My Recent letter to Sam Brownback

[DCFan]

I think that Sam Brownback is smart enough to understand what would happen to the econmy of Kansas is the undocumented people were chased out of here. We have more jobs in Dodge City than there are people to work them. Everyone who wants to work can. It seems to me that if we have people working and contributing to the tax base of the community we would want to help them become documented.

[K C Muffin]

I dunno. I think Sammy has too many things on his plate right now to worry about lil' ol' Kansas. Helping the illegals become documented would be an ok thing - but most of them probably don't care to become documented. Because then, all of a sudden, they're restricted. Right now, they can come and go at will. If I were illegally living and working in another country and it worked for me to be undocumented, what would be the incentive to become documented? We only allow so many documented people to come in, so we couldn't guarantee them that they'd get back here once they left. It would be nice to document the illegals, but I don't think they'd like that.

[Bubba]

Here are some highlights from a summary of H.R. 4437 found at:

http://www.gop.gov/Committeecentral/bills/hr4437.asp

Summary
Highlights of the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act
ØCombat Hiring of Illegal Workers – The bill institutes an employment eligibility verification system in which employers will check the Social Security numbers and alien identification numbers (provided by employees) against Social Security Administration and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) records in order to weed out fraudulent numbers and ensure that their employees are not working in the U.S. illegally.
ØIncreased Penalties for Alien Smuggling - Under current law, individuals convicted of alien smuggling crimes often receive lenient sentences. Provisions in the bill would greatly increase criminal penalties for alien smuggling by establishing mandatory minimum sentences, among other things. These provisions were recommended by a panel of border-area U.S. Attorneys to make it easier to deport smugglers and illegal entrants.
ØCrackdown on Alien Gang Members This provision would render alien street gang members inadmissible and deportable, and authorize the Attorney General to designate groups or associations as criminal street gangs if they meet certain criteria. Also requires the detention of alien street gang members and bars alien gang members from receiving humanitarian benefits.
ØIncreased Penalties for Aliens re-entering Illegally – Provisions would stiffen penalties for aliens who re-enter the United States after having been removed.

ØAggravated Felony Provisions - The provisions would make aggravated felons (crimes of violence) inadmissible and would bar refugees and asylees with aggravated felony convictions from receiving green cards.
ØCooperation between Border Sheriffs and Federal Law Enforcement – Provisions in the bill would authorize and reimburse local sheriffs in the 29 counties along the southern border to enforce the immigration laws and transfer illegal aliens to federal custody. It also specifically reimburses those sheriffs for costs associated with detaining illegal aliens whom they arrest until they are able to hand them over to federal authorities. This provision deems aliens in sheriffs’ custody to be in federal custody once determined to be in an unlawful status.
ØIncreasing DHS Authority for Long-Term Detention - The U.S. Supreme Court has limited DHS ability to detain dangerous aliens with decisions that have forced hundreds of aliens (such as murderers) to be released into American communities. One alien released because of these Court decisions later shot a state trooper in the head. This change would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to allow for continued detention of aliens who pose a threat to Americans.
ØDeportation for DUI – Would make multiple DUI offenses a deportable offense for all aliens.
Eliminating the “Catch and Release” Practice
ØThis year alone, some 115,000 illegal aliens from countries other than Mexico have been apprehended by the Border Patrol, only to be released due to a lack of detention space. Realizing that this so-called “catch and release” practice presents a clear danger to our nation’s homeland security efforts, the bill:
oRequires mandatory detention for all illegal immigrants who are apprehended at U.S. land borders attempting to cross illegally, by Oct. 1, 2006.
oRequires all illegal immigrants apprehended at U.S. borders to remain in custody until removal from the country.
oRequires that DHS use every available detention bed, in addition to authorizing new detention space and contracting with state and local jails for additional space.
oRequires that, in the interim period before Oct. 1, 2006, illegal immigrants who are released pending an immigration removal hearing will have to post bond of at least $5,000.

Rep. Gonzalez may offer an amendment (#109), debatable for 10 minutes. The amendment increases the fines on businesses for knowingly hiring unauthorized aliens to $50,000. Proceeds would be shared with state and local government and are restricted for use to help cover the costs associated with providing services to undocumented immigrants. Contact: 5-3236

Go to the website to read the whole summary, I just put in these key points that I thought were taking our country in the right direction as far as homeland security and illegal immigration.