nevadamedic
08-17-2007, 03:46 PM
August 2, 2007
Dear Mr. Alexander:
Thank you for contacting me regarding immigration reform. I value the opinions of every Nevadan and am always grateful to those who take the time to inform me of their views. On June 28, 2007, I voted against cloture on the immigration bill; the bill failed by a vote of 46 to 53.
America is a nation of immigrants but also a nation of laws. The national security of the United States depends on an immigration policy that first and foremost secures our borders. Our immigration policy also must demand accountability from those who hire illegal workers by creating a national employee verification system that employers would be required to use to verify the legal status of their employees and imposing severe penalties for employers who hire illegal workers. We should welcome those who want to enter the country legally, learn English, maintain employment, pay taxes, and contribute to our communities. We should not have to accept those who are not working full time; who have committed a crime or may present a danger to American citizens or legal immigrants; or who go on, or are likely to go on, public assistance or become dependent on any other government program.
We need immigration reform because the current system is broken, but it has to be good for America. Democrats promised open and fair debate during their campaigns, but, unfortunately, when the Senate considered the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, votes on my amendments and other amendments that were necessary to improve the bill were blocked by Democrats.
I was denied a vote on my amendment to prevent illegal immigrants from collecting Social Security benefits for work done under a stolen or fraudulent Social Security number. I do not believe that we should reward people who have committed a felony by stealing another person's Social Security number, or who used fraudulent documents to obtain a job, with Social Security benefits. I was denied a vote on my amendment to prohibit welfare benefits for illegal immigrants granted legal status under this bill.
I believe that it is not too much to expect that people who come to America will work instead of being supported by hard-working taxpayers. I was denied a vote on my amendment to require illegal immigrants to pay their back federal, state, and local taxes and not get a refund or an earned income tax credit check from the government, and I was denied a vote on my amendment to eliminate the automatic path for citizenship for people who are currently here illegally and require them to compete on a merit basis with everyone else. These are amendments that would have improved the bill and allowed us to keep moving toward reform that not only is necessary but also could become good for America.
Additionally, several other important amendments did not receive a vote. For example, Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) offered an amendment that would have banned prohibiting law enforcement personnel from inquiring about a person's immigration status when they have probable cause to believe that the person is in the United States illegally.
Another amendment offered by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would have strengthened the "trigger" requirement of the bill. His amendment would have implemented an exit-entry system to track temporary workers, required the prompt commencement of removal proceedings against those who overstayed their visa, and required the collection of biometric data of immigrants entering and departing the United States. Additionally, this amendment would have required applicants to pass all background checks prior to receiving probationary status under the bill and would have made criminals, such as drunk drivers and gang members, inadmissible and deportable. This amendment would have strengthened the enforcement provisions of this bill and would have also increased the ability of employers to bring high-skilled workers into the United States, and I am disappointed that it not able to get a vote.
America has a rich tradition when it comes to immigration. Over the years, people from every nation have come to the United States in search of freedom and to pursue their dreams. The immigrant story is one of hope: hope for a better life for oneself and for one's children. The immigrant story is also one of assimilation and contribution to our great nation. By contributing to our country, immigrants have helped create an America of which we can all be proud, a society where we respect life and value liberty. These common values have brought us together as a people in times of crisis and help us appreciate the people of each nationality who have contributed to our great society.
I believe that America should adopt immigration policies that are based, first and foremost, on meeting America's needs and the challenges we face. I support policies that would attract immigrants who will come to America to contribute to our society. There are many men and women serving in our nation's armed forces who are immigrants. They serve because of their love for this country and respect for our nation's values. They truly deserve to be called American. There are also people who have highly sought-after skills, such as advanced degrees in science, math, or super-computing. These immigrants represent hope for continued scientific advancement, such as finding a cure for certain cancers. I believe that America is stronger because of immigrants like these, and I believe that America should seek them out and welcome them.
Once again, thank you for contacting me on this very important issue. If you should have any further questions or comments or would like to sign up for my monthly newsletter, please feel free to write or e-mail me via my website at <a href="http://ensign.senate.gov/">http://ensign.senate.gov</a>.
Sincerely,
JOHN ENSIGN
United States Senator
He sums it up perfectly. I would have loved to see all those proposed bills passed. I hope when we take the house back that he becomes the Majority Leader. This guy is a good man and an awesome Senator!
