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Immigration response from Senator Larry Craig to Daryl L. Hunter

June 20, 2006

To Mr. Daryl L. Hunter

Dear Daryl:

Because of your past contact concerning immigration reform, I wanted to get back to you on recent developments in this area.

On May 25, the Senate passed S.2611, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, following several weeks of highly-charged debate and numerous votes on amendments.Ê A majority of the Senate ultimately supported taking a multi-pronged approach to the complex problem of illegal immigration, including improved border control, increased domestic law enforcement, and visa reform.

Unfortunately, most Americans following the bill have only heard about the controversial elements of S.2611 or the emotion-laden rhetoric surrounding key votes.Ê I understand the strong feelings that the immigration issue provokes, and I will not deny that some aspects of the debate and this bill deserve criticism.Ê Having said that, however, I hope you will allow me to provide some details that may produce a more balanced, and accurate, picture of the legislation.

The first, fundamental responsibility of the federal government is to protect the American people through strong national defense and effective homeland security, which encompasses border security.Ê S.2611 would increase resources in this area dramatically.Ê For example, the bill would more than double the Border Patrol within five years and would authorize using National Guard troops to assist them.Ê It would allow the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to hire thousands of new immigration enforcement, inspection, and investigation personnel, as well as purchase body armor, tracking vehicles, and firearms to equip them.Ê It would also enable construction of hundreds of miles of fencing and vehicle barriers along vulnerable sections of the border.ÊÊ

These are indisputably strong provisions to improve border control.Ê However, we know that tough enforcement is only part of the solution to the immigration dilemma.Ê This is demonstrated by the fact that in the last decade, the undocumented population in our country more than doubled despite a crackdown that tripled the number of agents enforcing border and immigration laws, intensified worker identification checks, and implemented high-tech initiatives for better identification and tracking to produce a sixfold increase in formal removals of illegal aliens, to nearly a million annually.Ê

Border security initiatives can only work if they are coupled with domestic law enforcement that identifies and brings undocumented workers out of the underground economy, and an effective temporary worker program to match willing foreign workers with jobs that Americans are unwilling or unable to perform.Ê

That is why the Senate bill went beyond border control and included provisions addressing internal law enforcement and temporary worker programs.Ê

S.2611 would provide financial resources for local law enforcement agencies handling significant border or immigration-related crimefighting and would allow those agencies to work out agreements with DHS to assist in enforcing federal immigration laws.Ê It would also establish an Electronic Employment Verification System for screening new employees and impose increasingly heavy fines each time an employer hires an unauthorized worker.Ê Current undocumented workers would be required to leave the country unless they could prove they entered more than five years ago, have a job, pay thousands of dollars in fines and fees, pay back taxes, and learn English.Ê S.2611 would also reform the current temporary worker program for seasonal agriculture and stabilize agriculture until those reforms kick in by allowing some longtime farm workers to qualify for a one-time transitional "blue card" if they undergo a background check, pay a substantial fine, and remain working in agriculture for three to five years.Ê It would establish a new temporary worker program for other business sectors, and would authorize more visas for highly-skilled workers.

While the above list is a long one, it only skims the surface of this lengthy bill.Ê Again, I realize that there are provisions some may find controversial, but the bill also contains many improvements critical to protecting the security and economy of our nation.ÊÊ

In any event, the Senate bill will never be signed into law.Ê For legislation to be enacted by the President, there must be agreement between the House of Representatives and the Senate - and the approach taken by the House differs so fundamentally from that of S.2611 that both chambers will have to make substantial compromises in order to reach such an agreement.Ê It is unclear at this time whether the attempt will even be made, let alone how a compromise can be achieved.Ê

Regardless of the differences we may have over specific proposals, I want you to know that my first priority is, and will always be, the hard-working men and women of Idaho and their families.Ê I will support policies that protect and benefit American citizens, treat immigrants fairly, and preserve our economy, resources, and national security.

Again, thank you for contacting me about immigration and allowing me the opportunity to share my views with you.Ê Please let me know if I may be of further assistance on this or any other matters of concern.

