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Keep foreign criminals in jail
Please oppose the Sentencing Reform Act of 2015 as it is currently written. This legislation would release thousands of dangerous non-citizen offenders at a time when the Obama administration has shown a refusal to deport even the most violent criminal aliens.
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Fact Check: Rep. Beyer wrong about immigration and population growth
Recently, Rep. Don Beyer was fact checked on his claim that U.S. population would actually shrink if legal immigration were reduced, but his claim was rated “mostly false” by Politifact. I hope you will not believe anyone who says that mass immigration is required to grow or sustain America’s population.
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Democrats need to back American workers by passing E-Verify
During an interview with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, MSNBC host Chris Matthews accused Republican Congressional leaders of refusing to bring up mandatory E-Verify legislation because it would rob businesses of cheap labor. I hope you and your fellow Democrats will stand up for American workers by forcing a vote on mandatory E-Verify legislation so that businesses would be forced to hire unemployed Americans.
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No taxpayer-funded lawyers for illegal aliens
It is ridiculous that Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Zoe Lofgren have introduced legislation that would require the government to use tax dollars to provide UACs with lawyers. Individuals who came to this country illegally should not receive any more handouts and you should not support this legislation.
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Urge Congress to defund sanctuary cities
It is appalling that after the deaths of Kate Steinle and numerous other innocent Americans, Congress has still not acted to reign in sanctuary cities. I urge you to stand up for the rule of law and American lives by doing all you can to make sure sanctuary cities are defunded as part of the FY2017 appropriations process.
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New CIS report shows massive immigrant population growth
A new report from the Center for Immigration Studies shows that immigrants and their children now represent 18.9% of the U.S. population. This represents a drastic increase from 1970, when immigrants and their children represented 6.6% of the population. Current immigration levels are far above America’s historic average and need to be decreased. On top of this, a new Bloomberg poll shows that 61% of Americans believe current immigration levels jeopardize the United States. I hope you will read the report and the poll results and act to reduce immigration to sustainable levels.
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Bill would establish refugee cap of 60,000, Authorizes Congress, only, to make changes
H.R. 4731, the Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act would establish a ceiling of 60,000 refugees per year and require Congressional approval to change it. It would also reform America’s refugee system and make our country safer. I urge you to push for a House vote on this legislation.
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Put American workers first by reducing immigration
As you know, our nation is still recovering from one of its most trying economic times since the Great Depression. Millions of Americans are struggling to find jobs, and the workforce participation rate is at its lowest in decades. But not a day goes by that business groups and labor unions aren’t pushing for more legal immigration.
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DHS: Refugee influx could bring terrorists
DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson recently told a House panel that the influx of refugees from the Middle East creates a perfect opportunity for terrorists to enter the United States. Please pass H.R. 4731, the Refugee Program Integrity Restoration Act, which would reform the refugee program and increase its security.
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Minimum wage
I applaud Representative Jay Obernolte’s opposition to increasing the minimum wage, even though his reasoning is way off base (“Minimum wage increase treats symptom, not disease,” Daily Press, April 3, 2016).
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Reject taxpayer-funded lawyers for illegal aliens
It is ridiculous that Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Zoe Lofgren have introduced legislation that would require the government to use tax dollars to provide UACs with lawyers. Individuals who came to this country illegally should not receive any more handouts and you should not support this legislation.
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We need E-Verify
Perhaps the biggest magnet for illegal immigration to the United States is jobs. Most illegal aliens come to our country in seek of work, and considering that 40% of the illegal-alien population came here legally and simply overstayed their visa, border security is not enough to stop illegal immigration. That’s why I urge you to support legislation that would require all employers to use the E-Verify employment verification system and ensure that they’re only hiring authorized workers.
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Congress increases H-2B visas in 2016
I was disappointed to see Congress expand the H-2B program for 2016 in the recent spending bill. This program is rife with fraud and abuse and allows low-skilled foreign workers to take jobs that could be taken by America’s most vulnerable workers. I urge you not to increase the number of H-2B visas in future years. Congress’ expansion of the H-2B program in the recent spending bill will allow any foreign workers who have held an H-2B visa over the last three years to be exempt from the 2016 caps. This is a gift to the business community who would rather hire cheap, foreign labor than hire unemployed Americans. The latest jobs report revealed that nearly 3 million Americans with a high school degree or less are looking for work. These vulnerable workers need jobs — jobs that companies would rather give to foreign workers through use of the H-2B visa. Furthermore, the unemployment rate for teens sits at 16.1% — more than three times the national average. Traditionally, jobs that are now being given to H-2B visa holders have gone to teens, so their high unemployment rate comes as no surprise. You were elected to help American workers get back to work not help foreign workers find jobs in the U.S. and big business drive down wages by hiring cheaper, foreign workers. I urge you to oppose any future increases in the H-2B guest worker program.
