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Floridians  for  Immigration  Enforcement

 

When immigration is viewed only racially and culturally, limits and legality will never be imposed.  The debate must focus on limitations and lawfulness, otherwise open borders will make the United States a marketplace and not a country.

FLoridians for IMmigration ENforcement (FLIMEN) is a group of concerned Florida citizens dedicated to advocating immigration enforcement.  The group will also strive to eliminate illegal immigration incentives and will challenge the myths and pandering by elected officials and newspapers.  Please consider signing up for free FLIMEN Alerts.

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SMASH AMNESTY FOR ILLEGAL ALIENS:

1. America's rule of law must be followed or ultimately anarchy will prevail.
2. AMNESTY will provide incentive for up to 103 million more foreign nationals over 20 years to reside in the US.
3. Illegal aliens hold 7 million jobs while 15 million citizens are unemployed and millions more underemployed.
4. Illegal immigration has high costs including an estimated $4b annually just for Florida.
5. Illegal immigration degrades citizen's services such as K-12 public school overcrowding.

To SMASH AMNESTY join www.FLIMEN.org, www.NumbersUSA.com, www.fairus.org and www.alipac.us where you will be guided on how to demand our elected officials SMASH AMNESTY by representing citizens, not illegal aliens and their supporters.

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E-VERIFY FOR FLORIDA MUST BE ENACTED:

1. E-Verify is a highly successful federal program where employers are required to confirm the legal status of new hires.
2. E-Verify effectively addresses the main enabler of illegal immigration -- the job magnet.
3. E-Verify has been highly successful in about 15 states and a number of municipalities as well has voluntary employers.
4. E-Verify is highly accurate.

 

So far Florida's State Senators and Representatives have not stepped forward to sponsor the proposed Florida Citizen's Employment Protection Act of 2010 bill, therefore the effort to garner sponsors and enactment has to be a full-force, grassroots effort where every possible individual and group needs to call, visit and persuade their FL state Senator and Representative to enact the common sense E-Verify bill.

 

Links that provide information on E-Verify are:

http://www.dhs.gov/files/programs/gc_1185221678150.shtm

http://www.numbersusa.com/content/enforcement/workplace-verification.html (Great resource)

http://www.nilc.org/immsemplymnt/ircaempverif/e-verify-facts-2009-01-29.pdf (What the opponents say)
http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=Zjg3NjMwNzFiODdmM2Q4ODRhOWM3YzFmY2VhYTQ3YmQ=
http://www.heritage.org/Research/immigration/tst082409a.cfm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-06-23-everify_N.htm
http://www.smartbusinesspractices.com/legal_everifyfaq.php
http://www.miamiherald.com/business/story/1299177.html
http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1247063976814.shtm
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/business/articles/2009/10/22/20091022biz-Everify1022.html
http://www.humanevents.com/article.php?id=28872 (Accuracy Rate)


To help enact E-Verify for Florida join the FLIMEN Alert list at www.flimen.org/alerts.htm.
 

November 14, 2009


"Racist" - Stigma or Spitball?

FLIMEN Commentary:   Racism and discrimination, to some extent, do exist and should be reduced.  However, US immigration policy has been held hostage to the race card for 2-3 decades and that must end.   US immigration policy should be based on the rule of law but pro-AMNESTY, pro-open borders, anti-enforcement immigration advocates have insisted that US immigration policy instead be based on race, ethnicity and culture.  The bottom line conflict between the rule of law and false racial allegations has resulted in non-enforcement of immigration laws, porous borders, widespread document fraud, among other substantial negative impacts. 

Anti-enforcement immigration advocates knowing that they can not win any rule of law debate have honed false racial allegations for 2-3 decades in order to get their way on immigration policy.  Because the liberal media is so obsessed with race, ethnicity and culture, the threat of any racial, ethnic or cultural allegation often is enough for the anti-enforcement immigration advocates to get what they want.  Likewise, it is difficult to win an argument against racial, ethnic or cultural allegations because it is so subjective.  To the detriment of US citizens their strategy has worked very well.

Overall the immigration issue has not been a debate.  For 2-3 decades the issue has been more of a tirade based on name-calling, lies, clichés, oxymorons, distortions and redefinitions by anti-enforcement immigration advocates.  In order to gain sympathy anti-enforcement immigration advocates have resorted to redefinition of the word "racism" in order to piggyback on black American's civil rights movement.  The major flaw in the comparison to black Americans is Hispanic/Latino is an ethnicity, not a race.   Another flaw with the comparison as applied to Hispanic illegal aliens is that aliens are not citizens, whereas black Americans are citizens.   If there is a problem it should be termed anti-Hispanic discrimination, not racism. 

