Author: Duke1676

After the last few days, I’m quite frankly drained. I was going to write another one of those “rallying call” stories, for everyone to buck up, stiff upper lip and all that. But instead I figured I’d tell you a little story about something that happened yesterday in the mist of Alito madness. Something that has changed my whole view of our little blogtopia.

Something that shows me that we really do have the opportunity to get things done.

Please bear with me here, but I will try to tell this story as briefly and coherently as possible.

It’ started back in Sept. when outraged by the Katrina situation, I posted this story up on the big orange board:

The “Rubberstamp Congress” Strategy for 2006

For six years every Republican in Washington has attached himself to Bush like a Siamese twin. All we have to do is make sure they don’t have a chance to distance themselves from his decisions. The message is simple:

“We need a congress that will ask the tough questions, and do the hard work necessary to solve this nation’s problems and not just RUBBERSTAMP every decision coming out of the White House. We don’t need a congress that’s so politically one sided that no one dares question the wisdom of making appointments based on ideology and politics rather than qualifications. We don’t need a congress that’s willing to make decisions based solely upon political partisanship, unwilling to question the wisdom of any policy or program that comes out of the White House. We don’t need a congress that’s just a bunch of yes-men, towing the party line. We face some of the most challenging times in our nations history and it will take real innovative thinking to solve these problems and meet these challenges. We need a congress that is willing to look for real solutions, not just how to score political points with the boss.”

Holding Bush accountable for his actions is good…..Making every Republican Congressmen or Senator accountable is better…. Who failed in Katrina? Who failed in Iraq? Who failed on 9-11? Who failed on the economy? Who failed on gas prices? Who failed to find bin Laden? Who failed on education? Every Republican that rubberstamped Bush’s policies and appointments without question or inspection, hell, sometimes without even reading them, that’s who failed. Brown, Chertoff, Tenet, the CIA, the FBI, no WMD’s, they’re all the Republican Congress’s fault for not asking the tough question, for not doing their jobs.

If we can organize this frame and stick to it like glue, everything that Bush does (or doesn’t do) between now and 2006 becomes another weight around the necks of the Republican Congress

MORE

Ok … A few people read the story and commented. My buddy Highacidity created a great graphic and posted it up, and after the usual few hours, the story fell off the board into diary oblivion. It made no impact really, just another dKos rambling.

Yesterday afternoon, I went cruising around big orange looking for a distraction from all the Alito ruckus and came across this:

Preempting SOTU: Exclusive dkos Rubberstamp Website Release, New DCCC Ad on Fox News

On Tuesday night, President Bush will have an opportunity to broadcast his framing of 2006 and the next set of Republican sham policies without fact-check and without interruption – except for the raucous applause of Republicans in Congress. His bully pulpit will be at its zenith – but we can fight back and give the Republicans a healthy dose of reality. That’s why we at the DCCC are picking Tuesday to launch an entire new website, as well as a new TV ad airing on Fox News in the hours leading up to his speech. But we thought it would be fun to give the dkos community an advance look. Click on the graphic to see the ad, go below the fold for the dkos username and password for our new “Rubberstamp” site exposing the ways in which your local Republicans have substituted blind obedience to President Bush for any semblance of loyalty to their constituents…
-snip-

I’ve seen many insights into this here, but it’s worth reiterating that these are the themes we need to hammer home. The ethics problems engulfing the GOP are not a distraction from the Republican agenda – they are the Republican agenda. Tom DeLay and President Bush have orchestrated a pay-for-play agenda the likes of which we haven’t seen in at least a century, and the rest of the Republicans in Congress have rubber stamped it every step of the way. On every issue where massive, powerful special interests have gotten average Americans under their thumb, the Republicans have sold out to enshrine that imbalance in law — any Democratic legislation that tries to protect working Americans is barred from even reaching the House Floor.

We’ll be releasing this site to the public tomorrow at a press conference, but wanted to let you guys get an advance look at the goods. The idea is to document just how thoroughly Republicans have abdicated their responsibilities as Members of Congress to rubber stamp President Bush’s special interest giveaways. We want to show America that the culture of corruption has a cost, and that the local man or woman they’ve been sending to Washington has been a willing, eager participant.

GOPRubberstamp.org
More

At this point I am quite frankly blown away, then I move down to leave a comment. The first comment I see is by my buddy Highacidity, with the “Rubber Stamp” graphic she had made for me.

Sounds like a similar… (4.00 / 4)

… train of thought Kossack Duke1676 was exploring in this diary last September

Highacidity

The response from the DCCC rep:

Yup (4.00 / 2)

I believe that was one of the “insights” I was referring to.

Online Editor for the DCCC

You could knock me over with a feather.

So here’s the little lesson I take away from this:

Although at times like these we feel like no one really listens to us, or cares about our concerns, but people really are listening. People who have more power than us to make things happen, people who hear our words and have the ability to take action on them.

So tonight when I turn on FOX (that’ll be a first) to see the ad run, and think about the possible effect it might have, I’ll crack a cold one, put up my feet, and have a huge grin on my face. Just knowing that in some miniscule way my voice was heard and I possibly played a small part in changing the current paradigm is enough for me.

That’s enough … it fuels my fire.

Cross Posted from   Manning the Barricades

Promoted from the diaries by Steven D.

In the wake of what feels like a crushing defeat, I think we need to step away for a moment and look at why we, internet activists, bloggers, or whatever we are to be called, do what we do in the first place.

What is it that drives us to research, write, discuss, organize, or take action? Why do we gather by the thousands in virtual communities daily to hear news and opinion? Why do we spend endless hours discussing issues and strategies? Why do we, in times of defeat and despair find comfort in each others company … and eventually, dust ourselves off and rejoin the battle?  

Although each of us could probably list scores of different reasons why we do what we do, in the end of the day it would all come down to one thing; we are all here because in spite of all our cynicism and jaded rhetoric, we really do believe that we have the power to provoke change.

We all know, in some sort of an almost primal, subconscious way, that we are at the epicenter of one of the great seismic shifts in the way our society will be governed.

On one hand, we recognize the enormous potential influence of the internet and internet activism to give voice and power to the American people. We can imagine a not so distant future where average citizens will have their voices heard in the halls of power and their concerns addressed as they have never been addressed before.

On the other, we see our democracy threatened in ways it’s never been threatened before. We see those in power disregard many of the tenets on which our nation was founded and hold them in near contempt. We watch as our leaders dismantle our Constitution and Bill of Rights piece by piece in an attempt to maintain power. We see those whom we elect to represent us either taking part in this rape of democracy, or standing by impotently, unable to stop them.  

