The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) described the introduction of the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009 (CIR ASAP) as wholesale sell-out of the interests of the American people. The bill being introduced today by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and over 90 Democrats is certain to meet fierce public opposition.
CIR ASAP would grant amnesty to virtually every illegal alien in the United States and vastly increase future flows of low-skilled, low-wage immigrants. The legislation focuses exclusively on satisfying the demands of illegal aliens, ethnic interest groups and cheap labor employers, while offering nothing that serves the interests of law-abiding Americans.
"At a time when some 25 million Americans are either unemployed or relegated to part-time work, the last thing the Democratic majority ought to be focused on is a massive amnesty and immigration expansion bill," said Dan Stein, president of FAIR. "Legalizing millions of low-skill, low-wage workers who would depend heavily on government services is simply bad immigration policy at any point in time. When the federal government is running a $1.4 trillion deficit, and numerous state and local governments are facing fiscal crises, it represents the epitome of irresponsibility."
In addition to granting amnesty to millions of immigration lawbreakers for the bargain basement price of $500, CIR ASAP would:
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Weaken immigration enforcement at the borders and in the interior of the country.
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Vastly expand the ability of illegal aliens to fight their removal from the U.S. (in many cases with U.S. taxpayers footing the bill.)
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Preempt state laws that assist in immigration enforcement.
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Dramatically increase both employment-based and family-based immigration.
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Eliminate federal/local enforcement cooperation agreements.
CIR ASAP offers nothing to law-abiding Americans, except more competition for scare jobs, higher taxes, and more government deficits," Stein said. "While American families are feeling the pain of this deep and protracted recession, Rep. Gutierrez, with the backing of the Democratic leadership and the White House, seems to be focused on political payoffs for a narrow group of amnesty obsessed constituencies.
"If congressional leaders were surprised by the intensity of public opposition to amnesty legislation in 2007, when unemployment hovered around 4.6 percent, they had better brace themselves for an even stronger reaction in 2010. CIR ASAP amounts to a fire sale on American citizenship and American jobs and the public will make its voice heard loudly again in 2010," predicted Stein.
The Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is a national, nonprofit, public-interest, membership organization of concerned citizens who share a common belief that our nation's immigration policies must be reformed to serve the national interest.
FAIR seeks to improve border security, to stop illegal immigration, and to promote immigration levels consistent with the national interest-more traditional rates of about 300,000 a year.
