumented, illegal immigrants.

I have no problem with banks opening accounts, providing home loans, or issuing credit cards to legal immigrants to the United States. The access to our banking system is a necessary step to documented residents and workers to realize their own American Dream. However, extending the same products to illegal immigrants sends a mixed message that I can not support.

On the one hand, we want immigrants to the United States to honor our laws and our immigration policy. Many have taken years to obtain the proper documentation, due to the backlog of the system. On the other hand, our banks - which we in Congress regulate - are in the position of advocating a complete disregard of our laws by tacitly encouraging illegal immigrants through their policy of granting them access to accounts without so much as a valid identification.

The acceptance of Matricula Consular cards issued by the Mexican Government presents a risk to our financial system as well as our national security. The only thing a Mexican citizen wanting to obtain a card is required to present to a consular office is a birth certificate - which are free to be purchased from willing sellers.

This presents a danger to our financial system as it would allow individuals to open multiple accounts, under different names with no consequences. Additionally, non-Mexicans could purchase a birth certificate, obtain a consular card, and open an account - granting them access to send and receive wire transfers from all over the world.

This is something I can not support. Immigrants who are in the United States legally already have the proper documentation to exist in our financial system. There is no good reason for banks to grant access based on unsecured documents, except to generate revenue by exploiting illegal immigrants living in the United States.