Dear Friend of Border Control:

Just a brief note to thank you for all your hard work. There is no question in my mind that, without your phone calls, faxes and email letters, the outcome of today's vote would have been quite different.

You deserve a rest. We all do. But we have momentum on our side and this is one of those windows of opportunity that we should not pass up.

Now that the Bush-Kennedy-McCain amnesty is dead and the open borders crowd is in total disarray, we must press ahead to pass the The Secure Borders FIRST Act of 2007, sponsored by Congressmen Peter King and Lamar Smith because the current status quo is unacceptable.

We need to regain control of our borders and ramp up enforcement. This bill does it by:

• Requiring mandatory detention for all illegal immigrants apprehended along the border;
  
• Expedited removal for any illegal aliens apprehended within 100 miles of the border;
  
• Deploying at least 18,000 more border patrol agents by Dec. 31, 2008;
  
• Funding and reaffirming the authority of state and local police to apprehend and detain illegal aliens;
  
• Mandating the use of electronic employment eligibility verification system (formerly voluntary);
  
• Eliminating loopholes in current law that allows illegal immigrants to receive Social Security benefits from their illegal work, if they are later legalized;
  
• Banning the use of Matricula Consular cards, identification cards issued to illegal aliens by Mexican consulates to enable them to open bank accounts, buy homes and obtain other forms of identification;
  
• Making English the official language of the United States;
  
• Mandating the full implementation of US-VISIT, the visa entry-exit system intended to track visa overstayers – a critical system to protect us from terrorism; and
  
• Punishing employers who hire illegal aliens.

As you can see, this is a powerful alternative to the Bush-Kennedy-McCain amnesty.

In a few days, I'll send you some of the tools necessary to start building support for the King-Smith bill as well as other great House enforcement bills offered by real immigration reformers like Elton Gallegly, Tom Tancredo, Virgil Goode, Walter Jones and others.

But for now, I hope you will enjoy your Fourth of July with a renewed appreciation of the fact of what it means to be an American and that we, the people, once aroused, can reclaim our government and bring to heel those elected officials who forget that, at the end of the day, they are answerable to us.

Best Regards,

Edward I. Nelson, Chairman
U.S. Border Control
8180 Greensboro Drive #1070
Mclean, VA 22102
ednelson@usbc.org
703-356-6567
www.usbc.org

Bush finally admits it - Senate bill would provide amnesty to illegals, and he will abandon his political base to get it

He has tried all along to deny it, but finally, President Bush spoke the truth. He said this week that the immigration legislation being considered by the Senate will provide amnesty to those in the United States illegally. Specifically he said "You know, I've heard all the rhetoric — you've heard it too — about how this is amnesty. Amnesty means that you've got to pay a price for having been here illegally, and this bill does that."

Within a few hours, presidential spokesman Tony Snow was dispatching a what-the-president-meant-to-say e-mail to reporters: "Today, in speaking about comprehensive immigration reform, President Bush misspoke."

But Bush not only got his words backward, he's got his values backward, too. One former advisor says the president is going to the mat over immigration in an effort to leave behind a domestic achievement to make up for the war in Iraq.

'There's no question that this is his last opportunity to do something that is fairly popular across America, and maybe wash away some of the bad taste from Iraq,' the former official claimed.

'He really has just this one chance. ... He doesn't care much what his base thinks.' Yes, that would be the political base that got Bush elected, twice and has sided with him through thick and thin.

Senate betrays Americans by reviving immigration bill

The U.S. Senate today betrayed the American voter by reviving an immigration bill which promises amnesty to more than 12 million illegal aliens. Desperate for a legislative "success," the Bush Administration had put together a target list of Senators they felt could be convinced to support open borders, mass immigration, and amnesty for all.

And how did the Bush effort do in the cloture vote? The following Senators did flip flop and switch their vote, betraying America: Bennett (R-UT), Bingaman (D-NM), Bond (R-MO), Boxer (D-CA), Burr (R-NC), Collins (R-ME), Craig (R-ID), Domenici (R-NM), Ensign (R-NV), Gregg (R-NH), Kyl (R-AZ), Lott (R-MS), McConnell (R-KY), Murkowski (R-AK), Pryor (D-AR), Snowe (R-ME), Stevens (R-AK), Warner (R-VA), and Webb (D-VA). Brownback (R-KS) did not vote last time and claimed to be against the bill, but voted yes this time.

