The Corker-Hoeven Amendment is a Mirage



The Gang of Eight is touting the amendment authored by Senators Bob Corker (R-TN) and John Hoeven (R-ND) as the silver bullet to securing the border. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid called it a “wonderful product” that would alleviate any concern about the border. However, the Corker-Hoeven amendment does little to improve the border security provisions in the bill and also includes provisions that would seriously undermine immigration enforcement. This summary addresses just some of the provisions contained the 1,200-page re-write of the bill, the Senators filed on Friday.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment still keeps the core amnesty-first, enforcement-later approach to the bill. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will still be able to grant amnesty (registered provisional immigrant (RPI) status) in six months once she submits a border security plan to Congress.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment does add minimum requirements to the border security plan. It provides that the border security plan “must require, at a minimum, the deployment of the following technologies for each Border Patrol sector along the Southern border…” and then lists all of the technologies and resources that the Secretary must include in her border security plan. But note the language of the amendment doesn’t actually require DHS to deploy the technologies and resources listed.

This is not by accident. After the amendment lists all the technologies and resources the plan must require, it gives the Secretary of Homeland Security discretion to: (1) reallocate the personnel, infrastructure and technology required by the plan, and (2) substitute the technology required in the plan with other technology she determines is equally effective, regardless of “the minimums” required by the plan. (p. 29-30) Thus, there is no real purpose to requiring the plan to include specific technologies or resources, when the amendment allows the Secretary to change them all anyway.

Having ostensibly designed a new border security plan, the Corker-Hoeven amendment – like the original bill – requires that certain conditions be met before DHS may grant green cards to RPI aliens. Specifically, the Corker-Hoeven amendment provides that DHS may not grant green cards to RPI aliens (excluding DREAMers and agricultural workers) until 6 months after DHS has submitted written certification that:

(1) The border security plan:
(a) has been “submitted” to Congress and includes the technology and resource requirements noted above; and
(b) is “deployed and operational.”
(2) The fencing plan has been “submitted to Congress and implemented,” and “as a result DHS will certify that there are no fewer than 700 miles of pedestrian fencing,” which includes replacement of all currently existing vehicle fencing with pedestrian fencing “where possible” and “may” include a second layer of fencing where DHS “deems necessary and appropriate.”
(3) DHS has “implemented” the mandatory verification system “for use by all employers”
(4) DHS “is using” the entry-exit system created by Sec. 3303 at all air and sea (but not land) ports of entry where CBP officers are currently deployed.
(5) No fewer than 38,405 Border Patrol agents are “deployed, stationed, and maintained” along the U.S.-Mexico border. (p.3-6)

However, this revised trigger still raises serious concerns. The fencing provision does not require double-layered fencing, and the amendment does not delete the language in the bill that expressly states DHS is not required to build any fencing whatsoever. (p.35-36) Even if the amendment contained a clear requirement to build border fencing, Senator Mary Landrieu, Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said on the floor only days ago that she would not spend any money on the “dumb fence.” She is likely to fight any attempt to appropriate money for the fence, making this language another empty promise.

In addition, the trigger still does not require biometric exit at all air, sea, and land ports of entry, as current law does. Finally, the amendment does not eliminate the exception to the trigger that allows DHS to grant green cards to RPI aliens if litigation prevents the implementation of the triggers and 10 years have passed.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment does substantially increase the number of Border Patrol agents (about 19,000), but DHS has eight years to accomplish this (the deadline is 2021) and paying for the agents requires raiding the Social Security Trust fund. Indeed, the bill sets aside $30 billion to pay for the Border Patrol agents. But when asked on the floor how the Gang of Eight found the money, Senator Hoeven said he was able to add the $30 billion in spending because the CBO projects that S.744 will bring in more revenue than it requires in expenditures. While that is true on it’s face, projected revenue under the CBO analysis is due to an increase in Social Security and Medicare taxes. This money must be set aside in the Trust Fund if Social Security and Medicare are to remain solvent. Thus, taking that tax revenue and using if for the fence means raiding the Social Security Trust Fund. (See FAIR’s analysis of the CBO score on S.744)

The Corker-Hoeven amendment also codifies the administration’s prosecutorial discretion policy with respect to visa over-stayers. (p.23) The amendment adds new language that provides DHS shall do one of the following for 90 percent of aliens who overstay their visas by at least 180 days:

  • Initiate removal proceedings;
  • Confirm that an immigration judge has allowed the alien to stay in the U.S. or the alien has a case pending that seeks such relief; or
  • Administratively close the case.

