So How Has Amnesty Worked Out?
By Greg L | 18 May 2008 | National Politics, Illegal Aliens | 31 Comments
The illegal alien lobby is working overtime to tell us that if we only grant amnesty to illegal aliens, it will allow us to get control over the illegal alien problem in the United States, and everything will get better. Perhaps it’s time to take a look at how that concept has been working out for us. We haven’t tried this once in the relatively recent past, we’ve tried this six times. All we’ve gotten as a result was utter and complete policy failure. This strategy simply doesn’t work.
In 1986 Congress passed, and President Reagan signed the Immigration Reform and Control Act which gave amnesty to 2.8 million illegal aliens in the United States as a “one time measure”, that was supposed to be followed-up with effective controls on our borders and interior enforcement of our immigration laws. That cost American taxpayers $78 billion dollars according to the Center For Immigration Studies, and encouraged millions of illegal aliens to try to slip into the country to fraudulently take advantage of the amnesty offer. That didn’t work out so well.
So in 1994, Congress passed Section 245(i), the amnesty of 1994, which was a temporary rolling amnesty for 578,000 illegal aliens who had entered the country unlawfully or overstayed visas. It was supposed to sunset on September 30th, 1997. Section 245(i) was extended twice by President Clinton, once until October 23rd, 1997 and then again to November 7th, 1997. As part of the conference report to H.R. 2267, it was again extended to January 14th, 1998. Illegal aliens who had failed to file for amnesty before the initial deadline were encouraged get their applications in before these extended deadlines expired
Then the Nicaraguan Adjustment and Central American Relief Act of 1997 granted amnesty for almost one million more illegal aliens, and was added to an appropriations bill for the District of Columbia (H.R. 2607). Beneficiaries of our federal largesse include Rodolpho Godinez who was arrested for the execution of three American citizens, and wounding of a fourth in a schoolyard in Newark, NJ in 2007.
Advocates for other nationalities not included in the NACARA amnesty of 1997 got their way the following year with the passage of the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998 that granted amnesty for 125,000 illegal aliens from Haiti. Again, this wasn’t adopted on its own merits, but was amended into the omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal 1999 (H.R. 4328).
With the number of illegal aliens in the United States booming to an estimated seven million, encouraged by these givaways for lawbreakers, the “late amnesty of 2000″ provided amnesty for illegal aliens who claimed they should have been granted amnesty under the 1986 IRCA, amounting to about 400,000 more illegal aliens being granted legal status.Then the Life Amnesty Act of 2000 reinstated the rolling Section 245(i) amnesty, and legalized 900,000 more illegal aliens.
The result? We have somewhere between twelve and twenty two million illegal aliens unlawfully residing in the United States in addition to all the illegal aliens granted amnesty under these seven amnesty provisions. The more illegal aliens we grant legal status to, the more illegal aliens we get. Somehow though we’re supposed to accept the idea that “earned citizenship”, or a “path to legal status” is somehow going to resolve this problem when we’ve clearly seen that every time we attempt to “resolve” the problem by rewarding illegal aliens with amnesty, we just end up encouraging more foreign nationals to break our laws. Given the overwhelming amount of fraud and abuse that attends these amnesty applications by persons trying to sneak through after the door has supposedly closed, is it any wonder that many Americans are suspicious in the extreme about proposals to replicate this serial failure? How many times are the American people going to be asked to swallow this tripe?
In 1986, we were promised by the federal government that they would finally do their job to control our borders and enforce immigration and labor laws. They have failed to keep that promise. Before any consideration of yet another ill-advised and counterproductive amnesty plan, the federal government must live up to its failed promises, and actually secure our borders and enforce our laws. Encouraging even more illegal aliens to try to get into the country in order to take advantage of yet another amnesty plan given our currently broken borders and ineffective interior enforcement efforts is just plain dumb.
The opinions expressed here are solely the views of the author, and not representative of the position of any organization, political party, doughnut shop, knitting guild, or waste recycling facility, but may be correctly attributed to the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy. If anything in the above article has offended you, please click here to receive an immediate apology.
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Well written Greg. Thanks.
Now. if we can only get this through to the next President of these United States.
The three front runners for the presidential nomination are all AMNESTY prone according to their statements/actions. McCain (a co-sponsor of the Kennedy/McCain Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act (AMNESTY FOR 20 MILLION ILLEGALS) hasn’t learned anything from the failure of the bill. He still will give AMNESTY although he now spouts the line “we must first secure our borders.” Look at who McCain’s HISPANIC liaison person is (JUAN HERNANDEZ) who was a member of VINCINTE FOX’S staff and promotes OPEN BORDERS and AMNESTY FOR ALL ILLEGALS. And you really belive Juan McCain has changed his stance on AMNESTY?
http://www.juanhernandez.org/index-1.html
http://juanhernandez.org/
The current three presidential candidates will sell this country out to MEXICO!
yes, great research…I was previously only aware of the 1986 act. Astounding how many times we kept doing something that didn’t work in the past 20 years; almost embarassing that our government on both sides of the aisle just couldn’t learn from its own mistakes.
I think we should forward Greg’s research to all our legislators to remind them of their past mistakes so that they aren’t made again.
The march towards amnesty will pick up steam the very second a new Prez is sworn in. With the Dems owning congress and a president inclined to sign an amnesty bill, we need to get our speed dials, faxes and computers rested and ready for round two.
The only thing we can do is continue to threaten our elected officials. I fax, email and call often and my last comment to them is that if they vote for amnesty in any form I will vote against them in the next election. Just remember we brought down the bill the last time it was up for a vote and can do it again. The three clowns running for president will get a vote for “none of the above” from me.
Careful, Ladyxx. Using words like “threaten” scares the bejesus out of the fat broads, or at least give them reason to feign fright. We all know what you mean, but they’ve been known to lift portions of a post for libelous purposes.
Wow! The ignorance on display here is astounding. You guys really have your heads stuck in the sand…and your rear ends exposed for the world to see.
Immigrants come here for one reason…jobs. If our economy was crippled and moribund, there would be no immigration. Until we have an immigration system that can issue 20 million visas when there’s 20 million jobs that go-a-beggin’ there will always be illegal immigration.
Most of these immigrants probably don’t even know there were amnesties given in the past. Just listen to what wineplease said above:
If wineplease, as an american who cares about this issue, doesn’t know about the information Greg has presented here, how many immigrants know about this stuff? How many of you ostrich head in the sand posters knew about all this stuff? But somehow all the immigrants who never finished high school are supposed to be able to quote the history of immigration chapter and verse. Only a buffoon would believe this hogwash.
Or as Greg himself pointed out above:
Well Greg, if they come here to get amnesty…how come so many of them missed the initial deadline?
Greg is lying to you when he says they come for amnesty. Amnesty is like some miracle that will fall from the sky.
They come to work, because we have more jobs than we do americans. Streamline the immigration system so they can work and so that american workers can be protected at the same time.
They come to work, all right…to work the system.
Enablers like “The Truth” help it to happen.
“Streamline the immigration system so they can work and so that american workers can be protected at the same time.”
Yeah, and how are we going to do that, TT (I have difficulty calling you by your pseudonym…it doesn’t seem to fit!)? How many Americans have been unable to get jobs, regardless of their experience and abilities, simply because they don’t speak Spanish…because so many of their potential co-workers are uneducated illegal aliens who refuse to learn English? How many Americans have been forced to take jobs at ridiculously low wages without benefits (if they can even get them) because there’s 100 illegal aliens waiting in line to take them happily since the taxpayers are providing all those wonderful medical and other social welfare benefits enabling them to thrive on those meager wages…and if they get in a financial bind (or other trouble), they can just pull out a new identity or scoot back over the border? How many more American workers have slipped below the poverty level since this invasion has proliferated to unprecedented levels?
Amnesty will solve nothing…it will only encourage additional vast numbers to come here seeking the same thing (we already have 25% of all Salvadorans in this country…should we try for 50% or more?). And what of those immigrants waiting in line to come to this country the RIGHT way…legally? Are they to be continually slapped in the face by this situation until they, themselves, lose patience and decide, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em?” I wouldn’t blame them…but then they also become part of the problem.
You want reform…there’s only one way…CLOSE THE BORDERS! Only when we are able to control our own sovereignty then we will be able to reasonably and compassionately deal with immigration reform. Amnesty is the LAST thing we can afford to allow!
“You want reform…there’s only one way…CLOSE THE BORDERS!”
Aww, you know that would deprive the Democrats (and RINOs) of their next voting bloc. So they don’t want to do it.
“Greg is lying to you when he says they come for amnesty. Amnesty is like some miracle that will fall from the sky.”