The following Senators did not vote last time but voted against cloture this time.: Barrasso (R-WY), Coburn (R-OK), Enzi (R-WY). The following Senators saw the light since the last vote, when they voted yes. This time they voted no: Bayh (D-IN), Stabenow (D-MI)

Keep calling your Senator, don’t give up. The final Senate vote is scheduled for Friday June 29. Blitz your Senators with as many emails and phone calls as possible. Also, the bill can still be killed in US House of Representatives.

The U.S. Senate must hear from you

Over the past few weeks, the American people have done a tremendous job standing up to a renegade Senate and a President who has managed to convince even the most die-hard Republicans that he is completely on the wrong side of this issue.

But once more, the Senate needs to hear from you. President Bush has urged illegals in the U.S. to demonstrate, and to contact Senators to urge passage of the Senate immigration reform bill that will give them amnesty. That Senate, our Senate, must also hear the wishes of American citizens regarding this legislation.

An open borders group, obviously well-funded by Mexico or one of the multinational corporations which benefits from illegal migration, has established a toll-free number that automatically identifies your Senators and connects you directly to their offices for free. This is one of the easiest ways to contact your senators and turns the tables on amnesty supporters.

Ignore their sales pitch for amnesty for illegal aliens and their families and use their fancy toll-free telephone service to tell your Senators that you want them to vote NO on cloture and NO on the Bush-Kennedy amnesty. Tell them passing no bill is far better than passing an amnesty for 20 million illegal aliens. That number is 800-417-7666.

Georgia statistics show effect of illegals on local workers

Recent Georgia statistics show that despite the claims of businesses, the increased numbers of immigrant workers have been accompanied by a significant decline in the percentage of less-educated natives holding jobs in the state.

• Between 2000 and 2006 the share of less-educated native-born adults (ages 18 to 64) in Georgia holding a job declined from 71 percent to 66 percent. (Less-educated is defined as having no education beyond high school.)

• Less-educated blacks in Georgia have seen a somewhat larger decline in employment, from 66 percent holding a job in 2000 to just 60 percent in 2006.

• There are nearly 800,000 less-educated native-born adults in Georgia not working. There are likely between 250,000 and 350,000 less-educated illegal aliens holding jobs in the state.

• Wages and salary for less-educated adults in Georgia have stagnated. Over the entire six-year time period of the study, real annual wages for less-educated adults grew by just 1 percent. If there was a labor shortage, wages should be rising fast.

• Immigrants (legal and illegal) increased their share of all less-educated workers in Georgia, from 7 percent in 2000 to 19 percent by 2006. Other research indicates that at least half of this growth was from illegal immigrants.

Congressmen introduce comprehensive border security legislation

Congressmen Brian Bilbray of California, Peter T. King of New York and Lamar Smith of Texas have unveiled a comprehensive border security and immigration reform bill as well as a resolution calling for full enforcement of all current immigration laws. The two new measures make up a strong ‘Security First-No Amnesty’ alternative to the Kennedy-Bush Senate Amnesty bill.

“There is no reason why Congress shouldn’t take immediate action to secure our borders, strengthen our immigration laws, implement true interior enforcement and establish a working employer verification system,” Bilbray said.

“The immigration status quo is intolerable. Not because our immigration laws are broken, but because they are not vigorously enforced,” Smith said. “Immigration enforcement has failed primarily because Administrations for 20 years have not enforced sanctions on employers who hire illegal immigrants. Our resolution calls on the Administration to enforce employer sanctions systematically, not just sporadically.”

“If Congress is serious about border security and immigration control, then this is the solution,” King said

Call and write the Senate - if we stop, they win

Though George W. Bush is supposed to be the President of the United States, a few days ago he told Hispanics to step into the middle of the Senate immigration debate and make sure that senators who have been bombarded with calls from Americans who oppose the bill also hear from them.

The amnesty bill was revived by the Senate's top Democrats and Republicans. They have been under pressure from pro-immigration groups and are facing a determined push by President Bush. Administration officials have worked hard to mobilize business groups and immigrant rights organizations.

