House Likely to OK Migrant Restrictions

[Robert Oak]

A bill aimed at blocking states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants appeared headed for passage today in the House of Representatives,
...
which would also restrict asylum claims and complete a controversial border fence between San Diego and Tijuana

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=2026&ncid=2026&e=1&u=/latimests/20050210/ts_latimes/houselikelytookmigrantrestrictions

What bothers me is the border fence...at the same time the area
being trampled by smuggler vehicles and people isn't good, I don't
think destroying the environment is this area is the solution here.

[lala_rawraw]

1. Raw Story: Immigration Bill Sparks Furor Among House Republicans....

Immigration bill sparks furor among some House Republicans

By Larisa Alexandrovna | RAW STORY Staff

Controversial new legislation billed as immigration reform has put Congressional Republicans into disarray over a variety of reasons ranging from Christian refugees to the National ID card, RAW STORY has learned.

According to senior House aides, who spoke only on condition of anonymity, several factions of the Republican Party are up in arms over the Republican authored H.R. 418 or Real ID Act, scheduled to go to a floor vote today.

The key players, according the aides, are Chris Smith (R-NJ), Ron Paul (R-Tex), Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL), chairman Sensenbrenner, and a very conservative Republican Congressman with strong ties to Falwell and Dobson.

Congressman Chris Smith, according to sources, is opposed to the Asylum Provision of HR 418, which would affect Christians persecuted in other countries seeking asylum in the United States. Smith did not return repeated calls for comment.

Asylum Provision

Although Republicans are using terrorism as the motivation for strict asylum provisions, the current asylum laws in no way applied to the events of 9/11, since all of the terrorists involved were in the United States legally and not as refugees.

One of the new provisions of HR 418 would require individuals seeking refuge in the U.S. from repressive and/or abusive regimes to provide documented proof of their persecution and/or abuse as well as the abusing government’s motivation.

“Can you imagine a Christian living in the Sudan going to ask the government to provide the U.S. with ‘motivation’ for persecuting Christians?” one aide said. “What do you think would happen to that person?” .... read more here:
http://rawstory.com/news/2005/index.php?p=56

[papau]

2. Border-Control Bill Nears Vote

an analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service of the any and all law Homeland Security "waiver authority" provided in the bill "would also seem to apply to all the barriers that may be constructed". As Waxman noted - that means child labor laws, etc. are waived.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A12343-2005Feb9.html

washingtonpost.com
Border-Control Bill Nears Vote
Backers Expect House Passage, but Foes Are Undeterred
By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, February 10, 2005; Page A05


House Republicans yesterday appeared headed toward passing a bill giving the government vast new power to build roads and barriers along the U.S. border with Mexico, exempt from judicial review as well as environmental, conservation and labor laws.

Republicans say they are just trying to keep illegal immigrants from crossing Smuggler's Gulch, but environmental and conservation groups warn that the price would be allowing the federal government to mar wildlife refuges and pristine canoeing waters.

The new power for the Department of Homeland Security is part of a package that Republicans are calling "border security protections" designed to deter terrorist attacks.

The bill, called the "Real I.D. Act," would impose on states tougher standards for the issuing of driver's licenses for identification at airports and federal buildings. The law would also make it easier for judges to deport suspected terrorists and harder for potential terrorists to gain political asylum.

The bill, introduced by House Judiciary Committee Chairman F. James Sensenbrenner Jr. (R-Wis.), was debated yesterday. House leaders said they expect passage by a wide margin today. It contains measures that Sensenbrenner and other conservatives wanted in the intelligence restructuring bill passed in December, but that were dropped because of objections from the Senate.<snip>


http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-immig10feb10,1,7191955.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

House Likely to OK Migrant Restrictions
White House support adds impetus to a bill to bar driver's licenses for illegal immigrants, limit asylum claims and close a border fence gap.
By Mary Curtius
Times Staff Writer

February 10, 2005

WASHINGTON — A bill aimed at blocking states from issuing driver's licenses to illegal immigrants appeared headed for passage today in the House of Representatives, aided by a strong endorsement from the White House and broad support within the Republican majority.<snip>

The bill's fate in the Senate is unclear. If presented as a stand-alone bill, its passage is not assured; but its provisions are likely to be attached to must-pass legislation in that chamber.

If enacted into law, the bill would kill efforts in California to allow illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.<snip>

The bill makes compliance voluntary — but if a state does not comply, the licenses it issues could not be used as valid identification to board airplanes in the United States, open bank accounts or enter federal buildings.

The bill also would require states to limit the term of a driver's license issued to a foreign visitor to no longer than the length of the person's U.S. visa. States would have three years to comply with the regulations.<snip>

Other provisions of the bill would tighten the standards for granting asylum to foreigners, raising the standard of evidence that applicants for asylum must produce to prove their claims of persecution in the nations they are fleeing, and limiting judicial review of claims rejected by immigration officials.

In addition, the bill would allow the federal government to override state and local environmental concerns and laws to plug a three-mile hole in the fence between San Diego and Tijuana — and to build such walls anywhere along the U.S.-Mexico border.<snip>

The revised asylum provision would require applicants to show that their religion, nationality, race, social group or political opinion was a central reason behind their persecution.<snip>

In a speech on the House floor, Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) said provisions dealing with the federal government's ability to override local laws to complete sections of border fence would waive environmental and child labor laws, among others.

"I just find this a breathtaking grab for power by the federal government," Waxman said in an interview after he left the floor.

[txaslftist]

3. Wow...federalism and isolationism combined...

the libertarians must be having a fit.

[woodsprite]

5. Waxman shouldn't have used the word "breathtaking"

It's positive connotation is much stronger than it's negative. What's the quote in the Bible "he will come like a thief in the night".

[izzybeans]

4. party line vote

but something is going on right now. I can't make it out. The Chairman added something to the bill in the last minute and now they reopened a debate after declaring the house out of order. I couldn't follow it but it happened pretty quickly. Pete Sessions is now on pushing it even further to the right. "built on the strong deportation initiatives of the chairman." I think the repugs are angry that its not xenophobic enough.

Here comes some opposition.

Sheila Jackson Lee is now up and about to tear it to shreds. "immigration does not equate to terrorism." I doesn't get any more simple than that. No committee oversight, no hearing. Dark of night fascism. I love this lady. She just created a parallel between this bill and the "fugitive slave" language of the 1800's. It was political speak for "silly racist, democracy is for(everyone's) kids."

Lamar Smith just came in from the Klan meeting. "Round em' up, hang em' high." "Illegal aliens pose threat." Someone should tell this guy the war of the worlds was just a radio program.

[Robert Oak]

6. i'm sorry, this is one bleeding heart liberal

that says a nation is for it's citizens...illegal, NOT legal, illegal aliens are using resources designed for Americans, doing jobs
at cheaper wages than our laws.

It has nothing to do with "the Klan" and I'm so tired of this racist
flag waved instead of looking at the economic realities of this issue
and dealing with it.

[izzybeans]

7. did you happen to watch the proceedings.

The Klan is the most accurate description of the worst sort of republican. The sort who wrote the amendment seeking to limit asylum cases. This country is for all to be citizen's. It was supposed to be inclusionary.