Because of the dynamic and erroneous definitions of "racism," it has become necessary for FLIMEN and others to often reference race, ethnicity and culture interchangeably.  Linguistically it is impossible for a person who allegedly makes an anti-Hispanic statement to be a racist but that's the path we've been on. 

The rule of law is the doctrine that all government officials and all private citizens must follow the laws of the nation and must be treated equally under the law.   To argue against the rule of law is to argue against democracy.  To argue against democracy is to argue against the United States of America.  The body of immigration laws that have been enacted since the late 1800's are part of the rule of law.  To argue against immigration enforcement is, at its core, anti-American.  Yet widespread lawlessness exists with respect to immigration enforcement as demonstrated by the fact that 10-20 million illegal aliens reside, with many benefits, in the US. 

Supplementing race, ethnicity and culture as the basis for US immigration policy are the bogus goals of 'diversity' and 'multiculturalism' instead of the American principle of equality.  Diversity and multiculturalism which seem to have unfortunately superceded equality as a goal are well entrenched in liberal academia as well as in the 'progressive' business world.  Perhaps a more accurate word for diversity might be 'divisity' because diversity tends to break American unity into bickering factions.   Have you noticed this trend?

The concept of multiculturalism is leading to the erosion of assimilation which also furthers the breakup of American unity into bickering factions.  Please view the PBS WPBT Connections video clip below where Florida International University (FIU) Professor Louie Rodriquez questions whether assimilation should be replaced by acculturation.  Acculturation is the process whereby the attitudes and/or behaviors of people from one culture are modified as a result of contact with a different culture. Acculturation implies a mutual influence in which elements of two cultures mingle and merge.   In other words, you must adapt for immigrants and illegal aliens which is not the case with assimilation.  Have you noticed this trend?

PBS WPBT Connections video clip (WMV, 2.2MB)

Supporting the contention we are losing an American identity comes from the Bradley Report, as reported on the Lou Dobbs show:

http://www.bradleyproject.org/EPUFinalOverview.pdf:

Americans agree fairly equally across party and age categories that the U.S. is divided along ethnic and cultural lines. 80% of Whites, 86% of African-Americans, and 74% of Latinos are concerned about this division.

To further demonstrate the extent to which factions are being created take a look at federally mandated "Re-Identification" procedures:

http://www.isbe.state.il.us/research/pdfs/race_ethnicity_data.pdf

Illinois State Board of Education
New U.S. Department of Education Race and Ethnicity Data Standards
AN INTRODUCTION TO UPCOMING CHANGES

Re-Identification

School districts will need to re-identify race and ethnicity for all students and staff. Identification for students should be done by their parents/guardians. Observer identification by school/district staff is required if a student's parents/guardians decline to indicate race and/or ethnicity.

The article below properly states the racism definition as:  "What the word once meant - and still does in Webster's dictionary - is someone who believes in the inherent superiority of a particular race or is prejudiced against others."  Yet perhaps the most accurate common use definition of racism is: You are a racist when you disagree with a liberal.

Supreme Court Justice Sotomayor can not escape commentary.  Before confirmation she said multiple times; "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who hasn't lived that life."   Doesn't her inclusion of "Latina" and "white male" make her statement inherently racist and within the racism definition above?  Given the dynamic definition and dynamic application of racism/discrimination allegations it is not a surprise that such repeated statements did not preclude her from confirmation. 

Is the tide turning on the power of false racial allegations?  Let's hope so but don't hold your breath.  The last paragraph of the article link below may be a good summary with respect to blacks and racism but carefully omits any reference to Hispanics and alleged racism:

"In 100 years, when people chronicle how America got past race," said McWhorter, "the uptick in white people calling blacks racist is going to be seen as a symptom of the end."

Without the rule of law eventually anarchy will prevail.

Dave Caulkett, VP, FLIMEN

You are encouraged to visit the link below.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32899516/ns/us_news-race_and_ethnicity/

September 18, 2009


Apparent Harassment Lawsuit Filed to Intimidate Florida Sheriffs

A lawsuit has been filed against Palm Beach County Sheriff Bradshaw as a result of an immigration hold (detainer) placed on Guatemalan Marcotulio Mendez by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).  The lawsuit alleges Sheriff is "violating immigrants' constitutional rights by keeping them in jail."   

While full details and proper legal analysis of the lawsuit are not now available, it is the initial analysis of FLIMEN that the lawsuit is a frivolous, well-orchestrated attempt to intimidate law enforcement officers against enforcement of immigration law.  The tight-knit left-wing groups involved are El Sol, the Florida Immigrant Coalition and the Florida ACLU.  