But members of both parties caution that passage is anything but certain. Senator Reid said he will keep the Senate in session through their scheduled July Fourth vacation if necessary to ensure the immigration bill and the energy bill are finished.

Senate opponents showed no sign of acquiescing to the deal. 'I appreciate the extra $4.4 million effort to fund border security, but there's simply no reason why we should be forced to tie amnesty to it,' Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said of the president's pledge. Referring to the extra funding, Rep. Brian P Bilbray of California, who is leading the opposition in the House, said 'Only in Washington would people believe that throwing money at the problem is going to solve it. This is a blatant attempt by senators to extort votes so they can fast-track an amnesty plan.'

House passes Tancredo amendment establishing penalty for sanctuary cities

The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to withhold federal emergency services funding from canctuary cities that protect illegal immigrants. Congressman (and Presidential Candidate) Tom Tancredo of Colorado was sponsor of the amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill. He was elated by its passage.

Tancredo said the vote showed "the people of the country have spoken. It's a really good indicator of just how much closer to the people the House is than the Senate is." The House passed the amendment, 234 to 189, with 50 Democrats voting in favor. Tancredo introduced similar amendments at least seven other times since 2004, but each has failed, often by wide margins. The FY 2008 appropriations bill, with the amendment, now goes before the Senate. It would have to be signed by the president to become law.

The Colorado representative said the success of his amendment is an indicator that the House would crush the immigration reform plan if it passes in the Senate. "If I were (Speaker of the House) Nancy Pelosi, I'd be asking if she could pass a vote on amnesty on the House side," Tancredo said. "If she lost 50 Democrats on this one, and she says she needs 70 Republicans to pass the immigration plan, this is an interesting indicator of things coming down the pike, and that the times, they are a-changing."

Senators tell Bush new legislation is not needed, border security triggers can be reached under current law

Nine Republican senators have written a letter to President Bush urging him to fulfill the border security provisions listed in the Senate immigration bill whether the legislation passes or not. Each of the border security triggers in the bill can be implemented under current law without any need for new legislation from Congress.

They said:

We respectfully ask that your Administration enforce the border security laws that have already been authorized by Congress regardless of whether the Senate passes the immigration reform bill. The bill assumes that several critical border security benchmarks can be achieved within 18 months. These security triggers are already authorized under current law and can be completed without the immigration bill. We believe these enforcement measures are vital and should not wait until Congress passes additional immigration reforms.

Securing the border is the best way to restore trust with the American people and facilitate future improvements of our immigration policy.

Signed by:
U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R, South Carolina), U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R, Oklahoma), U.S. Senator Mike Enzi (R , Wyoming), U.S. Senator David Vitter (R, Louisiana), U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe (R, Oklahoma), U.S. Senator Jim Bunning (R, Kentucky), U.S. Senator Charles Grassley (R, Iowa), U.S. Senator John Ensign (R, Nevada), U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions (R, Alabama)

Romney promotes gradual attrition of illegal aliens through active enforcement

Former Massachusetts Governor and Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney has advocated a policy of attrition to deal with the millions of illegal immigrants who are currently in the United States. In such a process, illegals would slowly be repatriated to their native countries through active enforcement of current law.

Romney emphasized that he has no desire to deport illegal immigrants to their native countries en masse. The attrition process, he said, would "take people who are working here today and replace them gradually and humanely with our own citizens as well as with legal immigrants."

The candidate dismissed assertions of proponents of the proposed Senate amnesty bill that solving the immigration crisis requires a delicately balanced coalition. "This is not rocket science," Romney said. "Getting the Iranians to not build a nuclear bomb? That's hard. Stopping the jihad? That's hard. But enforcing our border is relatively easy, relative to those things."

Romney said the illegal immigration crisis dates back to a series of failures of the Bush administration, prior administrations and Congress to face up to the challenge. "They just have not been willing to do what's necessary to end illegal immigration," he said.

