Good to know some Republicans still care about immigration enforcement

By Michelle Malkin  •  January 13, 2009 07:00 PM

GOP Sen. David Vitter introduced several immigration enforcement measures today. President Bush, no doubt, considers them an affront to “compassionate conservatism and broad-mindedness.”

The Dems won’t let these bills get anywhere, but it’s good to know that some Republicans are at least making a token effort to show they care about border and homeland security:

Vitter Reintroduces Anti-Illegal Immigration Legislation

(Washington, D.C.) – U.S. Sen. David Vitter recently introduced a legislative package consisting of several bills to combat the growing illegal immigration problem.

The first of Vitter’s bills would prohibit aliens and their spouses and dependents from claiming social security credit for work performed while in the United States illegally.

“Each year hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens cross our borders into the United States,” said Vitter. “Unfortunately, a loophole exists that allows them to draw social security benefits based on their working illegal jobs. We should not be rewarding illegal aliens for breaking our laws, and this bill will help remedy this situation.”

U.S. law prohibits illegal aliens from receiving social security benefits, but some benefits can be applied retroactively if the illegal alien leaves the country and legally reenters at a later date, or if he or she obtains legal status to reside in the United States. Vitter’s bill would prohibit illegal aliens from being credited for income earned while living and working in the United States in violation of U.S. immigration law.

“Every day, thousands of immigrants arrive in the United States and begin to work their way through a thorough a legal – and difficult process. We should ensure that these individuals are afforded all of the rights and benefits they deserve, instead of allowing such benefits to pass to individuals who enter our country illegally and flaunt our national laws,” said Vitter.

Vitter introduced another bill that would restrict Community Oriented Policing Services funding from going to cities with sanctuary policies that bar local law enforcement officials from asking about the immigration status of suspects or reporting illegals to Immigration and Custom Enforcement for deportation. To ensure compliance with federal law, Vitter’s bill withholds COPS federal funding for cities that choose to violate the 1996 Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act. The IIRIRA requires local governments to cooperate with Department of Homeland Security’s ICE, but instead many cities have defied the law and have adopted sanctuary policies to protect illegal aliens from enforcement.

“Certain municipalities across the country have put in place sanctuary policies that stand in clear opposition of federal requirements,” said Vitter. “Despite laws requiring them to verify the immigration status of suspected illegal aliens, these municipalities have instructed city employees and law officers to not report illegal aliens residing in their communities to the federal government.”

Vitter also reintroduced legislation that requires that the identify of all individuals who are not American citizens to be verified through a social security number, a passport number and the country of issuance, an alien identification card number or any combination of the three in order to ascertain their immigration status for the purposes of opening banking or credit card accounts. To prevent the use of matricula cards as a form of ID, the bill specifically designates unexpired passports as the only acceptable form of identification issued by a foreign government.

“We have already seen several instances in Louisiana of banks stating their intent to accept matricula ID cards for the purposes of opening bank and credit card accounts,” said Vitter. “The governments that issue these cards do not attempt to ascertain the status of immigrants. Preventing the use of questionable documents as an acceptable form of identification will add another layer of security to banking processes. As our nation faces a deepening financial crisis, this extra layer of security becomes even more important.”

Vitter is Chairman of the Border Security and Enforcement First Caucus, a coalition of Republican senators focused on bringing about real immigration reform with attrition through enforcement.

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  1. #1
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:06 pm, Brian Paasch said:

    The Dems won’t let these bills get anywhere, but it’s good to know that some Republicans are at least making a token effort to show they care about border and homeland security:

    One problem, among many, of the elected Rs is that they introduce these kinds of conservative “feel-good” bills in D controlled congresses. Plays well to the right, but clearly, assuredly, DOA. But do these kinds of bills get introduced with the Rs control Congress? No. But we all get LOTS of fundraising letters complaining there they don’t have “enough” Rs to introduce conservative legislation.

    I really dislike these games.

  2. #2
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:06 pm, Cameron said:

    Let us hope that this is only the first salvo and we begin to see more proposals and Senators like this.

