.

The best defense is a strong offense. We have to continue to respond to the tripe (including illegal alien amnesty) that Congress and barry throw at us. But we MUST be more proactive rather than just reactive. Apparently two representatives, Shuler (D-NC) and Bilbray (R-CA), will soon reintroduce the SAVE Act from the 110th Congress. Last time around it was effectively pigeonholed in committees and never saw the light of day. Here are the ‘committees’ that were involved:

* Mar 11, 2008: Motion to Discharge Committee filed by Mrs. Drake. Petition No: 110-5. (Discharge petition text with signatures.)
* Jan 22, 2008: Referred to the Subcommittee on Workforce Protections.
* Dec 05, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Terrorism, Unconventional Threats and Capabilities.
* Dec 03, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law.
* Dec 03, 2007: Referred to the Subcommittee on Courts, the Internet, and Intellectual Property.
* Introduced on Nov 06, 2007.
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Oversight and Government Reform
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Armed Services
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Agriculture
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Natural Resources
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Education and Labor
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to the Committee on Homeland Security, and in addition to the Committees on the Judiciary, Ways and Means, Education and Labor, Oversight and Government Reform, Armed Services, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Homeland Security
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Judiciary
* Nov 06, 2007: Referred to House Ways and Means

Isn’t that an eye opener! No wonder it is so difficult to get decent legislation out of Congress.

Looking over the provisions (as listed by NumbersUSA.com), I do have reservations regarding the SAVE Act. I do not like giving more power to government and the SAVE Act of last year certainly did that. That said, we have a significant and crippling problem with illegal aliens. We would be well served to address the problem by eliminating the majority of the reasons illegals come to the U.S. That is, take away the power of government to seek illegal alien recipients for food, health, and housing programs.

The SAVE Act seeks to remove employment of illegals, which is one of the reasons they come to America. This of course is good but then forcing all employers to indefinitely knuckle under another government program (E-Verify) is troublesome. Could not this program be used in the future against anyone? Any group? Any demographic? Yes, we definitely have an illegal alien problem but we have to be careful how we resolve it so that the programs used in solving one problem are not turned against the citizens and create other problems.

In order for me to support the SAVE Act of last year I would want to see:
1. A sunset clause of say 5 years. There are more than enough other programs, once the illegal alien problem is addressed, to secure the border.
2. I would like to see objective studies on how effective a ‘virtual’ fence is in practical application. I remain skeptical.
3. I am OK with increasing government outlays for personnel but again, this should be temporary until the problem is under control, i.e., have a sunset clause.
4. At the very least I would make the mandatory use of E-Verify temporary. When the current problem is mitigated, the borders better defended, and government programs cut-back/eliminated for illegal aliens then E-Verify should at most be optional. Forcing companies into compliance when there is not an urgent problem just continues a rather draconian government program seeking a ‘problem’. I think it makes more sense to require the notification of each employer about employees with account numbers that do not match the employee’s name or date of birth.
5. I am 100 percent behind removing illegal alien criminals from society but let’s minimize the time we house them in the U.S. Send them home if their government will carry out their sentences or after they serve time for the crime in the U.S. then send them home. Maybe we could get Australia to take them? (Just Kidding!)

I am sure there are other provisions of the SAVE Act which I would oppose, but hopefully I got my point across. That is, increase government involvement to solve the problem (and actually solve it) then decrease government involvement. These intrusive programs must have sunset clauses. Government programs can not continue after the problem is mitigated or the bureaucrats simply try to find another cause to justify their existence. Too often, that clause is the shackling of our freedoms and subjugating citizens to government mandates, rather than the other way around!

Here then is the Action Alert from NumbersUSA dated 05/14/2009 entitled “Ask your Republican Representative to Cosponsor the Bipartisan SAVE Act”:

Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) and Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) will soon be reintroducing the bipartisan SAVE Act. During the 110th Congress, {2007-2008} the SAVE Act garnered 157 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle. The SAVE Act, in addition to its other provisions, would mandate the use of the E-Verify employment verification system, increase interior enforcement, and provide more funding and resources for border security operations (see below for specific information about the SAVE Act).

Please fax your Republican U.S. Representative who cosponsored the SAVE Act in the 110th Congress and urge him/her to cosponsor the bipartisan SAVE Act when it is introduced in the 111th Congress.

Additional information about the SAVE Act (as introduced in the 110th Congress):

Requires a national strategy to secure the borders and all ports of entry by December 31, 2010.

Authorizes 8000 additional agents between 2008 and 2012, including 2,500 agents the first year of enactment.

At least 350 new ICE hires must be assigned to specifically investigate alien smuggling.

Authorizes a 50% funding increase over the FY07 budget to increase size, improve communication, upgrade technology, and allocate information rewards money.

Directs the DHS and Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a program for recruiting former members of the Armed Services and National Guard to join the Border Protection Service. Specifically recommends a $20,000 ($80,000 throughout employment) student loan repayment incentive and relocation/retention bonuses.

Allows border state Governors to declare a national border emergency and request up to 1000 additional border agents.

Increases the number of power boats and helicopters and requires at least one police-type vehicle for every four border agents. All vehicles must be equipped with safety glass, global positioning, and other protections.

Creates a virtual fence along borders comprised of UAVs, drones, cameras, poles, sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and other equipment.

Strengthens penalties against alien smugglers including imprisonment from 1 to 30 years depending on the type of offense; includes an exemption for religious institutions that authorize illegal aliens to serve as volunteer ministers or missionaries.

Within four years of enactment, all employers must verify employment eligibility for all employees through the E-Verify program, established as the Basic Pilot program in 1996:

Federal agencies, Federal contractors and subcontractors, and large employers with more than 250 employees must verify new hires within one year of enactment;

Employers with 100 or more employees must verify new hires within two years; and

Employers with 30 or more employees must verify new hires within three years.

Requires all employers to meet verification requirements on all employees within four years of enactment.

Provides a safe harbor against sanctions for employers who use the system in good faith.

Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to notify each employer on an annual basis about employees with account numbers that do not match the employee’s name or date of birth

Requires the Commissioner of Social Security to notify each individual if earnings from two or more employers are being reported under that person’s Social Security number.

Authorizes 1,150 additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Authorizes 140 additional Criminal Alien Program (CAP) officers to identify and remove criminal aliens in federal, state, and local detention facilities.

Provides 8,000 additional beds for holding illegal aliens and requires at least 500 beds in a family detention facility.

Provides 13 additional federal district judges to expedite the removal process for illegal aliens: 4 for Arizona, 5 for Southern California, 1 for New Mexico, 2 for southern Texas, and 1 for West Texas.

Requires Secretary of Homeland Security, Secretary of Agriculture, and Secretary of the Interior to develop a border protection strategy for protected lands including units of the National Park System, National Forest land, land under control of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Bureau of Land Management, and other relevant land.

Authorizes additional law enforcement officers to enforce the border in protected lands including 22 officers for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and 22 officers for the National Park Service.

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Gary Shumway is the author of Winging Through America and SCUBA Scoop.