“Concerned Women for America is concerned with the lack of border security to protect America from terrorists and all illegal immigration.”

Our goal is that our nation develop and maintain strong border controls to protect us from foreign terrorists and the flow of illegal immigration.  We welcome legal immigrants, especially those fleeing government persecution because of their religious beliefs or other basic human rights.

S. 1348 is a shell game that doesn’t protect our borders.

• So-called triggers (components of the bill that must be passed before amnesty is given) like more border control agents and adequate facilities to detain illegal aliens are authorized in the bill but not funded.  Additionally, the measures on which the triggers rest are already authorized and underway in previously passed legislation.

• The fence authorized (not entirely funded) in the last Congress is actually cut in half, in that only half of the fence will need to be built.  Proponents will tell you that this provision is actually one of the triggers meant as a down payment – amnesty won’t be given to illegal aliens until half of the fence is built.  Given the track record of the United States Government on this issue over the last 25 years, who believes that fence will ever actually be built?

• Even before the triggers are met, illegal immigrants will be given “probationary visas” regardless of whether they have been deported before and reentered the country again illegally.   Illegal aliens could be barred, but if they aren’t identified as a security or terror risk within 24 hours of applying for the provisional document via a “background check,” they get the documentation necessary to make their stay in the country legal and “temporary.”

• If the triggers are not met, this government-created underclass of temporary “citizens” will be able to stay in the United States and enjoy many of the privileges and benefits of American citizenship.  This includes a social security number.

The bill’s “triggers” are basically meaningless since amnesty occurs regardless of whether the triggers are met, and most of these requirements are either already in place or authorized by current law.  For instance, Immigration and Customs Enforcement already has 27,500 detention beds, DHS is on schedule to have 18,000 Border Patrol agents in the next two years (they currently have almost 15,000 agents) and DHS is already required by law to build over 700 miles of fencing along the border (the 370 miles required by this “trigger” may effectively be a cut).  The trigger does not require true border security.     

S. 1348 lacks provisions that will require cultural assimilation such as English First provisions.

• Proponents will rightly tell you that there are certain provisions for English First in the pages of this bill, however, they often fail to tell you that in later parts or provisions these very same provisions are essentially gutted.

• The Senate Amnesty Bill does require these new visa holders learn English, but only after eight years in the United States.
   
• Prior to those eight years, the bill only requires that, upon application for the first “extension,” the new visa holder “attempt” to gain an understanding of the English language.  That attempt is shown by “taking” — not passing — the naturalization test and being placed on a waiting list for English classes, yet not actually attending classes.

S. 1348 shows disrespect for the family and for the unique contribution of fathers.  It encourages heads of households — “predominately” males — to leave their families to come to the United States and work.  Many of these “fathers” never return.

• The so-called Guest Worker program provision, which will allow 200,000 people to come into our country to work per year, will encourage families to initially be apart for a two year period.

• Because there is no adequate mechanism to ensure that these new so-called guest workers return home, many families will ultimately be destroyed or they will stay here.

• The Guest Worker program is unworkable.  It either invites family separation and encourages deadbeat fathers or allows the full family (if the worker is paid at least 150% of federal poverty level and has health insurance) to accompany them while virtually ensuring the birth of anchor babies whose US. Citizenship will ensure there is no “guest” to the “temporary” worker program.