Consider the following points:

  • Immigration Holds (detainer) are federally authorized orders under the Executive branch, not under the Judicial branch.  So called 'immigrant rights' activists have long sought all immigration rulings be moved to the Judicial branch instead of the Executive Branch.   A move to the Judicial branch has long been opposed by leading groups such as FAIR. 
     
  • Barry Silver, a former Florida State Representative, is well-known for filing frivolous lawsuits on behalf of left-wing causes.  Mr. Silver has been heavily involved with the Palm Beach County Environmental Coalition along side Lake Worth Commissioner Cara Jennings.  It was Barry Silver  who defended Peter "Panagioti" Tsolkas, the best friend of   Cara Jennings.  Ms. Jennings was instrumental in opening of the Lake Worth Illegal Alien Hiring Hall along with Lake Worth Mayor Jeff Clemens.
     
  • The taxpayer-assisted El Sol Neighborhood Resource Center with Attorney Jill Hanson as Director has joined the lawsuit as plaintiff.
     
  • The Florida Immigrant Coalition includes groups such as ACORN.  Note that the Palm Beach (Com)Post reported the group's name as Florida Immigration Coalition but that is incorrect.  See http://www.floridaimmigrant.org/.
     
  • The ACLU sent out a warning to law enforcement agencies statewide prior to the lawsuit, demonstrating co-ordination with other groups.  While not illegal or unethical, it is useful for citizens to understand the sophisticated manipulation of the law enforcement by left-wing groups.
     
  • The Palm Beach (Com)Post article headline states "minor charges."  However, how many victims of accidents caused by illegal aliens consider unlawful presence, driving without a license and fleeing from police as "minor?"
     
  • Based solely on the article below it is curious that the Plaintiff alleges "state judges have said they can be released on bond."  From a legal standpoint, whatever a state judge says is probably irrelevant because of the "supremacy clause" where federal law supercedes state law. 
     
  • Barry Silver states; "he is hopeful  the action sends a message to other Florida sheriff's."  It is interesting that the quotation from the Plaintiff's Attorney is an implied threat rather than a statement promoting the merit of his case. 

In conclusion, FLIMEN suspects this lawsuit to be more intimidation in nature than a lawsuit based on real merit.  It seems highly unlikely that a court would overturn the federal authority of detainer.  

FLIMEN will track this lawsuit and will provide further more authoritative details as they develop.

Read the article at:

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/content/local_news/epaper/2009/09/08/0908immigrants.html

September 10, 2009


Senatorial Appointee LeMieux Supports Immigration Enforcement

Note: Senatorial Appointee LeMieux will become Senator LeMieux when he is sworn into office Thursday afternoon, Sept 10, 2009.

After fruitless research over the attitude of newly appointed Florida Senator LeMieux toward immigration enforcement, the Senator has stated:

LeMieux indicated Tuesday that he would not take up Martinez's cause, saying he wanted to secure the borders before considering ways to deal with 12 million illegal residents, including an estimated 1 million in Florida.

Further, the will of the people opposing AMNESTY is a force to be reckoned with.  Mel Martinez resigned early, giving family reasons and disappointment with failure of immigration "reform" as reasons:

Clashes over immigration prompted Martinez to quit abruptly as general chairman of the Republican National Party and may have contributed to his decision to resign 16 months before his term expires, although Martinez has said he is leaving the Senate early to spend more time with his family in Orlando.

Congratulations to Senator LeMieux for recognizing the need for immigration enforcement.  Further, congratulations to all of you who helped Mel Martinez realize that he could not succeed in shoving AMNESTY down the throats of Floridians. 

We have lots of work and fights ahead as we make President Obama the next person to fail at shoving AMNESTY down our throats.

You are requested to visit the following link. 

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orl-martinez-farewell-091009,0,3015672.story

September 10, 2009


Don't Trust the Associated Press!

The two articles below are but two examples of AP bias.

Associated Press Contrives Controversy to Favor Anti-Enforcement Immigration Advocates

Associated Press Omits the Major Aspect of "Early Release"


Jury Rules in Favor of Martin Memorial Hospital

At the April 8, 2008 State Affairs Workshop in Tallahassee, Martin Memorial Hospital testified to the horrendous cost of illegal alien health care.  The video of the Martin Memorial Hospital Administrator's testimony explains the costs of health care for Mr. Jimenez.  The video has had 2,648,431 views and 2,149 comments as of July 27, 2009 and is available at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bLJxmJZXgNI

After a series of judicial scuffles the hospital returned Mr. Jimenez to his home country, only to be sued by the patient's cousin who was also legal guardian.  In a victory for taxpayers and for common sense, jurors on July 27, 2009 refused to award $1 million damages.

 http://www.tcoasttalk.com/2009/07/27/jury-in-favor-of-stuart-hospital-that-deported-immigrant/:

Jury rules in favor of Stuart hospital that deported immigrant

July 27th, 2009 by Daphne Duret

STUART — A Martin County jury this morning sided with a local hospital in a closely watched lawsuit surrounding the private deportation of a brain-damaged Guatemalan patient.