  3. #3
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:14 pm, wrcnossen said:

    You got it Brian. I’m sick of these Repubs acting conservative when nothing will happen, then going liberal when they get power. It’s the main reason the Dems are in power now.

  4. #4
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:20 pm, Craig said:

    “We have already seen several instances in Louisiana of banks stating their intent to accept matricula ID cards for the purposes of opening bank and credit card accounts,” said Vitter. “The Mexican governments that issues these cards and does not attempt to ascertain the status of immigrants.

    There. Fixed.

  5. #5
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:22 pm, coffee said:

    #1, yep. I think of the Get Smart catch phrase, “I missed it by that much.”

  6. #6
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:22 pm, thefoundingfathers said:

    Ditto Brian.

    I am glad he did propose it, but why wasn’t this done from 1995 through 2006 and passed? If the RINO’s stopped it and/or Bush veto’d it, we could have had the opportunity to have gotten some folks elected who had some guts to push it through!

  7. #7
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:30 pm, ctmom said:

    I read a story today about how people are leaving CA for other states, so much so that CA may loose a congressional seat. What will they do when the state is filled with nothing but illegal aliens and Hollywood nitwits? At what point will they realize we can’t afford to provide services to illegals in CA or anywhere else?

  8. #8
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:35 pm, pablo said:

    Just wait until we have to pay the piper. Read Paul C. Gardner’s explosive new action thriller 2014, guaranteed to enrage radical Muslims, members of La Raza, and advocates of open borders. America’s lax immigration policies spawn terrorism, lawlessness, and anarchy threatening its very existence.
    To learn more visit Paul’s website at
    http://www.paulcgardner.com/

  9. #9
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:37 pm, By Choice said:

    Dingy Harry has submitted SB 9 “Stronger Economy, Stronger Borders Act of 2009″. One of the stated purposes is “reforming and rationalizing avenues for legal immigration” translation: amnesty.

    Time to get out the lists again and start today with your racist letters reminding your legislators that “no” still means “no” in 2009 just like it did in 2008.

  10. #10
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:40 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    But do these kinds of bills get introduced with the Rs control Congress?

    Yes, and killed in the Senate. When the House passed a law making illegal entry and overstaying a felony the big pro-illegal demonstrations started. And that is when our snake in the grass McCain came up with HIS amnesty bill.

    Vitter has generally been right about immigration, with some waffling on E Visas create additional guestworker visa categories in 2006 .

    NumbersUSA on Vitter’s Record

  11. #11
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:48 pm, Tennessee Dave said:

    I read a story today about how people are leaving CA for other states, so much so that CA may loose a congressional seat. What will they do when the state is filled with nothing but illegal aliens and Hollywood nitwits?

    At that point it’s time to build the wall around California. Mainly to keep the Hollywood nitwits in.

  12. #12
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:50 pm, TooMuchTime said:

    …is that they introduce these kinds of conservative “feel-good” bills in D controlled congresses.

    Agreed. The FairTax has been put forward in every congress for a while now. There were mostly Rs and even some Ds that were sponsors. But when the Rs lost control of congress, the number of well-known Rs that became sponsors, jumped.

    In other words, “I’ll support this now because there’s no chance in hell the socialists will pass it.”

    It’s like Bush making kissy-face with Ted Kennedy; Bush got stabbed in the back the first chance that drunken murderer got. You can’t make friends with socialists because they don’t like intelligent people.

  13. #13
    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:57 pm, Bill Grant said:

    You’ll be calling him a RINO the first time he does anything that you even slightly disagree with.

  14. #14
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:06 pm, TooMuchTime said:

    …people are leaving CA for other states, so much so that CA may loose a congressional seat.

    Never happen. Here’s a scenario.

    State A allows 2 million illegal aliens in during a census period. However, 1 million citizens leave State A for States B and C (say they are equally split). States B and C do not allow any illegal aliens.

    By the way, illegal aliens are counted in the census. The census takers just tally the number of people they see.

    After the next census, State A has a net increase of 1 million and States B and C have an increase of 500,000 each. What happens is that States B and C will probably have to give up a congressional seat each to State A.

    As you can see from the scenario, this makes illegal immigration a violation of State’s rights. The losing States are denied adequate representation because of illegal aliens.

