Alert! Anti-Immigrant Bi-Partisan Enforcement-Only Bill "SAVE Act" Introduced in the House!
TAKE ACTION TO AGAINST IT!

We encourages you to write, FAX and call the bill sponsor Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and the 105 cosponsors. NO to the racist anti-immigrant SAVE Act! and we need a TRUE, HUMANE immigration reform!

To find your representative, please visit our new e-Activism.org congressional member serach engine: http://www.e-activism.org

On November 6th, with shameful move by the Congress, the House introduced the SAVE Act (Secure America with Verification Enforcement [H.R. 4088]), Sponsor by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) with 105 cosponsors.

Information about the bill: http://www.thomas.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d110:h.r.04088:

The SAVE Act will broaden and enhance border security and interior enforcement. With a number of border security Democrats and Republicans already agreeing to co-sponsor, this bipartisan racist anti-immigrant bill considers by right-wing anti-immigrant forces the "best chance to achieve substantial immigration reform this Congress (this yea)."

As right wing anti-immigrant groups like FexDC spells out at their e-mail alert, the SAVE Act: "The principle behind Attrition Through Enforcement is that living illegally in the United States will become more difficult and less satisfying over time when the government – at ALL LEVELS – enforces all of the laws already on the books. It is also imperative that the government with the full cooperation of the private sector, implements certain workplace enforcement measures. The goal is to make it extremely difficult for unauthorized persons to live and work in the United States. There is no need for taxpayers to watch the government spend billions of their dollars to round up and deport illegal aliens; they will buy their own bus or plane tickets back home if they can no longer earn a living here."

We encourages you to write, FAX and call the bill sponsor Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) and the 105 cosponsors. NO to the racist anti-immigrant SAVE Act! and we need a TRUE, HUMANE immigration reform!

To find your representative, please visit our new e-Activism.org congressional member serach engine: http://www.e-activism.org

SAVE Act, sponsor by Rep. Heath Shuler (D-N.C.) with 105 cosponsors
COSPONSORS(105), ALPHABETICAL
Rep Akin, W. Todd [MO-2] - 11/13/2007
Rep Alexander, Rodney [LA-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Altmire, Jason [PA-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Arcuri, Michael A. [NY-24] - 11/6/2007
Rep Baird, Brian [WA-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Baker, Richard H. [LA-6] - 11/14/2007
Rep Barrett, J. Gresham [SC-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Barrow, John [GA-12] - 11/6/2007
Rep Bartlett, Roscoe G. [MD-6] - 11/13/2007
Rep Bean, Melissa L. [IL-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Berry, Marion [AR-1] - 11/6/2007
Rep Bilbray, Brian P. [CA-50] - 11/6/2007
Rep Bishop, Sanford D., Jr. [GA-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Blackburn, Marsha [TN-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boozman, John [AR-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boren, Dan [OK-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boswell, Leonard L. [IA-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boucher, Rick [VA-9] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boyd, Allen [FL-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Boyda, Nancy E. [KS-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Broun, Paul C. [GA-10] - 11/6/2007
Rep Brown-Waite, Ginny [FL-5] - 11/14/2007
Rep Burton, Dan [IN-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Calvert, Ken [CA-44] - 11/6/2007
Rep Campbell, John [CA-48] - 11/9/2007
Rep Capito, Shelley Moore [WV-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Carney, Christopher P. [PA-10] - 11/6/2007
Rep Coble, Howard [NC-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Conaway, K. Michael [TX-11] - 11/9/2007
Rep Cooper, Jim [TN-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Cramer, Robert E. (Bud), Jr. [AL-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Culberson, John Abney [TX-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep Davis, Artur [AL-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep Davis, David [TN-1] - 11/6/2007
Rep Davis, Lincoln [TN-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Deal, Nathan [GA-9] - 11/6/2007
Rep Donnelly, Joe [IN-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Doolittle, John T. [CA-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Drake, Thelma D. [VA-2] - 11/9/2007
Rep Duncan, John J., Jr. [TN-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Ellsworth, Brad [IN-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep English, Phil [PA-3] - 11/13/2007
Rep Fallin, Mary [OK-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Feeney, Tom [FL-24] - 11/6/2007
Rep Fortenberry, Jeff [NE-1] - 11/9/2007
Rep Franks, Trent [AZ-2] - 11/13/2007
Rep Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [NY-20] - 11/6/2007
Rep Gingrey, Phil [GA-11] - 11/6/2007
Rep Goode, Virgil H., Jr. [VA-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Goodlatte, Bob [VA-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Gordon, Bart [TN-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Graves, Sam [MO-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Hall, Ralph M. [TX-4] - 11/9/2007
Rep Hayes, Robin [NC-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Higgins, Brian [NY-27] - 11/6/2007
Rep Hill, Baron P. [IN-9] - 11/6/2007
Rep Hodes, Paul W. [NH-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Holden, Tim [PA-17] - 11/6/2007
Rep Hunter, Duncan [CA-52] - 11/6/2007
Rep Inglis, Bob [SC-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Jones, Walter B., Jr. [NC-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Kagen, Steve [WI-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Kanjorski, Paul E. [PA-11] - 11/6/2007
Rep Lamborn, Doug [CO-5] - 11/6/2007
Rep Lampson, Nick [TX-22] - 11/6/2007
Rep Manzullo, Donald A. [IL-16] - 11/13/2007
Rep Marchant, Kenny [TX-24] - 11/9/2007
Rep Marshall, Jim [GA-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Matheson, Jim [UT-2] - 11/14/2007
Rep McCaul, Michael T. [TX-10] - 11/6/2007
Rep McHenry, Patrick T. [NC-10] - 11/6/2007
Rep McIntyre, Mike [NC-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep McNerney, Jerry [CA-11] - 11/6/2007
Rep Melancon, Charlie [LA-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Miller, Gary G. [CA-42] - 11/6/2007
Rep Miller, Jeff [FL-1] - 11/6/2007
Rep Murphy, Patrick J. [PA-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Murtha, John P. [PA-12] - 11/6/2007
Rep Myrick, Sue Wilkins [NC-9] - 11/6/2007
Rep Neugebauer, Randy [TX-19] - 11/14/2007
Rep Perlmutter, Ed [CO-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep Poe, Ted [TX-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Price, Tom [GA-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Renzi, Rick [AZ-1] - 11/6/2007
Rep Rodriguez, Ciro D. [TX-23] - 11/6/2007
Rep Rohrabacher, Dana [CA-46] - 11/6/2007
Rep Roskam, Peter J. [IL-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Ross, Mike [AR-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Royce, Edward R. [CA-40] - 11/6/2007
Rep Ryan, Tim [OH-17] - 11/6/2007
Rep Schmidt, Jean [OH-2] - 11/14/2007
Rep Sessions, Pete [TX-32] - 11/6/2007
Rep Shuster, Bill [PA-9] - 11/6/2007
Rep Smith, Adrian [NE-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Smith, Lamar [TX-21] - 11/6/2007
Rep Space, Zachary T. [OH-18] - 11/6/2007
Rep Stupak, Bart [MI-1] - 11/6/2007
Rep Tancredo, Thomas G. [CO-6] - 11/6/2007
Rep Tanner, John S. [TN-8] - 11/6/2007
Rep Taylor, Gene [MS-4] - 11/6/2007
Rep Udall, Mark [CO-2] - 11/6/2007
Rep Walberg, Timothy [MI-7] - 11/6/2007
Rep Wamp, Zach [TN-3] - 11/6/2007
Rep Weldon, Dave [FL-15] - 11/6/2007

