Obama’s Low Wage, High Unemployment Amnesty Bill

00Everyone should we aware by now that the Senate passed a massive pork laden, job killing (at least for American workers)  amnesty bill on a vote of  68-32. 

The 14 Republican  sell-outs who voted for this Democrat power grab are:  Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Jeff Chiesa of New Jersey,  Susan Collins of Maine, Bob Corker of Tennessee, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Lindsay Graham of South Carolina, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Dean Heller of Nevada, John Hoeven of North Dakota, Mark Kirk of Illnoise, John McCain of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Marco Rubio of Florida.

The amnesty bill contained the promise of increased border security, but all that could be thrown out the door after 10 years if a single lawsuit stymies the implementation. Even the unions representing those tasked with enforcing our nation’s immigration laws said the bill will weakened national security and prevent them from doing their jobs.

Furthermore, the legislation rewards most illegal immigrants with legal status and could provide them with taxpayer benefits like Pell Grants, food stamps and Medicaid, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

In addition to being loaded with pork to buy votes, from Republicans, the Senate-passed legislation, included the authority given to the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive entire requirements altogether:

  • While the amendment requires additional border security measures before green cards are issued, it contains an exception allowing the Secretary of Homeland Security to waive those security measures if any are delayed due to litigation at the end of the first 10-year window.
  • The bill gives legal status to illegal and undocumented immigrants almost immediately and almost all restrictions can be waived by the Secretary of Homeland Security, including:The $46.3 billion for border security is mandatory funding, but the amendment only requires $8.3 billion of that from fees, leaving taxpayers on the hook for $38 billion.
    • Gang members are not allowed to apply for legal status – but Homeland Security can waive this provision.
    • Illegal immigrants who have committed three misdemeanors are ineligible for legal status under the bill, but  Homeland Security can waive the provision for humanitarian purposes, to ensure family unity, or if such a waiver is otherwise in the public interest.
    • The bill prohibits illegal immigrants who departed the U.S. and then reentered illegally after December 31, 2011, from receiving legal status,  but, Homeland Security  has the sole and unreviewable discretion to allow these individuals to apply for legal status.
    • Illegal immigrants are required to prove they are gainfully employed or attending an educational institution prior to receiving green cards, but Homeland Security can waive the employment or education requirements.
  • There is no process for Congress to approve or validate that the border security triggers have been met prior to illegal immigrants receiving green cards and, as noted above, the triggers can be waived if litigation stymies one or more of them.
  • The amendment specifically says that blue card agriculture workers and illegal immigrants with temporary legal status will not be eligible for Obamacare health insurance subsidies. However, they may be eligible for Medicaid and other benefits like tax credits, food stamps and education assistance because the bill leaves eligibility requirements up to interpretation by the Administration.  The Congressional Budget Office estimated these costs at $259 billion over the next 10 years, and that they would “triple” in the following 10 years. There is no mechanism in the bill to ensure that unexpected future costs in this bill would be paid for.
  • Language to make the employer verification system more robust and fight identity theft was not included in the amendment.
  • The unions representing immigration and border patrol agents say the legislation makes the current immigration system worse, will damage public safety, and should be opposed.
  • The bill only contains a small paragraph that indicates the Secretary of State must certify that all outstanding approved petitions for visas received prior to passage of the bill have been processed before illegal immigrants with temporary status can become permanent residents.

Source:  Senator Mike Johanns

Obama praised passage of the bill and called on “advocates” to use political pressure to force it through the House.  Republican leadership in the House claim the bill is DOA.  That remains to be seen!

Obama loves the bill because when combined with ObamaCare, it will fulfill his desire to destroy this country.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *