Our 109th Congress, Fighting the Good Fight / One Bonner is Wrong and One is Right
There was a lot of talk earlier about what David Dreier would do, now that he's been re-elected. Well, I took some time to find out what he's doing on the floor (emphasis mine):
SPEECH OF
HON. DAVID DREIER
OF CALIFORNIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
TUESDAY, JANUARY 4, 2005
Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, the past several months have seen an almost unprecedented focus in this body on the extremely important issue of homeland security. Just a few weeks ago, we passed the National Intelligence Reform Act, a landmark piece of legislation to overhaul our intelligence agencies. But, as I noted at that time, the bill unfortunately did not go far enough in addressing the major security vulnerability presented by the porous nature of our borders.
So as we continue to address the issue of border security, I am proud to be an original co-sponsor of Chairman SENSENBRENNER's legislation to complete the San Diego border fence, and ensure that illegal immigrants are unable to receive drivers' licenses, something, I might add, already prohibited in my home state of California.
But in addition to these important steps that will soon be taken, I rise to ask for the support of my colleagues for an illegal immigration control plan that I am pleased to introduce today. The plan is the brainchild of T.J. Bonner, the President of the National Border Patrol Council, and a 26-year veteran of the Border Patrol who still serves with them today. T.J. believes that our proposal will eliminate up to 98 percent of the illegal border crossings into the United States.
T.J. and I share the belief that for any proposal to stop illegal immigration to be successful, it must get at the root cause of what attracts illegal immigrants to our country--and that is the lure of economic opportunity and the ease with which illegal workers can find jobs. Under the Bonner Plan, we will dramatically increase the enforcement of laws which prohibit American businesses from employing illegal immigrants. Regrettably, too many employers have been unwilling to comply with the law. The growing availability of counterfeit identity documents has also undermined the current system because employers are increasingly unable to establish the authenticity of documents presented by job applicants.
Our legislation adds new features to the Social Security card to deter counterfeiting and make it easier for employers to determine whether a card is genuine by including a digitized photo of the cardholder on the card. The improved Social Security card will also be encoded with a unique electronic encryption code to allow employers to verify each prospective applicant's work eligibility status prior to hiring, through either an electronic card-reader or a toll-free telephone number. Employers will face stiff federal fines of $50,000 and up to 5 years in prison if they hire an illegal immigrant or choose not to verify a prospective employee's work eligibility. The employer would also be required to reimburse the government for the cost of deporting the illegal immigrant.
With the improved Social Security card and national verification system, employers will have no excuse for hiring illegal immigrants. By eliminating the supply of jobs for illegal workers, we will end the incentive for illegal immigrants to enter the United States because they will know that they will be unable to make a living here.
Legal workers will only need to update their Social Security card once, to have their photo placed on the card and for other long-overdue anti-fraud measures to be applied. A worker would only need the updated Social Security card when applying for a new job. I want to make it very, very clear that this proposal does not represent the creation of a national identification card. This bill strictly prohibits the use of the Social Security card as a national ID card, and stipulates that the card not be required to be routinely carried on one's person. Social Security cards are often already required to be provided to new employers; the changes we are proposing to the Social Security card take us no further down the road of creating a national ID card.
Finally, the Bonner Plan also puts teeth into the new enforcement procedures by calling for the addition of 10,000 new Homeland Security officers whose sole responsibility will be to enforce employer compliance with the law. These new agents will free up the rest of the Border Patrol to exclusively focus on border enforcement and terrorism prevention.
Mr. Speaker, I do not stand here today to tell the rest of the world that we intend to limit opportunities for the American dream to be fulfilled. But if foreign nationals wish to come to the United States, they must, as Governor Schwarzenegger said, ``play by the rules,'' and we must make clear that there will be no economic opportunity for anyone who enters this country illegally. I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues in this effort, and hope they will consider joining me as we take action on this vital national security priority.
For those who don't recall, here is part of a transcript (courtesy Calblog) of David Dreier's election day conversation with Doug McIntyre. It states what the Bonner plan does, and what the Bonner plan doesn't bother to do:
McIntyre: ...Why do you think David that after a long run in the House of Representatives you find yourself in the acrimonious fight?
Dreier: ...There are people that are concerned about the fact that President Bush acknowledged there are between eight and fifteen million people in this country illegally…and (by) stepping up to the plate, and acknowledging that, by among other things, proposing support for a bracero program which would allow people to work in the United States and return to Mexico, created a high level of anger....[O]n the issue of illegal immigration, I’ve been working since 1993 when I was working in the past North American Free trade Agreement to try and strengthen the economy of Mexico so people would have the incentive to not flee across the border, all the way to 1996 when we were trying to put in place a counterfeit proof social security card, to our work right now to reintroduce that working with TJ Bonner. I guess my argument it that it’s a specious case, and I look forward to have a lengthy discussion with you....
McIntyre: Let’s have the discussion David....
Dreier: ...I believe that if we can reduce by 98-percent the flow of illegal immigrants in the U.S by having a counterfeit proof social security card that would be utilized by people applying for a new job....
McIntyre: ...A secure social security card still doesn’t stop people from coming across the border who come here for a better way of life.
Dreier: Doug, you just said it. Why do people come here? They come here seeking economic opportunity. TJ Bonner who is the president of the National Border Patrol Council, a 26-year veteran of the border patrol, made this recommendation at the end of the Time Magazine article. And when I read the Time Magazine article…when I read the article, my blood was boiling. And I’ve always been working on this issue of illegal immigration. But when you compare the Tyson food case and the brutal rape of two nuns by someone who came here illegally…uh, it is clear that we need to take action. And Bonner’s proposal....
