Blog
Jun 14 2006
Lindsey Graham on Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Many South Carolinians have contacted the office about immigration reform. Here is some expanded information on the subject and thoughts on the Senate legislation from Senator Graham.
Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417
I agree with President Bush, our current immigration laws are complex and unworkable. The physical security along our border is porous and in some areas, nearly non-existent. Combine these factors with spotty or lax enforcement of employment laws, and we have created the immigration situation we find ourselves in today. South Carolinians are rightly frustrated with our immigration system. They know the system is broken and we all pay the price. This is a concern I share. It is also why Congress and President Bush should continue to work together to bring some order to the chaos that exists right now. Here is a brief rundown of my views on immigration reform and how the Senate began to address these issues. I hope in the coming months the House of Representatives, Senate and President can come to some agreement on immigration reform. Each day we delay in securing our border, creating a workable employer verification system and creating a process to deal with the undocumented workers already in the United States only makes our immigration problems worse. Border Security The first issue to address in immigration reform must be border security. Over the last decade, the number of illegal border crossings has dramatically increased. Without better border security, any immigration reform is sure to fail. One reason I supported the Senate immigration reform bill is because it addresses the long-overdue and much-needed effort to regain control of our perimeters. Among the major provisions, it authorizes the hiring of an additional 14,000 Border Patrol agents over the next five years. It also calls for the construction of at least 370 miles of triple-layer fencing and 500 miles of vehicle barriers to be placed in high-traffic border crossing areas where people can literally walk into the United States. In more remote locations, it calls for the creation of a ‘virtual’ fence. This fence would use some of our most advanced technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), remote surveillance camera systems, motion detectors, and other technological devices to enhance the effectiveness of our Border Patrol. It also ends the ‘Catch and Release’ program where illegal immigrants detained by the Border Patrol are released and ordered to report to court at a future date. Needless to say, very few complied with the order, returned to court, and faced deportation. Now, because the Senate bill authorizes the construction of 20 new detention facilities capable of housing 20,000 detainees, we will be able to detain, house, and eventually deport them back to their home country when they are apprehended. While I support strengthening our border, I also realize that better border security alone will not adequately address our nation’s immigration problems. Almost half of the illegal immigrants in the United States today have overstayed their legally issued visas, and never crossed the border illegally. These illegal immigrants came to the United States as tourists, students or workers and never left the country. We must also remember that many rely on being able to legally cross our borders to continue in their businesses and day to day lives. Not all southern border crossings are illegal or pose a threat to the security of the United States. In fact, there are 350 million legal crossings between the United States and Mexico each year in the exchange of good and services. Each day nearly 1 million people legally cross at one of the entry points on the United States-Mexico border. Employee Verification and Employer Enforcement While the first issue to address in immigration reform must be border security, this alone provides a false sense of security and must be coupled with a workable employee verification system. Immigration is about jobs. We need to control who gets jobs, and how they get them. Creating an effective worker verification system that lets employers know whether a job applicant can legally work in the United States is a key element for successful immigration reform. The rampant fraud associated with the use of Social Security numbers and drivers licenses has put employers in a no-win situation for determining whether a person can legally work in the United States. If an employer questions the applicant’s documents too closely, they can face charges of discrimination. If they are too lax, they can be cited for not checking closely enough and hiring an illegal worker. In one case, an American company was under investigation by the United States Department of Justice for committing both offenses at the same time. This is why the Senate’s plan to institute a tamper-proof biometric worker verification card is so important. Under the plan, guest workers would be issued the card which contains biometric identifiers, such as digital fingerprints. This would enable employers to differentiate between legal and illegal workers before hiring them. After reforming the system and giving employers ample opportunity to comply with the new system, we must exercise the will to punish those who intentionally break the law. The Senate bill authorizes the hiring of 5,000 new interior enforcement investigators over the next 5 years to uphold our employment laws. We have been too lax in the enforcement of our well-intentioned but inadequate and confusing employment laws. As a result, the illegal workforce has become firmly entrenched in some of our state’s largest and most important industries such as agriculture, construction and tourism. Employers in many industries, including those crucial to South Carolina’s economy, need workers and want to hire them legally. We must provide the tools they need to not only comply with the law, but also to stay in business. Creating a workable employee verification system will also free up the enforcement officers to go after the unscrupulous businesses who knowingly violate our employment laws. They should be forced to comply with the stricter standards and penalties contained in the Senate bill, or face the consequences and end up behind bars. Undocumented Workers We must come up with an honest and rational solution on how to treat the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants already in our country. Like President Bush, I don’t think we are capable of, nor have the national will to, deport 11 million people. Further, an immediate roundup and deportation of this workforce would have negative consequences for our economy, potentially sending it into a tailspin. This ‘solution’ is not practical and therefore is simply not an option. The Senate compromise brings illegal immigrants already in the United States more than two years out of the shadows and requires them to meet rigorous standards in order to remain in our country. In essence, they are placed on 11 years of probation. The terms are strict but fair. They include: • Undocumented workers must come out of the shadows and register with the government;• Pay $3,200 in fines and penalties;
• Be proficient in the English language;
• Stay employed;
• Undergo 2 comprehensive background checks to ensure they do not have a criminal record or pose a danger to society;
• Pay all back taxes;
• Register with the military Selective Service;
• Attend American civics and government classes
Failure to meet any of these requirements would result in deportation. Not every undocumented worker who applies for the program will meet the requirements. Those who don’t measure up to the standards we put in place will face deportation. Those who do meet the terms above – over a 6 year period – would be allowed to go to the back of the line to apply for citizenship. On average, waiting to become an American citizen after the application is filed takes 5 years. This means that from the time an undocumented worker enters this program until they become a citizen, there would be at least an 11 year wait. If we have not cleared the current immigration backlog in that period, the immigrant won’t be able to apply for citizenship until we do. The program is not amnesty. Amnesty is what President Carter gave to Vietnam draft dodgers who fled to Canada. This approach represents a rational middle ground between those who want to grant an automatic path to citizenship for all undocumented workers and those who want every one to leave. In addition, it is important to note that the Senate passed immigration bill does not make illegal aliens eligible to receive Social Security benefits. Our immigration system has been in disarray for so long there are generations of families with legal and illegal members. Some families have parents here illegally and children that are American citizens. Some husbands are illegal while the wives are legal. More importantly, there are many members of our military, particularly young Hispanic Marines, serving in Iraq and Afghanistan who are legal citizens by virtue of being born in America. They have chosen to fight and die for our country. Creating felons out of their parents, illegally in the country, is not the way to thank them for their service, and will not make America a better place. Conclusion Immigration is a complex issue. One aspect that has been particularly contentious among all Americans is constructing a fence to run the full length of the United States-Mexico border. Many South Carolinians support additional fencing and I agree with them. However, this idea is not universally accepted – even among border state legislators who would be most affected. The state of Texas shares a 1,200 mile border with Mexico and is the site of many legal and illegal border crossings. However, the Republican Senators from Texas split over the issue of creating a border fence. One Senator is open to the idea while the other views it as impractical. This split illustrates how difficult it can be to reach consensus on these issues even among legislators who normally agree. As Americans, we need to keep in mind the debate surrounding immigration is not a new one. As a nation of immigrants, we have had disagreements about how many immigrants we should absorb, their original nationality, and the impact they were having on the United States. Immigration is part of our history and among the founding principles of this nation. I strongly believe that working together we can address our immigration problems and allow our country to move toward a more prosperous future.
Jun 09 2006
Graham Announces Nearly $750,000 for School Counseling in Lancaster and McCormick Elementary Schools
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced nearly $750,000 for counseling services in Lancaster and McCormick County elementary schools. Lancaster County School District will receive a $353,571 grant. McCormick County School District will receive a $396,020 grant. The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Education. ####Jun 08 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON -- Today, U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) voted in favor of H.R. 8, The Death Tax Repeal Permanency Act. Unfortunately, the measure failed by a vote of 57-41, as 60 votes were needed to advance the proposal. With the vote so close, Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) has indicated that the Senate may take up the issue again later this week. “The Death Tax destroys family farms and small businesses,” said Graham. “Many people are land rich, but cash poor. These people have to liquidate their business or farm to pay the Death Tax. The Death Tax accounts for less than 1.5 percent of all federal revenue, but it destroys the hopes and dreams of many individuals and families who worked hard to achieve the American Dream. The Death Tax is bad policy and I will continue to work to bring about its permanent demise.” “Americans know it is fundamentally wrong to make death a taxable event,” said Senator DeMint. “The Death Tax only brings in a small amount of revenue, yet it destroys jobs, breaks up family businesses and farms, and costs the economy hundreds of billions in capital investments. If we are serious about making America the best place in the world to do business, we need to kill the Death Tax once and for all.” The Death Tax only brings in under $25 billion per year in revenue to the federal government, but it is estimated that it has cost the U.S. economy over $847 billion in capital investment and is responsible for the loss of at least 100,000 jobs every year. Under current law, the Death Tax will be fully repealed in 2010, but it will immediately be restored in 2011 and beyond at a rate of 55%. H.R. 8 would make the full repeal of the Death Tax permanent. ###Jun 08 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today made the following statement on the death of Zarqawi and the current situation in Iraq. Graham said: “The death of Zarqawi, along with some of his top operatives, is very welcome news. It also strikes a major blow to al-Qaeda in Iraq. “Zarqawi’s death shows our troops are working well with the Iraqi security forces and our intelligence gathering capabilities have improved. Today, we should also be very proud of our American troops, the finest in the world, who played a vital role in hunting down this ruthless killer. Because of their work, justice has now been served. “The situation in Iraq has shown some improvement. The recent appointments of a new Minister of Defense and a Minister of the Interior are welcome news as these are important posts controlling the armed forces and police. Filling these positions represent a significant breakthrough on the political scene in Iraq. “I’m hopeful the combination of Zarqawi’s death and the appointment of Ministers for these key positions will give us momentum for more political and military success in Iraq.” #####Jun 05 2006
