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Carrying Capacity Network Action Alert URGENT: NEW THREAT - Bill Would Amnesty Millions of Illegals CCN's HOLISTIC STRATEGY STOPS THE TRIPLE THREAT to U.S. Social Security, Jobs, and Border Security Social Security Serious Immediate Threat - Must Act NOW

Last June, the Bush Administration and Mexico signed a "Totalization" Agreement, which could provide U.S. Social Security benefits to millions of Mexicans who are, or were, working illegally in the United States. The Bush Administration is pushing for approval of this agreement, and it goes into effect AUTOMATICALLY if it is not blocked by Congressional action. THIS AGREEMENT GOES INTO EFFECT SOON UNLESS EITHER THE SENATE OR HOUSE ADOPTS A RESOLUTION OF DISAPPROVAL. We must act now!

Two pending bills (and one resolution) would prevent the "Totalization" Agreement from allowing this raid on our hard-earned Social Security dollars (i.e., all those FICA payments which have been deducted from our paychecks all these years). CCN urges the passage of this legislation.

Rep. Hayworth (R-AZ) has introduced H.RES.20, expressing the disapproval of the House of Representatives of the Social Security totalization agreement between the United States and Mexico. The resolution currently has 40 cosponsors. CCN position: SUPPORT H.R. 98 (Dreier, R-CA) would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to improve Social Security card standards, create an Employment Eligibility Database, and other employment verification security procedures to further enforce restrictions on hiring illegal immigrants. A unique electronic identification strip added to the Social Security card would provide security against duplication. The bill would establish an Employment Eligibility Database maintained by the Secretary of Homeland Security to enable checking citizenship, work, and residency status of non-citizens for legal work entry. Employers would be required to ensure that a worker is eligible for employment through the new database by swiping the employee's card for status verification. Most important, the bill specifies that, "This card shall not be used for the purpose of identification." CCN position: SUPPORT

H.R. 1438 (Rohrabacher, R - CA) would amend the Social Security Act to exclude payment of Social Security benefits to those who were not eligible for employment because of illegal status. CCN position: SUPPORT

Border Security

The issue of our border security is gathering momentum with the successful Minuteman Project in Arizona. Grandmothers and grandfathers sitting in lawn chairs, with cell phone connections to Border Control resulted in an over 50% reduction in illegal alien traffic.

At the same time, the CIA reports that Al Qaeda has been meeting with MS-13 alleged drug-running gang members and other "coyotes" to gain entry into the U.S. through our porous southern border.

Border Security Bills

H.R 1268, the REAL ID Act: As we go to press, the Iraq Spending Bill has just passed, with Immigration Provisions Intact. Next the bill goes to the president, who has indicated he will sign it.

The Good News: The House/Senate conferees reached an agreement on what immigration provisions would remain in the Iraq supplemental spending bill, and we got most of what we wanted. Congratulations to all of you who made the calls and sent the faxes and E-mails that helped make the difference. More Excellent News: Thanks only to you and CCN's ASAP Coalition Allies, it appears at this point that we DEFEATED ATTEMPTS TO INCLUDE A NATIONAL ID CARD and A TRI-NATIONAL DRIVERS LICENSE. THANKS!!

www.minutemanproject.com

(Note: Although CCN's reading of the bill supports this conclusion, some interpretations suggest that the risk may still be there. CCN will be watching closely to see how the driver's license provisions play out in the real world).
What we won:

· More money for border patrol, enforcement and deportation efforts;

· More Border Patrol agents, Immigration investigators, Detention and Deportation officers, and more detention beds;

· A De Facto Ban on Driver's Licenses for Illegal Aliens (States can issue driving certificates to illegals but use of the certificates is restricted; they cannot be used to board airplanes or enter federal facilities, for example);
· Completion of the border fence: A section of the fence on the Southwest California/Mexico border near San Diego that has never been finished will be completed.

Unfortunately . . .
The bill also includes some bad provisions that will increase some categories of immigrants:

o A two-year increase in H-2B Visas for low-skilled seasonal workers. This will allow as many as five times more seasonal foreign workers to be imported over the next two years than are allowed under the current annual cap of 66,000. This is the provision known as the "attack on summer and low wage jobs for the poor and teenagers . "

o WORSE YET, one provision potentially allows millions of Chinese citizens to be granted asylum and permanent residence by merely claiming they are fleeing China 's one-child-per-family policy.
The inclusion of these bad provisions illustrates the flaw in the NeoCon organizations' incremental "management" approach to immigration reduction, and the importance of the ASAP strategy of CAPPING the numbers. Only ASAP Coalition members and sympathizers are pushing for a moratorium which keeps the focus on overall NUMBERS.Those organizations which claim their focus is on NUMBERS, but which do not actually push a moratorium bill, bear considerable responsibility for allowing these provisions to be included in the bill. And the provision of a special loophole for the Chinese could add MILLIONS to U.S. population growth!

We must continue to push for a comprehensive moratorium on all legal immigration in excess of 100,000 per year.

