Edward M. Kennedy

[Kriz1]

A not very interesting letter back from my neighbour...but worth following up I think....I don't have any visa problems myself...but I think this is a country problem not just a State one...so Mr Kennedy should if he is really interested in immigration find anyones story interesting....


Dear Mrs. Burns:

Thank you for contacting me concerning the ongoing debate over immigration reform. This is a complex issue, with many concerns, and it requires a comprehensive solution. 12 million undocumented workers are currently living in the United States, working, paying taxes, and raising children who are U.S. citizens. These undocumented immigrants contribute to our economy, and it is long past time to provide legal avenues to bring them out from the shadows.

Border enforcement has increased dramatically from 1990 to 2004. The budget for the Border Patrol has increased from $263 million in 1990 to $1.6 billion today - a six-fold increase. During this period, between 480,000 and 660,000 undocumented immigrants entered the U.S. each year. In all, nearly 9 million have arrived since 1990. Our immigration system is broken, and enforcement alone will not fix it.

We need realistic and comprehensive solutions that will protect our borders, enable temporary workers to enter the country legally, and allow workers already here to earn legal status. I'm proud to be a sponsor, with Senator McCain, of the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act, a comprehensive reform of our nationâls immigration system. Under our proposal undocumented immigrants who wish to become citizens must show they are currently working, pay a $2000 fine, work for an additional six years, pass security checks, pay taxes, learn to speak English, learn about American civics, and get in line behind all other legal immigrants before being eligible for a green card.

Border Security is addressed in the bill. It establishes a National Border Security Strategy, based on "smart" border technology, information sharing, and cooperation with our neighbors. A new temporary visa will be created to allow foreign workers to enter the U.S. The visa will be valid for 3 years, and can be renewed one time for a total of 6 years. Enforcement of current laws will be strengthened, improving fraud detection and allowing random audits of employers to ensure compliance with existing labor laws. Unnecessary obstacles preventing families from being together when immigrating to the U.S. are also removed. The bill will enable undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows, submit to background checks, and register for legal status. During this time, they would have to continue working, play by the rules, and pay substantial fines and back taxes. The bill is not an amnesty, which implies that all is forgiven. It is not. Undocumented workers must pay fines and go to the back of the line before earning a chance for citizenship.

By heritage and history, America is a nation of immigrants. Our bill proposes necessary changes in the law while preserving this tradition. These necessary changes will ensure that immigrant families today, as in the past, continue to live the American dream and contribute to our prosperity, our security, and our values.

Again, thank you for writing to me about this important issue.

Sincerely,
Edward M. Kennedy

[Kriz1]

http://www.senate.gov/~kennedy/

You can find contact details here...if anyone else from MA is on this site could they please IM me and maybe we could work together on a new letter to him...

[Kriz1]

Jet lag...I think this should be in Immigration ...duh...could admin move it..if they think so too....thanks you.......

[Susie]

Hi Kris

Hope you enjoyed the other evening, great to meet you both

Is there any chance you/we could write to Mr K on behalf of expats?

I am happy to do it if you pm his address

[Kriz1]

I'll IM you his E-mail address...I think you should write on behalf of Ex-pats...I could also send a copy of your letter to him...while giving him more info on my family and how we may be voters soon etc...I'll see if he is doing another talk in my area about immigration...not that he gives much time for questions and answers....

[Bobby]

If those proposals aren't a blanket amnesty, then I really don't know what is.

It's contradictory in itself, the whole proposal and leniency on those illegals already here.

I feel sorry for the children who don't know any other life in some cases, but whether you arrived last night in a smuggled border crossing or you arrived 5 years ago in a smuggled border crossing, you are still illegal, and should be dealt with accordingly. If you were caught last night, you get shipped back, so what's the difference?

Why should WE have to jump through hoops for 10 years, paying through the nose to gain legal citizenship, if they're just going to hand it out to people who have blatantly broken the law ?

I may as well throw my businesses and investments up in the air and go pick oranges for a few years. It just might be a more certain route to citizenship at this rate.

Bobby

[Ron]

Hi Bobby

Could not have put it better myself thats why expats need to suceed, get more members and more vocal

Every one of us should make a strong effort to get at least 10 new members and they inturn should also

Lets all try

[JulieC]

Absolutely Bobby. I know some E2-ers who were here during the last amnesty. They are still on E2 wheras those who were here illegally are probably citizens by now. They seem to delight in giving permanent residence to minimum wagers while those bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars in to the country can go hang, or even go back. It dont make any sense to me.

[Emmalee25]

Me neither :mad:
em x

[Sab]

I think it is time to remind Mr Kennedy of the letter at the beginning of this thread. Susie do you still have his email addresss? I would be happy to send him an email spelling out expat voice issues.

come on folks if we all send at least 2 letters each or emails each, we have got to see a response somewhere. Susie has been working very hard and we need an extra push to make sure we are heard.