Wes Hickman (202) 224-5972 or Kevin Bishop (864) 250-1417
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) will vote this week in support of a constitutional amendment protecting the traditional definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman. The vote is scheduled to occur on Wednesday. “I believe in the traditional definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman,” said Graham. “Traditional marriage is an institution worth protecting and this amendment will accomplish that goal. A constitutional amendment is the only effective way to cut off the growing trend among judges to create a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.” Graham noted nine states – California, Connecticut, Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma and Washington – are facing lawsuits challenging the state’s traditional marriage laws. In four of those (California, Maryland, New York and Washington), courts have found a right to same-sex marriage in state constitutional provisions related to equal protection and due process. In each case, the court relied in part on the historic 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage in that state. On the federal level, a Nebraska federal district court found a 2005 constitutional amendment passed by 70 percent of the voters to be unconstitutional. The case has been appealed to the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. There are also lawsuits challenging the traditional definition of marriage in federal courts currently pending in four states. “There have been a series of court decisions at the state and federal level where judges have held there is a constitutional right for same-sex marriage,” said Graham. “If marriage is ever to be redefined, it needs to be done by the people’s elected representatives, not a handful of activist judges.” #####Jun 01 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced Johnsonville will receive a $949,400 grant and a $3,092,000 loan for water system improvements. The funds will be used to install approximately 28 miles of water line, a well, a 300,000 gallon elevated storage tank, and a SCADA system. In addition, the funds will be used to replace galvanized water lines, valves, and meters. The loan and grant were awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. ####Jun 01 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today announced the Western Carolina Higher Education Commission-Salkehatchie Leadership Institute in Allendale will receive a $327,460 grant. The grant will be used to continue a previous grant project, now known as the Salkehatchie Arts Partnership, developing an inventory of artisans and craftspeople in Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Colleton, and Hampton counties. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the project is expected to assist 15 small, rural businesses and potentially create 20 new jobs. The grant was awarded by the USDA. ####Jun 01 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint today announced more than $24 million dollars for public housing authorities in South Carolina. The Capital Fund formula grants are awarded on an annual basis and may be used for a variety of activities including modernization, development, financing, and management. The grants were awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Recipients include: Charleston County Housing and Redevelopment Authority- $433,575 Housing Authority of Abbeville- $188,954 Housing Authority of Aiken- $507,259 Housing Authority of Anderson- $408,016 Housing Authority of Atlantic Beach- $72,781 Housing Authority of Beaufort- $430,224 Housing Authority of Bennettsville- $208,263 Housing Authority of Charleston- $2,009,420 Housing Authority of Cayce- $57,070 Housing Authority of Cheraw- $326,836 Housing Authority of Chester- $178,322 Housing Authority of Columbia- $3,466,335 Housing Authority of Conway- $396,619 Housing Authority of Darlington- $243,721 Housing Authority of Easley- $148,815 Housing Authority of Florence- $1,179,856 Housing Authority of Fort Mill- $194,897 Housing Authority of Gaffney- $425,022 Housing Authority of Georgetown- $431,460 Housing Authority of Greenville- $1,751,444 Housing Authority of Greenwood- $340,559 Housing Authority of Greer- $233,849 Housing Authority of Hartsville- $157,236 Housing Authority of Kingstree- $200,443 Housing Authority of Lake City- $447,776 Housing Authority of Lancaster- $204,131 Housing Authority of Laurens- $182,087 Housing Authority of Marion- $545,497 Housing Authority of McColl- $45,825 Housing Authority of Mullins- $260,772 Housing Authority of North Charleston- $803,856 Housing Authority of Newberry- $518,767 Housing Authority of Rock Hill- $543, 321 Housing Authority of Spartanburg- $2,023,956 Housing Authority of Sumter- $517,235 Housing Authority of Union- $421,879 Housing Authority of Woodruff- $146,008 Housing Authority of York- $169,656 Marlboro County Housing and Redevelopment Authority- $75,182 South Carolina Regional Housing Authority No. 1- $2,044,679 South Carolina Regional Housing Authority No. 3- $1,254,413 ####May 31 2006
Wes Hickman (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417)
WASHINGTON- U.S. Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint today announced South Carolina will receive more than $14.6 million for homeland security initiatives throughout the state. South Carolina will receive:- $10,040,000 from the State Homeland Security Program. These funds support the implementation of activities to build the capability to prevent, protect against, respond to, and recover from acts of terrorism and other catastrophic events.
- $4,100,000 from the Law Enforcement Terrorism Prevention Program. These funds support law enforcement and public safety activities to prevent terrorist attacks through activities such as intelligence gathering, information sharing, and target hardening.
- $307,104 from the Citizen Corp Program. These funds are used to support activities that promote citizen preparedness and engage citizens in all-hazards prevention, protection, response, and recovery.
- $232,330 from the Metropolitan Medical Response System. These funds support planning and preparation activities for large-scale medical response for any catastrophic event.