Check this out. I wrote to our US Senator, Dick Durbin, regarding recent legislation he is sponsoring: http://durbin.senate.gov/showRelease.cfm?releaseId=280889
This back door amnesty program is supposedly "for the children". I wrote to him (http://durbin.senate.gov/contact.cfm) asking for him to explain why certain criminals needed preferential treatment and why was I going to be forced to pay for it. Here was his response (it's difficult reading, he really need to learn how to break up paragraphs):
September 21, 2007
Thank you for contacting me about the education of immigrant children. I appreciate hearing from you. I understand your concern about the cost of attending colleges and universities. Federal student aid is based on financial need and allocated to students to ensure that those from working families are not denied access to college because of income. Throughout my service in Congress, I have supported initiatives that would help make college more affordable, including increasing the amount of money available through Pell Grants and providing tax relief that will help families and students pay for college. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I will continue to work to fund federal student aid programs. Graduation from high school is an important milestone in life, with many graduates then looking forward to college. Some children do not have the chance to attend college and reach their full potential because they are undocumented. Most of these children were brought to the United States when they were very young and did not have the opportunity to make an independent decision about where they would live. They grew up here, went to school here, and want to be productive members of our society. In 2003, I joined Senator Orrin Hatch of Utah in introducing the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act). I have introduced similar legislation in the 110th Congress and it has been referred to the Judiciary Committee for review. The DREAM Act would enable undocumented immigrants to earn the right to apply for legal residency by allowing them to apply for conditional resident status and apply for college on the same terms as other students if they 1) have lived in the U.S. for at least five years; 2) have attended school in our country and graduated from high school; and 3) are of good moral character. This measure would not provide any financial aid to any student. It would allow these students to apply for federal student assistance, while requiring the eligible students to go through the same process as any other student applying for federal financial aid and holding them to the same standards. They would have the opportunity to remove the conditional nature of their resident status by acquiring a college degree, successfully attending at least two years of college, or serving honorably in the Armed Forces for at least two years. Finally, this bill would enable states to determine their own residency rules regarding the tuition rate for undocumented immigrant children at state colleges and universities. This approach would not affect colleges' admission rules. Immigrants affected by the legislation would have to demonstrate their academic eligibility and merit. Furthermore, Urban Institute and U.S. Census figures show that undocumented immigrant children who meet the criteria spelled out in this measure represent less than two percent of all high school graduates each year. Some opponents of this legislation suggest that it would encourage illegal immigration. No studies have shown a connection between illegal immigration and access to college education in this country. Throughout my service in Congress, I have supported efforts to deter illegal immigration. I have voted for measures to reduce illegal immigration by providing additional Border Patrol agents and giving the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) more authority to investigate illegal alien smuggling. I also voted in favor of the USA PATRIOT Act, which tripled the number of agents along our northern border and strengthened the standards for the issuance of visas. Legislation enabling undocumented children to apply for college and financial aid will benefit our nation. Current law deprives us of future leaders, increased tax revenues, economic growth, and social vibrancy. We suffer because vulnerable children who might have become scientists, nurses, teachers, or engineers are forced, instead, to settle for the more limited employment options available to those without a college degree. Worse, guidance counselors report that many promising students drop out of school once they realize that, as a practical matter, they will be unable to go to college. I hope this letter helps you understand why I support the DREAM Act. I appreciate having your views. Thanks again for your message. Sincerely, Richard J. Durbin United States Senator RJD/tf P.S. If you are ever visiting Washington, please feel free to join Senator Obama and me at our weekly constituent coffee. When the Senate is in session, we provide coffee and donuts every Thursday at 8:30 a.m. as we hear what is on the minds of Illinoisans and respond to your questions. We would welcome your participation. Please call my D.C. office for more details.
Of course, I had to reply. Here is my response:
In response to you your e-mail to me on 9/21/2007:
First, you started off your response by incorrectly stating: "Thank you for contacting me about the education of immigrant children."
This statement is simply wrong, I wrote to you about giving preferential treatment to criminals. It has nothing to do with "the education of immigrant children". Immigrant children are the children of immigrants, not the children of criminals that have broken into our country. That is why we use the term "Illegal Alien” to describe this type of criminal.
You then made the statement: "Some children do not have the chance to attend college and reach their full potential because they are undocumented."
Exactly how is this my fault? Why should I have to pay for it? Is it not their parents that decided become criminals by breaking into our country? Using the term “undocumented” to try to water down the subject accomplishes nothing. They are still criminals.
You go to mention: "The DREAM Act would enable undocumented immigrants to earn the right to apply for legal residency by allowing them to apply for conditional resident status and apply for college on the same terms as other students if they 1) have lived in the U.S. for at least five years; 2) have attended school in our country and graduated from high school; and 3) are of good moral character."
So, in the first two conditions, you are looking to allow only the better (more skilled) criminals? Like the ones that have managed to hide from INS for at least five years? And the ones that have somehow managed to avoid INS again and graduate from high school? Since when are Illegal Aliens admitted to public school? How long have I been paying for that? So, once you find some really skilled criminals, you then apply the third test: “are of good moral character”. In the eyes of the law (which what you trying to make here), how exactly is this measured? Also, if they passed the first two tests, haven't they, by default of being criminals, failed the the third test?
You then state: “Furthermore, Urban Institute and U.S. Census figures show that undocumented immigrant children who meet the criteria spelled out in this measure represent less than two percent of all high school graduates each year.”
Aren't you misusing the term “undocumented” here? This appears to indicate that these criminals are “documented”. If they were “undocumented”, exactly how are they being measured? It also appears that we have official systems in place to “look the other way” when these criminals are detected. Is not the act of “looking the other way” criminal in itself? What is being done about this? Also, if we know that 2% (or more) of high school graduates are Illegal Aliens, isn't 2% of the money I pay to support public education being used to fund illegal activities? As far as I know, knowingly funding criminal activity is in itself a crime. How do I go about making myself legal again by not paying for the 2% (or more) that I am currently being forced to pay? How do I get my government stop forcing me to be a criminal too (by forcing me to fund this type of illegal activity)? Is that not a criminal act on the part of the government as well?
Next you state: “Throughout my service in Congress, I have supported efforts to deter illegal immigration.“
Exactly how would this effort “deter illegal immigration”? On the contrary, this legislation appears to very much support “illegal immigration”. This appears to indicate that you no longer support efforts to deter illegal immigration. Exactly how does this benefit you? It clearly does not benefit our country.
Finally you state: “I also voted in favor of the USA PATRIOT Act, which tripled the number of agents along our northern border and strengthened the standards for the issuance of visas."
I did not realize that you had been that worried about the Canadians until know. Help me understand this, since when has our “northern border” been the primary point of entry for illegal aliens? You statement appears to completely avoid the real issue here. What is being done to secure the all of our borders, including the one you appear to be avoiding, the southern border. I forgot, your against “the fence”. Why exactly did you avoid mentioning the southern border?
How is breaking into my country different than breaking into my house? I would assume that you would have no problems prosecuting a criminal that breaks into my house. Why is breaking into my country any different? Do you have something to gain from these criminal activities that your not telling us about? Please come clean here.
-Bob
Let's see what happens now...
