War Supplemental Bill Includes Amnesty for Illegal Ag Workers
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The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted 17-12 to attach an amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. In short, the AgJOBS amendment, which was sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), would require the Department of Homeland Security to grant “emergency agricultural worker status” (i.e., amnesty) for up to five years to as many as 1.35 million illegal aliens, plus their spouses and children (bringing the total amnesty to about three million), if the illegal alien:
* Could show by “a preponderance of the evidence” that he worked 863 hours or 150 work days (defined as 5.75 hours of work per “work day”), or earned at least $7,000 in agricultural employment between January1, 2004, and December 31, 2007;
* Filed an amnesty application with a “qualified designated entity,” or with DHS directly if he is represented by an attorney or a nonprofit organization, during an 18-month application period that would begin six months after enactment of the amnesty;
* Was not a known terrorist or convicted criminal; and
* Paid a “fine” of $250.
[Editor’s Note: A more complete analysis is available as a PDF file and can be downloaded here.]
(Posted on May 20, 2008)
Comments
The democrats will do anything to make new voters.
Posted by at 5:00 PM on May 20
Here we go again. Dianne Feinstein is a corrupt, sleazy, and utterly dishonest politician who along with Barbara Boxer have presided over the downfall of California for the last 15years they have been in office. As a long time native Californian, I can honestly tell you that Feinstein has not done a single constructive thing for the California citizenry, from the beginning of her term up until now. She is as anti-taxpaying citizenry as you can get. She would allow seniors wheelchairs and medical care, for example, to be taken from them to serve illegal alien nationals. As I said she is as corrupt as they come. She is a perfect example of how low, how dishonest a democratic politician can get, and the democrats will still protect here, rather than throwing her out of office. She and her husband need to be seriously investigated.
Posted by Bobby at 6:09 PM on May 20
Looks like we are getting shafted again, without our permission. Will this go on until they manage to have all 30,000,000 illegals turned into American citizens?
Posted by at 6:11 PM on May 20
If congress would expend half as much effort on interior enforcement as they do trying to sneak through their amnesty bills over and over again, the problem would have been resolved in 1986. Resolved, as in ‘mission accomplished’. Instead, they propose mini-amnesties without end. Unfortunately, for every single day the congress talks, they are dangling the bait of amnesty, luring in ten thousand more illiterate criminals. Every.single.day.
Just enforce existing laws and there will be no need to discuss amnesty. Ever again.
Posted by Edward at 6:18 PM on May 20
Folks: it’s time to pull out your phones and your wallets.
First, call your senators NOW (or as soon as their offices open in the morning):
http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm?OrderBy=state&Sort=ASC
After you call your senators, add their phone numbers to your cell phone contacts list.
Second, open up your wallet and give a little money to the cause. If you don’t know of a pro-enforcemnet candidate running in your area, Tom Tancredo’s Team America PAC knows someone, somewhere who can use the money.
http://www.teamamericapac.org/
If we’re not willing to give at least a little money to candidates defending our country THEN WE DESERVE TO LOSEose. Surely you can spare $50 or $100 or $200. Even $20 is better than nothing.
Please, please, please: less talk, more action.
Posted by Alan at 6:45 PM on May 20
Feinstein is contemptible. Illegals should be deported NOW, not given AMNESTY! Bring the troops back from Iraq and send them to California, Arizona, New York and Texas. DEFEND THE UNITED STATES! GET THESE ALIEN INVADERS OUT OF OUR COUNTRY! WHAT’S WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!?!?!? All incumbent politicians should be voted out of office and then tried for treason.
Posted by Focus at 6:46 PM on May 20
I think we should have a, “National Change Your W-4 Day”. Everyone go into their place of employment and change their W-4’s to reflect the 30 million dependents we are all caring for.
Posted by libs hate me at 7:07 PM on May 20
A rose by any other name - - They will keep trying to get their agenda passed by simply changing the titles of the bill in the hopes of confusing the rest of us. Or, they will hope that they will get tired of fighting them and just give up. Go to Grassfire or Numbers U.S.A. and learn what you can do to stop this nonsense.
Posted by gee vee at 7:13 PM on May 20
every time they make up some bill or other…they must include help for the illegal lice…..they can’t add something for US THE HARD WORKING AMERICANS….NOPE THEY GIVE WITH BOTH HANDS TO THOSE WHO DO NOT BELONG HERE AND WILL NEVER PAY ANY TAXES….they have added burden after burden to us, taxed us to the max and throw it in our faces!!!!
