dddfan: I agree with what you say.

There is a simple solution to all of it. I know I have had to show ID for hospitals, ID for my kid for school enrollment, etc. and ID for each and every governmental service I have used and for each and every major and many minor transactions, rental, purchase, bank account, housing, etc., whether there was a charge for it or not.

Firm up the ID process to make the ID cards easily verified and very difficult to counterfeit. Work with Mexico to use their matricular ID to enter into the U.S. or State system, so we actually know who is who (which we don't know now). Require all drivers to use state driver's licenses and insurance (which we do). If there is a driver from out of state, apply the same standards used with the U.S.. He must show an active residence at his out of state address, and Mexico is not permitted, unless in the U.S. on a current and valid temporary vacation permit.

Put all foreign nationals on a law enforcement database that can be accessed by all law enforcement agencies. Any time an illegal alien from any country attempts to access any of the services, turn them over to the INS for deportation.

The U.S. has big loopholes that are meant as humanitarian safety nets and they are being abused right and left by those who sponge off our society and do not intend to contribute anything. The majority abusers are not the illegals, but are mostly citizens. There is nothing that makes me mad more than the thought of young able bodied adults that support themselves with theft and drug sales going to the hospital and receiving $50,000 of free surgical and recovery services for a gunshot wound or knife fight, only to recover and do it all again over and over. That is not a hispanic issue, that is much bigger issue than that. I don't know how to fix that one other than better mandatory schools and truancy enforcement and tougher theft and drug enforcement

Educating legal hispanic children? I'm all for it. Letting legal (foreign national) hispanics have all the rights and responsibilities anyone in the U.S. has, including taxes, which they pay anyway (except voting)? I'm all for it. Illegals? Kick 'em out.

The groups to overthrow the U.S.? Most of them are groups of 12 radical nutcases with pre-printed protest signs and a webpage in a garage in Cupertino or East New Brunswick. The Ark City PD could take them down at any time, if necessary, and could probably do it in time for to all of the cops to go for coffee at Bricks. No threat.

The English as a national language, "no exceptions", definitely won't work with the 4 million Puerto Rican U.S. citizens and we've got to get over it, especially if we ever expect to annex Cuba. (;0) (just kidding)

The onion is a fake news satire site

That video was pretty funny though.

-"I hope that mexican is happy with daddy's job"

Good stuff!

I know you all read the article in the paper today, right? I fear Kansas is going to drag their feet and let lobbyists dictate the outcome of their illegal immigration bill. They are getting ready to take away all the tools our local officials need to enforce this issue. I hope you all are watching.

Lagonda, I think I like you! You made several great points. Many of the things you suggested will not be possible without the State passing this bill. Currently, local law enforcement have their hands tied. They can not enforce federal laws, and their are no state laws yet to be enforced.

I could not believe it when I read that article, and the politicians were saying how it was difficult to make the voters happy AND the big businesses who want cheap labor happy. Aren't they supposed to represent the PEOPLE, not big business? What a stupid thing to say.

Well, we can always vote them out of office if they don't carry out the will of the people... then maybe the ones coming in will realize that in order to stay in office, they have to work for the majority of the taxpaying citizens.

Kinda like the next City Commissioners election.

Kansas legislators reconsider immigrant regulations

TOPEKA | Lawmakers debating immigration reform are rethinking proposals to go after businesses aggressively with new regulations and tougher penalties.

The change of focus comes after businesses argued that the proposed legislation was overly burdensome and could put their business licenses at risk for unknowingly hiring illegal immigrants or making paperwork errors.

Lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri are taking a hard look at a variety of bills aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration.

At the top of the list are proposals to require businesses to check job applicants against a federal database of all legal workers, known as E-Verify. Businesses that refused or were found to be knowingly hiring illegal immigrants would face penalties that include the loss of a business license.

Other proposals still popular with many lawmakers would require local police to do more to enforce federal immigration law, prohibit state benefits going to illegal immigrants, and increase the penalties for identity theft and employment fraud.