Sincerely,

LARRY E. CRAIG United States Senator


My open letter response to Senator Craig

Dear Senator Craig,

Thank you for replying to my concerns. You say that border security initiatives can only work if they are coupled with domestic law enforcement that identifies and brings undocumented workers out of the underground economy, and an effective temporary worker program to match willing foreign workers with jobs that Americans are unwilling or unable to perform.

Senator Craig, I agree, we must bring them out of the underground economy and send them back to Mexico where their current employer can get them a legal visa so they can return legally. Oh, I guess that isn't what you meant, you meant, bring them out and give them amnesty!

The matching of willing foreign workers with jobs needs to be done from Mexico, not by legitimizing AmericaÕs ongoing Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations activity that has been going on between government (the Corrupt Organization) and the Racketeers (American Business). The only way we will keep workers at jobs that Americans are unwilling to do is to have new workers come in from Mexico as we send the ones back with expired visas. If they stay here to long they acquire the skills of Americans, then they take their jobs, just as they do everyday by the millions in the construction trades. That certainly keeps construction costs down nicely though, doesnÕt it?

You say current undocumented workers would be required to leave the country unless they could prove they entered more than five years ago, have a job, pay thousands of dollars in fines and fees, pay back taxes, and learn English.

Senator Craig, you know that this provision is just a song and dance platitude with no teeth and holes big enough to drive a semi through.

You said you realize that there are provisions some may find controversial.

Controversial isn't what I find it, I find it reckless and stupid as do millions of Americans. You want to give amnesty to 11 million prolific Catholics that the Heritage Institute estimates will become 103 million people in 20 years; this would increase our population 30%. Thank you Senate bill 2611.

Senator Craig, Your bill doesn't allow enough temporary workers into America because you want so many illegal aliens to stay. I assert that if we need to bring 1.5 million visa workers a year to America, by all means, bring them in, however, we have to send them back when their visa expires.

US immigration law says the per country quota states no country can send more than 7% of the total worldwide immigration, this translates to 25,620 people per country per year despite the counties size. Proponents of your legislation say our 11 million illegal aliens will have to go to the end of the line and wait their turn. Considering the 25,620 per year quota, 11 million people from Mexico will be waiting in a line that will take 429 years to legally process.

Senator Craig, I think that those of you in power believe that it is in the best interest for the Stock Market and your big contributors to keep the status quo. I also believe that our collective failure to reform Social Security is another driving force behind this stupidest of mistakes. Millions of additional workers will be a short-term fix for my Social Security benefit, but it will cost my progeny dearly.

Senator Craig, This shill game being perpetrated by those of you who want either cheap labor, or to shore up the Social SecurityÕs Ponzi Scheme is disingenuous and disgraceful. If it is to keep Social Security solvent our legislators should tell us that so the idiots that are against changing SSI could reconsider.

Senator Craig, it must become a felony to knowingly hire an illegal alien, and you Senator Craig know that it is easy to find employers excepting duplicate SSI numbers through the IRS. Another example of a simple solution being ignored.

Senator Craig, as a conservative activist and columnist I do my best to support our Republicans that hold public office but I no longer support you or President Bush because of how the two of you are stabbing your constituency in the back. All the good work you and President Bush have done is being negated by this reckless and offensive legislation.

It is encouraging to me that you believe that the House of Representatives wonÕt compromise enough in committee to sign this into law. Dead On Arrival is exactly the way your legislative feces should be.

Senator Criag, My grandfather was born in Ciudad Warez in about 1900 and crossed into the US illegally and believe me, our country would be a better place if 3/4 of his decedents weren't leaching off our government and selling methamphetamine to our progeny. You would also have one less activist calling Bull Hockey on your self-serving constituent screwing legislation.

Give J.R. Simplot my regards and tell him he better write you a big retirement check because I sure hope that you are done undermining America in Washington.

Sincerely,

Daryl L. Hunter

 

 

conservative book club

'And Rightly So' - Daryl L. Hunter's column published as inspiration dictates
 

A Deist Among The Mormons • By Daryl L. Hunter
What I think of the Mormons and why Mitt Romney should be President!