H.R. 1320 (Reyes, D-TX), the Secure Border Act, would require work on securing our borders, securing our interior, and security beyond our borders. The bill would create the Land Border Infrastructure Improvement Fund, enhance border-monitoring technology, provide sufficient training for border personnel, establish a comprehensive border security strategy, enhance border security programs, and secure our tribal and federal lands and territories. It would increase Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) staff, detention space, law enforcement access to informants, and provide increased penalties for smuggling. Globally, this bill coordinates DHS mission overseas, implements a more effective VISA security program, and implements a VISA waiver program. Finally, the Secure Border Act would digitize immigration functions and benefit

H.R. 1196 (Ortiz, D -TX) would improve the security process along the U.S. - Mexico border with a database screening system for immigrants entering our border. This bill would increase detention beds, an important provision since many immigrants are let go upon being arrested for lack of detention space. CCN position: SUPPORT

H.R. 688 (Barrett, R - SC) would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to bar the admission and help expedite removal of illegal alien terrorists, drug traffickers, and other illegal aliens who are criminals or human rights abusers. The bill would also reduce visa, document, and employment fraud, and reform the illegal immigration system. CCN position: SUPPORT

Our strategy? Act in the interest of loyal Americans.
Several bills have been introduced in Congress which would amnesty millions of illegal aliens and which pose a dire threat to Social Security, Jobs, and Border Security. But together we can stop these bills, and get reductions in total immigration.
Our question on each policy? IS IT GOOD FOR THE USA

CCN does not support piecemeal defenses. We support a holistic defense in the interest of the United States. Pushing a holistic moratorium bill which will cover all the bases maximizes the chances of getting incremental victories. And, of course, we will take any incremental victory we can get.

Jobs Threat - Alien Amnesty Bill
AgJobs Beaten - But Kennedy/McCain Amnesty Bill New Threat!
The Bush Administration is pushing an illegal alien amnesty through various "guest worker" (a.k.a. "earned legalization" or "regularization") bills. A typical bill would grant illegal aliens a three-year temporary work visa, which could then be extended for another three years. After that, permanent resident status and possible citizenship status would be offered. CCN opposes all bills that offer "guest worker" status, a.k.a. amnesty!

Hot News! AgJOBS Amnesty Defeated! The Senate rejected the AgJOBS amnesty amendment to the emergency war supplemental bill.
H.R. 884 (Cannon, R- UT) /S. 359 (Craig, R-ID), the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits, and Security Act of 2005 ("AgJOBS") would have rewarded potentially millions of illegal aliens who have worked in the agriculture sector for a cumulative 100 days during any consecutive 12 months of the last 18 months prior to December 31, 2004 by granting them temporary resident status and authorized employment. CCN position: WE BEAT IT!! Congratulations to all of you who made the phone calls and sent the faxes and E-mails that made the difference.

BUT, the battle is not over. As CCN predicted, the AgJOBS bill has resurfaced in another form. Senators Kennedy and McCain have just introduced legislation (S.1033) that could grant permanent legal status to an estimated 10 million to 12 million illegal aliens after payment of a small fine. Representatives Kolbe, Flake, and Gutierrez have introduced a companion bill (H.R. 2330) in the House. S.1033/H.R.2330, misleadingly titled "The Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act of 2005," is a massive amnesty bill that not only implements a legalization program for illegal aliens who are here, but also institutes a new guest worker visa that would allow an additional 400,000 legal immigrants per year - and allow them to gain permanent residence!

Imagine the job loss and wage depression if such an amnesty bill passes, resulting in the families of these legalized illegals being eligible to enter the U.S., eligible for schooling, healthcare and many other benefits, including the right to compete with Americans for jobs!
THE MORATORIUM STRATEGY
Obviously the only way to defeat all such bills is to insist on a moratorium on all legal immigration in excess of 100,000 per year, and a NO vote on any and all illegal alien amnesties, "guest worker", "earned legalization", or "regularization" bills.
The piecemeal defensive approach of the neo-con reform lite groups simply will not work. Only a holistic strategy - pushing for an immigration moratorium - is in the unqualified interest of loyal Americans!

HOW YOU CAN HELP:
Call, write, and fax your senators and representative today and urge them to oppose S. 1033/H.R. 2330. Most importantly, ask your representatives to cosponsor a bill enacting a moratorium on all immigration in excess of 100,000 per year. This is essential to reducing illegal immigration (because it reduces the "family magnet" effect inter alia) and achieving population stabilization and a sustainable USA.
CCN staff has been hard at work on Capitol Hill, and we anticipate the introduction of a new Immigration Moratorium Bill any day now. But do not wait. Let Congress know how you feel today.

The Honorable (Full Name) The Honorable (Full Name)
United States Senate House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20510 Washington, DC 20515

You can reach your senators and representatives by calling the Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121. Fax and E-Mail contact information for your legislators is at www.congress.org

EMERGENCY REQUEST! THIS MAY BE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE WE FACE THIS YEAR. PLEASE GO TO www.carryingcapacity.org AND MAKE A SAFE, SECURE ONLINE DONATION TO HELP CCN STOP THE AMNESTY AND THE THREAT TO SOCIAL SECURITY.
And you can really help us increase our reductionist clout by giving gift memberships to CCN: more members mean more money for lobbying on the Hill, more money for advocacy, and more clout for our side.

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