This language not only grants DHS express authority to simply close visa-overstay cases; it requires DHS to dispose of them in one of the above ways, the easiest of which is to simply put them in a file drawer. The administration is already closing removal cases deemed “low priority,” so there is little doubt how this provision will be applied.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment also re-tools the “Southern Border Security Commission,” but still does not give it any teeth. (p.8) The amendment requires the creation of the commission one year after enactment (instead of five), but provides that the Commission’s only responsibilities are to hold public hearings once a year each year for 10 years and provide DHS recommendations on achieving “effective control” of the border. Even then, the amendment provides that the Commission is only required to submit recommendations if DHS “cannot certify” in five years that it has achieved effective control in all border sectors for at least 1 year. Moreover, in the amendment, as in the original bill, the Commission’s recommendations remain non-binding. Thus, under the Corker-Hoeven amendment, the Commission is still not a check on executive action.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment maintains the bill’s original requirement that DHS add 3,500 more Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials—officials who work at ports of entry. However, the amendment inserts language that provides that DHS’s goal in allocating the additional CBP officers to airports shall be to reduce wait times, NOT to enforce the law, catch illegal aliens, seize illegal contraband, or improve national security. (p.64)

The Corker-Hoeven amendment also makes it harder for Border Patrol agents to enforce U.S. immigration law along the Northern border by amending INA 287(a)(3). (p.108) That section authorizes Border Patrol to search vehicles and other forms of transportation within a reasonable distance of the border, which regulations define as 100 miles. (See 8 C.F.R. 287.1) However, the Corker-Hoeven amendment changes INA Section 287(a)(3) to limit such searches at the Northern border to 25 miles. This change is not surprising as the Obama Administration essentially abandoned conducting such searches along the Northern border in 2011. Border Patrol agents said they were baffled by the move, but the ACLU rejoiced. (Associated Press, Oct. 29, 2011)

The Corker-Hoeven amendment creates a rolling amnesty provision in the Merit-Based, Track Two program. The Track Two program allows aliens who are lawfully present with work authorization for 10 years to be eligible for a green card. While it is bad enough that the bill offers an unlimited number of green cards to guest workers (excluding W workers) who have been in the U.S. for 10 years, the Corker-Hoeven amendment allows illegal aliens to be eligible for green cards under the Track Two program. It inserts language into the bill that waives grounds of inadmissibility applicable to illegal aliens (the 3 and 10-year bars) when determining an alien’s eligibility for a green card under the Track Two program.

Sec. 2107(a) of the Corker-Hoeven amendment provides that RPI aliens (including DREAMers) and those who subsequently receive green cards shall not be subject to prosecution for felony-level Social Security crimes (found in 42 U.S.C. 408) if alleged to occur before filing an RPI application (with the exception of selling social security cards/numbers, real or fake). (Sec. 2107)

In addition, Sec. 2107, as added by Corker-Hoeven, ostensibly limits the extent to which aliens who get amnesty under S.744 may claim Social Security credit for work performed illegally. More specifically, the amendment bars the Social Security Administration from giving credit for work performed illegally to:

  • RPI aliens for work performed between 2004 and 2013 (but allows it for prior years), and
  • Guest workers who overstay their visas, unless they can establish that they were work authorized.

However, to establish work authorization, the amendment allows an alien to simply submit an “attestation” that he/she was work authorized in order to claim back credit.

Note, too, that this bar does not apply to aliens who received social security numbers before 2004. Also note that the language applies only to RPI aliens under S.744 plus certain visa over-stayers. It does not prohibit illegal aliens who are otherwise granted legal status, such as through cancellation of removal or future amnesties, from claiming social security credit for work performed illegally.

The Corker-Hoeven amendment requires U.S. Customs and Border Protection to deploy up to 1,000 distress beacons along the Southern and Northern borders where migrant deaths are occurring. It is unclear why this is needed if the provisions in this amendment are going to secure the border. It is also unclear why migrant deaths are occurring to such an extent that 1,000 distress beacons are needed if, as the President and Secretary Napolitano say, the border is already secure.

Finally, in a complete admission that flooding the U.S. labor market with hundreds of thousands of additional low-skilled workers hurts young workers, the Corker-Hoeven Amendment creates a “Youth Jobs Fund” for FY 2014-2015 using $1.5B from U.S. Treasury, to be repaid through fees. The goal of the Fund is to “provide summer and year-round employment opportunities to low-income youth.”

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49 Comments

  1. Pingback: Dems Debut Pelosi Amnesty Bill

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  4. avatar

    I am a naturalized citizen …. My parents went through unbelievable investifications in order to enter this wonderful land of the FREE… Just to mention a few serious checkups: sponsor, background/history, education, inoculations, employment qualification, etc.), All this took several years. We finally were given permission to enter this beautiful country. It was a very special day, five years later and speaking ENGLISH, we were sworn in and became NATURALIZED citizens of The United States of America ! ! !

    After all these years too much is falling in the wrong direction. There are laws that should not have been created, changing this nation into socialism which, by the way, is the reason we immigrated. It is my disappointment to find that this ‘Amnesty bill’ should even be considered. All countries on this earth, I believe, do not allow illegals into their country. They are deported, period….. My opinion — our government needs to be SMALL and entitlements must be investigated before given to the really needed Americans …… My heart is braking …….