I live in a beautiful rural valley of 700 people in eastern Idaho and after I came to live here I found out that Utah isn’t the only place that is fifty percent Mormon..............................As a compulsively inquisitive geo-political junkie I decided to look through the Book of Mormon so I could learn a little about the belief of my neighbors. As with any outsider looking into another’s faith, I found many outlandish passages that would require faith to swallow, however, this is a characteristic that all religions share. What I have learned of my Mormon neighbors in the years since my voyeuristic venture into the sacred book of the LDS Church is more telling. My anecdotal experiences have revealed to me that I couldn’t have better neighbors or live in a finer community....................................................Although I canít achieve faith, I admire, and may be envious of those who do. One of the problems I find in my on going analysis of life and faith is the paradoxical dichotomy of religion that fosters the Achilles Heel of human nature, ìtribalism.î The tribalism of religion pits one religion against another, hence 99% of the worlds problems. The tribalism of Evangelicals is undermining the ability of their conservative brethren, the Mormons, to carry forward the flag of conservatism and I find this as an affront to common sense. -----------------------> More

Militant Islam 101: a history and warning • In the wake of the Iraq War, there has been much Monday morning quarter backing by America’s weak offensive line (liberals) who insist the “War on Terror” is to be waged only against Osuma bin ladens al Qaeda. This essay is to make the connection of pan-Islamo Fascism and its long terrorism history. As the democratic world confronts al Qeada’s Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri, Iran’s Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hezbollah ‘s Hassan Nasrallah, and their followers, many among us are trying to understand militant Islam, where it came from and its aims. The following background material is designed to give an overview of the phenomenon that has been called "militant Islam," "fundamentalist Islam," “Islamo Fascism” “Islamism,” or "radical Islam."

"Allah is our objective. The Prophet is our leader. Koran is our law. Jihad is our way. Dying in the way of Allah is our highest hope." - the Muslim Brotherhood

The roots of militant Islam go back to the thirteenth century-----------------------------> More

Independence Day reflections and hopesOn July, 4,1776 our forefathers mustered up the temerity to declare their freedom from the tyranny of a foreign government. This brazen act set forth the foundation to build the freest nation on earth. During the following 16 years this new country crafted the foundation for our nation to succeed. This first contract with America sowed the seeds for Americaís future greatness, but did it also sow the seeds for Americaís future demise as well?

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) Info ToursGovernor Frank Murkowski (R) AK should sponsor information trips to Alaska and ANWR for all influential people involved with this issue................... It should be mandated by Congress that all Congressional members must participate in these tours in if they wish to vote on such important legislation............................Extracting the oil of ANWR is an unavoidable eventuality. God put that oil there, and humankind will not allow it to remain there forever.

'And Rightly So' - Daryl L. Hunter's weekly column published in Jackson Wyoming's "Planet Jackson Hole" until 7-12-2006

7-12-2006 Daryl L. Hunters Last Column For Planet Jackson Hole • For the past six months Planet Jackson Hole has provided me the opportunity to point out many wrongs, as I perceive them in our dynamic and rapidly changing area...................I hope that I have opened a window so our many newcomers can look at some of the endangered, traditional professions with empathy instead of scorn.................The flood of us newbieís who devour the cattle ranches and farms are the locusts of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.

7-5-2006 • Column about media, freedom of speech and freedom of the press rejected by Planet Jackson Hole

6-28-2006Tort Reform • Americaís medical industry is in a crisis due to frivolous lawsuits and outrageous judgments to victims. Tort reform is desperately needed...............Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi, R-WY, on 6-22-2006 called for reforms that will deliver quick and fair compensation to injured patients, while providing consistent and reliable results so doctors can eliminate defensive medicine and learn from medical errors.............Hillary Clinton and Barak Obama wrote in the New England Journal of Medicine, that high premiums ìare forcing physicians to give up performing certain high-risk procedures,

6-21-2006The Spotted Owl Canard and Environmentalists • A funny thing happened here in our Northwestern forest; a giant canard has been shot out of the sky. One of the most fought over endangered species in the history of the West, the Spotted Owl, contrary to popular belief appears to be the victim of an invasive species from the eastern forest; the culprit, the Barred Owl.

6-14-2006In Defense of Logging and Loggers • There have been few characters of American folklore with the stature of Paul Bunyon.......................It is refreshing to hear that this proud profession is still celebrated despite its vilification by Americaís tree huggers who have turned a blind eye to their need for timber products.........................When we choose not to log our forests, by default we are choosing to look at burnt forests instead.