Estimates show that Kansas has as many as 90,000 illegal immigrants. Missouri may have as many as 65,000. Supporters of state enforcement of immigration law say illegal immigrants cost the states hundreds of millions every year, take jobs Americans could hold and invite disease, drugs and crime across the borders.

But after powerful business interests in both states objected, lawmakers are reconsidering an E-Verify mandate or tough penalties for businesses.

A proposal pitched Monday in the Kansas House would still mandate E-Verify starting in 2010, but it would require the states Department of Labor and not individual businesses to check new hires against E-Verify.

Businesses wouldnt have to submit any new paperwork.

The proposal, suggested by Rep. Arlen Siegfreid, an Olathe Republican, would require state and local governments to adopt E-Verify starting in July. In 2009, businesses with state contracts would be required to use E-Verify.

The phase-in would give lawmakers an opportunity to review E-Verifys performance before mandating it for all businesses.

We didnt want to move too quickly on the businesses because we have a problem with a very small number, he said.

In Missouri, Sen. Scott Rupp, a Wentzville Republican, introduced legislation last week requiring use of E-Verify only for companies working on state-funded projects. For other businesses, using the database would be optional, but the proposal would shield them from liability if they were found to employ illegal immigrants.

Those pushing for tough action on illegal immigration worry that business interests are using political pressure to stop vital reforms.

This is big business and big money putting up excuses so they can break the law and get away with it, said Ed Hayes, a former police officer who started Kansas chapter of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group that opposes illegal immigration.  (Amen, Brother!)

E-Verify is mandatory in Oklahoma and Arizona, where it is working well, according to Kris Kobach, a University of Missouri-Kansas City law professor and chairman of the Kansas Republican Party.

The overwhelming majority of businesses that have enrolled in the E-Verify program report that it is easy to use and superior to making guesses about whether documents are genuine, he told lawmakers at a recent hearing.

Critics, however, say the system isnt foolproof. Illinois has banned use of the system because of concerns about errors.

False negatives, in which a legal worker is declared illegal, occur about 10 percent of the time, said Jack Atterberry, a lobbyist for Associated General Contractors of Missouri. Immigrants with work visas and citizens who recently changed their names can also get misclassified.

If you mandate this, youre going to have some companies that get frustrated and dont enroll or dont run every employee through the system, Atterberry told lawmakers recently.

Then theyre facing a real potential of never having hired a person who is illegal, but still having violated state law.

Lagonda,
Good post, couldn't agree more.

dddfan

You use the system to identify them. If they are in violation of immigration laws, you deport them.
Amnesty is an issue for the politicians.
Maybe there is a better way, but I don't know it. The lack of enforcing laws is what got us here in the first place. Why should we continue it now?

Oh, yeah. I forgot. There is another part of it. Lo siento mucho.

If there is a job that is open cutting wheat, picking oranges or butchering cows and an able bodied unemployed american , advanced college degree or not,(in the U.S. citizen sense of the word american) is seeking financial support for being unemployed, the option should be given to either fill and work at that job or not receive unemployment, welfare, food stamps, state or federal services, etc.

That will straighten this undocumented alien problem out really fast.

The ONLY reason the illegals are illegal is because the U.S. restricts immigration, but permits them to work here (looks the other way when there are obvious employment violations). It is a paperwork and enforcement thing.

Most of these guys pay $2000 to get here and some pay $10,000. They would do it legally, if the U.S. would permit it.

The real irony is that people can enter the country from the EU countries (ie. England, Germany, even Greece and a number of ex-soviet countries) without even a visa, but the U.S. requires Canadians and Mexicans to have a Visa, which must be applied for at a consulate (with face to face meetings, etc) and they routinely grant the Canadians and deny almost all Mexicans.

You, on the other hand, can legally go to Mexico this afternoon, with your photo driver's license.

If there is a job that is open cutting wheat, picking oranges or butchering cows and an able bodied unemployed american , advanced college degree or not,(in the U.S. citizen sense of the word american) is seeking financial support for being unemployed, the option should be given to either fill and work at that job or not receive unemployment, welfare, food stamps, state or federal services, etc.