STUART — A Martin County jury this morning sided with a local hospital in a closely watched lawsuit surrounding the private deportation of a brain-damaged Guatemalan patient.
Martin Memorial Hospital officials in 2003 sent Luis Alberto Jimenez, an illegal immigrant, on a chartered flight back to Guatemala after he had run up more than $1.5 million in medical bills in a case that garnered national attention.

Attorneys for Jimenez’s guardian, Montejo Gaspar, had asked the jury to find that Martin Memorial acted unreasonable in deporting Jimenez and asked for more than $1 million for his care in Guatemala and punitive damages on top of that.
Jurists rejected their arguments in a verdict returned early this morning, ending about nine hours of deliberations that began Thursday afternoon.

Jurists late Friday had requested to hear for a second time the videotaped deposition from former hospital CEO Dick Harmon. In it, Harmon said he approved Jimenez’s transfer because he thought Gaspar’s attorneys had exhausted their appeals to a judge’s ruling allowing the deportation.

Health care and immigration experts nationwide have been closely watching the court action. Lawyers say it may be the first of its kind and underscores the dilemma facing hospitals with patients who require long-term care, are unable to pay and don’t qualify for federal or state aid because of their immigration status.

Jimenez, now 37, was a Mayan Indian sending money home to his wife and young sons when in 2000, a drunken driver plowed into a van he was riding in, leaving him a paraplegic with the mental capability of a fourth grader. Because of his brain injury, his cousin Gaspar was made his legal guardian.

Under federal law, Martin Memorial was required to care for Jimenez until someone else would take him. Because of his immigration status, no one else would. But hospitals that receive Medicare reimbursements are required to provide emergency care to all patients and must provide an acceptable discharge plan once the patient is stabilized.

Jimenez spent nearly three years at Martin Memorial before the hospital, backed by a letter from the Guatemalan government, got a Florida judge to OK the transfer to a facility in that country. Gaspar appealed.
But without telling Jimenez’s family — and the day after Gaspar filed an emergency request to stop the hospital’s plan — Martin Memorial put Jimenez on a $30,000 charter flight home early on July 10, 2003.

Weeks later, Jimenez was released from the Guatemalan hospital and soon wound up in his aging mother’s one-room home in a remote mountain village.
The case has raised the question of whether a hospital and a state court should be deciding whether to deport someone — a power long held by the federal government.
The lawsuit sought nearly $1 million to cover the estimated lifetime costs of his care in Guatemala, as well as damages for the hospital’s alleged “false imprisonment” and punitive damages to discourage other medical centers from taking similar action.


Staff writer Andrew Marra and The Associated Press contributed to this story.

July 27, 2009


Health Care Bill To Cover Illegal Aliens

Below you will find a timely article from FAIR that exposes the Democratic plan to include illegal aliens in their health care plan.  There is an additional link at: http://www.newsmax.com/headlines/health_care_obama/2009/07/19/237484.html.

http://www.fairus.org/site/News2?page=NewsArticle&id=20995&security=1601&news_iv_ctrl=1721#1

Democratic House Leaders Conceal the Fact That Their Health Bill Covers Illegal Aliens

Last week, Democratic leaders in the U.S. House of Representatives unveiled their health care reform legislation entitled, "America's Affordable Health Care Act of 2009."  (Bill Text).  Despite the language in section 246 of the bill that states: "nothing… shall allow Federal payments [for] individuals who are not lawfully present in the United States," the bill actually raises more questions than it resolves with respect to whether the bill will burden American taxpayers by giving health care benefits to legal and illegal aliens.

The draft House bill — consisting of 1,018 pages — was introduced by Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) and cosponsored by the chairmen of the three House committees of jurisdiction: Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY), Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee; Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), Chairmen of the Energy & Commerce Committee; and Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Chairman of the Education & Labor Committee.
Section 202 of this bill creates a Health Insurance Exchange (exchange) and states that "all individuals are eligible to obtain coverage" through the exchange.  The House Education & Labor Committee has produced a summary of the bill and explains that the exchange will allow individuals and employers to "comparison shop for coverage" and that the bill creates "new affordability credits… for people purchasing [health coverage] through the exchange."  (Education & Labor Summary).

