La Raza Wins Big With Immigration Reform Bill

Political Realities- by LD Jackson

We have heard a lot about the new immigration bill that has cleared the Senate and is now with the House of Representatives. I have written some about the bill, but not nearly as extensive as other bloggers and reporters. Having said that, it seems clear to me that we are in the process of having another massive piece of legislation shoved down our throats. The most notable time that happened was with Obamacare and we can all see how that is working out. Layer upon layer of bureaucratic regulation that does nothing but add burdens of cost to the American people. The current monstrosity the House may be taking up from the Senate is no better.  

More and more, I am having a problem with the way our Congress is working. They seem to be think that the only kind of legislation they should pass is the kind made up of many, many pages of legal jargon and regulations. Nothing simple is contained therein. The current draft of immigration reform is just such a bill. Instead of reforming our immigration system, it provides a slush fund for La Raza (not specifically, but very likely) and for other groups that advocate for illegal immigrants. Rather than reforming our immigration system in a way that will help America, it seems to be aimed more at helping illegal immigrants escape the legal system. I’m not kidding! Some of the provisions contained in the bill just cannot be made up. Hat tip to Doug Ross. The article originally came from Investor’s Business Daily.

Ricochet – The 1,100-page proposal is a network of legal requirements and protections, waivers and exceptions, including a new “provisional immigrant” status (the first phase of legalization for illegals), appeals of adverse rulings, stays of deportation, applications for work visas, and countless other such guarantees.

Within this thicket of new rights are features that would vastly increase the flow of immigrants to perhaps 30 million or 40 million over the next decade. One is a set of “chain immigration” clauses, legalizing the spouses and children of illegals.

Another is the Dream Act, fast-tracking legal status for aliens of any age who came here before they were 16 (how this would be proved is not clear). A third is a “blue card” temporary visa that could be converted to permanent status and used by future illegals to get legal in a hurry.

Of course, a Spanish-speaking immigrant would likely know nothing of this maze of loopholes, benefits and protections and would on his own be unable to exploit them. So the bill sets up a fund of $50 million to aid illegals seeking “provisional” status, filing appeals, blocking efforts at deportation, obtaining naturalization, and so on.

No, the groups mentioned in the bill are not specifically named, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that La Raza and other organizations that advocate for illegal immigrants will be at the front of the line and at the top of the list to receive their portion of the $50 million fund that is being set up.

Foremost among such groups is the National Council of La Raza (meaning “the race,” or alternatively, “the people”), a group that opposes current U.S. immigration laws, defends illegals, and long promoted amnesty measures. It’s also an organization with significant leverage at the Obama White House and its former senior executive helped draft the Senate bill.

La Raza is already a recipient of federal grants and contracts — running at $8 million to $10 million per year — and would arguably be at the head of the line to receive new funding.

A second, allied group, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, says it receives no federal money but would likely qualify for subsidies under this legislation.

You should read the rest of what is contained in the immigration reform bill. Whereas it is now a federal crime to forge a passport, the bill changes that to give forgers three chances. The first two times they forge a passport is on the house. The bill makes only the third forgery a crime. The same applies to drunk driving. Two prior convictions of drinking and driving doesn’t count before the third offense possibly disqualifies an illegal immigrant for citizenship.

Again, read what is in the immigration reform bill. Anyone who does and still makes the claim that the bill is tough on enforcement of our immigration laws has to be smoking something illegal. By no stretch of the imagination does this legislation strengthen enforcement. If anything, it does exactly the opposite.

For several weeks, I have heard advertisements on the radio, touting the immigration bill and how Paul Ryan and other representatives are backing the measure. It makes the claim that these representatives want to reform our immigration system in a common sense, conservative way. After reading the little I have read about this bill, I call hogwash on that claim. They are trying to force feed us again, this time with a bill that has been written with the express purpose of helping illegal immigrants and the special interest groups that advocate for them.

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