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  6. avatar

    Talk is cheap folks. We must start with protests all over the nation enmasse! Every city, town, and hamlet in every state! All over the Middle East ( look at Turkey) and Europe you see protests and change. The leaders recognize the impact and ramifications of them. If they don’t hear us, then revolution is the final answer.

  7. avatar

    O.K., It’s very simple…any politician who puts his/her name on this Korker-Hoeven Amendment is also approving ALL of the PORK that has been and will be added onto this Amendment before it is even brought to the floor for a vote. This practice is done simply to get the other politicians vote for the Amendment. So, and this is where all of you complaining about this, as well as those of you who quietly sit on the sidelines have to STAND TALL and TOGETHER… TO ADVISE ALL POLITICIANS THEY WILL BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE, IF THEY VOTE YES FOR THIS AMENDMENT. WHEN WILL THE TWO (2) HOUSES GET IT RIGHT AND SIMPLY VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENT/BILL WITHOUT ALL OF THE PORK ADDED ONTO IT. THIS IS OUR GOVERNMENT…A GOVERNMENT FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE…THEY ARE VOTED IN TO OFFICE TO BRING OUR VOICE TO WASHINGTON, NOT TO GO WILLY-NILLY AND SPEND MONEY WE DON’T HAVE ON THESE LAST MINUTE ADD-ONS!

  8. avatar

    WHY DON’T WE FINE OR IMPRISON ALL POLITICIANS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MESS THIS COUNTRY IS IN. I BELIEVE A GROUP OF 2ND GRADERS COULD DO A BETTER JOB. YOU WERE PUT IN POWER TO SERVE THE PEOPLE NOT YOU AND YOUR CRONIES’ BEST INTERESTS. WHY DON’T WE TAKE
    THE MONEY WE WOULD GET FROM FINES ON POLITICIANS AND PAY BACK SOCIAL SECURITY.
    TAKE AWAY THEIR GOLDEN PARACHUTE AND MAKE THEM LIVE LIKE THE PEOPLE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SERVING. I SAY WE GIVE AMNESTY ONLY AFTER ALL LEGAL AMERICANS ARE COMPENSATED FOR OBEYING THE LAWS OF OUR LAND AND PAYING TAXES AND TOLERATING THE EXCESSIVE AMOUNT
    OF ABUSE OF POWER AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT. EVERYONE IS SICK AND TIRED OF EXCUSES.
    DO WHAT YOU WERE ELECTED TO DO. IN CASE YOU FORGOT THAT IS TO SERVE THE LEGAL CITIZENS
    OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ENFORCE OUR CONSTITUTION, AND WORK TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY GREAT AGAIN. I AM AWARE THAT YOU NEED TAX MONEY FROM THE ILLEGAL ALIENS
    TO BOLSTER THE OVERALL KITTY BECAUSE YOU HAVE ROBBED SOCIAL SECURITY AND MEDICARE.
    A HUGE FINE FOR BEING HERE ILLEGALLY, IMPRISONMENT FOR BREAKING OUR LAWS, AND DEPORTATION TO COME HERE LEGALLY IS THE ONLY CORRECT AND LEGAL ROAD TO TAKE.
    WE AND OUR FOREFATHERS HAVE HAD TO FIGHT FOR WHAT IS RIGHT IN ORDER TO MAKE THIS COUNTRY GREAT. WHY DON’T THE MEXICANS UNITE AND STAND UP TO THEIR CORRUPT LEADERS THAT ARE HOLDING THEM DOWN, INSTEAD OF STEALING LIBERTY, JOBS, BENEFITS AND PERKS FROM LEGAL AMERICAN CITIZENS?

  9. avatar
    charles koch on

    If politician’s continue to put themselves and politics first without regard to America and at the few tax payers expense, then we will have knowingly given up our freedom and allow this great nation to become a third world nation because of GREED.

    • avatar

      Corker and his bill are nothing but a big embarrassment to the state of Tennessee!

  10. avatar

    Palosi pushed the Obama Health Care bill with the “pass it and then we’ll find out whats in it” chant. and just look at what that bought us! So here we go again PASS THE BILL AND WE’LL FIND OUT WHATS IN IT” I say no thank you boys and girls, if you can not read a bill before it is passed you are NOT DOING YOUR JOB. Do us a favor and resign your seat in the Senate so that we can be represented by folks who care about our Country.

  11. avatar

    this is no different from buying a house sight unseen, only an idiot would do that. Any of the people in the congress who vote for this bill sight unseen should immediately be locked up in a mental facility to determine if they are mentally competent,if so then they should be moved to gitmo

  12. avatar

    If harry reid thinks this is wonderful product, you can be sure it will be advantageous to the illegals. How U.S. senators can support S 744 in any form is beyond comprehension. I’ve watched discussions of S 744 several days on C Span . God Bless Jeff Sessions, Senator Grassley and Senator Cronyn and those who are fighting for fairness. It is really discouraging that our country is under attack by open border groups, with help from a number of senators, and we’re too weak to fight them off.