Dear Mr. Alexander:
Thank you for contacting me regarding immigration reform. I value the opinions of every Nevadan and am always grateful to those who take the time to inform me of their views. On June 28, 2007, I voted against cloture on the immigration bill; the bill failed by a vote of 46 to 53.
America is a nation of immigrants but also a nation of laws. The national security of the United States depends on an immigration policy that first and foremost secures our borders. Our immigration policy also must demand accountability from those who hire illegal workers by creating a national employee verification system that employers would be required to use to verify the legal status of their employees and imposing severe penalties for employers who hire illegal workers. We should welcome those who want to enter the country legally, learn English, maintain employment, pay taxes, and contribute to our communities. We should not have to accept those who are not working full time; who have committed a crime or may present a danger to American citizens or legal immigrants; or who go on, or are likely to go on, public assistance or become dependent on any other government program.
We need immigration reform because the current system is broken, but it has to be good for America. Democrats promised open and fair debate during their campaigns, but, unfortunately, when the Senate considered the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, votes on my amendments and other amendments that were necessary to improve the bill were blocked by Democrats.
I was denied a vote on my amendment to prevent illegal immigrants from collecting Social Security benefits for work done under a stolen or fraudulent Social Security number. I do not believe that we should reward people who have committed a felony by stealing another person's Social Security number, or who used fraudulent documents to obtain a job, with Social Security benefits. I was denied a vote on my amendment to prohibit welfare benefits for illegal immigrants granted legal status under this bill.
I believe that it is not too much to expect that people who come to America will work instead of being supported by hard-working taxpayers. I was denied a vote on my amendment to require illegal immigrants to pay their back federal, state, and local taxes and not get a refund or an earned income tax credit check from the government, and I was denied a vote on my amendment to eliminate the automatic path for citizenship for people who are currently here illegally and require them to compete on a merit basis with everyone else. These are amendments that would have improved the bill and allowed us to keep moving toward reform that not only is necessary but also could become good for America.
Additionally, several other important amendments did not receive a vote. For example, Senator Norm Coleman (R-MN) offered an amendment that would have banned prohibiting law enforcement personnel from inquiring about a person's immigration status when they have probable cause to believe that the person is in the United States illegally.
Another amendment offered by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) would have strengthened the "trigger" requirement of the bill. His amendment would have implemented an exit-entry system to track temporary workers, required the prompt commencement of removal proceedings against those who overstayed their visa, and required the collection of biometric data of immigrants entering and departing the United States. Additionally, this amendment would have required applicants to pass all background checks prior to receiving probationary status under the bill and would have made criminals, such as drunk drivers and gang members, inadmissible and deportable. This amendment would have strengthened the enforcement provisions of this bill and would have also increased the ability of employers to bring high-skilled workers into the United States, and I am disappointed that it not able to get a vote.
America has a rich tradition when it comes to immigration. Over the years, people from every nation have come to the United States in search of freedom and to pursue their dreams. The immigrant story is one of hope: hope for a better life for oneself and for one's children. The immigrant story is also one of assimilation and contribution to our great nation. By contributing to our country, immigrants have helped create an America of which we can all be proud, a society where we respect life and value liberty. These common values have brought us together as a people in times of crisis and help us appreciate the people of each nationality who have contributed to our great society.
I believe that America should adopt immigration policies that are based, first and foremost, on meeting America's needs and the challenges we face. I support policies that would attract immigrants who will come to America to contribute to our society. There are many men and women serving in our nation's armed forces who are immigrants. They serve because of their love for this country and respect for our nation's values. They truly deserve to be called American. There are also people who have highly sought-after skills, such as advanced degrees in science, math, or super-computing. These immigrants represent hope for continued scientific advancement, such as finding a cure for certain cancers. I believe that America is stronger because of immigrants like these, and I believe that America should seek them out and welcome them.
Once again, thank you for contacting me on this very important issue. If you should have any further questions or comments or would like to sign up for my monthly newsletter, please feel free to write or e-mail me via my website at <a href="http://ensign.senate.gov/">http://ensign.senate.gov</a>.
Sincerely,
JOHN ENSIGN
United States Senator
He sums it up perfectly. I would have loved to see all those proposed bills passed. I hope when we take the house back that he becomes the Majority Leader. This guy is a good man and an awesome Senator!