It is this dichotomy that compels us … it is the reason why we fight.

… continued below …

This is why when things like the 2004 election, or the Alito confirmation occur we take our defeats so hard. The stakes are so important, and our potential to effect change so great, we have a hard time reconciling the fact that we do not yet have the power to attain our goals.

But this should be no mystery to us. We learned this lesson in Junior High science. There is a great difference between potential energy and kinetic energy.

We have massive amounts of potential energy … we are yet to figure out a way to harness and release it. In physics, there is often a device or tool that transforms potential energy into kinetic. We are still just starting the process of building those tools. Organizational tools, communication tools, networking tools, strategy tools are all being tested and refined with each grand campaign we engage in.

We have learned many lessons so far … and have many more to learn  

But … we should not take the knowledge we have gained thus far and use it only on the “grand campaigns,” the Gannons, the Downing Street Memos and Alitos.  We must take what we learn from each of these battles and transfer that knowledge to the small battles that will eventually help lead us to victory.

When there is no “grand campaign” to fight we need to still remain focused. Congressional races, Senatorial races, Governorships, State Assemblies , City Councils, all the way down to the local schools board, should all be of concern. We should refine the tools we have acquired thus far and work on new ones. Eventually, through trial and error in these “skirmishes” we will figure out new ways to harness the enormous potential we have, and turn it into the energy needed to effect change.

We need to focus on helping those who support our beliefs and policies. Conversely, it is even more important to oppose those who don’t share our concerns … no matter what their party. Some of our greatest enemies right now are not those who we clearly recognize, but those who claim to be our allies yet fail to stand up and be counted.  

Each time we retreat in defeat, lose focus, start to squabble amongst ourselves or play the blame game we’re just losing valuable time.

Our opponents do not waver in their quest. Scandals, indictments, falling poll numbers, unfavorable world opinion, a failed foreign policy, losing a war, losing a major city, and losing the lives of thousand of US soldiers, these things do not deter them.

That is why we fight.

Cross Posted from   Manning the Barricades

As your staff has probably already alerted you, your office has been barraged by e-mails, faxes and phone messages imploring you to either vote no or abstain on the upcoming cloture vote in the Alito confirmation.

I realize that you have heard in the media, and perhaps from your own advisors, that this massive outpouring of sentiment should be taken with a modicum of salt, due to the fact it has come from the Internet activists and bloggers.  After all, conventional wisdom dictates that this group exemplifies the far extreme in political thought, and is not representative of the greater constituency you represent.

But … Before you make your final decision on this momentous vote, please take a moment to reflect upon the future. Not just from a moral or ethical position (in which the vote against cloture would be the imperative), but from a pragmatic, political one.

The Republican Party, which at the present time holds such a stranglehold upon all three branches of government, did not gain that position of power overnight. It was a long, calculated battle waged over many years, utilizing a grassroots network of motivated activists, which put them in this position.

You too now have the power to harness such a force… but you must first recognize it in order to utilize it.

Contrary to popular opinion, those of us in the Internet community are not a bunch of wild-eyed radicals trying to force ideas upon the American people that are “out there ” and far from the mainstream. That stereotype is one that has been perpetuated by the Republican Party and the media in order to minimize the potential power of this new medium … But you know better.

Many of you have come to realize the power of the Internet, even if not fully grasping exactly who “we” are. You have seen the ability of the Internet activists to raise funds, support candidacies, and deliver a message… but we represent so much more.

We represent the mainstream.

We are “the people.”

We come from every region, economic class, race and social stratum. Our only common bond is our intense love of this country and our willingness to do whatever we can to make it better. We are not the fringe … we are millions of concerned Americans.

Our community grows ever larger by the day.

Certainly logic would dictate that if in fact the prevailing wisdom about Internet activism were true, and we are so far from the mainstream, our numbers would not be growing exponentially … but they are.  Many groups have numbers in the hundreds of thousands, and sites have readerships in the millions … far greater readerships than those of the some of the largest newspapers.

There is a reason for this

The American people want their voices heard

Senator you now have a choice. You have heard the voice of an ever-growing  movement of American citizens. A population with the potential to change the dynamic of the political landscape.  You can either look to the future and see that the American people, in all their diversity, have given you a strong message on the Alito confirmation and the future of political discourse … or you can ignore our pleas, and continue with the old paradigm.  

Just remember the mere fact that you might be reading this at the present time is a testament to the ever-increasing importance of this medium … but more importantly its ability to empower of the average American to have their voice heard.  

Right now there are millions of voices speaking to you Senator … you simply must open your ears to listen to them.

[Promoted by susanhu; edited at Duke’s request.]

Over the past few days we’ve heard from Kos, Armando, and others, all with pretty much the same message: The party just doesn’t have the power to stop Alito at the present time, and now we need to focus on the future. That it would be best for us to use our energy to change the dynamic in Washington so that we won’t need to have a “no hitter” in order to win political battles.

These are compelling arguments. It certainly appears that the quest for a filibuster is a quixotic endeavor at best. And although those above added caveats to their posts that WE should continue the fight, I believe it is they who should be leading it. If not for ethical reasons, certainly for practical, political ones.

As someone who’s only been here a little over a year, maybe it’s not my place to criticize, but… I’m going to anyway.  

You guys … you’re missing the opportunity of a lifetime

I might be wrong, but I’ve always been under the impression that one of the key reasons this site was started was to re-define the way politics was practiced.  It was intended as a way to harness the power of the internet to not only empower the “regular citizens”, but also as a means to channel the energy of the grassroots and give it some direction.

Well, it appears to me that the Alito nomination has presented a unique opportunity to do just that.

Big-time, mainstream Democratic leaders have come to us and asked us to help take the lead in this battle. They have come to realize the power that exists in this medium. They’ve all but admitted that they can’t accomplish this task through traditional channels and are reaching out in desperation for our assistance.

This fight is no longer about if Reid can get the 41 votes or not. This could be the fight for the soul of the party. It could be a fight to see who will control the future of the party. The traditional party structure can’t deliver… but maybe we can.

From a pragmatic point of view the chances of stopping Alito are in fact slim …. But

If enough pressure from the grassroots could be put on those wavering Senators to stand up, who (besides the American people) would be the big winners…. We would.

If Markos, Armando, Jerome or Chris, and all the rest of the leaders of the progressive blogosphere were to put their full weight behind the effort, and by some miracle it was to be successful, it would forever change the face of politics. The mainstream Dems like Kerry and Kennedy have all but told us so in not so many words.

What would be lost in the effort?

