Immigration Myth Buster

You gotta’ love Jeff Sessions.

After a recent “retreat” for House Republicans in a Maryland hideaway, he said a statement of “principles” that were considered there were “the same recycled talking points, crafted with the help of the same consultants and special interests.” Regarding immigration “reform,” the Republican senator from Alabama said the proposed legislation “ensures only the amnesty and not the enforcement.”

Sessions knows Democrats AND Republicans are playing word games when it comes to immigration “reform.” Apparently Sessions believes amnesty by any other name is still amnesty and playing with words will not sell the American people on “reform” until the enforcement part of “reform” is nailed down.

Sessions, who was not at the retreat, said the proposed reforms, if enacted into law, “would surge the already unprecedented level of legal lesser-skilled immigration to the U.S. that is reducing wages and increasing unemployment.” The Republican goal, said Sessions, should be “to transition millions of struggling Americans from welfare and joblessness to work and rising wages.” The senator also took dead aim at Barack Obama when he said the president’s plan is to force “legislation that drastically surges the future flow of new immigrant workers competing against unemployed Americans.”

Sessions issued a 30-page statement in which he summarized where we are and where we should be going. In that statement he slaps down ten widely circulated myths that are often used to deceive the public about immigration “reform.”

Myth #1: Those who break our immigration laws will not get any special path to citizenship. Mythbuster: The plan is to give green cars to ineligible aliens and that, indeed, is “a special path to citizenship.”

Myth #2: The plan is not amnesty because illegals will have to pay fines, back taxes, learn English and pass background checks. Mythbuster: In fact, all those requirements are a farce. It is impossible to calculate back taxes, the aliens will never learn English before they get amnesty and any background checks will be as worthless as the background check of the Boston bombers.

Myth #3: The immigration reform debate in Congress will be full and open. Mythbuster: Are you kidding? From the Senate Gang of Eight’s bill to proposals that emerged from the House Republican “retreat” in Maryland, most of the immigration plans have been put together in secrecy.

Myth #4: The majority of Americans support immigration reform. Mythbuster: All polls refute that statement. Pew Research Center and CBS report that 62 percent of Americans want the border secured before any immigration reform is even considered.

Myth #5: We need a guest-worker program to fill our labor shortages and take jobs Americans won’t take. Mythbuster: Sessions states there are more than enough unemployed Americans to fill all labor shortages and Americans in fact do work all the jobs that some claim Americans won’t do. Economist Thomas Sowell wrote that “Virtually every kind of ‘work that Americans will not do’ is in fact work that Americans have done for generations. In many cases, most of the people doing that work today are Americans.”

Myth #6: Those granted legalization must be able to support themselves and will not get welfare. Mythbuster: Liar, liar! Pants on fire! That has been the law for generations, but the Obama administration ignores the law. For example, the Boston bomber family actually was given $100,000 in welfare benefits.

Myth #7: Immigration reform will help the economy. Mythbuster: In fact, amnesty will result in a larger number of people being unemployed and on welfare.

Myth #8: Border security will come first and no legalization can happen unless triggers have been implemented. Mythbuster: At this point, what person in their right mind would believe that cock and bull story? Rasmussen reported that only 5 percent believe the government would ever close the border after immigration “reform” is passed.

Myth #9: Passing “immigration reform” and fixing the border will end illegal immigration. Mythbuster: Very few people believe that will or can happen. Why? Because President Obama refuses to close the border, fails to use E-Verify, will not use the biometric exit system to track visa entrants who don’t depart when their legal time expires and prevents our immigration agents from arresting and removing those who enter illegally or overstay their visas.

Myth #10: Congress will force the president to fully enforce the immigration reform bill if passed by the Senate and the House. Mythbuster: Surely you’re joking! With Obamacare, Barack Obama has proven he will use his pen to scratch out any provisions he dislikes in any law, including immigration reform. Neither Congress OR the courts have done anything to stop his rewrite of the Affordable Care Act. Why would they challenge him now?

Adding to what Sessions has already said, Commissioner Peter Kirsanow of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights said, “The immigration bill is a disaster for the unemployed.” In addition, Sessions points out, all plans will “hollow out our shrinking middle class,” and “rank-and-file House Republicans are the last line of defense for working Americans.”

So, what does Congress need to do when it comes to real immigration reform?

Approve legislation that says no part of the immigration law can be changed by executive order. If the president violates that part of the law, provision will be made in the law to begin impeachment proceedings immediately.

Make border security the first and most important priority with a provision that illegal crossovers may never exceed verifiable levels. If those numbers are exceeded, all immigration will be halted until Congress says otherwise.

Pass legislation that requires the use of E-Verify, a biometric exit system and gives immigration agents full authority to arrest and deport those who enter the country illegally or overstay their visas.

Craft the law in such a way that illegals can never receive federal or state government benefits of any kind—welfare, food stamps, etc.—and cannot, under any circumstances, acquire a driver’s license. The law would also state that their paperwork for citizenship must be filled out and they must demonstrate a proficiency in English BEFORE they enter the country.

Such a law would discourage illegals from COMING to this country and would encourage illegals to LEAVE this country.

Ed Baswell pastors The Clarion Church and is the host of Crossfire Radio, weekdays from 7-9 am, on The Promise, 90.7 FM. The show is streamed live worldwide at promisetalkradio.org and at ktbs.com. It can be seen each day on the KTBS 24-hour, digital news channel.