Frank Sharry hasn't gotten his way and is now making his tantrum personal. In his recent 850-word rant, Sharry resorts to name-calling and misrepresentations as he attacks me and others for a pro-enforcement approach to illegal immigration. But Sharry is flailing in all directions and stomping his feet because his amnesty ambitions are threatened by the majority of Americans who support the rule of law and want to protect jobs for legal workers.
Sharry and his organization, America's Voice, claim to "stand with the majority of Americans who support real, comprehensive immigration reform." But contrary to its name, America's Voice does not speak for the majority of Americans. America's Voice has no members and is funded primarily by a few liberal donors. It's basically a special interest group that lobbies for illegal immigrants.
According to a recent poll, two-thirds of Americans actually want to see our immigration laws enforced, not ignored. That's why the American people have defeated amnesty attempts by both this and previous administrations. Whether it was the 2007 comprehensive immigration reform proposal or the recent push for amnesty under the DREAM Act, time and again the American public has rejected calls to reward lawbreakers.
Sharry's philosophy is also threatened by those who support American workers over illegal workers. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, which has jurisdiction over immigration policy, I stand with the American people and oppose the worldview of putting illegal immigrants ahead of the interests of American citizens and legal workers.
Over 23 million Americans are unemployed or can't find full-time work. Yet an estimated seven million illegal immigrants remain in the U.S. work force. We could make jobs available for citizens and legal immigrants if we simply enforced our current immigration laws.
That's why the House Judiciary Committee passed a bipartisan bill to expand E-Verify. This web-based program quickly identifies illegal workers and protects jobs for citizens by checking the Social Security numbers of newly hired employees. This program is free, quick, and easy to use. Persons eligible to work here are immediately confirmed 99.5% of the time. Nearly 320,000 employers already voluntarily use E-Verify and another 3,000 new businesses sign up each week.
With this sort of track record, it's no wonder that the American people have consistently supported E-Verify. A recent Rasmussen poll found that 82% of likely voters think all businesses should be required to use E-Verify. And the breakdown of the poll shows that individuals from all races and political affiliations support its use. In fact, 78% percent of black voters, 72% of other minorities, primarily Hispanics, and 73% of Democrats agreed.
Throwing a tantrum may get attention but it doesn't change the facts. All Sharry managed to accomplish in his tirade is insult the majority of Americans who support immigration enforcement, the rule of law, and putting the interests of American citizens first.
Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) is Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
There are many reasons why some Americans are unemployed:
1) Many lack the skills that are in demand. For instance, a laid-off administrative assistant cannot take a job as a plumber or electrician.
2) Many are too unfit to do hard farm labor, commercial cleaning, construction (two-thirds of the population are obese or overweight).
3) Some do not live where the jobs are and do not want or cannot move to where the jobs are (maybe because they can't sell their homes or because a spouse has a job).
4) Some are unemployable because they lack a basic knowledge of math, reading and writing.
Do not blame the undocumented immigrants for the unemployment as they mostly complement rather than substitute the American workers.
Dave Gorak
Midwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration
This Recession began in January 2008 when we began Deporting!
Prior to the I.C.E. Deportation Programs we could all pick and choose any Job we wanted!
The Attrition has worked well, to bad it is working on All of us!
Fact: Since the start of the January 2008 Deportations, for every Hard Working Immigrant Deported America has lost over Four Times as many American Jobs!
Fact: This Trend will Continue.
To: The New United States of Attrition, and white sheets over heads.
Backward Thinking like yours caused 23 Million American's to be out of work, and our new Wonderful Deficit!
The Decision to dump Immigration Reform in 2007, and instead Deport/Incarcerate, and Starve Good Hard Working Immigrants in America is Directly responsible for the Recession, and Deficit.
January 2008 was the start of E-verify (To Starve.) and I.C.E. Deportation/Incarceration Programs.
January 2008 Also was the Start of "The Worst Recession in U.S. History."
Fact: For every Hard Working Immigrant Deported since January 2008 America has lost over four times as many American Jobs.
Fact: HARD LABOR Immigrants gladly did for America was the very "Foundation" of our Strong Economy, and it supported all other American Jobs.
Hundreds of Thousands of Immigrants vacated dwellings no matter who owned them, triggered, and caused the "Foreclosure Crisis".
This caused Construction/Growth to Halt, and left entire States with mass excesses of "Total" Government Services, not just Teachers.
Fact: Every Stimulus, Bail Out, Cash For Clunkers, Jobs Bill, Mortgage Program, Ect, has occurred since the Deportations began, by two Presidents thus far, and has only been "Treating the Symptoms " of the Deportation Damage to America's Economy.
"America is great because it is good, when it ceases to be good, it ceases to be great."
Alex De Tocqueville
This Great Nation of Immigrants was Built on Far Better Principles and Values than this.
Sometimes even "Laws" must be Tempered with Circumstance, and our True American Ideals!
To: Good.
Unlike the naive, fair-minded Americans have just as much compassion for citizen and legal resident families as they do for the illegals.
In 2007 America was Strong thanks to the Vast Contributions Immigrants were making to it!
How can any Person with even half a Brain now blame America's Hardest, Most Devoted Workers (Immigrants) for the Crash of our Economy which occurred when we began Deporting, and Persecuting Immigrants?
I.C.E. "Put the Car in the Ditch."
This is our I.C.E.'d Economy, we deserve it!
The HARD LABOR Immigrants gladly do FOR America Supports All other American Jobs!
Hey "Fair-Minded"?
There is a Forest just beyond that first row of Trees.
Wake up America.