In the worst case scenario, Kos and the rest spend the next few days riling up the faithful and in the end nothing changes and Alito gets confirmed without a fight. But in the best case scenario, the effort works and the power of the grassroots and internets is cemented. To me it seems like a no brainer.

This is the Rubicon and it’s time for Markos and the rest to step up and lead the faithful across. Stop being so pragmatic … it’s time to get medieval on their asses. Leading this fight is the best way to focus on the future. You’ve got absolutely nothing to lose and an unbelievable amount to gain.

(Authors note: This was originally posted at dKos and directed at the powers that be over there. Since its posting, both Armando and Kos have both made statements in support of the filibuster effort, and the front page at dKos has had numerous action diaries  and pro-filibuster posts. But … the sentiments expressed in this diary still remain true … the Alito filibuster is the netroots watershed moment. The leaders at dKos have taken their place on the ramparts … now it is time for all the other blogmeisters and members to join in:)

This past Wednesday the headlines could not have made it any clearer.

“Maps Show Illegal Migrants Best Routes”LA Times

“Mexican Commission to Give Migrants Maps”ABC

“Mexico to Give Migrants Maps of Arizona”AOL News

“Mexico gives migrants road map to U.S.”CNN

“Mexican Government to Hand Out Arizona Maps to Migrants”FOX

“U.S. opposes Mexico giving maps to migrants: Chertoff”USA TODAY

So there it was, plain in black and white … The Mexican government was once again encouraging their people to cross the border illegally … not only encouraging them, but giving them maps to make the trip easier. Acting like the AAA or Mapquest for “illegal aliens.”  

Case closed  … or was it?

On a whole most of the stories varied little, hitting on a common theme:

MEXICO CITY, Mexico (AP) — A Mexican government commission said Tuesday it will distribute at least 70,000 maps showing highways, rescue beacons and water tanks in the Arizona desert to curb the death toll among illegal border crossers.

The National Human Rights Commission, a government-funded agency with independent powers, denied the maps – similar to a comic-style guide booklet Mexico distributed last year – would encourage illegal immigration.

Officials said the maps would help guide those in trouble find rescue beacons and areas with cell phone reception. The maps will also show the distance a person can walk in the desert in a single day.

-snip-

The comic booklet for migrants was distributed by the government in early 2005 and warned of the perils of crossing illegally into the United States, while offering tips to stay safe.

The booklet, of which about 1.5 million were printed, enraged some advocates of stricter immigration policies in the United States, who argue that it encouraged illegal migration.

CNN

Some of the longer stories did bury this towards the bottom of their coverage:

They were designed by the Tucson, Ariz.-based rights group Humane Borders, which operates some of the desert water stations. The group previously distributed about 100 posters in the Mexican border town of Sasabe.

Rev. Robin Hoover, president of Humane Borders, said maps are needed in southern Mexico so migrants can weigh the risks before leaving home.

A quick check of Humane Borders website reveals they did far more than “design” the maps. For the past five years they have been leading advocates for ending migrant death in the desert. The faith-based group, co-founded by Rev. Robin Hoover, pastor of Tucson’s First Christian Church, not only maintains more than 70 emergency water stations on and near the U.S.-Mexican border, they publish posters that warn migrants about the dangers they face trying to cross into the United States, and produced the maps that not only highlight the location of Humane Borders and Water Station Inc. water stations, U.S. Border Patrol emergency beacons, and the extent of cell phone coverage in the region, but also the locations where over 1000 migrants have perished in southern California and Arizona from Oct. 1, 1999, to Aug. 11, 2005 .

Humane Borders was conceived as an open and transparent organization that emphasizes collaboration as a means to ending migrant death in the desert. By collaborating with private and government stakeholders, we are allowed access to land to maintain water stations, while guaranteeing we will not damage property or natural resources, and that we will not break the law by transporting illegal immigrants.

The press releasefrom Humane Borders explains how the Mexican government became involved in the distribution of the maps.

Humane Borders, Inc. and Mexico’s National Commission for Human Rights announce a joint migrant safety education project. A press conference hosted by a delegation of 21 Humane Borders volunteers will be held in Mexico City January 24 at 10a.m. The media are invited to Hotel Maria Cristina, Rio Lerma 31, Col. Cuauhtemoc. The hotel is just three blocks east of the US Embassy on Paseo de la Reforma.

Using Global Information System technology, Humane Borders produces accurate migrant death maps and migrant warning posters in an attempt to educate migrants as to the specific dangers of crossing the border in the desert. However, it has been difficult to systematically distribute these maps in critical areas in the interior of Mexico. Mexico’s human rights commission (CNDH) has agreed to both print and widely distribute these maps into sending communities in as effort to alter the annual migration patterns and migrant decision-making.

The organization makes no bones about its opposition to current US immigration policies for humanitarian reasons.

Humane Borders, motivated by faith, offers humanitarian assistance to those in need through more than 70 emergency water stations on and near the border

Deployment of water saves lives and invites public discourse: We want to legalize the undocumented migrants now working and living in the United States; create a responsible guest worker program; increase the number of visas for Mexican nationals; demilitarize border; support economic development in Mexico; provide more federal aid for local medical service providers, law enforcement and adjudication, land owners and managers.

One look at the information contained in the warning posters theypublish reveals they are far from encouraging migrants to make the dangerous trip through the desert southwest:

Migrant Warning Posters: Don’t Do It! It’s Hard! There’s Not Enough Water!

These posters are distributed widely in churches, shelters, shops and other locations on the south side of the U.S.-Mexican border. They warn migrants in stark terms about the dangers they face trying to cross into the United States illegally, on foot through the desert, despite what human smugglers tell them. The estimated walking times from entry points are highlighted, as are the sites of migrant deaths and the location of water stations.

What happens when people of faith actually practice what they preach

The news coverage of this event says volumes about the current state of discourse about immigration and immigration reform. Why is it that all major news agencies chose to play up the Mexican government’s involvement in the story, while playing down that of Humane Borders?  I believe the answer is quite simple.

One factor is of course the hysteria that can be drummed up over the Mexican angle, it an easily sensationalized aspect of the story and makes for the type of tabloid style headline that major news organizations favor these days, but on closer examination the situation reveals far more.

These kind of stories, when presented in the one-sided and biased way in which this one was, play into the underlying xenophobia that has lately become the norm in discussions of immigration and immigration reform.

Most of all I believe that the misrepresentation of this story shows just how hypocritical we have become as a nation on the issue of faith, and faith based charity or humanitarian aid.