    • avatar

      Dirty Harry got 100 million a year for the Casinos to promote tourism. This is up from 10 million a year for 2013 and 2014. In addition he got the language changed to make it pertetual from 2013 on. Harry is the biggest pig in the Senate. But he was not alone. Others got a huge amount of pork included…..none which has anything to do with immigration or security.

  13. avatar

    According to Sen. Lindsey Graham on Fox News Sunday, over 70% of people support Immigration reform. From the people that I have talked with, the only people that support immigration reform are the politicians and the illegal immigrants. These are people that broke the law to get her, broke the law to stay here and now want to break the law to become citizens. I believe that Lindsey Graham is a liar. What citizens here in the US want is law enforcement and border security! It has been said that we could not possibly deport all these illegal aliens because it would cost too much and be totally impractical. Yet according to the GAO to pass this AMNESTY bill, it will add $6.3 trillion to the US debt. Not to mention, once the illegal aliens “come out of the shadows” they will start receiving food stamps, welfare, medical benefits, it will cost or already does cost our education system a fortune and on goes the list. The President of our nation has issued “executive orders” for agencies not to enforce our laws. This is TREASONOUS! I believe this is grounds for impeachment. Every Senator and Congressman who supports this bill is violating their oath of office and not supporting and defending the Constitution, and should be fired!

    • avatar

      First of all this is an awesome nation full of love and compassion, togetherness and share. When there is crisis no one sees an illegal immigrant in their midst then e.g 911, Boston Bombing and other crisis in this great nations. Together we stand, you donate to the less fortunate but some have forgotten that the illegal immigrant has also contributed the growth of this nation. Not all illegal immigrant are bad or brought problem or are even living on the so called benefits, social security that you are crying about. A LOT OF ILLEGAL IMMGRANT HAVE CONTRIBUTED GREATLY TO IMPROVE THIS NATION AND ALSO DIED FOR THIS NATION, AND ARE ONE OF THE BEST PEOPLE YOU HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. WHY ALL THESE DISCRIMINATION, SOME OF YOU HAVE FORGOTEN THAT YOU OR YOUR CHILDREN ARE NOT GOING TO LIVE IN THE STATE FOR EVER, SOMETHING MIGHT TAKE YOU OUT OF THIS COUNTRY USA AS WELL, AND HOW WOULD YOU FEEL TO BE TREATED UNJUSTLY OR LIKE SOMEONE WHO HAS NO VALUE TO HUMANITY.
      A LOT OF AMERICANS ARE ALSO ONCE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM IRELAND AND OTHER NATIONS WHO ARE BROUGHT HERE THROUGH THE WORLD WARS 1 AND 2, FALKLAND WAR ETC.; AND NOW GOT
      COMFORTABLE TO DISCRIMINATE AGAINST OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE WHO ARE HERE AT A DIFFERENT ERA. HAS IT EVER OCCURED TO YOU THAT A LOT OF THESE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WANTED TO GO BACK HOME LONG TIME AGO BUT SOME SO CALLED AMERICAN LAWYERS HAVE CONNED THEM OUT OF THEIR RESOURCES YEARLY TELLING THEM THAT THIER PAPERS IS STILL WITH DHS WAITING FOR ANSWERS AND SOME ARE RAPED BY THESE LAW PEOPLE BUT CAN’T COMPLAIN BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT IS THIER WORD AGAINST THEIR’S. SOME ARE STOCK NO JOB OR MONEY TO TAKE THEM BACK HOME. SOME HAVE NOT SEEN THEIR CHILDREN OR FAMILY IN YEARS. IS THAT FUN!!!? YOU CAN SAY WHO CARES?
      DO YOU THINK IS FUN LIVING IN FEAR 24/7 NOT IN A PRISON BUT STILL BE IN A PRISON. SOME OF YOU HAVE SUCH A SHALLOW MENTALITY THAT YOU NEED TO EDUCATE YOURSELVES. THE SO CALLED FAIR GROUP – WHAT IMPACT HAVE YOU REALLY DONE TO THIS COUNTRY, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HAVE NOT BROUGHT ANY DISASTER OR RUN YOUR COUNTRY DOWN.
      IT IS REALLY SAD SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SEE SOME ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT MISBEHAVING OR DONE TERRIBLE THINGS LIKE THE BOSTON BOMB, IT HURTS IN THE GUTS TO SEE THAT. IT DOES NOT GIVE ANYONE RIGHT TO JUDGE EVERYONE THE SAME. AMERICANS CITIZENS HURT THEMSELVES AND DO WORST THINGS TOO.
      I LOVE US THIS NATION BECAUSE WE ARE GOD LOVING NATION. IT IS BETTER TO GIVE AMENESTY, IT GIVE AN OPEN DOOR TO KNOW WHO REALLY IS THE CRIMINAL OR NOT, LESS DRIVING ACCIDENTS ETC, YOU CAN CONTROL WELFARE, I.E. BRITAIN GIVE WELFARE FOR 6MTHS-1YR, MAKING YOU LOOKING FOR A JOB OR BE IN A GOVERNMENT LEARNING PROGRAME, BE IN A VOLUNTARY JOB THAT HAS A JOB OPENING,OR GET EDUCATION AND THEN THE WELFARE BENEFIT WILL BE STOPED AFTER ASSESMNETS OF YOUR PROGRESS, YOU REPORT TO THE LABOUR OFFICE EVERY TWO WEEKS. WITH THIS PROCEDURE PEOPLE WILL BE SERIOUS AND GET THEIR ACTS TOGETHER. EVEN THE SPANISH PEOPLE IS A MUST TO ENROLL IN AN ENGLISH PROGRAME. WE LEARN SPANISH TOO. “NO FREBEEZE”

