Tim Johnson supports the president on Immigration. Too bad South Dakotans don’t
According to Badlands Blue, Senator Tim Johnson supports the president’s bill of allowing illegal aliens a track for citizenship. Showing that America is the land of opportunity for people who break the rules that the rest of us are supposed to follow. Darn my immigrant ancestors for entering the country according to the rules.
Washington, DC - U.S. Senator Tim Johnson (D-SD) today released the following statement regarding the immigration bill, S.1639, which is currently being considered by the Senate and that brings real and practical solutions:
In the 109th Congress, I supported the comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed the Senate by a large bipartisan majority with the strong support of the President. That legislation addressed the same core principals as the current proposal; enhanced border security, a guest worker program, and an earned path to citizenship program to address undocumented immigrants currently in the United States.
I guess it’s here where I break with my president, as well as my Democratic Senator. Yes, I do recognize that the vast majority of undocumented and illegal immigrants work hard and long hours for crap wages. And this helps them how, by making it easier for unscrupulous people to exploit them because they have no legal protection? That sounds counter-productive in and of itself.
Sorry. My opinion might be small and meaningless, but I’m going to stand up for following the rules.
No legal entry, no cookie.
It’s that simple.
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Comments
I would to hear Tim say he is for the bill as I , for one, am tried of press releases while we never hear nor see him.
In the days of your immigrant ancestors, nobody was turned away, unless they had some sort of disease, and the process was incredibly simple: get on a boat to New York, stand in line, and then say your name. No background check, no waiting period, and no elaborate rules to keep people out.
If you’re willing to return to that system for our current immigrants, then, sure, let’s do it, because those rules are easy to follow.
But if you’re not, the comparison to your ancestors following the rules and the present system are far too simplistic.
Scimitar - I would note that last time I knew, it has always been the principal that those born in the US are considered citizens, regardless of their parent’s status.
If there are minor children involved, I would not be opposed to allowing the parents to work - as documented aliens - possibly working towards a track of citizenship.
Whether he supports this latest immigration bill or not at this point doesn’t matter as it will be the 227th vote in a row that he has missed and if it somehow makes it through the Senate, it will never make it through the House
I have great compassion for any child. However, I have NEVER supported the position that merely because a child is born in this country makes him/her a citizen. I have doubts that my wife having a baby in Mexico would make the child a citizen, so why is our country so lenient? Also, these people aren’t immigrants - they’re ILLEGALS! If you get that straight from the start, you will see why the majority of this country is against the new bill. They broke the law, just that simple. Another point - these people don’t pay social security or incomes taxes, but some of you think they’re entitled to all of our benefits. From personal experience working in a grocery store having Western Union, I can tell you that most of their money goes back to Mexico and does little or nothing for our country. Crack down on the people employing these ILLEGALS, and you will dry up their reason for coming here. We have laws in place for this problem. All we want is for the government to enforce them!
3 — I don’t know what history book you are reading, but it wasn’t that simple. You can’t equate surviving horrendous conditions on ships with criminally sneaking over our border in the dead of night. You had to have sponsors, and you could be turned back for really minor things. Also, many of the LEGAL immigrants of a century ago (such as my grandparents) wanted to be Americans. They learned English, became citizens, and would never have DREAMED of asking the government for the free handouts that ILLEGALS get now. Also…The “Press One for English” thing is getting really old. There should be only one choice. And one more thing…people who support this bill cite concern about breaking up families, but if ILLEGALS really cared about their kids, they wouldn’t be lawbreakers. Whatever ILLEGALS get, they deserve.
I hope when your immigrant ancestors DID make mistakes society was more forgiving of them than you are of illegal immigrants.
I say we give people a path to citizenship, whatever their past transgressions.
Just ran into an old friend in Eastern South Dakota that is very close to Tim Johnson. He is also a mucky muck in democratic circles. Even he has been unable to talk with Tim. Speculation is that Tim is a drooler and will not run again. The staff “releases” are intended to placate South Dakota voters so they will not get a replacement senator until the elections. This not only denies us a senator, but also denies the new senator from getting a little more seniority than the other “newbies” next year. The primary reason this is being done is to keep the U.S. Senate in Senator Reid’s control. Senator Reid is now acting as South Dakota’s senator.
If Johnson has any comprehension, he should be ashamed of himself.
Ray - WHY are you making comments like that, causing me to have to step in and be the voice of defending democrats?
Senator Johnson has suffered a brain injury, and is recovering. All reports are that he’s making progress, and that he’s not “a drooler” as you described it.
That’s so inappropriate, and really goes over the line as far as being offensive.
That type of talk doesn’t help the cause of Republicans any.
“The idea of removing 12 million+ people, along with their minor children who are US citizens, from the country just doesn’t have any practical aspect - as Senator Johnson noted. Nor is it equitable at least to the minor children” - scimitar
We don’t have to “remove” them, just enforce the existing laws and they’ll “self-deport”. Birthright citizenship / Anchor babies should be abolished.
PP
If Johnson is recovering, an interview with three or four competent reporters could easily verify it. Johnson’s staff refuses to allow this.
PP
Johnson has been introducing bills (the tax benefit for teachers on March 8), making pronouncements on energy bills and today, suggesting his approval for ammnesty for the 12 million illegals. Sounds like he could visit with a reporter doesn’t it?
Why wouldn’t you want a reporter to at least verify if those are his thoughts, or Senator Reids? This is no longer simply being a gentleman and saying that someone needs time to recover. Johnson’s office seems to be running at 100 percent. It is the republicans that seem to be disabled.
1. Enforce the laws already on the books! Appropriate extra money if necessary. Secure our borders and finish the fence.
2. Any illegal caught in any crime gets deported immediately–family or no family. (The family can follow him/her “home” if there is concern about family break up.)
3. Heavily fine all employers caught hiring illegals–use the fees to police and deport those who commit crimes.
4. Deport any illegal who applies for government benefits. (Churches and private individuals should be allowed to help in any way that they would like.)
No need for a path to citizenship–no need for massive deportation–Illegals will begin to self deport when the jobs and government bennies dry up. Employers will have to pay a fair wage for a fair days work if they want employees.
free interprise–supply and demand–simple really!
The idea of removing 12 million+ people, along with their minor children who are US citizens, from the country just doesn’t have any practical aspect - as Senator Johnson noted. Nor is it equitable at least to the minor children.
As always, Tim Johnson is looking for practical solutions to problems, while others grandstand by proposing a mass deportation that could never be accomplished.