If these same people were bringing water to a devastated New Orleans, or sending care packages to the troops in Iraq, the would be lauded as true good Samaritans, yet when they work tirelessly to save the lives of those near deaths door in the desert Southwest, the media essentially ignores them. Why?

They were played down because they are not helping the “right people”, because they are helping migrants. Most of all they were ignored because their actions highlight the hypocrisy of much of what passes for religiosity or faith these days.  They back up their beliefs with action, and that is rare in todays world.

“They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.”

         — Isaiah 49:10

Many leaders of todays Religious Right talk endlessly of the good works they’ve done, how they have fed the starving in Africa, or how they have brought their “faith” to millions throughout the world. They brag of the legislation they have lobbied for and the men they have helped put into political office. Yet when a mother and child are dying of thirst only miles from Tucson or Phoenix, they believe that people of faith should turn a blind eye. The people of Humane Borders see no reason that they should, and thank God for that.

cross posted from Migra Matters

DMI (The Drum Major Institute for Public Policy Change), a progressive think tank founded by Ambassador Andrew Young has released a policy paper entitled: “Principles for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class”.

The report focuses on a examination of the issue with the aim of approaching the issue from the standpoint of how immigration benefits the American middle class and how policy could be changed to support the middle class and immigrants alike.

The the report addresses the issue from two standpoints:

1. The need to change immigration policy to provide legal channels for immigration, and that immigration is a benefit to society on a whole.
2. The need to ensure that immigrants are treated fairly in the workplace with a stress on organization and unioization. The report also asserts that if employers were not able to exploit undocumented workers to drive down labor costs, all American workers would benefit.

Elana Levin, DMI Communications Manager says:

“It’s a total re-think of orthodoxy on all sides and I feel that it’s the sort of middle class and labor oriented analysis that will sell real well in… (middle class and working class) areas.”

Executive Summary

The debate over the future of immigration policy in this country is expected to become one of the most pressing policy conversations in the year ahead.

That debate can be a positive one that helps us to define our future as a nation or a negative one that draws upon fears and inaccuracies for the purpose of dividing people who should be united in the common cause of preserving access to the American Dream.

We argue that immigration policy must be connected to the larger conversation about America’s squeezed middle class and those striving to attain a middle-class standard of living. Accordingly, the Drum Major Institute offers a lens through which to evaluate immigration policy that operates from the basic principle that immigration policy is sound only if it also helps to strengthen and expand America’s middle class. Our litmus test for evaluating immigration policy or advocacy agendas by its impact on the middle class is two-fold:

1) Immigration policy should bolster–not undermine–the critical contribution that immigrants make to our economy as workers, entrepreneurs, taxpayers and consumers, because:

• On average, immigrants pay more in taxes each year than they use in government services, and these taxes fund programs like Social Security that strengthen and expand the middle class.
• The middle class relies on the goods and services that immigrants produce.
• By increasing consumer demand, immigrants generate economic growth that benefits the middle class: immigration is a major contributor to the expansion of Hispanic and Asian-American consumer markets–an estimated 12 percent of the nation’s 2004 purchasing power.
• Immigrants also stimulate the economy by starting small businesses and attracting investment capital from their countries of origin.

Since the American middle class relies on the economic contributions of immigrants, a pro-middle-class immigration policy must not include mass deportation or aim to shut down future immigration.

2) Immigration policy must strengthen the rights of immigrants in the workplace.

• Under current immigration law, immigrant workers compete with their U.S.-born counterparts on an uneven playing field–to the detriment of both groups.
• Because employers threaten undocumented immigrants with deportation, these workers cannot effectively assert their rights in the workplace by, for example, asking for raises, complaining about violations of wage and hour or workplace safety laws, or by supporting union organizing drives.
• As long as this cheaper and more compliant pool of immigrant labor is available, employers are all too willing to take advantage of the situation to keep their labor costs down and are less willing to hire U.S.-born workers if they demand better wages and working conditions.
• U.S.-born workers are left to either accept the same diminished wages and degraded working conditions as immigrants living under threat of deportation or to be shut out of whole industries where employers hire predominantly undocumented immigrants. 

When immigrants lack rights in the workplace, labor standards are driven down, and all working people have less opportunity to enter or remain part of the middle class. So a pro-middle-class immigration policy must guarantee immigrants full labor rights and make sure that employers cannot use deportation as a coercive tool in the labor market.

On an issue as important as the future of immigrants in America, we cannot allow proposed legislative programs to drive the conversation.  Instead, we must articulate core values that speak to the concerns of working Americans from San Diego, California, to Portland, Maine, and allow those principles to determine our legislative and advocacy strategies. DMI’s “Principles for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class: A Primer for Policymakers and Advocates” is our contribution to this important conversation.

Although I have some reservations as to the reports assertions of the effect of immigration on the US job market vis a vis  the displacement of the native workforce, their analysis of the need to end the exploitation of immigrant labor and the call for legalization and unionization are spot on. 

All in all this is an excellent piece of research and makes some very interesting recommendations. This is definitely a must read for anyone interested in progressive immigration reform.

In PDF format here:  

Principles for an Immigration Policy to Strengthen and Expand the American Middle Class (PDF)

Also of interest: A Legislative Analysis of Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act (PDF)

Katrina vanden Heuvel, editor of  The Nation, has written an excellent analysis of the report entitled Toward a Sensible Immigration Policy

Cross posted from Migra Matters

Upwards of 300,000 immigrants now living and working legally in the US under “Temporary Protection Status” may soon see their status revoked and face deportation. The Department of Homeland Security has recommended that the special immigration program that has allowed some 300,000 undocumented Salvadoran, Honduran and Nicaraguan migrants to remain in this country not be continued.

According to DHS numbers, more than 220,000 Salvadorans, 70,000 Hondurans and 3,600 Nicaraguans across the nation would be effected by the rules change and could be forced to leave or go underground if special status is removed.

…the final decision on the Temporary Protected Status for the three nations, which would force those migrants to return home or remain here illegally and risk deportation, is still under intense debate within the administration, the officials add.

TPS, which bars the deportation of illegal migrants from those countries, was approved for Nicaragua and Honduras after Hurricane Mitch struck them in 1998, and for El Salvador after earthquakes there in 2001 killed more than 1,000 people and destroyed more than 220,000 homes.

TPS was intended to allow illegal migrants from these countries to stay in the United States temporarily and thereby soften the blow of the natural disasters. But today these poor countries rely heavily on remittances sent by their citizens working in the United States.

In the past, TPS renewals — usually for 18-month periods — have been almost routine for the Central Americans.