      IF IT IS SO EASY TO RULE THIS COUNTRY AND HAVE BETTER WISDOM, THAN THOSE IN THE WHITE HOUSE GO AND DO IT THEN, INSTEAD OF THE CONDENMINATION. I PRAY THAT GOD WILL GIVE THEM ALL, WISDOM AND DIRECT THEM IN THE WHITE HOUSE IN THE WAY TO GO ABOUT AMENSTY. EVERYONE DESERVE A FREEDOM IN LIFE ” GOD SAYS LET MY PEOPLE GO” IF YOU DON’T, WHETHER YOU LIKE IT OR NOT ALMIGHTHY GOD WILL SET HIS PEOPLE FREE -THE SO CALLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT. HE HEARD THEIR CRIES DAY IN DAY OUT, AND HE WILL FIGHT FOR THEM. HE CREATED ALL OF THEM INCLUDING THIS GREAT NATION. GOD BLESS AMERICA !!!!!!!.

      • avatar

        I believe you are stongly mistaken. While your statement may have some merit, applying it to illegals is not one of them. I have no problem at all with people who come to this country legally. I do have many problems when they invade our borders without regard to our laws, commit crimes on our soil, have their anchor babies within our territories and gain access to numerous federal programs by committing fraud. I have even more problems that our government ignores the laws because this adminsitration believes in Big Government Socialism. As for immigration reform I say we do not need it and it will only cost the citizens greatly. Round them all up and deport them PERIOD.

        As for your last paragraph if you actually believe what you said then you are a big fool. This administration is killing America. This administration thumbs its nose at the Constitution. This administration just got their butts handed to them on the Voting Rights Act. This administration will go down in history as the worst administration ever.

  14. avatar

    The United States must stop being a nation of enablers. Break our laws and we will always make it up to you. Never live with the rule of law upon which this nation was founded. It gets so confusing to wonder which laws will be enforced and which ones will be not only ignored but ridiculed. Just as you would not invite people in off the street to live in your home you should not let in people you do not and cannot know about into our country.

    The kids are the window of the family and now unlike previous times the members of the family that learn English and tell their parents what the culture of American is. Can you see where this leads? The breadwinner works and lives among his ethnic group. He doesn’t have a clue about American values. And we bring in foreign students who bypass our cultural classes and stay on to work at jobs that Americans would do if they had been educated and nurtured to do so. Our educational system has been broken down on purpose. The immigration Trojan Horse will overcome our culture and make us ready for the New World Order, The Open Borders Lobby, UN Agenda 21! BEWARE

  15. avatar

    Fix the border. THEN BULLDOZE THE IRS AND ENACT THE FAIR TAX. THEN 11MILLION ILLEGALS WILL START PAYING TAXES EACH TIME THEY BUY SOMETHING. ALSO MILLIONS OF TURISTS WILL BE PAYING TAXES TOO.

  16. avatar
    Theresa Williamson on

    The Illegals who have been here, and have raised their children here, should be allowed to pay into the system with social security numbers. Their children need social security numbers to pay into the system/go to college, etc. They still have to go through with what is required to become citizens. They have to learn English, including speaking it and writing it. They need to learn about our government, our history, etc., just like any other person seeking citizenship. If they are here to raise their families, and make this world a better place, let them stay. If they are here to infiltrate us, to terrorize us, to break our laws, to change our constitution and laws to Sharia, for instance, then send them back from whence they came.

    • avatar

      And how may I ask are you going to tell why they come here…. We have laws on the books.. ENFORCE THEM!!!! During the depression, President Roosevelt deported three million illegals fearing they were taking American jobs. If he could do it in the thirties without computer’s, then why can’t we do it today with all the technology we have.

    • avatar

      You don’t make the world a better place by committing a crime and illegally entering this country. What about the 5 million people from all over the world who have legally applied to enter the US – these are the people who want to make the world a better place. Notice that not one word has been spoken by politicians about them during this “debate” on immigration.