Under Section 242, all legal aliens will qualify for the affordability credit.  Subsection (d) states that the affordability credits "shall not be treated [as] a benefit provided under section 403" of the Welfare Reform Act of 1996.  Under Welfare Reform, legal aliens are generally required to wait five years before becoming eligible for welfare or other taxpayer funded benefits.  The House health reform bill eliminates that 5-year waiting period for legal aliens as applied to taxpayer financed health insurance subsidies, such as the affordability credit.  Accordingly, legal aliens will become immediately eligible for this government handout — a handout that would be paid for by the American taxpayers.

Given the bill's language, illegal aliens are also likely to qualify for the affordability credit.  This is true because there are no provisions that would prevent an illegal alien from participating in the exchange or from receiving the credit.  Likewise, there are no requirements that a government agency verify eligibility, whether through the SAVE system or otherwise.  (FAIR's explanation of the SAVE System).  Accordingly, without these important safeguards, illegal aliens would probably receive this subsidy.  The bill does limit eligibility to individuals who are "lawfully present in a State in the United States," but that language would be ineffective to prevent handouts to illegal aliens.  (Sec. 242(a)(1)).  Under U.S. immigration law, someone's status as an illegal alien is not determined by lawful presence in a State.  As a result, this language will have no effect in preventing illegal aliens from receiving the credit. 

Critics suggest that if the intent of the bill is to preclude illegal aliens from receiving this subsidy, the current language is woefully inadequate and would have to be dramatically revised.  For example, the bill could limit eligibility for the credit only to a "qualified alien" as defined by the Welfare Reform Act, which would preclude illegal aliens from receiving any benefit.  In addition, including a provision that requires eligibility verification, with the SAVE system, for every applicant for the credit would likewise prevent illegal aliens from receiving the credit.

At the same time as Congress is considering burdening taxpayers with the cost of health care for legal aliens, Massachusetts appears to be retreating from that idea.  Massachusetts is currently the only state to offer so-called "universal health coverage."  The Bay State is currently facing a budget crisis brought on by a decline in tax revenue and rising demand for state-financed services.  In response, state legislators have recently submitted a budget to eliminate taxpayer subsidized health coverage for approximately 30,000 legal immigrants under the "Commonwealth Care" program.  (Boston Globe, July 12, 2009; New York Times, July 14, 2009; Boston Globe, July 15, 2009; and SouthCoastToday.com, July 16, 2009).

July 21, 2009


Senate Candidate Crist Supports AMNESTY

Florida Senate Candidate Charlie Crist has announced his support for AMNESTY for 12-20 million illegal aliens. 

Action:  Pro-enforcement immigration advocates should be critical of Crist's anti-American worker, anti-citizen position at every possible campaign venue because AMNESTY and immigration enforcement are contradictory and mutually exclusive.  

 

"It's terribly important that we secure our border and stop illegal immigration for the very reason that we can continue to have legal immigration. Our country's always stood for that," Crist said.

Talking to reporters afterward, he said he would support an immigration bill similar to the failed 2007 legislation that many Republicans opposed because it provided a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. President George W. Bush, eventual Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Martinez supported the measure.

"I like Sen. Martinez' and Sen. McCain's approach," Crist said. "I thought they had the right idea and maybe just a little more support up there would help it get it done."

 

Full article follows:

http://www.bradenton.com/news/breaking_news/story/1452347.html:

Tuesday, May. 19, 2009

Fla. Gov. Crist easing his way into Senate race

 

- AP Political Writer
Gov. Charlie Crist told a luncheon crowd Tuesday that he was proud to stand up for the $787 billion federal stimulus package, addressing an issue already seized upon by his main opponent in the upcoming Republican U.S. Senate primary.
Crist has been hesitant to talk about the race while carrying out his responsibilities as governor but began to ease himself into the dual role while talking to the Daytona Beach Chamber of Commerce and the Volusia County Tiger Bay Club. He hadn't answered many questions about the campaign or federal issues since announcing his plans to run last week.

He spent a significant chunk of his 25 minutes of remarks talking about the stimulus package, saying without it the state would have needed to raise taxes. Crist's primary opponent, former House Speaker Marco Rubio, has criticized the package and is pointing out that Crist appeared with Democratic President Barack Obama to promote it.

"I'm pragmatic and I'm practical and as a chief executive it's important to get things done to make sure that your children get a good education, to make sure that the most vulnerable in our society get the health care that they need, to make sure that we have public safety so that crime doesn't go up. That's why I stood for it," said Crist, who hopes to replace Republican Sen. Mel Martinez, who is retiring after one term.

