crossposted from right truth:
Immigrants not renewing their temporary work permits – holding out for amnesty
It is being reported today that some immigrants are not renewing their temporary work permits because some have the mistaken belief that they will soon be on the path to becoming U.S. citizens, via the Senate’s amnesty program.
Tens of thousands of Honduran and Nicaraguan immigrants nationwide risk losing their legal status in the United States today because they have not renewed their temporary work permits …
With the deadline approaching by the end of today, about half the eligible applicants have yet to apply for renewal. They could lose their jobs and face deportation, jeopardizing the livelihoods of thousands of relatives here and in their homelands who depend on their salaries. …
About 75,000 Hondurans and 4,000 Nicaraguans got the permits, issued under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) Program, after Hurricane Mitch in 1998. The permits, if renewed, would allow them to live and work legally in the United States for another year. …
In recent weeks, senior Honduran and Nicaraguan diplomats have traveled to cities with large populations from their countries, giving radio, television and newspaper interviews urging people to renew. In Honduras, the government has called upon citizens, through commercials and posters, to urge their relatives in the United States to renew their permits… source
Thank you Senators for allowing thes people and others to “think they will soon benefit from immigration reforms, including a guest worker program and other measures that could pave the way for citizenship”.
**This was a production of The Coalition Against Illegal Immigration (CAII). If you would like to participate, please go to the above link to learn more. Afterwards, email the coalition and let me know at what level you would like to participate.
***NOTE: this is just more evidence that the senate bill needs to be shot down in the house. if this is what is happening before there is an official bill that expands a temporary worker program, i don’t even want to think about what would happen after such a bill was approved. hopefully we won’t have to find out.
Yep, this entire situation with the Senate is a m-e-s-s! Big, fat, stinkin’ mess. I’m hoping the House will stick to their guns, but I’m a realist. *sad*
I’ve sort of laid off talking about the immigration issue. Mostly because I am at a loss for what’s taking place within the government (house, senate, executive and judicial; just all of it amazes me right now).
I’m a product of illegal immigration. My great-grandpa came to America from Ireland in 1922 on a work permit. It expired, he stayed illegally, raised a family, died in 1934 without ever becoming a citizen and eventually my grandpa (his son)was granted citizenship through a form of amnesty known as military service.
American immigration problems are nothing new. At one point it was the Chinese who were thought to be a threat to American whiteness. The Irish too were believed to threaten us with their dirty whiteness. Italians, with their southern European dark skin, no English language skills and their catholcism were feared. Germans with their stereotype for the love of war and their alcohol consumption were feared and their immigration to America was also viewed as a threat to our society. Over time, those threats have all subsided and the imminent threat we once felt from those ethnic migrations have largely disappeared.
Today, the immigration threat is largely from the American southern border. It’s not only Mexicans, but mainly a Spanish speaking peoples from all parts of North and South America. But this immigration is very different from those in the American past. For the first time in American history we have a migration of peoples who believe they have some claim to the land. European and Asian migrants came with no stake to American soil, but only a hope for a better tomorrow. The recent immigration of the last twenty years comes largely from a people who believe that the land is theirs stolen from their ancestors from a world power.
Not only do I disagree with those, whether they are liberal or conservative because both are arguing very similar positions today, who say that this recent wave of immigration is the same from past movements which led to the building of American foundations, but I also view those who claim the border crossed them and that the land is theirs as illegitimate at best.
Sorry to rant here, but I no longer have a blog, so I gotta write it some place 🙂
Debbie,
It’s not over yet. We still have time for this to get straightened out. (Love your blog, BTW. That’s why I keep using your posts.) 🙂
Debbie and Chris: Your comments are right on! The immigration situation today is way different from earlier eras. We have La Raza and the reconquista movement, recent protests infiltrated by hardline communist organizations, particularly International ANSWER, while the scale and contiguity of the immigrant influx of recent decades threatens the very core of American national identity. Actually, things may not get better, depending on the type of legalization bill that passes, since the distinction between legal and illegal status will continue as essentially meaningless if amnesty is approved. As everyone is saying, we tried that once before, and the immigration crisis got worse. We should have border security first, employer sanctions and a high-technology document verification system next, and some solution to those already here. Since mass deportation is impractical and draconian (and probably would harm the economy), we’re left with some type of earned worker system. One proposal discussed, and I can’t remember the congressional sponsor, is to create a market-based system of off-shore employment and visa-application centers, through which illegals forced to leave the country can apply for an authorized work visa and reenter the U.S. I’m following closely to see how this turns out. Mickey Edwards in yesterday’s LAT wasn’t so optimistic on an 11th hour House-Senate compromise.
Chris,
I hear ya. I just don’t understand why the President keeps insisting on something that will never work, because it will never be enforced on the level that is required. We don’t even enforce the immigration laws we have now.
I don’t think I have anything to add to what Donald said. All of that makes sense to me.
If you want to guest post here occasionally, I think we could work that out. That is, as long as the post isn’t too partisan. 😛
It’s a damned shame that our crooks-in-suits keep refusing to do anything about this invasion. I just hope that the House sticks by it’s guns and forces the Senate to nix the amnesty portion. I won’t hold my breath waiting for that though. Sad times.
There is some indication that the House will do what you suggest, but a little pressure by those of us who really care about this issue certainly wouldn’t hurt. Phone calls, emails, anything that gets the message to DC…it wouldn’t hurt to personally let our representatives know how we feel. (Although I suspect they already know…)