Bush resorts to $4.4 bribe in security funding to gain amnesty votes

President George W. Bush has resorted to bribery to gain votes for his immigration amnesty proposal. The President has proposed adding $4.4 billion in added border security spending to gain passage of amnesty.The $4.4 billion will be added to the base bill before it returns to the Senate floor. Republican Senate leaders have now promised to produce the votes to curtail debate on the bill and proceed to final passage. (See “they haven’t heard enough” below)

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is set to approve the new deal on immigration and move to bring the once-dead legislation back to the Senate floor next week. Reid expected to approve the compromise and put the bill back on the Senate calendar for consideration in the middle of next week. He expects the Senate could vote on final passage of the bill by next Friday.

President Bush agreed to border security spending in hopes of winning over fellow Republicans. "We're going to show the American people that the promises in this bill will be kept," Bush said in a speech to the Associated Builders and Contractors.

Despite the immigration legislation’s failure in a procedural vote on June 7, a tenacious lobbying effort by top Bush administration officials and the bipartisan architects of the so-called "grand compromise" kept the bill on life support. All sides agree if a commitment to passing the bill isn't agreed to this week, the bill is likely to die.

Bush changes few minds in meeting with Senate Republicans on immigration overhaul

President George W. Bush didn't persuade many opponents into supporting his amnesty plan in a rare luncheon meeting Tuesday with Senate Republicans aimed at reviving the stalled legislation. He acknowledged that the bill ignited passions but said he believes it is the best way to protect U.S. borders.

The Senators said Bush did not twist arms, but also failed to win new support during the luncheon. The President spent most of his time talking about the amnesty 'compromise' that was brokered by the White House and a bipartisan group of senators.

"I don't think he changed any minds,' admitted said Sen. Mel Martinez, a Florida Republican who helped negotiate the proposal.

The bill's supporters hope to bring it back for a vote in the Senate and are working to break the impasse by coming up with a list of amendments that would be considered.

Bush isn't giving up on amnesty yet, spokesman brags "We could wrap this up in two days"

President Bush isn't giving up on his amnesty plan, which would legalize millions of illegal immigrants. Once he returns from a European trip, he will seek to convince skeptical GOP senators that they should pass Senate legislation for a solution better than the current situation.

Tony Snow, White House spokesman, and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez, predicted an immigration bill would pass after Bush meets with lawmakers this week and Congress reconsiders the measure. When asked what Bush planned to say, Snow admitted "One of the concerns a lot of people have, is 'Look, how can we trust you guys to enforce this? You had a border that's been open for 21 years. How can we trust you?"'

Snow said the Senate could "wrap this up in two days" if Reid allowed additional debate on it.

"Our sense is if Majority Leader Harry Reid brings it back up, which he should, and permits a full debate, ... we're not only going to get a bill, but we're going to get a better bill, that provides a way of answering skeptics on issues like security," Snow said.

Notes from the amnesty campaign - "Oh, no, it's not dead"

Often the best quotes come from the intensity of a political campaign, in this case the one launched by George Bush, Ted Kennedy and John McCain to grant amnesty to over 12 million illegal aliens. The first such quote must go to Senator Lindsey Graham, "Oh, no, it's not dead." Graham's fellow South Carolina Republican, Sen. Jim DeMint, doesn't see it that way. Of the legislation, he said, "It's time to scrap this mess of a bill," he said.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called on Bush to pressure wavering Republicans to support the measure. "We are helping him," Reid said, "He can't help himself."

In his weekly Saturday radio address President Bush said the nation's current immigration situation is unacceptable, and urged senators to try again to pass legislation that is "the best option available." Those who oppose the bill might well be surprised that the President recognizes that the current immigration situation is unacceptable, and would like to suggest that the situation would improve if only his administration would enforce the law.

"John McCain has always prided himself as a man who marches to the beat of a different drummer," said Colorado Represenative and Presidential candidate Tom Tancredo, "How depressing to learn that the drummer is Ted Kennedy." A South Carolina Republican who resigned from McCain's campaign this week said, "I feel
McCain and Graham are out of touch with the people of South Carolina. They are listening to the illegal aliens and not the citizens. We have lot of illegal aliens."

Amnesty bill stalls in Senate

A Senate bill to "reform immigration" and give amnesty to 20 million illegal aliens stalled on Thursday, handing President George W. Bush a major legislative setback.