Republicans in Washington widely opposed the package. All House Republicans voted against it, and only three Republican senators voted for it. Crist's appearance with Obama made some Republicans uncomfortable, while others defended him, saying his view as governor is different from the perspective of members of Congress.

Asked by an audience member if he would have supported the stimulus package if he was already in the Senate, Crist said, "Of course."

"Ask the members of the Legislature what our alternative would have been if we didn't have that stimulus. I'll tell you what it would have been - we would have had to raise taxes dramatically to make the budget balance because we can't run a deficit in Florida. Our constitution will not permit it," Crist said. "That's a great thing. I wish they had that in Washington."

Before his talk turned to the stimulus, Crist built up to remarks about his Senate run by listing a resume of accomplishments as governor on a wide range of issues. He said insurance and property tax rates have dropped since he took office in 2007 while Florida's public school rankings have risen substantially.

"Public service is what makes me happy. It brings me joy. It's like a calling and that's what I want to do," Crist said. "I'd be proud to represent you in Washington. It's important, I think, now more than ever that we have people who can work with others to get things done. We have done it in Tallahassee. I call it the Florida way and it would be nice if they can do it in Washington."

He mentioned his efforts to purchase sugar farm land to protect the Everglades, and a program that helps make health insurance more accessible for residents who don't have it.

"This are the good things that are happening in Florida," he said.

He was also asked about federal immigration policy.

"It's terribly important that we secure our border and stop illegal immigration for the very reason that we can continue to have legal immigration. Our country's always stood for that," Crist said.

Talking to reporters afterward, he said he would support an immigration bill similar to the failed 2007 legislation that many Republicans opposed because it provided a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. President George W. Bush, eventual Republican presidential nominee John McCain and Martinez supported the measure.

"I like Sen. Martinez' and Sen. McCain's approach," Crist said. "I thought they had the right idea and maybe just a little more support up there would help it get it done."

May 19, 2009


 

Florida Studies Reveal Huge Increase in Cost of Illegal Immigration and Widespread Voter Dissatisfaction

 

Cost Study and Zogby Poll Offer Comprehensive Statewide Assessment

 

 

(Washington, D.C.) Simultaneous studies, released this week by the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), show soaring costs of illegal immigration in Florida and demonstrate strong voter objections to the burdens placed on them by illegal immigration. A new Zogby International poll of 801 likely voters across the state found that, by an overwhelming margin, Floridians believe that illegal immigration is harming their state.  Their perceptions are rooted in reality.  A separate FAIR study, the Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians found that providing education and health care to illegal aliens and their families, and incarcerating criminal illegal aliens, costs state taxpayers more than $3.8 billion annually, more than double the costs measured in 2005.

 

The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians found that taxpayers spend:

 

Ø      $3.4 billion a year to educate illegal immigrant children and the U.S. born children of illegal immigrants.

Ø      $290 million a year on unreimbursed health care for illegal aliens.

Ø      $90 million a year to incarcerate criminal illegal aliens.

Ø      The total represents an annual cost to each of Florida’s native-born headed households of $678.

 

The cost study also determined that the illegal alien population in Florida is now 950,000 persons. This represents 7.3 percent of the national total illegal alien population, and it is the nation’s fourth largest concentration of illegal aliens after California, Texas and New York. It is also about 5.2 percent of Florida’s overall population.

 

The Zogby poll found that:

Ø      71.3% of Florida voters say illegal immigration has a negative impact on the state. Only 14.4% believe it has a positive impact on Florida.

Ø      83.5% of Florida voters believe illegal aliens have a negative impact on the state budget, versus only 7.9% who believe their impact is positive.

Ø      57.5% believe illegal immigration should be reduced through better enforcement of immigration laws. Only 36% of Florida voters favor amnesty or legalization for current illegal aliens.

Ø      68.6% of Florida voters want worksite immigration enforcement to continue. Only 21.1% support the Obama administration’s decision to curtail worksite enforcement.

 

“Voters in Florida, like voters everywhere, want their elected officials in Washington and Tallahassee to protect their interests, their jobs, and their tax dollars from the impact of mass illegal immigration,” said Stein. “At a time when the Obama administration is intent on systematically dismantling immigration enforcement, and congressional leaders are considering a new round of amnesty legislation, voters in this key state are saying unequivocally that it is time political leaders stopped pandering to the illegal immigration lobby, and started enforcing laws that serve the interests of ordinary Americans.”

 

The Costs of Illegal Immigration to Floridians and a summary of the Zogby International Polling results are available at www.fairus.org.