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Stand with border enforcement
It is truly disturbing that the Obama administration has given orders to Border Patrol agents that run contrary to federal law. Not only is it unlawful, but it is immoral and indefensible to order agents who arrest illegal aliens to release them without giving them a Notice to Appear. The administration has every right to be embarrassed that only half of illegal aliens given these notices eventually appear in court, but simply allowing illegal aliens to remain in the country without so much as a hearing is unlawful and jeopardizes our nation’s security. Brandon Judd, the president of the National Border Patrol Council, testified before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday and his comments were truly disturbing. Judd testified that the Obama administration has ordered Border Patrol agents to release detained illegal aliens without Notices to Appear because they are simply ignored. Judd continued: “Not only do we release these individuals that by law are subject to removal proceedings, we do it without any means of tracking their whereabouts. Agents believe this exploitable policy was set in place because DHS was embarrassed at the sheer number of those who choose not to follow the law by showing up for their court appearances. In essence, we pull these persons out of the shadows and into the light just to release them right back to those same shadows from whence they came.” I urge you to look into these matters, especially after news reports have indicated that violent drug gangs like MS-13 are expanding their reach. Please investigate these developments and take steps to ensure our country’s security remains in tact.
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Enforce our immigration laws
According to a new DHS report, nearly half a million foreign visitors overstayed their visas in FY2015. On seven separate occasions, Congress has provided funding for the yet-to-be-completed biometric entry-exit system. It’s about time you follow up on your actions and make sure DHS finally implements this system at all ports of entry. Every nonimmigrant visa that the United States issues contains a departure date by which foreign visitors must leave the country. But all too often, this date is ignored, and there is no system in place to identify and locate foreign visitors who overstay their visas. An automated entry-and-exit screening system for foreign visitors was passed by Congress in the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996. Since then, Congress has approved funding on seven different occasions, but three presidents, Pres. Clinton, Bush, and Obama have failed to implement the system. It’s not an exaggeration to say that had a biometric entry-exit system been in place in 2001, the 9/11 attacks could have been prevented. I urge you to begin taking our national security and the integrity of our immigration system seriously by doing all you can to ensure implementation of a biometric entry-exit system at all ports of entry.
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Support a refugee moratorium
It is important that you support H.R. 4218, legislation introduced by Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Lamar Smith, Lou Barletta, and Steve DesJarlais. This bill would temporarily halt the refugee resettlement program and ensure that no terrorists or terrorist sympathizers are admitted.
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Reduce immigration and put American workers first!
A new NumbersUSA television ad features civil rights icon Barbara Jordan who chaired the last bi-partisan commission on immigration. The Jordan Commission recommended cutting legal immigration to 550,000 annually. I support the recommendations of the Jordan Commission and urge you to do so as well.
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Fewer U.S.-Born Workers Have Jobs
Newly-released data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that U.S.-born workers lost 320,000 jobs while 306,000 foreign-born workers gained jobs. This is unacceptable and is another example why immigration to the U.S. needs to be reduced. I hope you will help American workers by reducing immigration numbers. Every month, U.S.-born workers are squeezed out of the workplace. The most recent jobs data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics only reinforces this trend. The U.S. currently brings in more than 125,000 new foreign workers each month — that’s more than 1.5 million each year. How can U.S.-born workers hope to compete when many of the newly-created jobs go to foreign-born workers? American workers are struggling and they need Congress’ help. I hope you will help all U.S.-born workers by taking steps to reduce immigration numbers.
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Congress needs to address Cuban immigration, support bill to end special status
We are appalled that Costa Rica, El Salvador, and Mexico can get away with striking an immigration deal that will increase the number of people trying to enter the U.S. illegally! The just-signed agreement allows Costa Rica to fly Cuban illegal aliens to El Salvador, where they will be bused to Mexico. This is absurd and will only encourage more economic migrants from Cuba to try to come to the U.S. illegally. Rep. Paul Gosar’s Ending Special National Origin-Based Immigration Programs for Cubans Act of 2015, H.R. 3818, would scrap the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966 and the “wet foot/dry foot” policy that applies to Cubans entering the country illegally. We hope you will support this legislation.
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Support a refugee moratorium
It is important that you support H.R. 4218, legislation introduced by Reps. Marsha Blackburn, Lamar Smith, Lou Barletta, and Steve DesJarlais. This bill would temporarily halt the refugee resettlement program and ensure that no terrorists or terrorist sympathizers are admitted. Please do all you can to get this bill passed.