2007.06.18: June 18, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Somalia: Politics: Congress: Immigration: MyFox Milwaukee: Tom Petri writes: Immigration reform bill falls short
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2007.06.18: June 18, 2007: Headlines: Figures: COS - Somalia: Politics: Congress: Immigration: MyFox Milwaukee: Tom Petri writes: Immigration reform bill falls short
Tom Petri writes: Immigration reform bill falls short
Nations have the responsibility of controlling their borders if they want to be considered sovereign. Citizens have a right, through their government, to protect and influence the character of their society, institutions, economy and culture. In the age of terrorism, it can actually be a question of life and death. None of this should be taken as hostility to immigrants. If you lived in a poverty-stricken country, wouldn't you want to come here? You would, if you have energy and initiative. The people who cross the border are the ones willing to overcome numerous obstacles in order to work in what for them is an alien land and culture. They are dreaming the American Dream of hard work leading to success and a better life for themselves and their families. But with an estimated 12 million illegal residents, and perhaps tens of millions more who would like to join us, we need to set the terms for how many come, and who they are. Congressman Tom Petri of Wisconsin served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Somalia in the 1960's.
Tom Petri writes: Immigration reform bill falls short
Statement from Rep. Tom Petri (R)
Last Edited: Monday, 18 Jun 2007, 9:44 PM CDT
WITI-TV, MILWAUKEE --
Statement from Congressman Tom Petri (R)
Immigration reform bill
Illegal immigration is a hot topic in Washington, with advocates struggling to move a fragile compromise through Congress. It's a high priority for many, but I doubt it's going anywhere. Disagreement over its many provisions are simply too deep and too heartfelt to forge a consensus large enough to get it through.
And it shouldn't get through. It's being sold as a comprehensive solution - but that's what they said about the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli immigration reform, which I voted against because I thought it wouldn't work and would encourage more illegals to come.
At close to 400 pages, the new bill the Senate is considering is as full of holes as our borders.
If that isn't the right bill, however, it's quite clear that we urgently need reform. Nations have the responsibility of controlling their borders if they want to be considered sovereign. Citizens have a right, through their government, to protect and influence the character of their society, institutions, economy and culture. In the age of terrorism, it can actually be a question of life and death.
None of this should be taken as hostility to immigrants. If you lived in a poverty-stricken country, wouldn't you want to come here? You would, if you have energy and initiative. The people who cross the border are the ones willing to overcome numerous obstacles in order to work in what for them is an alien land and culture. They are dreaming the American Dream of hard work leading to success and a better life for themselves and their families.
But with an estimated 12 million illegal residents, and perhaps tens of millions more who would like to join us, we need to set the terms for how many come, and who they are.
The first thing we need to do is to strengthen the border with additional walls, barriers, sensors and officers. These efforts are already underway, but they need to be carried forward until the vast majority are deterred from trying to sneak in.
Then we need to deal with those who enter legally on tourist or student visas, but who choose not to leave. We already keep track of people who come in through customs, and we should likewise know who is leaving on time, and who isn't. And we should have warrants and appropriate punishments for those who overstay.
Do we need a guest worker program? Yes. In Wisconsin, for instance, our larger dairy farmers have found that, for some reason, family members and other Americans don't seem to be interested in milking cows three times a day, seven days a week, 365 days of the year. So they hire a few immigrants who sleep in a bunkhouse and send money back to Mexico.
Without immigrant labor, most of our fruit and vegetable crops in the southwest would wither in the fields. With low 4.5 percent unemployment nationally, there is a real need to find people to fill these jobs.
We should have a guest worker program designed to aid our economy and provide some opportunity for our neighbors. The workers should receive legal wages and pay taxes. But it should be understood that people entering under the program would go home on a set schedule. As with tourist and student visas, the government should know when somebody fails to leave, and act accordingly.
Should we have amnesty for illegals who have made productive lives for themselves here, and whose only crime is the fact that they're here? Few believe we could sweep up 12 million people and send them home without considerable disruption.
But it makes no sense to talk about legalizing any of these residents before we have successfully taken control. We provided amnesty in 1986, and potential immigrants were encouraged to think we would do so again. For the future it must be made clear that immigration will either be done the legal way, or no way.
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Story Source: MyFox Milwaukee
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