 

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Additional data:

 

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION - FLORIDA FACTS

April 15, 2009


Speaker Pelosi calls immigration enforcement "un-American"

 
Caught on tape with Rep. Gutierrez at her side during one stop of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Family Unity Campaign Speaker Nancy Pelosi called ICE immigration enforcement actions "un-American." 
 
 
With more than 10 million Americans out of work while 7 million illegal workers still hold jobs in our country Speaker Pelosi's pro-AMNESTY non-enforcement agenda begs the question who really is un-American.
 
You can help by forwarding this message to others, especially struggling, under-employed or un-employed American workers.  Ask everyone to sign up for the free FLIMEN alerts and to attend the Gutierrez protest in Orlando on March 28th or Miami on March 29th.  Details are posted at www.flimen.org.
 
 
Links:
 
Pelosi has an F- Better Immigration Rating

You can view the story at http://www.capsweb.org/content.php?id=600&menu_id=14 and see the complete video and transcript at http://www.capsweb.org/content.php?id=595&menu_id=8.

CLICK HERE to send a message to your Representative and to Nancy Pelosi condemning her comments.
(If above link does not work, copy and paste the following link into your browser address bar: http://capwiz.com/caps/issues/alert/?alertid=12956321)

 

March 18, 2009


Senate Candidate Marco Rubio's Actions Against Illegal Immigration Enforcement


A Florida Republican Club asked Floridians for Immigration Enforcement (FLIMEN) about Marco Rubio's history on illegal immigration during his tenure as Florida Speaker of the House.   Below is the response of our experience.
 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

Thanks for your inquiry.  You are welcomed and encouraged to disseminate this message widely within your Republican Club or wider.
 
Below is a well-documented trail by 2008 Florida Speaker Marco Rubio to block consideration of all immigration enforcement bills during his tenure.
 
Floridians for Immigration Enforcement (FLIMEN) attempted to get the Florida Legislature to consider and pass six state-level immigration enforcement bills.  Contrary to the arguments of Speaker Rubio and others, immigration enforcement is not the exclusive responsibility of the federal government.  About 12 states, excluding Florida, have enacted E-Verify, 287(g) and other enforcement measures.  These state-level bills have survived legal challenges and are now working very successfully.
 
Prior to the Session the FLIMEN Political Committee received an assurance from a Rubio aide that all bills would be allowed to move.  That was a lie.  
 
The trail is very clear that Speaker Rubio bottled up the bills to never move toward even a hearing.  Speaker Rubio did placate Floridians by allowing a workshop but he never intended the bills to move out of committee.  Speaker Rubio used his lieutenants Rivera and Zapata to smear pro-enforcement Floridians with false racial allegations. 
 
Marco Rubio in the opinion of all pro-enforcement immigration activists would be another pro-AMNESTY Senator in the footsteps of the unpopular Rove-Bush-endorsed Senator Mel Martinez.  Marco Rubio favors his personal cultural preferences over the rule of law.   If he were elected Senator Marco Rubio would no doubt continue to promote open borders, AMNESTY and non-enforcement which are clearly detrimental to Floridians.
 
The Republican Party is at a transition point.  Will the GOP forsake principles to expand into the big burning tent in a manner similar to the McCain loss or will the party stand by principles like equality and the rule of law?  I certainly hope your Republican Club will flatly and honorably refrain from endorsing Marco Rubio for Florida Senator.
  
Thank you.
 
Respectfully,
Dave Caulkett, VP, FLIMEN
 
''The last thing we wanted was to come up here and start drawing lines and making noise,'' said Rep. Juan Zapata, a Miami Republican and chairman of the Miami-Dade delegation.

``That's exactly what these people wanted -- the attention. It's an election year, and immigration is an easy issue to press on.''

Without the backing of House Speaker Marco Rubio, the first Cuban-American to hold the position, the bills failed to get any major play in their committees. Six weeks into the session, a three-hour workshop was held on the six House bills, but even that failed to produce its desired intent of combining the bills into one larger committee bill.

''Speaker Rubio outlined the priorities of the session and this didn't fall under that list,'' said Rivera, one of Rubio's lieutenants.

 
"I spoke to more than a dozen (legislators) and they all told me the same thing; that the problem is coming from the fourth floor and (Speaker of the House Marco) Rubio's office," said Jack Oliver, FLIMEN's political issues chairman.
 
Oliver said he had those conversations with legislators only after meeting with Rubio two weeks ago and being assured that the Speaker's office "wouldn't try to impede the bills."
 
 
 
 
It is one of six bills that haven't moved in the House. Rubio relented slightly Tuesday by permitting a workshop on the legislation.
 
