Support a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
Ask Your Congressman to Co-Sponsor the SAFER Act
ISSUE: There is no doubt that problems in our immigration system lead to increasing strains on our social programs and infrastructure, while exposing us to increased risk of another terrorist attack. Illegal immigration adversely impacts our national security, the job market, as well as our federal, state and local housing, education and health care costs. Clearly, our nation would only benefit from comprehensive immigration enforcement reform.
The Securing America's Future through Enforcement Reform (SAFER) Act, being introduced by Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC), has the potential to provide the resources and reform our legal immigration system so desperately needs. This legislation would attempt to strengthen our borders, increase screening and tracking of aliens, remove alien terrorists, criminals, and human rights violators, enhance enforcement of the Immigration and Nationality Act, expedite removal proceedings, and reduce emergency immigration workload levels. Here's a short outline of the SAFER Act provisions:
> Securing the Border
>> Combats alien smuggling by increasing enforcement personnel, as well as increasing criminal sentences and fines for smuggling
>> Enhances Border Patrol by 16,000 agents over an eight year period, and authorizes U.S. military forces to aid in border security while Border Patrol reaches such optimal strength
> Screening Aliens Seeking Admission
>> Increases full-time DHS inspectors by 2,000 agents over an eight year period
>> Countries subject to the Visa Waiver Program must have machine readable, tamper-resistant passports with biometric identifiers by October 1, 2005.
>> Aliens seeking visas through consular offices must undergo in-person interviews
>> Aliens who increase our national security risks are inadmissible
> Tracking Aliens Present in the United States
>> Implements a comprehensive entry-exit control system
>> Enhances the foreign student tracking system
>> Implements registration and change of address requirements
>> Requires temporary visa holders to obtain "Visa Term Compliance Bonds"
> Removing Alien Terrorists, Criminals, and Human Rights Violators
>> Alien terrorists are deportable and shall not receive asylum
>> Prevents aliens convicted of crimes from having their sentences reversed purely to avoid deportation
>> Serious human rights violators are inadmissible and deportable
> Enhancing Enforcement of the Immigration and Nationality Act in the Interior
>> Requires measures to enhance the security of identification documents used by aliens and restricts the use of consular identification documents
>> Implements a volunteer program for employers to use to confirm legalized status for employment purposes; failure to use the program results in the loss of the "good faith" defense utilized by employers in legal proceedings
>> Increases enforcement personnel, and legal penalties for visa over-stayers
> Eliminates Excessive Review and Dilatory/Abusive Tactics in Removal Proceedings
> Emergency Immigration Workload Reduction
>> Temporarily suspends certain visa programs to allow the Directorate of Border and Transportation within the DHS to effectively implement his/her duties so that the security interests to the United States are not compromised
> Reforming Legal Immigration
>> Codifies the current oath of citizenship taken by new citizens
>> Prevents citizens of countries that are State Sponsors of Terrorism from obtaining visas for entry into the U.S. subject to limited waiver
>> Reduces legal immigration levels by 20%
ACTION ITEM: Rep. Barrett is now asking his House colleagues to "join me in making our nation SAFER by... [becoming] a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation." If you agree, Click "Go!" above to send a FREE editable, pre-written message to your Congressman, urging him or her to co-sponsor the "Securing America's Future through Enforcement Reform (SAFER) Act".
http://www.conservativealerts.com/111703.htm 
Support a Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill 
I like it! But,... 
I especially like the part about closeing our borders. But, there are parts, for example, where they want to keep those from countries who have bad human rights policies. i would just like to point out, many of those people are also victums of those human rights violations. i would hope there would be some provisions for them. Also, I am wondering, how they would handle a situation such as mine. I am seeking a visa for a Chinese woman and have waited many months already and they just ignore me. I have played by the rules and paid the money files out and provided all the papers and certificates asked for. Still, I wait , being ignored. While our service troops, I'm sure you recall, went against thier supiorir officer's orders and then sneaked around and converted to islam then married thier women onTV! What an outrage! Do you think they will be denied the right to bring thier women home with them? you bet they won't. They will be the darlings of the media. While I, haveing played by the existng rules, will continue to wait, being ignored because I am a good citizen. Joe, i know this is my problem and you people probably could'nt care any less but, if we are going to have rules and procedures, it would be nice if the gov., at least, would follow those rules and not make ordinary citizens suffer for the gov.'s sorry way of doing things. When i was in the service, 1970, if I had done what those soliiers did, I'd still be in prison. My how things have changed.