6-7-2006The Public Grazing Conundrum • The face of the west is changing, what was once a frontier populated with hard scrabble farmers, loggers, miners, cowboys and ranchers has been infiltrated and is getting gentrified by interlopers from the cities that have a new plan for their adopted home, part of this plan is to end the grazing of our public multipurpose lands.

5-31-2006About Memorial Day • Private First Class Jacob Allcott, 21 from Caldwell Idaho, was killed April 22 near Baghdad. On Friday May 5, I heard on the radio that the following day in order to honor Pfc. Allcott, that the people of Idaho Falls were going to line the funeral procession route to the Iona cemetery, I decided to go too pay my respects to our fallen soldier I did not know.

5-24-2006Conservatives are from Mars Liberals are from Venus • Several years ago observation provided an epiphany that testosterone may be a factor of political ideological persuasion; later Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger put forth his oversimplified hyperbolic ìgirly-menî comment about the California Legislature apparently coming to a similar hypothesis.

Shop at Cabela's!

5-17-2006The Wyoming Range: a drilling dilemma • As an outspoken conservative multiple use advocate some will be surprised that I come down on the side of not drilling in the Wyoming Range, but it is not the first time;.......................Driving through the Hoback Valley I always marvel at the untouched beauty of its mountains and the timeless tranquility of its river bottom ranches, the Wyoming range to the west and the Gros Ventre Range to the east are breathtaking. Most any place else in the world this awe inspiring spot would be a tourist attraction but in Western Wyoming with its embarrassment of natural riches the Hoback Valley is just another pretty place.

5-10-2006Power of Place, or values? • The power of place, well we sure have that! The question is what are we going to do with it? We inarguably live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons, our rivers, mountains, wilderness areas and our plethora of wildlife has presented many paradoxical, insoluble dilemmas....................

5-3-2006A teachable moment • A teachable moment can be characterized by a current event one experiences or observes that provides an anecdotal example that can be illustrative by opening a window upon the past,............In 1783 a planned military coup was defused only by the personal intervention of General George Washington, ............During the Vietnam war the mediaís incessant brow beating verbally emasculated our leaders robbing them of the tools they needed for bold, decisive leadership to win the war, In Iraq..............

4-26-2006The Cowboy: an endangered species • The cowboy is one of America's most cherished and mythical figures. He symbolizes the mystique of the American west, a caricature of frontier courage, independence, and rugged masculinity. The iconical cowboy brings to mind, horses, cattle, the howl of a coyote, and wide-open spaces, the cowboy riding off into the sunset. In the west all these things are still alive and well but sadly the cowboy may be riding off into the sunset for good.

4-19-2006 • Illegal Aliens: Our legislators perplexing paradox • The illegal immigration debate has brought to the fore some interesting political dynamics that beg analysis. The imponderable elephant in the living room of this debate is the Hispanic voting block..........................Their convoluting of semantics is nothing but disingenuous subterfuge about their intent. For the sake of semantic clarity we can call it – lying! Their covert attempt to pass off a sow’s ear for a silk purse should not fly.

4-12-2006Family Values - a journey of discovery • Growing up a child of alcoholics in a single parent home with a mother who sang the praises of..................Other than that I was the typical 70’s something counter culture rebel. During the 70’s and 80’s I was libertarian in many ways..............my opinion of a “Family Values” platform was: how lame.............Then I became a father.

4-05-2006Taliban in Jackson HoleAfter a commercial rafting trip one day, I asked this gal from Kansas how she liked her trip. She replied it was fun and it sure is pretty around here, but the mountains get in the way of the view..................ìI felt I had looked into the face of evil,î Fund wrote after Rahmatullah defended the Talibanís treatment of women and said he hadnít seen any evidence that their ìguestî Osama bin Laden was a terrorist.

3-29-2006Conservative Populism- popÝuÝlism - 1 - A political philosophy supporting the rights and power of the people in their struggle against the privileged elite.........- eÝlitÝism or ÈÝlitÝism - 1 - The sense of entitlement enjoyed by such a group or class. - b. - Control, rule, or domination by such a group or class. ................Liberals bandy about the word populism in a proprietary manner as if their social advocacy made them the de facto ìpeoples partyî. I donít think that they are correct.