A majority of Senators refused to limit debate on the bill, which had been cobbled together by a bipartisan group and the White House, meeting in private. The cloture vote was 45-50, 15 short of the 60 votes needed to close off further discussion on the legislation. As a result, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid set the bill aside, and moved the Democratic-led Senate on to other legislation.

The bill had drawn fire both from those who emphasize enforcement and those seeking amnesty for illegals.

Although Bush has sought to make immigration reform a centrepiece of his domestic policy, senators from his Republican party sought to offer more amendments and said they would not be rushed. Most of them voted against the motion to limit debate.

Senate bill would legalize millions, cut the rate of illegal immigration by only 25 percent

The Senate immigration bill, if enacted, would provide legal status for the more than 12 million illegal aliens now living in the U.S., but would cut the rate of new illegal immigration by only 25 percent, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has reported.

The CBO provides official cost estimates for most bills voted on by Congress. The estimates are based on studies of past programs and evaluation of each bill's requirements. Many of the legislation's new guest workers would overstay their time, the report said. 'We anticipate that many would remain in the United States illegally after their visas expire," the CBO said.

The CBO report said it was 'uncertain' how much future illegal immigration would be cut by the bill. Past enforcement measures, it said, have 'historically been relatively ineffective,' but it said the bill's enforcement measures would have some effect. 'CBO estimates that those measures would reduce the net annual flow of unauthorized immigrants by one-quarter,' the CBO said.

With up to an estimated one million illegal aliens currently entering each year, CBO is assuming a large problem would remain.

McConnell is a key to stopping immigration bill

The fate of the Senate immigration bill may come down to whether Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell sides with President Bush and Democratic leaders or with the rank-and-file members of his own party.

McConnell can choose to accept Democrats' demands to finish the bill this week without major changes, or he can represent American voters by rallying with Republicans who say the bill is bad and getting worse, and want more time to fight it. Debate on the bill resumed Monday.

Republicans use words like 'confusion' to describe their party's approach on the issue, and say that has hurt their efforts to change or defeat the bill. Democrats, they says, have been far better organized.

Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, has about two dozen amendments he would like to offer. He says, 'I, for one, am going to object strongly to jamming this bill through by the end of the week.' He and other Republicans say there is no way a bill can be completed this week and they will demand more time. That will force Reid to make a procedural move to end debate, which will require 60 votes.

But without McConnell, Republicans say, they may not be able to block the bill.

Senators “surprised” by anger over immigration proposal

Republicans are getting an earful on immigration. 'I have learned some new words from some of my constituents,' Sen. Jon Kyl, R-Arizona, admitted.

The angry response of voters to the Senate immigration proposal has been a shock to elected officials, and the strongest response has been from those who oppose the legislation.

Those who oppose a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants feel much more strongly about the issue than those who are in favor. In a recent CNN poll, forty-seven percent of those opposing the bill say it's extremely important. But among those who favor a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants, only 28 percent say the issue is extremely important to them, according to a CNN poll.

Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said, 'The folks out there in America who, when they see Washington saying we have this wonderful plan, they say 'Yeah right. We saw what you did with Katrina, we saw what you did with corruption, we saw what you have done in terms of managing the war. So when you tell us you fixed immigration, we are not buying.' '

American voters believe the Senate Bill won't be effective in reducing illegal immigration

The immigration bill being debated by the U.S. Senate is unpopular with voters, and there's a good reason why - the general public doesn’t believe it help will reduce illegal immigration, and that's what most voters want from immigration reform.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that only 16% of American voters actually believe that illegal immigration will decline if the Senate bill is passed. Seventy-four percent (74%) disagree. Of those who disagree, 41% believe the Senate bill will actually make things worse, leading to an increase in illegal immigration.

Despite a major push by President Bush and other supporters in the past week, support for the Senate bill has not increased. Bush acknowledged strong public opposition to the bill by saying that elected officials will need political “courage” to pass the measure. Sixty-six percent (66%) believe it doesn't make sense to debate new immigration laws until we can first control our borders and enforce existing laws.

Eighty-one percent (81%) of American voters said they are closely following news stories about the issue; 37% are following it Very Closely. Those with the highest interest in the issue oppose the legislation by a 3-to-1 margin (69% to 23%). Unaffiliated voters are more opposed to the bill than either Republicans or Democrats.