Posted by lydia at 7:40 PM on May 20
Remember, they are “only filling jobs Americans don’t want to do”, so of course it is an emergency and has to be piggybacked onto war funding. When I got married in 1989 I supported my family just fine by hanging drywall. Within three years I was out of work and, all over Ohio, Mexicans were throwing up sheetrock left and right. I knew we were a border state, but I thought the border was with Canada. Now, you can’t find anyone in the industry who is not hispanic. They sleep 15 to a little apartment and drive all over town without a license, getting drunk and doing substandard work. They will do any kind of work to send home those remittances, so let them say that they are farm workers and then let them take more jobs? Thanks, Diane!
Posted by chickenman at 9:18 PM on May 20
So - no funding for Iraq AND no amnesty at the same time? Please, don’t throw me in that briar patch!!!
Posted by Alan at 9:49 PM on May 20
Th funny thing about this is that the white Democratic elite is just as ignorant as the white Republican elite. Both sides believe that all the non-whites in the world will become just like whites once the non-whites are exposed to “superior” white culture and learning. They only disagree on the required methodology.
Eventually minorities will unseat the liberal elite white leadership in the national Democratic party, just as they have replaced white power in local party machines where whites are in the minority.
Think of the that bastion of white liberal power, New York City.
Run by a white Mayor who is as leftist as Barack Obama. He has the letter “R” after his name.
The key lesson here is that old political conflicts such as Republican/Democrat, Right/Left, Socialist/Capitalist, and Christian/anti-Christian are being replaced by pure tribal politics. Values oriented politics only works with a homogeneous electorate.
Dianne Feinstein is committing political suicide just as surely as John McCain.
Posted by mderpelding at 10:37 PM on May 20
I fail to understand why any American citizen despite their race would support illegal immigration other than greed. Our politicans are corrupt and under the influence of business. Why else would these politicans even consider any support for illegals? Almost every time you watch TV there is some Mexican commedian making his living by poking fun at Americans. They are particularly aiming at whites for the target of their jokes. Yet, when a white says something about a minority, even jokingly, it’s lawsuit time. We forcefully took this country from the American Indian and now the same thing is happening to us with the aid of our own elected representatives.
Posted by at 6:58 AM on May 21
From the fix is in file; I called the offices of both my so called senators regarding the Feinstein-Craig Ag Jobs rider to the Iraq appropriations bill.
Here is how it went, for both calls:
“I want to comment on the Agjobs rider”
“May we have your address and zip code”
“123 Main St, 01234”
“Thank you, we will let the Senator know”
“Wait a minute, you did not take my comment yet”
” Huh, oh, hmmmm, okay, yeah, right”
” My comments”
Posted by From the Bronx at 8:41 AM on May 21
Of course agribusiness has bought these senators off. They want to continue to refuse to pay a living wage, while passing the costs of health care and education for the huge families these illegals hae off to the US taxpayer. I think a boycott of labor-intensive US crops is in order. If it can’t be picked by a machine, don’t eat it.
Posted by Michael C. Scott at 9:33 AM on May 21
Geography is destiny. Nothing will be able to stop immigration. The best option is regulation and integration. The Feinstien initiative is a wise first step.
Posted by The Ascendant at 9:34 AM on May 21
The Senate Appropriations Committee last week voted 17-12 to attach an amnesty to the Iraq supplemental spending bill. In short, the AgJOBS amendment, which was sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), would require the Department of Homeland Security to grant “emergency agricultural worker status” (i.e., amnesty) for up to five years to as many as 1.35 million illegal aliens, plus their spouses and children (bringing the total amnesty to about three million), if the illegal alien:
These people are TRAITORS and should be IMPEACHED!…they have TOTALLY disregarded and thwarted the will of the AMERICAN PEOPLE!
You can call it whatever you want…but it is AMNESTY!…and those 3,000,000 will have grown to at least 9,000,000 within the next 5 years…and how many of these agricultural workers will give birth to ANCHOR BABIES which will ENSURE their ability to stay here, use our medical and educational and welfare benefits?