We have a valuable opportunity here. Most of the press is talking about immigration reform. We need to make ourselves heard.

Sab

[Susie]

Hi

For those who are prepared to do this letter please post here Copies of letter sent but wait till you get a reply before posting letter and reply. Also we will be able to thank our little helpers and keep track of all letters and replies in one place.




Kris, as you cannot attend the next committee meeting I can forward a copy of letter give to Martinez, to help you write you own letter.


Would be a good idea to acknowlede his comments (with a copy of his letter) agreeing with him, but point out that if illegal children are protected in this act then all children should have a pathway to green card.

Children still age out despite CSPA and E 2 children (unless bright, and can get student visa) have to retun to home country.

Also mention , what if one child has down's symdrome ?? or learning problems, should they be sent back to birth country and become separated from family??


Come on guy's, lets do it!! need your help and support

[Susie]

Sorry Sab, do not have his e-mail address maybe Kris can post it here along with his website address

[Kriz1]

http://kennedy.senate.gov/

there is a link to his contact info...

[telco]

I'm sorry, but after reading the first few lines, I have to laugh.
How can the immigrants be undocumented, if they are paying taxes ?
Come on, you have to have an SSN to file a tax return. If you have an SSN you have to have registered with your state. What more documentation do you need ?

They are either documented, paying taxes, etc..., or they are working illegally and here illeaglly in which case they are not going to register for an SSN, and file atax return are they?

[Munish]

I'll write one in relation to CSPA age out and publish it once sent, irrespective of whether I receive a reply for anyone else who may wish to also write one and use it as a template.

[fatbrit]

If those proposals aren't a blanket amnesty, then I really don't know what is.

The problem is that there is no comprehensive immigration reform without an amnesty since the simple logistics of policing and arranging the deportation of 15 million plus people is Stalinesque in proportions and simply ain't gonna happen.

So if you are against the amnesty, you are part of the problem, and as long as a majority of the populous prevent the politicians from implementing an amnesty as part of a comprehensive reform with enforcement, the present status quo will continue. Those who actually like it as it is are quite happy to fuel the flames of "no amnesty" since they can appeal to both their electorate and paymasters at the same time

[fatbrit]

I'm sorry, but after reading the first few lines, I have to laugh.
How can the immigrants be undocumented, if they are paying taxes ?
Come on, you have to have an SSN to file a tax return. If you have an SSN you have to have registered with your state. What more documentation do you need ?

They are either documented, paying taxes, etc..., or they are working illegally and here illeaglly in which case they are not going to register for an SSN, and file atax return are they?

Most will have taxes deducted at source as they are employees, so they do indeed pay taxes and social security payments. They will also have had to produce a begged, borrowed or stolen social security number at hire. They buy them for $50 (generic, multi, multi user) to $500 (limited numbers with believable data). They most often do file taxes IME here in Phoenix. Plenty of HR Blocks offer help with that rebate.

BTW, many of them will also have credit scores under their false SSN. The credit bureaus happily maintain separate persons under the same social security number. They buy houses, cars etc on credit.

[telco]

Unbelievable, but still not hard for authority's to check on these peole if they really wanted to. Come on, Guilani did it against the mob, and they said the streets in NYC would never get clean.
Too many people saying it can't get done, when realistically, if "they" wanted it done, it could get done.
Target the tax companies who file these returns. Have officers at the shop when they come to pick up their "refunds" There's a nother sore point. Have Social pull out duplicate SSN's and suspected fake SSN's. This stuff is all on file on a server, and they know which ID's they have given out, and which are faked.

Too many politicians turning their backs to it, as they dont want the PC card thrown at them.

[fatbrit]

Unbelievable, but still not hard for authority's to check on these peole if they really wanted to. Come on, Guilani did it against the mob, and they said the streets in NYC would never get clean.
Too many people saying it can't get done, when realistically, if "they" wanted it done, it could get done.
Target the tax companies who file these returns. Have officers at the shop when they come to pick up their "refunds" There's a nother sore point. Have Social pull out duplicate SSN's and suspected fake SSN's. This stuff is all on file on a server, and they know which ID's they have given out, and which are faked.

Too many politicians turning their backs to it, as they dont want the PC card thrown at them.

There weren't 15 million plus members of the mob. The stuff you're listing is what they should have been doing for the last 20 years. They didn't and so they need to do something with those people who are already here. By all means insist that they implement preventative measures like these as part of comprehensive reform to stop it re-occurring. But accepting an amnesty is necessary is not being pc but rather the practical reality of the situation. Just consider the logistics if nothing else.

[telco]

Indeed!!