      Clearly, you either do not need to work, or have a job that can not be or has not yet been outsourced, insourced, or taken by illegals – unlike about 80% of the US workforce.

  17. avatar

    Another massive bill which will accomplish nothing with regard to securing the border or insuring this country’s sovereignty. Any senator or congressman who votes for this piece of crap should be kicked out of office. It’s about time that these people realize that their primary concern is the citizens of the Country, not those have violated our borders with our governments help. The starting point should be E-verify, a secure border ( fence, border patrol, and monitoring). Any illegals who have entered the Country prior to 2008 and have assimilated into our culture and society can be consider for legal status. Assimilation criteria could include learning to speak English, not having been convicted of a felony, not having taken advantage of welfare systems, having paid taxes, serving in the U.S. military, having purchased and maintained a home, or having started and maintained a tax paying business.

    • avatar

      This leads us to the only logical conclusion… TEA PARTY!!! Support your local tea party with donations. They are the only true conservatives and I will vote for those candidates the tea party endorses. I am tired of the RINO’S, and we can’t take anymore years of Democratic Socialism.

  18. avatar
    Joyce Fawver on

    Bob Corker campaigned on securing the border –
    He had a TV AD that I recall -He stood at the border and declared “If I am elected I WILL Secure this border.
    So much for that RINO turncoat. Who is paying them to turn on America like this?
    He and Lamar Alexander are so sure that we conservatives will vote for them as opposed to whoever runs against them that they have become Democrats, well lets just vote for a Demo then what difference will it make? Or not vote at all for the “Senators”.
    I am sick!
    Joyce Fawver

  19. avatar

    WHY DOES EVERY THING THESE PEOPLE IN CONGRESS BEGIN WITH PASS IT FIRST AND THEN READ IT?YOU PEOPLE SCREWED US WHEN PELOSI SAID THE SAME ******** AND IT ONLY DREW DEMACRATIC VOTES FOR OBAMACARE! READ MY LIPS! SECURE THE BORDER AND BUILD THE FENCE AND SEND ALL THE ILLEGALS BACK WHERE THEY BELONG.! WHAT ABOUT THE ILLEGALS BACK IN MEXICO TRYING TO DO THIS THE HONEST WAY? ARE THERE PEOPLE FROM OTHER COUNTRYS BACK THERE TRYING TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY? WHEN THE MAJORITY OF THE PEOPLE SPEAKE OUT ABOUT THIS BS, LISTEN TO THEM!

  20. avatar
    Jim Blackwell on

    I don’t know what kind of America our politicians are living in but us average folks that live out here in the real America are seeing it taken over by non-English speaking non Americans who are replacing the American Workers with illegal workers who work for up to half the normal wage for a given job. I have seen with my own eyes Illegal Mexican workers operating heavy equipment in chemical plants for anywhere from $9.00-$12.00 per hour. These jobs once paid American workers well over the $20.00 per hour mark. This is just one example out of many that is not seen by our politicians. As long as this is allowed to go on our beloved America will become an America in poverty. Without the illegal workers taking our jobs Americans could not only work for a living wage but get off the unemployment rolls and return to the workforce and once again be paying Taxes. Parts of most of our cities are becoming Little Mexico where only Spanish Speaking People exist. I can’t even think how many jobs I have seen that require the applicant to be Bi-Lingual and Spanish being the required language. You can’t make a phone call now without press 1 for English Press 2 for Spanish. This alone should indicate just how bad the problem really is. If we do not secure our Borders First and require all workers in America to pay Taxes the America as we know it is going to hell and our jobs will never pay a wage to get the average American Worker back on a path to Home ownership and ability to retire out of poverty. I don’t have the answers to fixing the problem but It don’t take a Rocket scientist to know there is a problem. You are our elected Officials and it is your job to READ EVERY BILL before You SIGN THEM. You job is to work in the best interest of America not Mexico. I am asking you to either do your job or step down and let the people elect some one who will. America is not For Sale.

  21. avatar

    will someone please explain to me the following, our daughter is a young widow, her husband passed away from terminal cancer some seven years ago, she had started to school to complete a nursing program, she had to stop when he became to ill, however she was able to get her CNA certificate so the local hospital where they lived was so gracious and worked some hours out with her as they had absolutely no income, her husband was one that never wanted to be on the government dole, so we would help as we were able. Because she was born and raised in the USA she has been “screwed royally” they had no children,and so she cannot get any benefits so to speak such as welfare and lal that garbage, which she would not do if she could, we endeavored to raise her to do an honest days work , because of her financial situation her husband had no retirement etc she cannot afford to go back to school and finish her LVN etc. she had ot have some dental work done a root canal and a cap 2,000. dollars and dentists want their money up front. The rest of the story is you can come into this country illegally and get anything you need you can get help for illegal parents through Social Security where they have never paid a day into it, you can go to an emergency room and they get all kinds of help. Where is the justice in this for our legal citizens> We have idiot politicians that are now voting on an amnesty program what about our people, this is an outrage and the beat goes on, these politicians are set with their huge retirements and medical care I am so sick of what we are allowing in this country with handing out checks by the government what have we allowed in this country with work ethics, the sad part is our daughters parents are retired on fixed incomes and don’t have a gold shovel, now we are paying out on medical insurance up the ying yang this is disgusting we NEED TO WAKE UP THE SLEEPING GIANT IN THIS COUNTRY AND TAKE IT BACK FROM POLITICIANS AND ILLEGALS..