* Could show by “a preponderance of the evidence” that he worked 863 hours or 150 work days (defined as 5.75 hours of work per “work day”), or earned at least $7,000 in agricultural employment between January1, 2004, and December 31, 2007;
150 work days?…5.75 hours…that is a PART TIME JOB in the REAL WORLD!…there are 365 days a year so that means that they work…that means that they work LESS than half the year!…kids attend school 180 days a year!…earning $7,000 a year means that they earn around $4.66 an hour…LESS than minimum wage!…and so WE, the AMERICAN CITIZENS and TAXPAYERS will PICK UP THE SLACK!…
Filed an amnesty application with a “qualified designated entity,” or with DHS directly if he is represented by an attorney or a nonprofit organization, during an 18-month application period that would begin six months after enactment of the amnesty;
Let’s see… “qualified designated entity,” would be the EMPLOYERS paying these SUBMINIMUM WAGE WAGES!…I work at the local jail and I’ve lost count of the number of truck drivers from Mexico who come to jail DWI and have DHS work papers and DHS issued Social Security Cards!…the “non-profit organization” would be the CATHOLIC CHURCH who OPENLY break our laws by giving sanctuary to ILLEGALS!
* Was not a known terrorist or convicted criminal; and
And, I’m sure that they will break down crimes these people have committed into categories…and short of MURDER, ANY crime they’ve committed won’t be so serious as to send them home!…the fact that they have INVADED our country makes them a TERRORIST!…the laws they BREAK…the crimes they commit…the draining of our resources…that makes them a TERRORIST in my eyes!
* Paid a “fine” of $250.
If they are making $4.66 an hour they CAN’T afford to pay a $250 fine…which means that they will, on humanitarian grounds, be EXEMPTED from paying these fines…OR their employer will pay them for them (and then get to write the expense off their taxes)
Our “elected representatives” have shown us what we mean to them…they keep slapping us in the face!
Posted by Suzan Donoghue at 11:01 AM on May 21
NumbersUSA is now reporting that the amnesty and visa increase have been stripped from the bill by Harry Reid.
Posted by at 11:51 AM on May 21
Just HOW does this lying sleazebag politician, FEINSTEIN, propose to keep the 1.35 million illegals WORKING in the agri-business?
If there really IS a labor shortage facing the growers, common sense will tell you it’s because the damned illegals head off for better-paying or less labor-intensive jobs as fast as their little legs can carry them. Wal-Mart, Target, Home Depot, Lowe’s… all the major national chain stores LOVE illegal labor. As do the food processing industries. So if Jose, Juan, Julio and Jorge can earn a half a buck or a buck an hour more, they’re going to leave the farms pronto!
Result? Six months later Feinstein and the other Congressional Whores will want to give amnesty and a free ride to another 2 or 3 million illegals, with the scenario repeating again a half year later.
Posted by Fed Up at 12:13 PM on May 21
Here’s one more demonstration of who our Senate actually represents. In the dead of night, without Senate or public debate, the Mistake from San Francisco and the illustious Larry Craig (who should have resigned in disgrace months ago) sneak an illegal alien amnesty scheme into legislation on Iraq, directly overruling the furiously expressed will of the American majority, just to please (repay?) criminal corporate employers who ceased giving a damn about America (except as a profit center to bleed dry) many years ago.
Guess which potential future President would quickly sign such a conspiritorial bill? - Any one of them.
For protest - since we will have no other choice - vote Ron Paul or Bob Barr
Posted by Gary at 12:51 PM on May 21
Face the reality of our government officials, yes, they will keep snivelling until all 30 million illegals are accepted as fully qualified welfare recipients, with affirmative action rights, and lower expectations, it is continuous and interminable.
See it for what it is, you are paying for your own demise and displacement.
Keep the faith
Posted by jdavis at 2:52 PM on May 21
Posted by Bobby at 6:09 PM on May 20
“Here we go again. Dianne Feinstein is a corrupt, sleazy, and utterly dishonest politician who along with Barbara Boxer have presided over the downfall of California for the last 15years they have been in office. As a long time native Californian, I can honestly tell you that Feinstein has not done a single constructive thing for the California citizenry, from the beginning of her term up until now. She is as anti-taxpaying citizenry as you can get. She would allow seniors wheelchairs and medical care, for example, to be taken from them to serve illegal alien nationals. As I said she is as corrupt as they come. She is a perfect example of how low, how dishonest a democratic politician can get, and the democrats will still protect here, rather than throwing her out of office. She and her husband need to be seriously investigated.”
You are 100% correct on those points, Bobby. Another chicken-s—-, under handed, attach an amnesty bill to something else and ram it down the publics throat ploy. And because the retard-publicans want their war funded, it will probably go through.
I left CA 10 years ago. When they started turning rock and roll radio stations into tejano stations, that was the end for me.
Rumor has it that Diane packs a Glock in her purse, in spite of the fact that she is one of the most anti-gun senators unfortunately in existence.