Dreier: Let me tell you what I believe. And I know I keep harkening (to it) because the guy whom I work with is TJ Bonner. And what he said is if we put into place (a) counterfeit proof social security card, which will reduce by 98-percent the illegal border crossings…because like McIntyre just said, that people come here for a better way of life. What is that? A job. Economic opportunity. People will not be able to get a job if we have a card that one can swipe. An employer can swipe to determine exactly the status is of…
McIntyre: But Congressman Dreier…
Dreier: What Doug…what…what, excuse me. What Bonner said, if you’re going to have this social security card, it must be accompanied by some type of guest worker program. Not one that gives amnesty…
McIntyre: But Congressman, this is still Economics 101. You can have all the security if you want, (but) if there’s no enforcement, it doesn’t mean anything.
Dreier: That’s the whole point - there is enforcement. I don’t believe it is very wise to turn our employers into police but by virtue of having these tampered proof cards with the legislation that I have…that has a four hundred percent increase in penalties…And I agree about enforcement. We need to do more to enforce....It is our job as members of Congress to make laws. And we have oversight…We need to do what we can to do (enforcement)…I totally agree with you on that…
McIntyre: But you have been there for 24 years…
Dreier: I’m not a law enforcement officer!
McIntyre: But you’re chairman of the House Rules Committee. You’re not a back bencher. You’re a front bencher. By everyone...
Dreier: You know what I’ve done?...
McIntyre: You got the worst voting records of any US Congressman on the border issues. The very worst. FAIR, and all the immigration agencies that study this, have ranked you as the worst Republican in the House of Representatives.
Dreier: That’s not true…
McIntyre: Well, I can go on the website right now and get fifty of them…
Dreier: I don’t know what you’re talking about…
McIntyre: Let’s go with FAIR
Dreier: FAIR just endorsed my legislation…
McIntyre: Fair gave you an “F”.
Dreier: They’ve endorsed my legislation… Doug, I really don’t know what it is (that) you’re talking about….
McIntyre: I think the audience does....
McIntyre: Ok. But when people talk about putting the National Guard on the border, you said, and I quote, that “That is the equivalent of declaring war on South America.”
Dreier: Absolutely, and...
McIntyre: Why can’t a sovereign nation defend sovereign borders? Why are we talking about securing the borders of Afghanistan and Iraq if we can’t secure our borders at home? It’s like putting an 87-billion dollar burglar alarm to secure our country from terrorists, but not putting the door on the hinges....
TJ Bonner heads the National Border Patrol Council, an AFL-CIO union. The union's web page links to a PDF of an LA Times article entitled, "Border Agents Assail Bush's Plan to Bring in Guest Workers." It turns out that Robert Bonner (not TJ Bonner) is the one who supports the guest worker program. To make it perfectly clear who's who:
In a recent interview, Robert Bonner, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, disputed allegations by Border Patrol union officials who said increasing numbers of border crossers cited Bush's plan as a reason for coming.
"We haven't seen anything that can be reliably interpreted as increases in the number of illegal migrants coming across the board as a result of the president's announcement," Bonner said.
Bonner reacted to assertions by Border Patrol union officials who said in January many illegal immigrants were asking about the Bush plan to give temporary legal status to millions of illegal immigrants.
In San Diego, of 162 people stopped for using phony documents at San Ysidro in the weeks after Bush announced his plan on Jan. 7, 94 said they were trying to enter this country because of a proposed new work program, sources said....
"I think the president's plan would actually help customs and border protection," Bonner said. "We have to get control of the border for a lot of reasons for homeland security."
When asked why there have been a steady increase in apprehensions since last October, Bonner said: "It's a good question. I don't know why."...
T.J. Bonner, head of the National Border Patrol Council, which represents more than 10,000 border patrol officers, said he believes administration officials are "in denial" about the apprehension figures. (Bonner is not related to Robert Bonner, head of customs.)
Although Border Patrol officials no longer track the number of illegal migrants asking about the Bush plan, Bonner said the increase in apprehensions "obviously has everything to do with that. How else can they explain away the increase in apprehensions?"
"We are catching one of every three illegal migrants at best," Bonner said.
The National Border Patrol Council sponsors a website called NoAmnesty.Com, which expresses its displeasure with the guest worker program:
On January 7, 2004, President George Bush outlined his proposals for immigration law reform. The National Border Patrol Council finds his proposal to be a slap in the face to each and every man and woman who has ever worn the Border Patrol uniform. Border Patrol Agents risk their lives on a daily basis protecting the citizens of the United States, and many have lost their lives doing so. The President has apparently decided that cheap labor and votes outweigh obedience to laws and the sacrifices of dedicated law enforcement officers.
Currently, the big brouhaha is about a book that the Mexican government has published:
STEIN REPORT XXXXX Monday, January 03 2005 11:51:19 ET XXXXX
MEXICAN GOVERNMENT PUBLISHES COMIC WITH BORDER CROSSING TIPS
"The Mexican government is giving out a colorful new comic book with advice for migrants, but immigration-control advocates worry that some of the tips may encourage illegal border crossers. The 32-page book, The Guide for the Mexican Migrant, was published in December by Mexico's Foreign Ministry. Using simple language, the book offers safety information for border crossers, a primer on their legal rights and advice on living unobtrusively in the United States," the Arizona Republic reports. "'This is more than just a wink and a nod,' said Rick Oltman, Western field director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. 'This is so transparent, this is the Mexican government trying to protect its most valuable export, which is illegal migrants.'"
FAIR has obtained a PDF version of the document. You can download it here (PDF required, 800k)
The Mexican government's Foreign Ministry has an HTML version at http://www.sre.gob.mx/tramites/consulares/guiamigrante/page1.htm
My Spanish is too rusty to determine whether the guide advocates illegal immigration or warns against it, but one thing can be said - the book's artwork reminds me of Jack Chick.
Comments