Virginia Republicans are being called all sorts of nasty names for daring to introduce a bill that would insist in law that-God forbid-the universities of the Commonwealth of Virginia should not be allowed to admit students who are not in the United States of America in a legal capacity.
"If a legal Virginia resident is applying to schools, should they be admitted? Or should that slot be set aside for someone who has arrived here illegally?" asked James K. "Jay" O'Brien Jr. (R-Fairfax), the sponsor of the proposal.
It gets even worse! This proposal would actually require that the Commonwealth of Virginia treat illegal aliens as if they are *gasp* illegal! Perish the thought!
The Republican proposal would also require city and county jails to check a defendant's immigration status and to have at least one person on duty who has been certified by the federal government to detain illegal immigrants until deportation proceedings. It would also routinely deny bail for illegal immigrants charged in a crime and suspend the business licenses of anyone convicted of hiring illegal immigrants.
Of course, so called "immigrants' rights" groups are accusing the Virginia GOP of trying to "scare voters." We are all for immigrants' rights here at T-FIRE, provided those immigrants are actually legal. What kind of people might encourage folks to come here illegally and break the law?
People at the Highlander Research and Education Center might. In years past, Highlander was also called by some the Highlander "Folk School," and has been a hotbed of pro-Communist sentiment and quasi-Marxist "organization" in years' past. Now, Highlander is going about encouraging illegal aliens to continue breaking the law:
Six or seven years ago, in response to an increased number of Latino immigrants settling in the Appalachian region, Highlander started a new outreach program called Pueblos de Latinoamérica.
“The mission was to help support organizing in immigrant communities in the Southeast and help some of the people that were doing the community organizing to feel less isolated,” said Mónica Hernández, director of the program and board chair of Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition.
What’s more, the current political environment is “very hostile toward immigrants, so the community is really afraid,” she said. “It makes it hard to organize and engage people in trying to be active because … they’re trying to live under the radar.”
They are trying to live under the radar because that is what people who are breaking the law-and illegal aliens are breaking the law. Highlander is, in this latest effort, encouraging people to break the law. (Note the three dots after the word "because"-that means Ms. Hernandez said something else.)
How encouraging is it to know that a group of radicals here in East Tennessee are leading the effort to promote criminal behavior? In New Market, no less!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Feds Abandon Constitutional Duty
In a continuing show that the federal government simply does not care about securing our borders, over 1,000 Immigration and Customs officials have been reassigned to customs only, in a federal move that significantly reduces the government's ability to both secure the border and deport those who have come to this country in a manner that is in overt violation of our laws.
"[Detention and Removal] is a rapidly expanding program with the responsibility for ensuring that all removable aliens are detained in a safe environment and expeditiously removed from the United States. DRO has the responsibility for detaining and removing illegal aliens apprehended by ICE, [Customs and Border Protection] and, as resources allow, other law enforcement entities," states the Aug. 20 memo. "It is the vision of ICE for DRO to assume primary responsibility for non-investigative administrative arrests, for example, state and local law enforcement response to interdiction of immigration violators or probation and parole referrals."
Resources and manpower, however, are scarce, ICE agents say.
"They're just not there," said Jim Brown, a spokesman for American Federation of Government Employees. "Again, the bottom line is our folks are going to work this to the best of their ability, but the agency is leaving us short by not providing staff and resources. I don't think our members will be able to carry out that mission. Eventually, something is going to give."
Is there any question now that the federal government has abrogated its constitutional mandate to defend this nation against a foreign invasion?
"[Detention and Removal] is a rapidly expanding program with the responsibility for ensuring that all removable aliens are detained in a safe environment and expeditiously removed from the United States. DRO has the responsibility for detaining and removing illegal aliens apprehended by ICE, [Customs and Border Protection] and, as resources allow, other law enforcement entities," states the Aug. 20 memo. "It is the vision of ICE for DRO to assume primary responsibility for non-investigative administrative arrests, for example, state and local law enforcement response to interdiction of immigration violators or probation and parole referrals."
Resources and manpower, however, are scarce, ICE agents say.
"They're just not there," said Jim Brown, a spokesman for American Federation of Government Employees. "Again, the bottom line is our folks are going to work this to the best of their ability, but the agency is leaving us short by not providing staff and resources. I don't think our members will be able to carry out that mission. Eventually, something is going to give."