Back last year when Congress and the Prez were trying to ram amnesty down our throats, there was an uptick in illegal aliens caught at the southern border. A fair number of them indicated that they had heard that amnesty was just around the corner in the US and they wanted to be in on it. Contrary to what “The Truth” says, amnesty is of paramount importance to current and potential illegal aliens and they know all about it. Once they are legalized, they can start bringing in, first, their immediate family and later their extended family via family reunification, which BTW is the single largest source of legal immigration. Even if it could be proven beyond a doubt that we needed every single illegal alien in the US today - it can’t but IF it could -
do we really need all of their family members and then THEIR familiy members?
The sad thing is that so few US citizens follow this subject. If they understood the consequences of massive immigration, legal and illegal, better there would be riots in the streets……
AWCheney said:
It’s not gonna happen dude. You’re spitting in the wind. You should just forget about it. Some path to citizenship will take place.
Ina free market system, job requirements change over time. Learning to speak spanish in order to remain competitive is only common sense.
Undocumented workers can’t vote. They have no control over what social services are offered. It’s kind of dumb to blame people who are powerless. What you’re doing is called scapegoating…and it’s exactly what bigot repubs like Greg want you to do.
Not3Nothing said:
Ahh…so your true bigot colors are on display for all to see. ‘Once they are legalized’ you said. Meaning, once they can claim to be acting within the law. I thought you guys here believed in the RULE OF LAW. Ahhh…I guess when that law is excercised by immigrants, all of a sudden, it has nothing to do with the rule of law…and everything to do with keeping hispanic family members out. HA! I will never vote republican again. And I’m actively campaigning for democrats now. I think there are many many more like me. This isn’t the 1950s anymore guys. We’re not going to be pushed around like you pushed around black people.
If you simply don’t want large numbers of hispanics here, can you at least be man enough to admit that’s your goal instead of cowardly hiding behind this idea that you only care about Rule Of Law…a Rule Of Law you rail against when it helps immigrants to reunite with their families.
The truth,
If illegals wanted to come here to work, they should play by the rules. If they are unwilling to play by the most basic of rules given to immigrants, what makes you think they are playing by any rules once here?
I suppose that is why MS-13 has such high numbers of illegals, they are just here to do work. Yup. Talk about having your head in the ground.
“Undocumented workers can’t vote.”
Yes they can. They can’t vote legally, but they can vote, quite easily too…with motor voter you merely sign a statement attesting to the fact that you are a US Citizen and away you go.
Oh, but wait, there is an ID requirement which may present a hurdle:
“IDENTIFICATION REQUIREMENT
For Registration. Under a new federal law, if this form is submitted by mail, and you have never registered to vote in Virginia before, you must send with this application either (a) a copy of your current and valid photo identification, or (b) a copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck or other government document that shows your name and address. Otherwise, you may be required to show election officials either (a) or (b) above the first time you vote in a federal election.”
Hmm…a utility bill? Perhaps not much of a hurdle at all.
Keep the faith, all. The fence is working, albeit slowly. The louder they whine, the more effective it is. Build the fence, kick the illegals out, stay on top of Congress. The world is changing rapidly, folks. We need to start looking out for ourselves.
To Truth,
You are way off base and I think I know why. You refer to “hogwash”?
Wonder if your the same Supervisor that refered to Woodbridge people being “hogwash”?
Our areas are declining and they have to be picked up now before it’s to late.
People want to move here,but we have plenty of citizens who are hard workers that would come and make Prince William their home.
No need to allow them to sneak across the border.They are Illegal Aliens and they are smart in working the system.
The Truth said on 19 May 2008 at 7:16 am:
AWCheney said:
You want reform…there’s only one way…CLOSE THE BORDERS!
“It’s not gonna happen dude. You’re spitting in the wind. You should just forget about it. Some path to citizenship will take place.”
First of all TT, it’s not dude…it’s dudette! Secondly, I have never spit in the wind…there’s a long line of sailors on my father’s side of the family and obviously more common sense than in your ancestry. And, thirdly, there are more ways to “close” the border than doing it physically with a fence.
I happen to agree with some folks who have mentioned that we should adopt Mexican policy with regard to illegal immigration. Politically, it would be the smart thing to do…and it would shut the Mexican government up or lead to a PR disaster on their part. You should read that policy “DUDE” (what are we, teeny boppers…or are you?)…it’s harsh, and effective. If these illegal aliens knew that their actions could have very harsh consequences, it would be far more effective than ANY fence!
