Sen. Leahy Wants to Meet With Gang of 8, But ICE Union Shut Out of Talks

Sen. Leahy Wants to Meet With Gang of 8, But ICE Union Shut Out of Talks

Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick J. Leahy said Tuesday that he wants to meet with the bipartisan group of senators drafting an immigration overhaul as he looks to clear a path for passage of the legislation,” Roll Call reported.

But the Gang of 8 this week refused to meet with the ICE agent union, an AFL-CIO affiliate, to discuss their concerns about amnesty. “Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) union president Chris Crane’s request to meet with the bipartisan group of eight senators developing a comprehensive immigration reform bill was denied,” notes the Washington Examiner.

“‘Since the Gang of 8 has not met with anybody else, they did not agree to meet with the ICE union president,’ Juan Pachado, a spokesman for Sen. Bob Menendez,D-N.J., told The Washington Examiner in an email.”

50 Percent Jump in Apprehensions on Amnesty Rumor

“An immigration reform bill isn’t even drafted, but undocumented immigrants are already thinking it’s a done deal. They’re thinking if they make it across the border, they’ll get amnesty. U.S. Border Patrol said it’s at least part of the reason for the recent spike in arrests in South Texas. At the Federal court in McAllen Texas, a city about eight miles from the Mexico border, judges see hundreds of undocumented immigrants each week. They’re brought in groups of 40 at a time, en masse hearings that take place two to three times a day,” FoxNews Latino reports.

Immigration bill would import 1 million workers per year

“The Senate’s draft immigration bill will increase the inflow of foreign workers to 1 million people per year, according to government data and news reports. The 1 million inflow would provide almost one foreign worker for every four Americans who turn 18,” the Daily Caller writes.

“The rate would be high enough to fill up all the extra jobs created during the last five months. The 1 million inflow would include at least 350,000 people capable of competing for middle-class skilled jobs sought by the 1.8 million Americans who graduate from university each year.”

STEM Jobs Have Seen Flat Wages Since 1999

“Wouldn’t you think that before taking a step with potentially momentous long-term consequences for important national institutions, leaders would try to discern the likely effects? If the subject is high-skilled immigration, that supposition would be wrong,” says Beryl Benderly at Science Magazine.

“Politicians promote [more immigration]as a solution to a mythical technical talent shortage and a boost to innovation and economic growth. (As The Washington Post points out, they may also have in mind the massive political contributions and lobbying efforts by large employers of STEM workers.) Actual experts on the science labor force, however, see quite different possibilities: a financial bonanza for universities, economic benefits for employers, and even harder times ahead for STEM workers, who are already struggling.”