Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Illegal Immigration

[875000]

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called a plan to build fencing along parts of the Mexico border a "terrible idea" that overlooks local communities.

Pelosi made the comments during her trip to the Rio Grande Valley for the annual Hispanic Engineering, Science & Technology Week conference at the University of Texas-Pan American.

"I have been against the fence, I thought it's a bad idea even when it was just a matter of discussion," said Pelosi, D-Calif. "These are communities where you have a border going through them, they are not communities where you have a fence splitting them."

Last year, President Bush signed the Secure Fence Act requiring the construction of fencing along the 2,000-mile border. The plans call for about 370 miles of fence and 200 miles of vehicle barriers, including concrete barriers, by the end of 2008.

Pelosi also touted legislation known as the DREAM Act that would make it easier for some illegal immigrants to receive higher education benefits. She spoke at a conference that drew more than 5,000 students for activities designed to inspire careers in science and technology.

The DREAM Act would eliminate a federal provision that discourages states from providing illegal immigrants with lower in-state tuition rates. It also would allow permanent residency for illegal immigrants who entered the country as children and have been admitted to an institution of higher education.

"It just isn't fair," Pelosi said. "Those young people who came to America one way or another ... their opportunities are curtailed because of the situation. And it's not only harmful to them — it's harmful to the country."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-09-28-pelosi-fence_N.htm



While I am iffy on the fence, the DREAM Act is something that I am outright opposed to. It'll be interesting to see who jumps to its defense

[Aenstaas]

Hmm, where should I start? First off let me start by saying that I live in California. We of course have a very high hispanic population, most of which, are illegal immigrants. I ALSO work for the welfare department in a rural agriculture county. So I see day in and out both sides of the issue. I see some really hard working individuals who barely make minimum wage doing jobs that most of us would not want or be willing to do. Those jobs are necessary for the production of crops and without these workers I do not know how these things would get done. Some people say that the farmers would be forced to pay higher wages, but I can also say that both my family and my husbands family are farm/dairy owners and though they make a decent living, not your every day business owner could afford to stay in business paying those wages.

At my office, I estimate that, 85% of the cases I handle are hispanic. I only deal with MediCAL (most states call it Medicaid) and food stamps. The majority of the cases are of illegal immigrants. They then have a couple of kids after they move here and those kids get full medical benefits, while undocumented citizens get restricted emergency or pregnancy related benefits.

Where am I going with this. I am not really sure actually lol. I think the influx of immigrants needs to be stopped. Go through the proper legal channels to get here. If a fence is needed to help out, I say go for it. Sure it is job security for me to keep having people coming here but the strain it puts on our health system and economy is apparent. The DREAM act is absurd.

PLUS, I am just freaking tired of seeing spanish signs in the local drive thru! Come here legally and please also learn english!

p.s Yes, i know my punctuation sucks!

[Blazing247]

For the love of God, why not just GIVE MEXICO THE UNITED STATES and we can try again in another part of the world. Maybe upper Canada, they definitely hate the cold.

[Gan]

The DREAM Act would provide a path to legality for persons brought illegally to the United States (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States) by their parents or guardians as children, or whose parents attempted to immigrate legally but were then denied legality after several years in application, and whose children thus derived their legal status solely from their parents (the child also becoming illegal upon the parent's denial).
To qualify, the immigrant student would have to meet certain requirements such as:

Proof of having arrived in the United States at age 15 or younger;
Proof of residence in the United States for a least five (5) consecutive years since their date of arrival.
Having graduated from an American High School, or obtained a GED.
"Good moral character," essentially defined as the absence of a significant criminal record (or any drug charges whatsoever).An estimated 65,000 immigrant students who meet these requirements graduate from high school each year. pdf (http://www.nilc.org/immlawpolicy/DREAM/DREAM_Demographics.pdf)

Immigrants who meet the above requirements would be eligible to apply for a temporary six (6) year "conditional" residence permit which would allow them to live legally in the United States, obtain driver's licenses, attend college as in-state residents, work legally (including obtaining a social security number), and apply for special travel documents which would allow for travel outside of the country for limited amounts of time.

During the six years of conditional status, the eligible immigrant would be required to either (1) graduate from a two-year community college, (2) complete at least two years towards a 4-year degree, or (3) serve two years in the U.S. military. After the six year period, an immigrant who meets at least one of these three conditions would be eligible to apply for legal permanent resident (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Permanent_Resident_Card) (green card) status. During their temporary time, immigrants would not be eligible for federal higher education grants such as Pell grants (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pell_grant), though they would be able to apply for student loans and work study.

If the immigrant does not meet the educational or military service requirement within the six year time period, her or his temporary residence would be revoked and he or she would be subject to deportation. During the six years, the immigrant must not commit any crimes other than those considered non-drug related misdemeanors, regardless of whether or not they have already been approved for permanent status at the end of their six years. Being convicted of a major crime, or drug-related infraction would automatically remove the six year temporary residence status and he or she would be subject to deportation. If the immigrant meets all of the conditions at the end of the 6-year conditional period, he or she would be granted a permanent green card with the same rights as a permanent resident alien, including the right to apply for U.S. citizenship.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Act
http://www.dreamact.info/
http://rs9.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:SN00774:

I really dont see many getting past the 6 year conditional period. Furthermore I dont see the enforcement of deportation of those who do fail. And without a barrier at the border, those who are deported will simply walk back over. Rince/repeat. Perhaps we should at least charge them the cost for gas for the bus ride back to Mexico... or whever else we deport illegal immigrants to.

So yea, Pelosi's Dream looks good in the media, but in the end its not a huge benefit to those whom its targeting.