Miami Herald

Coming on the heels of the controversial bill, HR4437, sponsored by Congressional Republicans to toughen border controls and eliminate many legal protections for immigrants, the move by the Administration is seen as further evidence of the shifting climate in Washington. With the mid-term elections drawing near, an ever increasing number of Republican have begun to jump on the anti-immigrants bandwagon in hopes to bolster waning popularity in their home districts caused by controversy and sandal within the national party.

 Some government officials have voiced concern over the “public relations nightmare” that the deportation of hundreds of thousand Central Americans would cause, and are looking to formulate an alternative “exit strategy” for the program.  

The revocation of the status has also made waves in diplomatic circles, particularly in regards to El Salvador, the country with the greatest number of immigrants effected.

Salvadoran President Tony Saca has been calling President Bush and other top officials in an effort to win another extension of TPS, officials said.

-snip-

The case of El Salvador is emblematic because it is the biggest beneficiary of TPS and a loyal U.S. ally. It is the only Latin American nation that continues to contribute troops in Iraq. Not getting TPS renewed would be a major blow for Saca, who is facing legislative elections in March. Almost two million Salvadorans living in the U.S. send almost $2.5 billion back home in remittances, a lifeline for the country’s economy, according to the Inter American Development Bank.

On Friday, Saca talked with Bush about trade and immigration issues, but apparently did not get a firm commitment on TPS. Bush ”listened carefully and reaffirmed our continued focus on an approach that combines reasonable border enforcement with a temporary worker program,” said White House spokesman Scott McClellan.

The situation with El Salvador is of particular concern for those in the foreign policy wing of the government given the increasingly anti-Bush bent of many of the newly elected regimes in Latin America. Any possibility that an anti-US backlash could take place amongst the Salvadoran electorate would be viewed as highly problematic.

A formal announcement on TPS must be made 60 days before its expiration — in July for Nicaragua and Honduras and in September for El Salvador — although a decision could come from the Bush administration as early as the spring.

The Republicans will be forced to walk a fine line on this issue, trying to appease Congressional candidates hell bent on using the immigration wedge to gain local favor, while still having to deal with the very real international ramifications of their draconian policies.

cross-posted from:  Migra Matters

As if US immigration policy and the debate about it hadn’t been bordering on the ridiculous already, now comes this story from Florida:

15 Cubans who reached Old Seven Mile Bridge sent home

Sun-Sentinel

MIAMI — Fifteen Cubans who fled their homeland and landed on an abandoned bridge in the Florida Keys were returned to Cuba Monday after U.S. officials concluded that the piling did not constitute dry land, authorities said.

Under the U.S. government’s “wet-foot, dry-foot” policy, Cubans who reach dry land in the United States are usually allowed to remain in the country, while those caught at sea are sent back
-snip-

The historic Old Seven Mile Bridge, which runs side by side with a newer bridge, is missing several chunks, and the Cubans had the misfortune of reaching pilings from a section that no longer touches land.

The federal government said that means the group never actually reached U.S. territory and could be sent home.

“The `bridge’ is kind of a misnomer,” said Coast Guard Lt. Commander Chris O’Neil, spokesman for the department’s Southeast region. He said officials in Washington determined the Cubans should be considered “feet wet,” because they were not able to walk to land from where they landed.

Is it just me, or has the immigration debate begun to look like some childish game played by schoolyard bullies. In Congress the Republicans have pushed for the building a giant wall across the southern border, and not just any wall, but a super-duper special wall that immigrants couldn’t climb over. They support armed citizens playing “cowboys and Indians,” chasing immigrants through the desert in SUVs, wearing night-vision goggles. Now in Florida the coast guard plays a game of tag with immigrants, who race as fast as they can to touch “home base” before being tagged out and sent home. Perhaps the DHS should come up with a better game, maybe a variation on Duck, Duck, Goose, or better yet dodgeball.

Since the Republicans have decided to act like spoiled childish bullies, I figured we should look at the issue in a way they might understand.

In the words of…….Dr. Seuss:

Your foot, My foot…Wet foot, Dry foot

There were two Reps, Rep Two, Rep One.
Both Reps did not like anyone.
They did not like ones not from here,
For they were Strange and caused them fear.

“There must be something we can do”
Rep One said to his friend Rep Two.

Rep One who came from lands of cheese,
Had rarely seen ones Strange like these.
They uttered words, odd from their mouth,
He thought they must be from the south.
Rep Two who hailed from warmer climes,
Said he had heard it many times.
He said there could be no mistake,
They must be here for jobs to take.  

“I do not want them small or tall,
I do not want them in my mall”
Rep One did not want them at all.
So his idea—- He’d build a wall.

Rep Two thought this was very good.
“Let’s build a wall, we should, we could.”
We’ll build it wide, we’ll build it strong,
I know it can’t take very long.  
And in good time, we’ll build it tall,
So if they climb, they’re bound to fall.”

To keep out those who were so Strange,
The laws, they needed to be changed.
Rep One, Rep Two went to the Hill,
With all their friends to craft a bill.

After some time, the work was done,
They showed the bill to everyone.  
And all the other Reps agreed,
The wall is something that they need.

With monies taxed on monies made,
The cost to build the wall was paid.
And all the Reps began to cheer,
“We’ll keep the Strangers out of here.”
“The ones so strange, those not like us,
We’ll keep them out, we must, we must.”

There was another Rep, named Three,
He came from lands called  Diz in Nee.
A land where everyone was free,
Though many were called refugee.

One day some Strangers got a boat,
And on the ocean they did float.
Hoping to come upon some land,
That they could touch with just one hand.
But a hand could be a foot,
If on dry land that foot was put.

A law was written long before,
For those escaping from a war,
That if their foot was on dry land,
From this place they can’t be band.
And though they spoke in words quite strange,
These Strangers though, could now remain.

Rep Three had always liked that law,
He used it many times before.
The Strangers would get off their boat,
And for Rep Three they’d give their vote.

The boat did float, days three, days four,
Until a bridge the Strangers saw.
“Get to that bridge, get to it fast,
Get to that bridge, touch land at last.”

The Strangers rowed, fast as they could,
For it was known, was understood
To touch a bridge that touched the land,
Was equal to feet placed on sand.

If on the sand, you placed your feet,
Your journey then would be complete.
No one could ever kick you out,
Though some might scream, or pout, or shout.
There would be nothing they could do,
Those like Rep One, those like Rep Two.

But something strange happened that day,
The Strangers came but could not stay.
It seems the bridge the Strangers touched,
Did not connect to very much.
For it was old, parts fallen down,
No longer did it touch the ground.
So by the law from long ago,
This meant the Strangers had to go.