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3-22-2006The New Paganism • There is a new Paganism taking root around the world and it manifests itself as environmentalism or more explicitly, Pantheism, a doctrine identifying the Deity with the universe and its phenomena, Fundamentalist Environmentalism, if you will..........Making a reasoned argument to a Fundamentalist Environmentalist to harvest any of earthís recourses is akin to asking a Christian to give up Jesus.

3-08-2006Xenophobic paranoia or teapot tempest • In the uneasy climate after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Bush administrationís hasty decision to allow Dubai Ports World to purchase of operations of six U.S. ports is incomprehensible to most Americans...........It is regrettable that the administration didn't factor perception by the American people into their analysis. ..........

3-01-2006Media should ignore ‘work product’ • Two bills being considered by the Wyoming Legislature that would prevent public access to government e-mail........What a nit picking world we have created where we feel the need to read the mail of others,.....

2-22-2006A Cellulosic Ethanol plant may be coming to Idaho Falls • According the the Ottawa Sun, Iogen an Ottawa biotech firm who specializes in Cellulosic Ethanol is hoping to build a $350-million factory in Canada or Idaho Falls,......Supporters of alternative energy sources say that thanks to biotech breakthroughs, we may soon be able to produce ethanol easily and inexpensively.....

2-15-2006Let Natives have a PC bison hunt • Montana, Gov. Brian Schweitzer's office is planning on changing how bison that wander out of Yellowstone are managed. In recent weeks........... Imagine, the Griswoldís family vacation to Yellowstone while watching for moose, elk, and grizzly bear they happen upon a real live native American bison hunt,

2-08-2006Freudenthal - Alito - Bush - in the newsGov. Dave Freudenthalís recent trip to Iraq included meetings with Wyoming troops, Gen. George Casey and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad. The following are some of the statements he made while there........Justice Alito has emerged unscathed at the end of the gauntlet hosted by the Senate Democrats much to the chagrin of Americaís liberals ......President Bush in his state of the union speech said a couple of important things that need to be driven home: ìI have authorized a terrorist ........

2-01-2006Greater Yellowstone; A Grizzly HomeAbout 10 years ago a grizzly sow and her three cubs were seen by Paul Bruin as he was fishing the Snake just above Deadman's Bar in Grand Teton National Park. The following day these bears were tranquilized on South Park Loop at the Bob Lucasís Ranch. She either skirted Jackson or walked straight down the river through the property of many unsuspecting homeowner........

1-25-2006Ethanol - now is a good time • Ethanol is a commercially proven renewable bio-fuel which is used as an additive to gasoline, either as an oxygenate additive as mandated by federal or state "clean air" programs, or as an octane enhancer or gasoline substitute. It is refreshing to know that fuel choice is on the horizon and it is in our grasp to write an obituary for foreign oil.....

1-18-2006High Mountain Heli-skiing under attack again!Jon Shick of High Mountain Heli-skiing, the 12 good paying jobs that he provides and the $870,000 that 1, 200 heli-skier days would bring into our community are under attack again.......Once again I would like to thank the environmentalist community for marginalizing themselves by putting forth another imbecile's argument to further their anti multiple use agenda on our forests. Their red hearing about heli-ski operators scarring and stressing the wildlife living in snow deep enough that powder hounds pay $725.00 a day to ski it is amusing.

1-11-2006The Elk Feed Ground Conundrum • Wyoming's elk feed grounds are coming under increasing scrutiny because the feed grounds crowd elk into unnaturally small areas which foster conditions that are conducive to the transmission of disease, this is why brucellosis is so common on feed grounds and game farms, and it is only a matter of time.........

1-04-2006Freudenthal Second Strike Legislation • Governor Freudenthal has proposed legislation that will require sex offenders who target children to get life in prison with no parole upon their second conviction. But predictably Casper criminal defense attorney Mike Krampner in defense of his customer base......

12-21-2005Christmas Present • Growing up as a child in America, as all children, I loved the Christmas season, the Christmas tree, lights, lawn decorations, candy, mistletoe, cookies, Santa Claus, elves, reindeer and most of all presents, it was a magical time of year. It sure was a surprise at age 12 when I found out that........