    • avatar

      Louise, you are so correct.

      My dear sister, in 2002 and at the age of 37, was diagnosed with ovarian and uterine cancer. She underwent surgery, had some tough times, but today is doing quite well. She underwent chemo and radiation, and was sick and living with me for some time after surgery.

      Ironically, she had been working for an insurance company, writing home and auto policies for individuals, however, the insurance company did not provide health insurance for their employees. I moved away from our hometown, and begged her to leave there and find work that would provide her health insurance. She had been having some issues for some time, but with the lack of insurance, she would not go to the doctor.

      Within a few months after starting with her new employer, and her insurance kicked in, she went to the doctor and got her diagnosis.

      But……….for many years she worked and paid money into the government coffers. No different than the great majority of legal residents of the United States.

      However, she had a few setbacks during her recovery, that required longer recovery time. With little savings, she went through that rather quickly because her bills, car payment, etc. didn’t cease because she was sick. She was getting better but started running out of money, and unable to make a couple of car payments. It would have been my privilege to do that for her, had I the ability to do so.

      I felt that there had to be an organization, or some type of government assistance to help her out temporarily for literally only a couple of months.

      I called organization after organization, government offices, etc… and found absolutely no assistance for her. Of course we all know, had she been a non-citizen here illegally, never having paid into the government, and unable to speak English, the government would have bent over backward to provide her any assistance she could need.

      These actions of our government continues to make my heart harder and harder, and much less tolerable of any elected politicians. No longer are laws made and passed that are to benefit the law-abiding American Citizen, but only to destroy the rights we currently have.

      In fact, I’m 52 years old, and now researching to find a country in which I believe I can survive once I retire, if I can wait until retirement to make the move.

      America as we once knew it, the home of the free and the brave, is no longer the nation it once was.

  22. avatar

    Use the 16,000 “new hires” (that were for the IRS to implement Obamacare)
    to secure the borders and protect the U.S., or use the National Guard, or the military.
    Whatever it takes to protect this nation is necessary and necessary NOW.
    Stop giving away OUR RIGHTS and OUR MONEY to illegals.

  23. avatar

    i don’t understand why the people we voted into office and pay the wages do NOT LISTEN TO OUR WISHES AND NOT VOTE FOR AMNESTY FOR THESE ILLEGALPEOPLT THAT ARE IIN OUR COUNTRY BUT ARE BREAKING THE LAW BY DOING SO/BUT ONE THING I DO KNOW IS BY VOTEING FOR THIS LAW THEY WILL NO LONGER BE SUPORTED BY ME OR MY FAMILY,OR ANY ONE ELSE I CAN CONVINCE TO OUST THEM FROM OFFICE!!!! IHOPE YOU WILL JOIN ME TO SEE THAT THIS HAPPENS.GOD BLESS AMERICA AND ALL ITS LEGAL PEOPLE!

    • avatar

      I agree , the law is already on the books, just enforce it! Why is this so hard! Is’ this country for the people and by the people. ? Our congress and senate have lost their way ! Playing a game at our expense!

      Pat

      • avatar

        VALDEZ OR WHAT DO YOU CALL YOURSELF. WHAT IS THE MEANING OF YOUR NAME. IS IT AMERICAN OR BY YOUR GRAND PARENTS WHO WERE ONCE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AND NOW GIVEN YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO BECOME A CITIZEN. DO NOT JUDGE OR BE SO HATEFUL..

        IT IS NOT EASY FOR THOSE IN THE WHITE HOUSE AS WELL, IT IS A TURF DECISION BUT GOD WILL LEAD THEM IN THE RIGHT PATH AND WHATEVER DECISION THEY FINAL TAKE, THEN GOD HANDS IS IN IT. GOD GIVES FREEDOM NOT MAN. REMEMBER HE CREATES THIS NATION FOR A REASON AND A PURPOSE. YOU ALL CONDEMN THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT AS IF THEY ARE PARASITES BUT A LOT OF THEM – I.E. THE SPANISH PEOPLE DO WORK AND PAY TAXES TOO AND THEY ARE GOOD PEOPLE.