Rep Three cried out, this is not fair.
To kick them out, you would not dare.
They touched the home, they touched the base,
To change the base that’s a disgrace.
That is no way to play the game,
Tag played that way would be a shame.

Rep Three cried out, Rep One, Rep Two,
There must be something you can do.
“We’re sorry friend” said Two and One,
“Two thousand six has just begun.”
“And on one thing we all agree,
We must have a new enemy.
For if we don’t we’ll lose our seats,
The party doomed to sure defeat.”

So Three and Two and One did sit
To ponder their constituents
But this was nothing they could fix
Before the fall, two thousand six

Cross-posted from Migra Matters

Rep Peter King (R-NY3rd), co-sponsor of HR4437 has claimed he never intended it to target humanitarian groups who aid undocumented immigrants and he will be looking into rewording the bill. It is now time for Mr King to put up, or shut up. He has an opportunity to prove that he respects the rights of those who help their fellow man, or can show himself to be a simple bully who has no real respect or compassion for human life . He claims those who voiced concern with 4437 over reacted … I say prove it
The bill which has now moved on to the Senate calls for the reclassification of immigration offenses to federal crime status, permits “deputization” of local and state police officers to enforce immigration laws and allows for “Expedited Removal” and “Mandatory Detention” of undocumented immigrants. It also included a provision that makes it a crime for anyone to assist undocumented immigrants to “come or remain” in the United States.

Immigrant advocates and officials from churches and relief agencies have criticized the bill saying it could lead to the arrest and imprisonment of priests, nuns, doctors, social workers and Good Samaritans who may provide immigrants with anything from counseling to medical care, or even  a ride to the store or doctors office.

The recent arrests of the Daniel Strauss and Shanti Sellz in Arizona by agents of the US Border Patrol after trying to take three desperately ill immigrants they found wandering in the desert to a nearby hospital has only confirmed these fears. Strauss and Sellz currently face up to a fifteen year prison sentence for the “transport of illegal aliens.”

After the outpouring of criticism from churches and relief groups, Rep. King has backed down and said he is willing to reword the legislation.

King said that it was never the intention of the provision, which he said targets gangs that smuggle undocumented immigrants into the country.

The measure “is not aimed at humanitarian groups at all,” said King, who is chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee. “If there are any specific words they want changed, I can assure you that will be done.”

King said the groups were misinterpreting the bill and that “the church is developing a persecution complex here … If an alien smuggling ring gets a guy into the country and he stops at St. Brigid’s at a soup kitchen, we’re not going to lock up the pastor of St. Brigid’s. They’re not part of the smuggling ring.”

Some church workers greeted King’s words with relief Friday, although they said they were still outraged by the bill in general and do not believe they were misinterpreting its broad language.

-snip-

King said the bill is unlikely to be passed in its present form by the Senate, which he expected to add provisions for a guest-worker program granting temporary visas mainly to low-skilled workers.

However, he did say “a significant portion of it has to become law otherwise no immigration reform bill will pass the House.”

Now it is to be seen exactly what Mr.  King means by “re-wording”. As one who was born and raised in Mr. King’s home town and lives in his district, I look on with skepticism at anything he does.

Perhaps as Chairman of the House Homeland Security Committee he could call the DHS and intercede on Mr. Strauss and Ms. Sellz behalf.  Maybe we should all drop him a note at: Pete.King@mail.house.gov to let him know that one way he could show that we are not suffering from a “persecution complex” would be to make sure that those already facing jail time for the “transport of illegal aliens” while only trying to save lives, were set free. Their hearing will be Tuesday Jan. 10th, so it might be a good idea to reach out to Mr. King ASAP so he has ample opportunity to show us he’s not the hypocrite we know him to be.

Update [2006-1-9 11:0:6 by Duke1676]:
You might want to phone or fax him at:
Phone: 202-225-7896
Fax: 202-226-2279

cross-posted at Migra Matters

I want to apologize in advance for the length of this post. My purpose here is to offer up one idea on immigration reform that will hopefully get people thinking, discussing and coming up with ideas.  It is in no way intended to be a complete or comprehensive solution to the problem …only one suggestion. Also please note that the proposal is not intended as a solely progressive solution, but rather one that takes into account its ability to be “sold” to the American people. I have tried to deal with the realities as there are, not as I wish them to be.

Immigration reform is about to become the next big wedge issue in upcoming elections. The recent increase in anti-immigrant rhetoric and legislation is evidence of that fact

Progressives must come up with an effective plan to present to the American people and get ahead on this issue, as the Republicans are already starting to frame the debate and will eventually leave us trying to defend an impossible position. The right has turned to fear of terrorism, veiled racism and nativist sentiments to whip up the debate. Unless a rational, realistic and meaningful counter argument can be made in opposition to them, they will manage to turn the issue into another wedge where they will be representing “American values” and we will be looking very soft and ineffectual.

As someone who has worked in the hopitality industry for more than thirty years in both New York and Miami, I have known hundreds of immigrants both legal and illegal. I have known people from every South and Central American country, the Caribbean, Poles, Irishmen, Russians and Romanians. I have seen the immigration system close up from both sides. Although I am by no means expert on Immigration law or policies, my somewhat unique position has allowed me to see how badly the current system works. It neither protects the American people nor allows reasonable opportunities to immigrants. I would never presume to have all the answers to the problem, but over time I have come up with a few. I figured I could float the ideas out there and get some feedback from the progressive community.

A quick look at history would show us that every great wave of immigration in this country coincided with a period of economic growth and expansion. The immigrants who arrived during the first great wave of immigration in the early nineteenth century led the great westward expansion. The second wave during the 1840’s-1850’s helped foster the industrial revolution. The last great wave from 1880-1910, and more importantly their first generation offspring, helped create the post-war boom and the establishment of a vast middle class. We are currently experiencing another great wave of immigration. This time instead of allowing these new immigrants to assimilate and contribute to society, we have relegated them to “illegal” status.

The problem with “illegal immigration” seems to be the “illegal” part of the equation.  The problem is not about how to best close the border, it’s a question of how to open the borders safely and effectively with a system that can verify identity, ensure legal employment, and foster assimilation. Take the “illegal” part out of the equation and the problem disappears

Why something must be done

The estimated number of undocumented immigrants in the country varies according who’s reporting, the most recent figure being somewhere around 12 million.  There are millions of people with false or no identification living and working throughout the country. Many forced by economic conditions to live in low cost housing without records kept, working for cash without records kept, buying goods without records kept. Although the vast majority of these immigrants are hard working people trying to escape starvation, deprivation, and oppression; amongst this sea of humanity there is the possibility that some that wish to do evil hide. Billions of dollars move through an underground cash economy each year, unaccounted for and untaxed. Millions of people live with no hope of ever entering the system, or getting ahead. Each and every day hundreds if not thousands more join their ranks, and there is no  practical way of stopping them. We have grown reliant on their labor to the extent that our economy could not function without them.  Certainly the system is broken and needs to be fixed.