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Shuler, Bilbray join forces on border security measure

By Jackie Kucinich - The Hill
November 06, 2007
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/shuler-bilbray-join-forces-on-border-security-measure-2007-11-06.html

Two ardent proponents of border security are teaming up to introduce a bipartisan bill aimed at curtailing illegal immigration through employer sanctions.

Reps. Brian Bilbray (R-Calif.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), who were both elected after strongly criticizing President Bush’s approach to immigration reform, are unveiling a bill Tuesday that has already attracted the support of dozens of members.

“It’s the one [immigration] bill that will pass this Congress,” said Bilbray in an interview. “We have to make this about illegal employment and crack down on employers.”

The Secure America with Verification and Enforcement (SAVE) Act focuses on three areas: employment enforcement, interior enforcement and increased border security.

One of the more controversial provisions would make the so-called E-Verify program mandatory, a move that raises major concerns with industry officials.

Proponents of the E-Verify program say it allows employers an inexpensive way to ensure they are hiring legally documented workers. They maintain that the program has been successful, but is only being used by a small percentage of employers.
Randel Johnson, vice president of labor, immigration and employee benefits for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, said Monday that while E-Verification programs can be beneficial, they are also flawed.

“We’re in support of the E-Verification system, but it has errors and has the potential to do harm to U.S. workers as well as undocumented workers.”

Johnson suggested that rather than requiring employers to use the system immediately, it should be phased in and checked frequently for mistakes.

The Shuler-Bilbray bill would also close existing loopholes that allow illegal immigrants to use the same Social Security number and will require information-sharing between the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration and the IRS.

In order to increase border security, the bill seeks to provide an 8,000-agent increase for the U.S. Border Patrol and an expansion of the investigative abilities of Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“It really reflects what polls show across the board … this needs to be a bipartisan effort,” Bilbray said.

The California legislator said Shuler initially approached him with the idea and he immediately decided to sign on.

Shuler, a centrist freshman who defeated then-Rep. Charles Taylor (R) last year, did not return calls for comment.

At press time, 42 Democrats and 36 Republicans had signed on to the bill, including several freshman Democrats who are in Republican-leaning congressional districts.

However, top Democratic and GOP leadership members have not signed on as co-sponsors.

The presence of three dozen Republican co-sponsors illustrates that certain factions of the GOP are willing to embrace employer mandates as a solution to illegal immigration.

“This issue needs to have a coalition of the middle,” Bilbray said, adding that he informed House Republican leadership of his intention to introduce the bill.

Co-sponsors include Reps. John Murtha (D-Pa.) and so-called hard-liners Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.) and Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.). Most of the Democratic co-sponsors are centrists.

Bilbray spokesman Kurt Bardella claimed that the legislation is a reflection of the lesson members learned from the recent Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors (DREAM) Act debate in the Senate: that nothing immigration–related would move through Congress until the three areas the SAVE Act highlights are addressed. The DREAM Act, sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), fell short of the necessary 60 votes last month.

Asked whether he or Shuler had spoken to senators about the bill, Bilbray said he is confident that the upper chamber will follow the House’s lead.