So she is not only corrupt, sleazy, etc. etc., but a complete hypocrite as well.
So long sunny Cal, it was great while it lasted.
Posted by Superman at 4:33 PM on May 21
“The key lesson here is that old political conflicts such as Republican/Democrat, Right/Left, Socialist/Capitalist, and Christian/anti-Christian are being replaced by pure tribal politics. Values oriented politics only works with a homogeneous electorate.
Dianne Feinstein is committing political suicide just as surely as John McCain.”
Posted by mderpelding at 10:37 PM on May 20
Very well stated, mderpelding. When I first became interested in politics, back in the late 1980’s, I didn’t believe George Wallace’s admonition that there’s “not a dime’s difference” between the two parties. I simply believed that the Democrats were for the “little guy” and that the Republicans were for the “rich guy,” yet was concerned about America’s “strength” and “security.”
I was a naive fool for believing those things. Now I know better.
The so-called “differences” between the two parties are just window dressing and fancy labeling. Similarly, there might be “differences” between Camel and Marlboro cigarettes, but we all know that smoking either brand is unhealthy for you.
Labeling and marketing aside, George Wallace has been proven absolutely right. BOTH parties cater to the big corporations and their vast appetite for cheap labor. NEITHER party cares about the “little guy” and his ability to feed his family.
And security? BOTH parties have neglected the issue of our wide-open border with Mexico, and the almost daily violence that occurs from Mexican drug dealers trying to get their illegal product into the United States.
America’s politicians, as a general rule, are nothing more than legal prostitutes, selling themselves to the highest bidder.
Posted by Old Victorian at 7:17 PM on May 21
“150 work days?…5.75 hours…that is a PART TIME JOB in the REAL WORLD!…there are 365 days a year so that means that they work…that means that they work LESS than half the year!…kids attend school 180 days a year!…earning $7,000 a year means that they earn around $4.66 an hour…LESS than minimum wage!”
Posted by Suzan Donoghue at 11:01 AM on May 21
You have touched on a key point, Suzan, and I appreciate it greatly. These employers are clearly breaking the law, since the federal minimum wage is currently $5.85/hour. Most states have minimums higher than that (the West Coast states are around the $8.00/hour level). That is why my disdain for these law-breaking employers supersedes that of the illegals they hire.
Once again, the Democrats have been revealed as hypocrites and frauds. If they are so concerned about the plight of America’s “working poor,” they would not even consider any sort of amnesty for illegals, and they would go after rulebreaking employers with a vengeance.
Posted by Old Victorian at 8:46 PM on May 21
The White race as a whole lost its freedom when it changed gods. You change gods by changing the law you follow. Prior to 1900 whites followed the law of the Bible. Gradually we have accepted the law of the government.
The law of God says money is gold and silver
Tyhe government says it is paper or any legal tender
The law of God says that divorce and remarriage is unacceptable adultery.
The law of the government says divorce and remarry as often as you like.
The law of God says you are not to marry or choose rulers from other races.
The law of the government says you can’t make that choice.
Thanks to governments public schools and “dumb dog” pastors in most churches our people do not know the difference.
Our people believe that obeying the government is obeying God.
Posted by Everett at 11:33 AM on May 22
“These employers are clearly breaking the law”
The law of supply and demand?
These wage laws. like all price controls, violate the right to contract at any price (wage) which is voluntarily agreed upon.
Posted by Madame Smythe at 2:35 PM on May 24
“These wage laws. like all price controls, violate the right to contract at any price (wage) which is voluntarily agreed upon.”
Posted by Madame Smythe at 2:35 PM on May 24
They ARE breaking the law, Madame Smythe. If you want to argue that the minimum wage should be abolished, fine. But please don’t try to tell me that these agribusinesses aren’t trying to look for what basically amounts to slave labor. They have the modern mentality that profits trump everything else, and that is morally wrong.
In these hedonistic, profit-obsessed times, we should be speaking out even more against this perfidy than we already do.
We should never confuse corporatism with conservatism, although the liberal/neocon alliance would like us to do so.
Posted by Old Victorian at 12:00 AM on May 25
“But please don’t try to tell me that these agribusinesses aren’t trying to look for what basically amounts to slave labor”
Did I say anything about supporting the corporate state?
“Slave labor” amounts to tacit support for Marx’s exploitation thesis (labor theory of value). But surely you already know that…
If you were familiar with what the founders said about rights- any “law” violating rights is no law at all…
Posted by Madame Smythe at 3:33 PM on May 26