Our main concerns should be:

Security:  We must be able to allow those wishing to come here to work and make a better life to enter the country, while still being able to prevent those that wish to do us harm from getting in

Taxes:  We need to bring the underground economy into the tax base

Jobs:  We need to protect American jobs and workers by assuring all employers pay the minimum wages required by law to all their employees.

Assimilation/Citizenship:  We need to provide a mechanism by which immigrants can assimilate and not be forced to live in a separate, second-class society. We must provide a path to citizenship.

WHAT TO DO:

All of the above concerns could be addressed through two simple programs:

One program would allow the Government to verify the identity of every immigrant who enters the country or is already here. .  For argument sake let’s call this program: The Immigrant Verification and Identification Program (V.I.P.)

The other would facilitate the assimilation of these immigrants by giving them the necessary tools to compete economically, help defer the costs of processing and provided economic incentives and penalties to both immigrants and employers to assure adherence to the system. For the time being let’s call that program: The Immigrant Benefits for Assimilation Trust (B.A T.)

Side note:
In order to initiate the programs the government would have to use a series of carrots and sticks for both the immigrants and employers.  In addition the general public would need to be educated to the fact that in the end all would benefit from these changes.

A general amnesty would have to be given to anyone in the country at present. All quotas would be abolished in regards to country of origin, and immigration status granted all applicants on a first come first serve basis (except in the cases of extreme hardship).

All new applicants would have a waiting period in order for their identities to be checked, but would be guaranteed entry into the system if they check out.

———————————————

HOW V.I.P. WORKS: Going through the levels

VIP level 1 (mandatory two year period)

All current undocumented immigrants would be given an eighteen month amnesty period to obtain a VIP level 1 card. In order to qualify for the card the immigrant would need to provide proof of identity from their country of origin to be checked both here and abroad for criminal records, financial misconduct, and security risk status. They must also show proof of gainful employment, either by a pay stub, or an affidavit from an employer. An unemployed spouse/partner would be eligible through their partner’s employment. (All future immigrants would also require this clearance, and would receive a two month grace period upon arrival to obtain a job.)  Those unable to pass the verification process and receive a card after this eighteen month amnesty period would be classified as possible security risks. Employers, landlords, or businesses that did business, employed, or harbored anyone classified as a possible security risk would be subject to criminal prosecution.  Those who are classified as possible security risks would have the right to appeal the decision within two months of classification, but would face immediate deportation if the appeal failed.

Once a VIP1 is issued it would be valid for a two year period only. The VIP1 would give the immigrant all the rights afforded by the current Immigrant Work Authorization Card and enter them in the BAT system. It would grant them the ability to work and reside legally in the country and allow them to pay taxes. During this two year period the immigrant would be required to remain in the United States a minimum of 330 days a year, be employed, could not commit any crime( minor misdemeanors excluded), and must attain a very rudimentary knowledge of conversational English (level to be determined by Dept. of Educ.) If an immigrant with VIP1 status was to lose their job for any reason or stop making BAT contributions* through payroll deductions (by working off the books) they would have a grace period to find employment and resume BAT contributions or lose their VIP1 status. At the end of the two year period anyone who had not met all requirements would lose VIP1. The loss of VIP1 status would result in deportation and the loss for all BAT benefits*.

Since only those who could not prove they are who they claim to be, have committed crimes or cannot support themselves would be denied legal status, nearly all illegal immigrants would be eligible for VIP1 status. This should make compliance with the program universal. The cost of the initial processing of the estimated ten million illegal immigrants could be offset through registration fees and future reimbursements from the BAT Trust Fund*.

* see section on Immigrant Benefits for Assimilation Trust Fund (BAT)

VIP level 2 (Mandatory two years, valid up to three years)  

Having met all VIP1 requirements and passed a rudimentary language exam the immigrant would move on to the second level. VIP2 status would give the immigrant the same rights and privileges as an Alien Resident Card (green card) except for its duration. The immigrant could now travel outside the country for up to three months in any calendar year.  Those wishing to repatriate to their countries of origin could do so during the VIP2 period and be eligible to receive 50% of their accrued BAT benefits. Repatriation would make the immigrant ineligible to ever come back into the system again.

During this period the immigrant would be expected to increase their English proficiency, along with the ability to read English at a pre- determined grade level(very elementary .. enough to fill out forms and read labels). The work and criminal restrictions from level one would still apply throughout the VIP2 period.

After two years the immigrant would be eligible to take their Level 3 test. (Possibly an early elementary school level of the English Language Arts Exam mandated by “No Child Left Behind” could be given as an assessment. Grade level 2 or 3?).  Those in need of more time to learn can take longer but must complete their test before their VIP2 expires at the end of three years.

At the end of this period anyone not meeting the language standards would be returned to VIP1 status for a period of no more than one additional year. At the end of that year all requirements would have to be met or VIP1 status could be revoked risking deportation. The immigrant would still be eligible to receive 50% of their accrued BAT benefits.

VIP level 3 (Mandatory one year, valid up to four years)

Having passed a level 2 exam the immigrant gains VIP3 status and begins working towards Citizenship or Voluntary Non-Citizen Status  . The immigrant could now travel outside the country for up to six months in any calendar year.  Those wishing to repatriate to their countries of origin could do so during the VIP3 period and be eligible to receive 70% of their accrued BAT benefits. Repatriation would still make the immigrant ineligible to ever come back into the system again.

During this four-year period the immigrant would be required learn the required knowledge to pass a citizenship exam. They also must gain a proficiency in English to take the test as it is presently given. The work and criminal restrictions from level one would still apply throughout the VIP3 period.

After one year an immigrant would be eligible to take their Citizenship Test. After the maximum four year period all immigrants must complete this test to remain in the country.  (An additional one year extension could be authorized on an “in good faith” basis)  Those who want to retain citizenship from their country of origin could opt for Voluntary Non-Citizen Status but still must pass the exam to retain their immigration status. Passing the Citizenship test allows the immigrant to receive full BAT benefits, and full citizenship

The VIP program allows immigrants to assimilate at there own rate. Some will be able to complete the program in the minimum five year period, while others could take up to ten years. Having completed the VIP program the immigrant would have at the minimum, enough English comprehension to function in everyday society.  The program would help them to compete economically and provided the minimum tools for economic advancement. The cost of this training could come from a mix of funding from the BAT Fund, fees paid directly by the immigrants themselves, possible employer or corporate contributions and from already existing organizations that provide immigrant services. Exceptions in the program could be made for temporary workers to allow them to legally work for short periods of time, but BAT contributions would still be required with special eligibility requirements to receive benefits.

——————————————–

BAT: Benefits for Assimilation Trust

BAT would be a mandatory trust fund that all new immigrants would pay into through payroll deductions until competition of the assimilation process. The fund could be either privately administered like Workman’s Compensation, or government run like Social Security. Each employee and employer in the fund would contribute a fixed percent from each paycheck.*  The moneys in the fund would be invested and grown,  and be fully refundable to both the immigrant and employer if the immigrant meets all the requirements of  the assimilation program. This fund would mirror Social Security in practice and would be handled as such for immigrants who would not be required to contribute to SSI until/if they become full citizens.  

*A 4.2% contribution from the employee, coupled with a 8.2% matching contribution from employers would yield a minimum $1700 per year contribution for minimum wage employees working a forty hour week. This mirrors the total 12.4% SSI contribution already in existence that the immigrant would not be required to pay. The only difference is a 2% shift in responsiblity from the immigrant to the employer, normaly each would contribute 6.2%.

The purpose of the fund would be to:

1. Provide incentives to immigrants for completing differing levels of assimilation.
2. Take pressure off our social service system by providing an alternate source of money to pay for services.
3. Allow immigrants to accumulate a “nest-egg” to start a business or own a home once they complete the assimilation process.
4. Be used as a deterrent for those who would commit criminal acts or only wish to come here for very short periods of time in order to sent money back to their countries of origin.
5. Encourage employers to foster a culture of assimilation amongst their immigrant workers.
6. Give some slight economic advantage to employers who employ native workers at the very lowest end of economic scale.
7. Allow a method to track the work history of immigrant workers and ensure that they work on the books.

How BAT would work

1. When the immigrant enters the VIP system they are issued a BAT number (similar to a S.S. number). This number links them to their personal BAT account.
2. Each immigrant and employer would pay into the personal BAT account through weekly payroll contributions. These contributions would be invested by the fund managers in whatever method they deem best to ensure the greatest growth while still preserving the integrity of the principle.
3. If an immigrant was to use any social service during the period the money in his personal BAT account would be used to pay the first portion of the bill (could be done as a percentage of the amount in the account or fixed dollar amount like $1000 per incident).  This would apply mostly to Medicaid as the immigrant must remain employed during the whole assimilation process they would hopefully not qualify for other social service programs under most circumstances.
4. When the immigrant finishes the VIP3 level and passes their citizenship exam and language proficiency exam both the immigrant and his employer (past and present) would receive back their percentage of the moneys in that immigrants BAT account. This amount would be determined by the amount of principle contributed and the profits made by the fund. A variable percentage would have been deducted annually for administration and contributions to a General Immigrant Fund to assist in providing assimilation services for immigrants.

Funding and administration of BAT

1. It should be safe to assume that the BAT fund itself would show considerable growth within the first few years of inception. There will be a certain percent of immigrants who, for whatever reasons, will be unable to complete the various levels of the VIP system. They would then forfeit some or all of their money in the BAT general account. This surplus could then by used to offset administration costs, training and assimilation education. Other services for immigrants, employers and society in general could also be funded through this surplus.
2. Some immigrants will also voluntarily repatriate to their countries of origin at various times during their assimilation process receiving only a percentage of their account, leaving the rest in the General Fund.

BAT: Other considerations

1. Since an immigrant would initially cost an employer 2% more than an American citizen to employ, the BAT system should create an environment more favorable to citizens. This is particularly true in the case of large scale minimum wage employers such as Walmart or MacDonalds. The 2% surcharge for employing immigrant labor would also give employers a monetary incentive to foster a culture of assimilation in the workplace, perhaps setting up language or mentoring programs. Since an employer receives back his BAT contribution when an employee completes assimilation, the program should also lessen employee turnover.
2. The BAT fund would provide the immigrant not only an equity interest, but also the opportunity to become an equal member American society. After time this monetary incentive would be replaced by the language skills, cultural knowledge, and other skills that would allow for the American Dream to be attainment.
3. Although the program might cause an initial spike in new immigration, after time equilibrium should be reached. Due to the fact that an immigrant must be employed, be serious about assimilation, and be willing to make an initial minimum five year monetary sacrifice; only those with the best prospect of completing the program would be coming. If the supply of new immigrants far exceeded the number of available jobs, BAT employment restrictions would cull out the unneeded immigrant workers. Those with the most time in the system would be the most desirable for employers since they would be closer to completing the program and receiving the employer payout, leaving those new immigrants with no job prospects to fail out of the system. Hence the system should eventually become self policing.
4. Since there would be no “off the books” option for immigrants because they must maintain their BAT contribution schedule or risk deportation, employers would be unable to use cheaper workers to replace either American workers or those immigrants in the VIP system.
5. The BAT payouts made to successful immigrants (over $13,000 after eight years) would hopefully be reinvested in immigrant communities to help open businesses, further education, or revitalize dying neighborhoods.
6. The tax benefits from both the legally employed immigrants and the underground economy that services them would help balance government budgets from the local level up.
7. Since immigrants currently working in the U.S. with false identification already pay taxes and Social Security that they get no credit for, they should welcome the BAT program. Although they will have more deducted from their weekly paychecks, the prospect of receiving tax refunds should offset their concerns

——————————————

Conclusion:

I am sure that this plan is far from perfect and could easily be criticized on certain details, but it is intended as merely a starting point for meaningful discussion. Those from the “Build a big wall and kick out all illegals” camp will most likely attack the plan as too naïve and liberal. Others from the left will claim the plan is unfair to immigrants, has undue restrictions and reeks of Reaganism. Any plan to deal with immigration reform will have detractors from both sides of the debate, but unless we begin to look at the problem rationally and realistically we will get nowhere.

In 1790 Congress passed the first Naturalization Act, which stated that “…any alien, being a free white person, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States…” From that time forward waves of new immigrants have entered the country. Sometimes these immigrants were met with open arms, other times they were scorned. The current wave of immigration is no different than those of the past. It is the restrictions placed on legal immigration starting in the late 1920’s and lasting until the present day that have prevented the assimilation of new immigrants into society and created the large problem we have today. Until we view immigration as a continuing process that keeps our nation vital and our economy growing, we will never “solve” this “problem”

Cross-posted from Migra Matters