    The People’s Socialist Quagmire of California will have all the representation they will ever want. The only way to stop CA is to have the other 49 (or is it 58?) states secede from the union and not let CA back in. Fat chance.

  15. #15
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:07 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    I’m going to do my part by driving out to the coast and shovel s&*t against the tide! Anybody want to join me?

  16. #16
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:12 pm, JHSII said:

    The backlash against Senator Vitter by the liberals in the Senate will probably cost him his seat.

    Does anyone else remember what happened to Senator Joseph McCarthy?

  17. #17
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:13 pm, Wellsy said:

    Good point, Brian. The time to do this was when you controlled the House, Senate, and Presidency. The window of opportunity is over. I guess better late than never, though. Gotta keep it up.

  18. #18
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:18 pm, frontierguy said:

    I think this bs comprehensive immigration reform will be one of the first bills introduced. It’ll sound good, like they have to learn English, they have to get at the end of the line, but no one will enforce the rules and end of the line means nothing, they will get to stay. These are all brand new D voters. I went to a swearing in ceremony in CA last summer. The Dems and Repubs had their desks set up right outside the doors. My friend was one of 5 waiting to register Repub while the line for the Dems was around the corner. The Dems will destroy the country and at least the illegals here will just end up feeling right at home.

  19. #19
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:23 pm, FamilyMan said:

    TooMuchTime said: By the way, illegal aliens are counted in the census.

    So are you saying, California has too many congressmen for their legal population? As an Idahoian, I object.

  20. #20
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:33 pm, frontierguy said:

    I just saw someone else on the news mention the whole 12 million illegals, we can’t do anything about that, the number is too high. If 12 million of us claim 40 exemptions on our W-2′s, then refuse to file or pay, would the government say, well 12 million, too many to do anything about that. Guess we’ll just have to amnesty them? Does it work this way, is 12 million the magic can’t do anything about it number?

  21. #21
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:35 pm, Boomer said:

    FamilyMan #19 I have to agree with you. After all in the Boise area there are lots of refuges from California invading our portion of the state it would only be fair if they gave up one of those seats to our state. After kicking Bill Sali out of the House of Representatives with a so called Blue Dog Democrat they have proved the axiom about liberals fleeing the dysfunctional old state of their own making and using the same methods to destroy the functioning conservative state they move to.

    ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE (mo-lone lah-veh) Translation: Come and take them!

  22. #22
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:38 pm, starlightwoman said:

    I wonder what General Patreaus (I’m sure I spelled that wrong) will be doing in 2012??!!!!

  23. #23
    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:49 pm, zorro said:

    Nice move Sen. Vetter. We can file this under “too little too late”.

    But this move doesn’t change my view of republican party. I am through with them, they are completely hopeless. The GOP put themselves in this position by pretending to be democraps instead of being conservatives. I can’t wait to see the look on their faces when Sen. Stuart Smalley is seated and is elected chairman of the Senate Ethics Committee.

  24. #24
    On January 13th, 2009 at 9:04 pm, flenser said:

    I am glad he did propose it, but why wasn’t this done from 1995 through 2006 and passed? If the RINO’s stopped it and/or Bush veto’d it, we could have had the opportunity to have gotten some folks elected who had some guts to push it through!

    Guys, you’re mistaken. Legislation WAS introduced while the GOP held Congress, on a regular basis. And it died on a regular basis while being largely ignored on the right wing blogs. (With the partial exception of this one.)

    So you’re off base in your criticism. The base was able to get going to stop amnesty, but it never showed much interest in getting good legislation passed.

  25. #25
    On January 13th, 2009 at 9:32 pm, bjc said:

    *It is understandable that congress wants to resolve a major problem such as illegal immigration, since it negatively impacts many facets of daily life for so many Americans, it is just not logical that they wish to abandon the rule of law in favor of amnesty; Remember, it is supposed to be a nation of laws, not of men; We need to continue to remind them of that.
    *Vitter has it right; He is attempting to demagnetize the country of illegal immigrants by denying services wherever and whenever; Mandatory E-Verify is the best tool to wash out all of the illegals, later to be backfilled by matching qualified legal immigrants to any open, necessary jobs.
    *I myself am a naturalized citizen; I am beyond grateful in being allowed to spend the rest of my days here, but I worked hard at it for many years and did all things right, as it should be; I’ll never understand why congress is so hell-bent on destroying this country through amnesty when there are billions of people to choose from who would instead strenghthen it for many generations to come.