Is there any question now that the federal government has abrogated its constitutional mandate to defend this nation against a foreign invasion?
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
Cost of Citizenship
Some open-borders advocates have suggested that current fees associated with becoming a U.S. citizen are exorbitant and place too high a burden on applicants. However, when compared to typical daily expenses incurred by Americans, it becomes clear that the price of U.S. citizenship is quite low.
To file Declaration of Intent to apply for U.S. Citizenship
$235
Request hearing on decision on naturalization application
$605
Naturalization (to become a U.S. citizen) through service in the U.S. armed forces
No fee
Naturalization for all others, including filing and biotmetric fees
$675
Preserve residence for naturalization purposes
$305
Replace Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate
$380
Recognition of U.S. citizenship for biological child
$460
Recognition of U.S. citizenship for adopted child
$420
SOURCE: USCIS Fee Schedule; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services* Effective July 30, 2007
In contrast, what does it cost the average American household to live?
Typical Annual Expense Items
2004*
Number of households (in thousands)
116,282
Income before taxes
$54,453
Averages:
Age of referrence person
48.5
Average annual expenditures
$43,395
FOOD
$5,781
Food at home
$3,347
- Cereals and bakery products
$461
- Meats, poultry, fish and eggs
$880
- Dairy products
$371
- Fruits and vegetables
$561
- Other food at home
$1,075
Food away from home
$2,434
Alcoholic beverages
$459
HOUSING
$13,918
- Shelter
$7,998
- Utilities, fuels, and public services
$2,927
- Household operations
$753
- Housekeeping supplies
$594
- Household furnishings and equipment
$1,646
Apparel and services
$1,816
TRANSPORTATION
$7,801
- Vehicle purchases (net outlay)
$3,397
- Gasoline and motor oil
$1,598
- Other vehicle expenses
$2,365
- Public transportation
$441
Healthcare
$2,574
Entertainment
$2,218
Personal care products and services
$581
Reading
$130
Education
$905
Tobacco products and smoking supplies
$288
Miscellaneous
$690
Cash contributions
$1,408
PERSONAL INSURANCE AND PENSIONS
$4,823
- Life and other personal insurance
$390
- Pensions and Social Security
$4,433
*SOURCE: Consumer Expenditures in 2004; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2006
To file Declaration of Intent to apply for U.S. Citizenship
$235
Request hearing on decision on naturalization application
$605
Naturalization (to become a U.S. citizen) through service in the U.S. armed forces
No fee
Naturalization for all others, including filing and biotmetric fees
$675
Preserve residence for naturalization purposes
$305
Replace Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate
$380
Recognition of U.S. citizenship for biological child
$460
Recognition of U.S. citizenship for adopted child
$420
SOURCE: USCIS Fee Schedule; U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services* Effective July 30, 2007
In contrast, what does it cost the average American household to live?
Typical Annual Expense Items
2004*
Number of households (in thousands)
116,282
Income before taxes
$54,453
Averages:
Age of referrence person
48.5
Average annual expenditures
$43,395
FOOD
$5,781
Food at home
$3,347
- Cereals and bakery products
$461
- Meats, poultry, fish and eggs
$880
- Dairy products
$371
- Fruits and vegetables
$561
- Other food at home
$1,075
Food away from home
$2,434
Alcoholic beverages
$459
HOUSING
$13,918
- Shelter
$7,998
- Utilities, fuels, and public services
$2,927
- Household operations
$753
- Housekeeping supplies
$594
- Household furnishings and equipment
$1,646
Apparel and services
$1,816
TRANSPORTATION
$7,801
- Vehicle purchases (net outlay)
$3,397
- Gasoline and motor oil
$1,598
- Other vehicle expenses
$2,365
- Public transportation
$441
Healthcare
$2,574
Entertainment
$2,218
Personal care products and services
$581
Reading
$130
Education
$905
Tobacco products and smoking supplies
$288
Miscellaneous
$690
Cash contributions
$1,408
PERSONAL INSURANCE AND PENSIONS
$4,823
- Life and other personal insurance
$390
- Pensions and Social Security
$4,433
*SOURCE: Consumer Expenditures in 2004; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2006
Illegals and Illegitimacy
One of the great myths of those who advocate that we should do nothing about the illegal immigration problem on our Southern border is that the illegals who are coming here have tremendous family values-a moral compass that would put many Americans to shame.
