mexicans = work permits?

[nijusjaanu 0]

did anyone else hear the president speak about giving mexicans work permits ... doing away with the immigration stuff and GIVING work permits to them? more power to them if they can get in the country easily and live a happy life ... but what about the rest of us??

[nina1 0]

I didn't hear it, but if that's the case, that's ridiculous..

[pax 0]

Surely any work-permit plan, not that I necessarily agree with one, will constitute more than asking interested Mexicans to queue up at the border as CBP hands out cards...?

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Especially since Mexicans ALREADY have (the TN-2, through NAFTA--admittedly, this has the restriction of being for professionals) an easier time obtaining work permits (less so than Canadians with TN-1, but still) than non-North Americans.

[Jenn! 918]

I did not see the president speak, but I think I've heard that the proposed law (? sorry if incorrect terminology - I never took Civics!) would give amnesty to all illegals, not just Mexicans. That is, any illegal alien currently in the U.S. will pay a $2,000 fine and then be able to apply for legal permanent residence, not just employment authorization.

[Sister Fracas 5]

where's peejay??? this should put him over the edge....

[pax 0]

I did not see the president speak, but I think I've heard that the proposed law (? sorry if incorrect terminology - I never took Civics!) would give amnesty to all illegals, not just Mexicans. That is, any illegal alien currently in the U.S. will pay a $2,000 fine and then be able to apply for legal permanent residence, not just employment authorization.

An amnesty is not going to happen, and that's not what Bush is proposing (gah, I can't believe I'm defending the man). I believe, rather, that Bush's proposed plan involves temporary guest-worker permits that will allow workers to do the "low-level" (you know, those jobs that out-of-work Americans "don't want") work they're doing already legally, and with oversight and accountability from USCIS, Dept. of Labor, et al.

It's actually not what I'd consider a sweetheart deal for anyone, except maybe the businesses that are already exploiting illegal labor. I believe the plan would also mandate a lengthy waiting period between completing the work and applying for an immigrant visa (5 years, I think?).

Whether or not I think the plan is a good idea is an entirely different matter.

[Jenn! 918]

I did not see the president speak, but I think I've heard that the proposed law (? sorry if incorrect terminology - I never took Civics!) would give amnesty to all illegals, not just Mexicans. That is, any illegal alien currently in the U.S. will pay a $2,000 fine and then be able to apply for legal permanent residence, not just employment authorization.

An amnesty is not going to happen, and that's not what Bush is proposing (gah, I can't believe I'm defending the man).

Hmmm...does anyone know what I'm talking about then? I've heard a lot of talk about it on my talk radio station - maybe it's a Boston/Massachusetts specific amnesty (if that's possible)???

[faith 0]

I just did a search and the only thing they are talking about is a Cleveland speech he gave. I found a transcript of it and didn't see anything about immigration in there at all.

[Jenn! 918]

Boston Says "Welcome, Illegals!"

The Boston City Council unanimously passed a resolution supporting amnesty for illegal immigrants ("a path to permanent status for immigrants already here") and decriminalizing actions by Americans to aid and abet the violation of immigration law.

Harbor an illegal immigrant in your basement? No problem, says the Boston City Council. They also oppose using local law enforcement in any way to uphold immigration laws. Perhaps they've already forgotten that two of the 9/11 terrorists who eventually made their way to Logan Airport were stopped by local cops (one in VA, the other MD) while in this country illegally. If either of those two had been deported, 9/11 almost certainly would have been postponed, and perhaps prevented.

So if the next Mohammed Atta is out there, be sure to head to Beantown! The cops won't ask what you're up to, anyone who hides you in their basement will be safe from prosecution and there are plenty of taxpayer funded services for you to take advantage of--no questions asked!

Not a single member of the Boston City Council will object.

courtesey of Michael Graham 96.9 talk FM

[pax 0]

A city council passing a resolution--not a law--doesn't amount to a hill of beans (not even in Beantown, har har). It's a symbolic gesture only.

[Jenn! 918]

A city council passing a resolution--not a law--doesn't amount to a hill of beans (not even in Beantown, har har). It's a symbolic gesture only.

I guess I got an inflated sense of this issue's importance from Graham's vehement opposition to the resolution.

Good to know...

[nina1 0]

You know, the Canadians have already started on something similar with the mexicans. I don't remember all the details because it was a few months ago, but i remember that they were getting great workers benefits, which weren't fair for the rest of the canadian citizens..

[pax 0]

Yep, it's no different from the City Council passing the resolutions that recognize National Carrot Week or Take Your Kitten to Work Day or whatever.

Edited March 20, 2006 by pax

[Peggy 1]

You know, the Canadians have already started on something similar with the mexicans. I don't remember all the details because it was a few months ago, but i remember that they were getting great workers benefits, which weren't fair for the rest of the canadian citizens..

I never heard that.

Where did you see that at.