  26. #26
    On January 13th, 2009 at 9:55 pm, thefoundingfathers said:

    On January 13th, 2009 at 9:04 pm, flenser said:
    Guys, you’re mistaken. Legislation WAS introduced while the GOP held Congress, on a regular basis. And it died on a regular basis while being largely ignored on the right wing blogs. (With the partial exception of this one.)

    If the GOP controlling both houses of Congress and the White House wanted to pass this legislation to correct this problem they would have. To much emphysis on one big bloated comprehensive legislative bill instead of simpler bills that would have attacked the problem and been easier to pass.

  27. #27
    On January 13th, 2009 at 10:00 pm, zyzzyg said:

    Good on Sen Vitter.

    Follow the Law, and illegal immigration will take care of itself.

  28. #28
    On January 13th, 2009 at 11:24 pm, Bill Grant said:

    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:38 pm, starlightwoman said:

    I wonder what General PatreausPetraeus… will be doing in 2012??!!!!

    An excellent idea.

  29. #29
    On January 14th, 2009 at 12:33 am, Speakup said:

    I read a story today about how people are leaving CA for other states, so much so that CA may loose a congressional seat. What will they do when the state is filled with nothing but illegal aliens and Hollywood nitwits?

    Go East, young man? Californians look for the exit
    By MICHAEL R. BLOOD
    Associated Press Writer
    Published: Monday, Jan. 12, 2009

    LOS ANGELES — Mike Reilly spent his lifetime chasing the California dream. This year he’s going to look for it in Colorado.

    Check some of the comments.

  30. #30
    On January 14th, 2009 at 8:24 am, rooster said:

    How can any of these arschlochs mention our bad economy and job losses without stating the facts about illegals stealing our JOBS!!!

  31. #31
    On January 14th, 2009 at 9:46 am, Weary Citizen said:

    On January 13th, 2009 at 7:06 pm, Brian Paasch said:

    Well, I somewhat disagree with you. True the GOP Senators sat on their hands and did nothing to offer up immigration legislation the masses want to see. As you say, nothing but games. However, the House has several good members on the issue. They are members of the “House Immigration Caucus” established by Tancredo (last I heard about 30 members). Every year they propose several bills, including a provision to end “birthright citizenship” (critical to ever getting this problem under control). But every year, very few of these bills ever make it out of committe, even when the GOP held the majority. To many RINO’s for the the true conservatives to override. Until there is open and honest debate about the direction of immigraiton nothing will change.

    As Michael Savage has stated (paraphrased), “none of these so called representatives of the people ever asked us if we want to change the demographics of the US through immigration policies”. Which was argued would not happen with the the 1965 Immigration act, per Ted Kennedy. Boy was he ever wrong.

  32. #32
    On January 14th, 2009 at 10:22 am, Lan Astaslem said:

    On January 14th, 2009 at 12:33 am, Speakup said:
    Check some of the comments.

    Hmmm… Looks like the comments on that article must have been really good, because they’ve all been deleted! Figures.

  33. #33
    On January 14th, 2009 at 11:47 am, Speakup said:

    The SacBee is a liberal rag and they do play games but the last time I checked the comments were there.

    http://www.sacbee.com/827/story/1535905.html

  34. #34
    On January 14th, 2009 at 1:12 pm, Elm Creek Smith said:

    On January 13th, 2009 at 8:35 pm, Boomer said:
    FamilyMan #19 I have to agree with you. After all in the Boise area there are lots of refuges from California invading infesting our portion of the state it would only be fair if they gave up one of those seats to our state.

    Fixed.

    ECS

  35. #35
    On January 16th, 2009 at 8:07 pm, usa_usa said:

    Vitter is a good man and a good senator no matter what mud democrats sling at him.

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