        YES A LOT OF THEM ARE WRONG IN THIER WAYS AND TOOK ADVANTAGE OF THE SYSTEM IN WHICH IT COULD BE CORRECTED, BUT THOSE THAT HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS OR HAVE ANY FELONY CAN BE SENT BACK.

        REMEMBER NO ONE IS PERFECT IN LIFE.

        TAKE CARE. LOVE PEOPLE MORE AND YOU WILL HAVE LESS STRESS. GOB BLESS

    • avatar

      You can vote them out of office and more of like kind will fill the vacancy. American politicians are in public service for the money and NOT TO SERVE THE PEOPLE. They enjoy the game of fattening their wallets while in Washington. Sad to say, this country and this generation have no morals, no respect, no reverence for God, Life or Ameriica…Obama is not the only one who is anti-America. If you can find decent, sincere, public servants, please let us know. It seems that even if the candidate is lilly white and pure going into office, they soon become blackened by the corruption, greed, graft and paybacks, bribes and threats. In other words, they are bought and paid for by the elite…the Corporatist and the Billionaires who truly run the country…They are violent and mean business. They get what they want by hook or crook.

      Does this sound like the United States of America that we thought we once knew? No. This country will never be the same as long as the powers that be behind the scenes remain there. Who will prosecute them for all of the viiolations and abuse of humanity….depopulation, chemical spraying, vaccines with chemicals to kill or maim an individual. This is heartless, lacks compassion, deceitful, manipulative, hateful behavior that comes from Satan and not from God. Lord have mercy on this country.

  24. Pingback: Action Alert: Corker/Hoeven Amendment is a Bad Idea | AFA of Pennsylvania

    • avatar
      William H Exner on

      I think that anybody who votes in favor of this amnesty bill is a terrorist somebody that don’t care what happens to this country should be kicked out congress this is the works of terrorist this is not what we the people want

    • avatar

      We need to pay attention to who is paying for government spending….We the tax payers are! Therefore it is extremely costly now for us to pay for these on welfare who won’t work…why should we flood the market and not only feed the illegals, but will e feeding the country of Mexico too. How many more? This is wrong and should be stopped. It is a travesty against te American people. How many come across the border everyday? They are pouring in. All democrats are doin is flooding tech”market” trying to gain a majority and ruin te border atates. The folk who backed obama’s campaign in senatorial race and presidential race with majority funding are out to gain authority and using democrats as puppets. The name of the game is confusion and pitting us against one another so that we as America bite the dust sooner. Read “Fall of the Roman Rmpire” and the causes. removing God as our center is a disaster to us. We need to back up and correct some things. There is no balance of government with all of the executive orders. Other presidents would have been impeached by now and if he was a Republican, he would have been removed from office long before now. Republicans Ned to band together and go after these life changing laws.

  25. avatar

    Why is this thing 1,200 pages long? How many words does it take to say, “Finish the fence, secure the border with more patrols, start shipping illegals out with no hope of returning as a result of committing a felony to cross the border in the first place”? If they know that their felonies will prevent their return, maybe they’ll start going through proper channels instead of holes in the fence.

  26. avatar

    It is so great to have open borders and open doors and why do these morons locked their houses and lock their cars. How can anyone take them serious without them taken these steps. First, remove all locks from everything they own their office their home, their car. Fix their car so that there is no need for any kind of locking mechanism to start our drive the vehicle. They are so willing to let anyone come into this country use our government safety net plunder government programs and violate laws with impunity, they should first take the steps of removing all their locks. Without doing that. How can we take them seriously

    • avatar

      Baloney only comes in one package. There is so much hot air in Washington that one day we will see Harry Reid floating away…….FAR AWAY!

  27. avatar

    If this administration intended to secure the borders, they would have already been secure. Period.

    Therefore, nothing else matters. What’s another law to ignore. Those thousand pages of new B S is nothing short of plain unadulterated bovine excrement.

    No new bill. Just secure the borders. Period.

    Next year look at immigration reform, if the borders are then secured. Period.

  28. avatar

    SECURE THE BORDER….. SECURE THE BORDER….SECURE THE BOARDER.
    Everything else follows. We have laws that secure the border… carry them out.

    Just pass a bill to secure our borders first!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  29. avatar

    I wish these legislators would realize something so obvious………..remove the incentives for people to illegally trespass here and/or overstay visas……….and they won’t do these behaviors! Instead they INCREASE the incentives……….then throw billions at the border to “secure” it (which can NOT be done when incentives are so lucrative).

  30. avatar
    Mr Darrell Alvin Walton on

    We don’t want to go through this again. Secure the ‘border’ first and foremost. After the border is secure, we can deal with the illegals that are here. We won’t make any progress without the border being secure. I know, the main reason this bill was introduced was to enlarge the liberal base. Most illegals think the way to free money is with the liberals. They are correct. This country is too important to give away to Mexico and the cartel. Keep us free and safe. Secure the border, before we lose this country, completely/

    Sincerely,
    Darrell A. Walton
    Jefferson City, MO