++++++++++

Lagonda, you are absolutely right about this. The two problems (poverty assistance and illegal immigration) should not co-exist. If there are jobs to be had, then (in theory) no one should be drawing assistance. Now we see illegals coming to our country, having babies, and receiving assistance for them. So, the working men and women have to support them, too!

It would seem a simple solution to just eliminate these programs and all would be fixed. However, it is not that simple. Many people use and manipulate these programs so they do not have to work. Others, do work but still need these programs. The pay they receive is not enough to get by. Why are wages this low? Employers are not going to raise wages if they have a large labor force to pull from. The immigrants (both legal and illegal) are contributing to this labor pool. If there were not so many looking for work, the employer would have to compete for them with better benefits and wages. Would eliminating immigrant workers to the US fix the problems and create higher wages? No. If they could not find cheap labor here, they would just send the work to China or elsewhere. Then, people would get laid off and be forced on unemployment or welfare. Now, these people are back in that labor pool and forced to work for cheap wages or manipulate the system and let welfare pay their way. It's a viscous circle.

I do not have a miracle solution to this problem. The only obvious ones are: Quit giving incentives to companies who send work to China. Do not let illegal immigrants work. Reform the welfare program (again) and IRS so that people are not allowed to milk the system or "lie" their way out of paying taxes or receiving assistance. Do not let illegal parents receive welfare assistance for their children (they chose to be here and should not expect assistance if they can not support their families), get free public education (I believe illegal parents should pay tuition and fees for this education) or free health care (this one should apply to US citizens, too).

These things may seem cold and heartless, but humans survived on this continent for a long time without hand-outs.

Problem with this immigration problem is with the caucasians sitting in offices, that can't get enough of the money they generate from illegals. Your all blind, look at the air force tanker deal, lets send our jobs overseas. Look what's happened to the Kansas bill 458, they catered to the white business owners that take advantage of and ultimately why illegals are here, to do work you won't do. Congress hasn't done a dam thing because its the common day slave train. All the concerns posted here are just usually more racial related then actually fixing the problem.. terrible.

This will never be changed. There are too many large lobbying interests who HAVE TO HAVE employees who don't have employment protections that are given to legal immigrants and citizens.

The politicians also get too much horsepower from the issue of immigration.

They make us fear illegal mexicans like some kind of midnight bogeyman while we ignore the midwestern high school graduates who are coming back in body bags.

They make us fear the loss of jobs to illegal mexicans while they are striking multi-billion dollar deals with Apple to make iPhones and iPods in China, IBM who sells their computer line COMPLETELY to Lenovo, while urban kids are stealing each other's Chinese Nike shoes and where any Cessna 2 seater planes sold here will have to be imported to the U.S. from China.

You know, China is a closed communist country. We citizens have to go through a LOT of red tape to even visit there. What do you think it takes to move a factory there? Government connections.

Sorry. I just believe the government is using the immigration issue as a false strawman to distract us from what they are really doing.

As long as we want to fight about whether the mexicans should do this or should do that, frame it all in racial boundaries and act like it is a big scary mexican criminal conspiracy, then the government will continue to get away with it. The only way it can be fixed is with INS policy changes.

Has anybody ever been to the Sierra Madre mountains? The fence is the dumbest idea in the world. Will never work. Not a solution.

We are in it so deep that there will probably have to be some humanitarian transition for those who are already here, like it or not.

But, the government will never fix it. It is too useful to them.

Look what the state just did on immigration.

It seems to me this post was created because of more off the wall comments made by James Jordan. This man is a fruitcake. There is no good reason to read his crap unless you are suffering from low blood pressure and need to raise it a little. His IQ level is not that great, just ask one of the many former and current employees. I rarely read the paper anymore. I have turned to www.newscow.net
They spend their time reporting the news, not dreaming up blogs.

newscow is a very good site for local news. I've been reading it for quite a while now. They have a lot of stuff that the Traveler fails to print, or doesn't want to print.