Apparently, this morality does little to prevent the rising number of out-of-wedlock births to Hispanics, many of whom are illegal. An April report by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that the number of illegitimate births to immigrants is rising faster than the total immigrant share of the population.
"Among native-born Hispanics, the illegitimacy rate is almost 50 percent, compared to the 42 percent for immigrant Hispanics. But for native-born Asians, it’s almost 30 percent. And among native-born whites, as I said before, it’s 24 percent."
This is alarming because it shows only an eight percent difference in the illegitimacy rate between immigrant and native-born Hispanics. It shatters the myth that many neocons are trying to spread that there is not an immense social and economic cost to the influx of new illegal aliens into the country. If nothing else costs us (and it does) the cost to society of having absent fathers is truly staggering.
This problem is already too widespread among the natural-born. Now we are being asked to help make the problem worse.
Apparently, this morality does little to prevent the rising number of out-of-wedlock births to Hispanics, many of whom are illegal. An April report by the Center for Immigration Studies shows that the number of illegitimate births to immigrants is rising faster than the total immigrant share of the population.
"Among native-born Hispanics, the illegitimacy rate is almost 50 percent, compared to the 42 percent for immigrant Hispanics. But for native-born Asians, it’s almost 30 percent. And among native-born whites, as I said before, it’s 24 percent."
This is alarming because it shows only an eight percent difference in the illegitimacy rate between immigrant and native-born Hispanics. It shatters the myth that many neocons are trying to spread that there is not an immense social and economic cost to the influx of new illegal aliens into the country. If nothing else costs us (and it does) the cost to society of having absent fathers is truly staggering.
This problem is already too widespread among the natural-born. Now we are being asked to help make the problem worse.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
Illegal Immigration and Politics
In the current political climate, the issue of illegal immigration is a very hard one to deal with. Many Tennesseans and Americans fail to understand that the reason our elected leaders fail to act to curb the current tide of illegals streaming into this country is often purely political.
One party depends on the votes of illegal aliens to remain viable in certain jurisdictions, and in some cases the votes of illegals and others ineligible to vote in an election bring about the results that party is seeking. The most famous example of this is the faux-victory of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez over Republican Bob Dornan in conservative Orange County, California. Sanchez "won" that election by 984 votes, and a later Congressional investigation found that 624 votes were cast by non-citizens-not enough, Congress said at the time, to turn the election in favor of Dornan. To this day Dornan alleges that illegal aliens were allowed to vote and those votes were counted. The Dornan case has proven to be far from isolated.
The other party, while not dependent on the votes of illegals, is very dependent on money from certain interest groups who exploit the cheap labor given by many illegals-because after all, if you hire an illegal alien, you don't have to bother with paying him or her a standard wage or even (in many cases) the minimum one. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce doesn't want restrictions on immigration enforced, lest some of its members have to prove their workers are legal. In pursuit of money, that party has lost touch with the majority of the American people and even its own base.
This is the political part of the problem that we have to deal with-but politicians can't win without votes. Not only do we need to primary and/or defeat politicians who are pro-illegal, but we need to recruit citizens to step out of their personal comfort zone and be willing to sacrifice a part of their privacy and their time with their family and run for office.
One party depends on the votes of illegal aliens to remain viable in certain jurisdictions, and in some cases the votes of illegals and others ineligible to vote in an election bring about the results that party is seeking. The most famous example of this is the faux-victory of Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez over Republican Bob Dornan in conservative Orange County, California. Sanchez "won" that election by 984 votes, and a later Congressional investigation found that 624 votes were cast by non-citizens-not enough, Congress said at the time, to turn the election in favor of Dornan. To this day Dornan alleges that illegal aliens were allowed to vote and those votes were counted. The Dornan case has proven to be far from isolated.
The other party, while not dependent on the votes of illegals, is very dependent on money from certain interest groups who exploit the cheap labor given by many illegals-because after all, if you hire an illegal alien, you don't have to bother with paying him or her a standard wage or even (in many cases) the minimum one. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce doesn't want restrictions on immigration enforced, lest some of its members have to prove their workers are legal. In pursuit of money, that party has lost touch with the majority of the American people and even its own base.
This is the political part of the problem that we have to deal with-but politicians can't win without votes. Not only do we need to primary and/or defeat politicians who are pro-illegal, but we need to recruit citizens to step out of their personal comfort zone and be willing to sacrifice a part of their privacy and their time with their family and run for office.
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