Resort Workers Arrested in Raid Await Hearings
38 of 53 Ex-Lansdowne Employees Facing Immigration Charges Are Out of Custody Until They Face a Judge
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/16/AR2008051604412.html
“Undocumented workers can’t vote. They have no control over what social services are offered. It’s kind of dumb to blame people who are powerless.”
THAT, particularly in response to that portion of my comment that you quoted, is your most asinine statement in your entire comment TT. Either you’re saying that, because they are powerless, they should be allowed to break the law and steal from our own poor to their hearts content, or…actually, when I think about it, there is no “or.” Have you ever had anything stolen from you, TT… a “breaking and entering,” perhaps? Was the perpetrator perhaps a poor, powerless person who really needed the money? Did you call the police to have them arrested? Shame on you since “it’s kind of dumb to blame people who are powerless.” What did you call that…scapegoating? Bottom of your class, were you?
“a Rule Of Law you rail against when it helps immigrants to reunite with their families.”
First of all, IMO any person that we allow into the US as an LPR on citizenship track should have the right to bring immediate family members in, meaning spouse and minor children. They are, after all, responsible for these people. Of course, any plan that legalizes illegal aliens should take these numbers and costs into account - and be honest with the American people as to what this all means. As far as I know, the US is the only country in the world that counts grown children, parents, and siblings for family reunification, albeit behind spouse and minor children. There is no earthly reason why these last three groups should be allowed in solely because they are kin to somebody in the US. One of the groups that is most adroit at exploiting this law to bring in aged parents, whom they promise to support and then dump on the US welfare system, is, not Mexicans, but that model immigrant, the Chinese.
As for “all of a sudden, it has nothing to do with the rule of law…and everything to do with keeping hispanic family members out”, about 40% of illegal aliens are people who come to the US legally on tourist, student, work, etc visas and overstay. Most of these aren’t Hispanic. There is a growing number of Indians in this category. In fact, a few in this category are Irish. I am against rewarding people who break the law whatever their ethnicity.
TT, my post was largely a response to your claim that the illegal aliens were more or less oblivious to amnesty. They are not. If you are “actively campaigning for democrats now”, I could find it in my heart to pity the Democrats.
The Truth,
Why do you keep talking about Hispanics? Illegals are Illegals no matter what their race, color, ethnic background. Most of the people here just want the illegal immigrants to go home. The rule of law is helping that, not as fast as I would like, but it’s a start. Round em up, move em out!!!
Not4Thinking said:
I thought this was all about the RULE OF LAW! Right? You have to support this aspect of immigration because it’s the RULE OF LAW! You have to support this dude…you have to…unless you’re a hypocrite.
I don’t think they’re gonna need your pity dude. They’re gonna need your obedience when they win the house of reps and the white house. They will write the new law giving amnesty, and since it’s the LAW, you’ll have to support it. The Repukes are committing political suicide. They started something here when they decided to attack immigrants…they thought they could control it but now it’s spinning out of control. What’s that old saying….’don’t play with fire or might get burned’. It’s no surprise thought, since they did the same political suicide thing in iraq.
Usually, in national elections, the Repukes have more money that the democrats. Not this time around dudes and dudettes. Fund raising by Repukes is way down now. Haha! It’s because people like me who used to donate, are now donating to the dems. We’re marching, we’re campaigning, we’re gathering 65,000 strong at Obama’s last rally. Juan McCain can try to get us back but only the useful idiots will listen to him. Besides, who wants 100 years of war?!?
He IS a teen bopper!!
Sorry…that’s “TEENY bopper!”
What a waste of public education dollars.
“You have to support this aspect of immigration because it’s the RULE OF LAW! ”
“They will write the new law giving amnesty, and since it’s the LAW, you’ll have to support it.
In the first quote, please note that TT is suggesting that the LAW cannot be changed. This is ridiculous. THE LAW gets changed all the time as (s)he seems to recognize in the second quote. Have you noticed that TT’s response to perfectly valid and true statements is to call people names?
Hey, you were the ones who started calling me TT instead of my real moniker, The Truth. Let’s be honest here.
I litany of insults were poured on me…how convenient for you to ignore that. Why did you ignore it?
Take it all to heart, my boy…look upon it as “The Truth.”
And..sometimes..”The Truth” hurts!