Sorry, Mr. Frist. Your 11th hour electioneering won’t work on people who have actually been paying attention to the Senate’s actions – or lack thereof.

I’ll stick with Saint Arnold, thankyouverymuch.

Update:

Miller spins and spins, but I’m not buying it. Neither is Michelle Malkin.

Could it be that our elected criminals officials are finally getting the message that the citizens want border security?  One can only hope.

Last week, in a move that surprised absolutely no one, that same Senate voted 71-29 to deny funding for the construction of the previously mentioned fence.

This kinda puts the government’s priorities into perspective, doesn’t it. The Republicrats running the show are more interested in regulating the private lives of citizens than it is in doing its Constitutionally mandated job of protecting those citizens.

Immigrant sweep snags 58 at Fort Bragg

FORT BRAGG, N.C. – Federal agents conducting a sweep aimed at illegal immigrants detained 58 civilian workers Tuesday as they tried to enter Fort Bragg with suspected false or fraudulently obtained identification, officials said.

Almost all of them were construction workers, officials said.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, U.S. marshals and FBI agents worked with the military on the sweep, which was conducted between 6 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. when most of the thousands of soldiers and civilian workers who live off the post enter the gates.

“Today’s operation was part of our ongoing force protection measures,” said post spokesman Tom McCollum. “There were no incidents or accidents.”

Some of the people detained were from Mexico, Guatemala,
El Salvador and Honduras, ICE spokesman Marc Raimondi said.

Four people were arrested for drug possession, McCollum said.

People trying to enter Fort Bragg with false IDs can be charged with criminal trespass and presenting false identification, McCollum said. The garrison commander also can prevent contractors who knowingly hire such people from working at the base.

In the past year, more than 150 people have been detained as they tried to enter Fort Bragg without proper ID, McCollum said. The base is home to the U.S. Army Special Operations Command and the 82nd Airborne Division.

Today, I got a reply from Senator Cornyn’s office. As promised, I’m posting the reply here.

Dear Mr. Billings:

Thank you for contacting me about immigration reform. The need to fix our broken system is clear, and the Senate is debating several proposals regarding one of the most important issues in recent memory.

Immigration reform must concern itself with improving legal immigration, not about creating a new process that benefits only illegal aliens. For, although we are a nation of immigrants, we are also a nation of laws. If all immigrants must abide by the rule of law and must be treated equally, then we can reach a consensus on improving the legal process so that it meets the needs of our society, economy, and national security.

In July 2005, in my role as Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security, Immigration, and Citizenship, I worked closely with Arizona Senator Jon Kyl to formulate the Comprehensive Enforcement and Immigration Reform Act of 2005 (S. 1438). This legislation offers no amnesty and includes provisions to strengthen border security, ensure jobsite enforcement, and sensibly handle the undocumented population currently living within our borders. It is based on both the rule of law and the fundamental American principle of fairness.

Unfortunately, before the Easter recess, the Senate Judiciary Committee approved an immigration proposal that I did not vote for and could not support. This proposal is a substitute amendment to Majority Leader Bill Frist’s Securing America’s Borders Act (S. 2454). After a delay in the immigration debate, a new bill offered by Senators Chuck Hagel and Mel Martinez, the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006 (S. 2611), has come to the floor.

Although I believe this compromise bill is an important step toward creating a workable solution to the problem, it contains several proposals with which I disagree. The most contentious of these is the decision to allow illegal immigrants who have lived in the United States for more than five years to enter directly into a program that leads to permanent citizenship. Justice is not served by allowing the people who have broken our laws to gain resident status ahead of would-be immigrants who have applied through the appropriate legal channels.

Ultimately, the final immigration plan will be worked out in a conference committee that will reconcile the differences between the House of Representatives’ immigration bill (H.R. 4437) and the Senate bill. I will serve on that committee, and I look forward to crafting immigration laws that will be respected by American citizens and upheld by all levels of government.

As chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Border Security, Immigration, and Citizenship, I will continue working to curtail illegal immigration and its effects on the State of Texas while ensuring that immigrants following the rule of law have an equal opportunity to realize their potential as they become productive members of our society. To better acquaint you with the reforms I support, I have compiled detailed summaries of S. 1438 and other relevant information on my website.

I appreciate the opportunity to represent the interests of Texans in the United States Senate. Thank you for taking the time to contact me.

Sincerely,

JOHN CORNYN
United States Senator

517 Hart Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Tel: (202) 224-2934
Fax: (202) 228-2856

http://www.cornyn.senate.gov

Please sign up for my monthly newsletter at http://www.cornyn.senate.gov/newsletter.

May 21, 2006Former President Clinton agrees with Bush immigration plan

ASSOCIATED PRESS

LAS VEGAS (AP) – Former President Bill Clinton on Sunday said President Bush is doing a good job on immigration reform, praising his call for better border security and moderation in dealing with illegal immigrants.

“I basically think President Bush has done a good job with this,” Clinton told a convention of shopping center developers. “I’m different with him on nearly everything, but I think he’s done a good job with this.”

Clinton said employers were not blameless for hiring undocumented workers, who he described as “chasing their dreams the same way you chase your dreams.”

He also said any reform that included a path to citizenship should not to punish those who migrate legally.

“You don’t want a system that can be flouted so much that you actually punish law-abiding would-be immigrants who file for immigration in a legal fashion and patiently wait,” he said.

Clinton appeared to support Bush’s call last week for up to 6,000 National Guard troops to secure the U.S. border with Mexico.

“We need to at least have some idea of who’s crossing the border and whether they’re at all suspicious and whether they should be looked into,” Clinton said.

Clinton spoke to some 6,000 delegates at the International Council of Shopping Centers in an opening address that touched on the economy, health care and globalization.

He urged them to build shopping centers that cut down on greenhouse gases, which he said would spawn job growth in the industry related to energy-efficient technology.

I pay close attention to current events happening in the United States, and I must shake my head in dismay at what I see.  I see a Republican president, and a Republican controlled legislature giving lip service to so-called “national security” issues, then turning around and doing the exact opposite of what they are advocating.

As a strong supporter of the long-overdue war against terrorism, I can only watch in utter disbelief as the same people who advocate strong national security continue to allow the U.S. borders to remain unattended.  Normally, I would argue that the Border Patrol is under-manned and under-funded, but that argument vanished in a puff of smoke when I read the news today.

The Border Patrol is providing Mexico with information as to the location of the Minutemen who are patrolling the Arizona border?  Did I read this right?  Are representatives of the U.S. Government aiding and abetting in the violation of our own borders?

If this is true, then I am sure an investigation into this matter will be conducted with the utmost expediency.  Right?  I, for one, will not be holding my breath.  I, along with many other voters, have lost all faith in the federal government to fulfill its Constitutional duty to defend this nation against foreign invasion.  I am not referring to solely the illegal immigration problem, but also the very high possibility that terrorists could infiltrate the U.S. and smuggle in devastating weaponry.

Some of us voters held our noses as we voted for Republican candidates as we hoped the border situation would improve.  So far, we remain distinctly unimpressed.  Unless this very important national security matter is addressed immediately, I can assure you that, on November 7th, I will not be voting for anyone in the Republican Party.

Perhaps being relegated once again to a minority party status will remind Republican politicians as to who exactly elected them and as to why they were elected into office.

Sincerely,
(me)