But it seemed for appearances only, as Rubio's office has been buffeted with phone calls from citizens in recent weeks complaining about the lack of movement.
 
 
 

March 19, 2009


COSTS

With our dire financial crisis and job losses facing US citizens, we can no longer afford the huge costs of illegal invasion.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscalexec.html

http://www.cis.org/immigrants_profile_2007 (pg. 32, tables 21-26)

http://www.fairus.org/site/PageServer?pagename=research_focus3cd6_sup%20

http://www.flimen.org/illegal_aliens_cost_florida_taxp.htm

http://www.blueridgenow.com/article/20090114/ARTICLES/901141025?Title=Why_it_s_needed:

 

The county will bring in more money than it spent in 2008 for the ICE program, he said. Expenses, which include salaries and benefits and transportation, totaled $36,919.74 since Sept. 1, and billed reimbursements for bed space and transportation will total $80,115.87, for a net of $43,196.13.

 January 25, 2009
 


ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND THE WALL STREET BAILOUT

For the last 3-4 years the issue of home loans and credit cards to illegal aliens has been ignored by our elected officials.  The extend of this problem is essentially unknown and unreported mainly because our bumbling, dysfunctional government does not want to know about it. 

Be sure to read these articles:

Illegal Immigration And The Mortgage Mess (Michelle Malkin)

Exclusive: How Many Subprime Mortgages Were Awarded to Illegal Aliens? (Mike Cutler)

Tancredo Demands ‘Bailout’ Provisions that Bar Handouts to Illegal Aliens

Bank Offers American Dream To Illegal Immigrants (2006 Warning)

When dream homes become nightmares - Alleged predatory lending often leads to higher payments and foreclosure. Language barriers are an issue in heavily Latino areas.  (This Oct 2007 article explains the $615,00 Washington Mutual loans to an illegal alien making $9/hr.  Washington Mutual failed on September 25, 2008.)


Martin Memorial Hospital Viral Video:

At the April 8, 2008 State Affairs Workshop in Tallahassee, a Martin Memorial Hospital administrator testified to the horrendous costs of illegal alien health care.  The video was posted on YouTube and as of June 27, 2008 has had 858,291 views and 875 comments!!  Further, a number of articles were spawned.  

Testimony of illegal alien care from 1 Florida hospital (Link to the original YouTube video or click below.  Note: Rep. Harrell in lower right of video, watching out for Florida taxpayers .)

Project Immigration: Illegal Immigrant Healthcare (Washington, DC TV station video)

Florida Hospital Testimony video goes National on DC news (YouTube version of DC station report above)

Viral Video on Immigration Costs (ALIPAC article includes transcript)

Florida Hospital Testimony Video Goes Viral - 500,000+ Views (Blogger)

Viral Video on Immigration Costs (Townhall.com)

Feds Ignore Hospital’s Illegal Alien Reports (BorderFire)

June 27, 2008


Kimberly Jo Dahmer

Kimberly Jo Dahmer was killed by an illegal alien in South Florida .
Not one more.
Support the The Kimberly Jo Dahmer Act

 

2) Florida's Illegal Alien Hiring Halls

Florida Illegal Alien Hiring Halls

Numerous Florida municipalities are rapidly proliferating the El Sol model in a misguided attempt to combat on-the-street job solicitation by unlawfully present foreign nationals.  The El Sol model started in Jupiter. 

Legitimizing illegal hiring by officially sanctioning illegal alien hiring halls is not a solution.  Consider:

  • The effect of hiring illegal foreign workers lowers the wages and benefits of American workers.

  • Significant costs to taxpayers include public education, emergency health care and law enforcement.  See Impacts.

  • Illegal alien hiring halls are exacerbating the problem by providing a job magnet to further the illegal invasion. 

  • The illegal hiring transactions are federal felonies and Florida misdemeanors

 

When will the El Sol Plague reach your neighborhood?

The Lake Worth, Loxahatchee Groves and Miami-Dade Bay halls are modeled after the El Sol model.  

El Sol proponents seemingly are seeking to rival McDonald's expansion plans.  Per a September 16, 2006 Palm Beach (Com)Post editorial:

"El Sol has the chance to be the model for Lake Worth, West Palm Beach and cities throughout South Florida that realize the corrosive effects of ignoring a problem that isn't going away."

 

Because the El Sol model is a root cause of the proliferations, citizen opponents and FLIMEN have made it a priority to shut down El Sol.  For information on Jupiter and the other sites:

Actions you should take to help shut down El Sol are:

 Fellow citizens, we have the fight of our lives if we are to save this country!

February 26, 2008