Rep. Bishop: Congress Will Never Pass Comprehensive Immigration Reform
Feb 22, 2008 by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) Another member of Utah's Congressional Delegation told the Legislature that Congress is unlikely to pass comprehensive immigration reform anytime soon. First District Representative Rob Bishop visited Capitol Hill Thursday and answered questions from lawmakers in the House and Senate about the controversial issue.
"It's very obvious that Congress will never come up with a comprehensive bill. Because there are too many parts to it that you can beat at and no one can get a majority to actually go with it," Bishop says. "But it is possible for us to take each individual problem area and solve that problem."
Unlike his colleague, Second District Representative Jim Matheson, Bishop says he has no problem with individual states drafting immigration policy. The only thing Congress does well, he says, is uniformity - creating policies for border security, for instance.
"I also do not believe in the old concept that only Washington can solve every problem, that the significance of the issue has no relationship with the location of where decisions about that issue are made," Bishop says. "I also don't believe that if you get all the experts in Washington together, you can solve ever problem in the world."
Bishop's visit to the Senate interrupted a lengthy debate on a sweeping immigration bill, SB 81. The bill's sponsor, Washington County Senator John Hickman, says his bill is needed because Congress has failed to pass comprehensive immigration reform. A podcast of Bishop's address to the Senate is available below.
Email to a friendPosted in KCPW Newsroom. Copyright 2008 KCPW
1. June said:
How about trying something novel and simply enforce the laws already on the books. For most of us, the term "comprehensive reform" is scary . It means open the border wide, give amnesty and citizenship to those who constantly disregard our laws, and the continuation of the heavy financial burden placed on the American taxpayer. We in Texas are already the minority. We want our country back. Mexico can help its own nation, it just refuses to stop the corrupt policies that put it in this situation. So, they've dumped their people on us, and no one in this administration will stand up and speak out!
3. Dave said:
While I can empathize with June, her view (a typical one I believe) demonizes "others" and NOT the antiquated laws. Few lawmakers admit that the laws, if rigorously enforced, will have disastrous effects: - escalation of crime within the US - more jobs exported to China and India - much more expensive perishables - a further tarnished US image abroad - may drive illegals furter underground
Consider the bar system: a foreigner overstays a visa, then leaves the country to try and re-enter properly, and he's banned for 10 years! With that in place, why would any illegal self-deport? The current laws encourage unlawful presence!
It's easy to blindly scream "ENFORCEMENT!", but enforcement is NOT your friend, tho some politicians find it politically expedient to make it seem so.
4. Dave said:
One other thought: If you want to dramatically reduce illegal immigration, here are two easy routes:
1) do everything you can to improve the mexican economy: buy only mexican goods and invest in mexican enterprises (success down there reduces the opportunity gap)
2) avoid getting a good education, and discourage all other Americans from getting university degrees, and the resultant reduction of innovation and progress will push the US down as an economic power. Voila! No-one will want to come here!
The illegal immigration problem will have been exported to China, India, and Europe! (And you'll be working for $5 an hour)
5. Bobby said:
Congress as well as and especially the Senate, should literally be without their political careers, because when it comes to illegal immigration, they never, ever, look at it from the point of view as to what it is doing to American citizens and legal residents---do they?
6. Bobby said:
By the way, re-elect Chris Cannon, if California is your ideal. That way, you to can be 14 to 16 Billion dollars in debt, sooner or later.(California has half of the illegal "immigrants" in the nation) Yeah, I know some are nice people, etc. I agree. So where do we go from there?
7. Oscar Terriquez said:
The congress and the president should beable to work out a differences to give a legal path to those who are undocumented.Thus, giving them a chance to give back into economic issue.By working and paying their taxes in return.After all. Undocumented people need also to eat and take care their family.
8. Jasper said:
"The congress and the president should beable to work out a differences to give a legal path to those who are undocumented.Thus, giving them a chance to give back into economic issue.By working and paying their taxes in return.After all. Undocumented people need also to eat and take care their family."
Illegal alien lawbreakers can eat and take care of their families back in their home countries. NO MORE AMNESTIES!
9. Margaret said:
The candidates are owned by Wall Street. Big business wants cheap labor and America to be a third world country. Where we will be in line with illegals for a $5.00 an hr job. And the candidates they own will give it to them. Why do you think they exPres Fox a lavish reception at Baylor University so he can give a speech about how much we need the illegals and about how racist we are. Fox has also planned radio and TV appearances for this. In America. Isn't he ashamed that he and his corrupt leaders of Mexico has done nothing in all these years to create decent paying jobs for their own people. Isn't he ashamed his people have to risk their lives coming across the border for handouts from America. If Mexicans would fight in their own country for a decent life the way they are fighting here , there would be no problem.
2. ENFORCE THE LAWS said:
TRUE, if We the People get our way, there will NEVER be a "comprehensive amnesty."
Hillary-McCain-Obama will just waste political capital trying to shove another amnesty down the throats of the taxpayer.
INSTEAD, state and local lawmakers have a duty to make sure their jurisdictions are not magnets for illegal immigration. That means: No drivers licenses, no in-state tuition breaks, no Matricula ID cards. It also requires legislation that makes ALL businesses sign up for the E-Verify system so that we know they're not hiring illegal aliens.
Do this, and the problem is solved in 10 years.