Der Alte
03-24-2003, 08:18 PM
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Legislative Update
March 24, 2003
VA Governor Strong on Driver's License Security, Weak on In-state Tuition
Driver's License Victory
Good news! On Saturday, Virginia Governor John Warner amended and signed H.B. 1954, legislation requiring foreign nationals to prove they are in the country legally before obtaining a driver's license. Warner's amendment would increase funding for implementing the safeguards mandated in the legislation. Virginia lawmakers will consider Warner's amendment on April 2.
Special thanks go out to Virginia immigration reformers for answering our call to action and flooding Governor Warner's office with requests to sign H.B. 1954.
In-State Tuition Setback
Governor Warner also amended H.B. 2339, legislation that would bar illegal aliens from paying reduced in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
Warner's amendments weaken the bill and would extend in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens if they: (1) can prove they graduated from a Virginia high school; (2) have lived in Virginia for at least five years; (3) are trying to change their status from illegal to legal; (4) have parents who have paid, or have themselves paid, Virginia income taxes for the past five years.
The Virginia General Assembly will consider this amendment on April 2.
If you live in Virginia, please follow this link to FAIR's Virginia Action Alert to see how you can help stop this amendment from passing.
MD Legislature Approves In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens
The Maryland General Assembly approved legislation last week that would reward illegal aliens who grow up in Maryland with taxpayer-funded in-state tuition benefits. This legislation will become law if signed by Governor Bob Ehrlich, who stated he may veto the bill. If you live in Maryland and oppose rewarding illegal aliens with taxpayer-funded in-state tuition benefits, please call Governor Ehrlich (410-974-3591) immediately and urge him to veto H.B. 253 and S.B. 520. See FAIR's Maryland Action Alert for more details.
Senate Approves Feinstein-Kyl ID Theft Bill
On March 19, the Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that would increase penalties for identity theft crimes. S. 153, the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, would help law enforcement capture and prosecute serious identity thieves, including people using identity theft to break immigration law.
S. 153 would increase penalties for anyone who commits "aggravated identity theft" in order to commit a serious federal offense, including immigration violations and false citizenship.
In addition, the bill would makes it easier for prosecutors to prove identity theft by stating that as long as criminal intent is proved for the underlying offense, no further proof of intent is required. It also makes "possession" of false identity documents with intent to commit a crime a punishable offense. Current law punishes only transfer or sale of false identity documents.
Inspector General Report Finds Foreign Student Tracking System Inadequate
Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine charged in a report released last Monday that the immigration department's new Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which was mandated by Congress to be fully implemented by January 1, 2003, is still not fully operational.
According to Fine, the SEVIS database does not include information on all foreign students in the U.S. and won't until August 1, 2003. The report concluded that immigration inspectors at ports of entry are not fully trained on how to use SEVIS to identify whether an alien is a legitimate student. Even if SEVIS alerted immigration authorities to danger signs, Fine said the agency has no system in place to follow up on indicators of fraud or rule-breaking by schools.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration has tentatively scheduled a hearing on this matter for next week.
Upcoming Events:
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security will hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 25, to consider funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in upcoming Fiscal Year 2004. DHS Secretary Tom Ridge will testify. The hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. in room 138 of the Dirsken Senate Office Building.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 25, to discuss protecting the homeland. The hearing will begin at 2:15 p.m. in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
On Wednesday, March 26, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will hold a hearing on the Matricula Consular, the identity card issued by Mexican consulates to Mexican nationals living in the United States. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in room 340 of the Cannon House Office Building.
The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) will hold a panel discussion this Wednesday, March 26, on immigrant welfare use since welfare reform. The discussion will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Lisagor Room of the National Press Club. The National Press Club is in Washington, D.C. on the corner of 14th and F St.
Please forward this message to interested friends, acquaintances, and email lists. For current immigration news, please visit the SteinReport. You can visit our website at FAIR or go to the Legislative Action Center to find your representatives and local media contact information. For other information, call FAIR's legislative department at (202) 328-7004.
Some good news, some bad news and heavens only knows, what else.
Legislative Update
March 24, 2003
VA Governor Strong on Driver's License Security, Weak on In-state Tuition
Driver's License Victory
Good news! On Saturday, Virginia Governor John Warner amended and signed H.B. 1954, legislation requiring foreign nationals to prove they are in the country legally before obtaining a driver's license. Warner's amendment would increase funding for implementing the safeguards mandated in the legislation. Virginia lawmakers will consider Warner's amendment on April 2.
Special thanks go out to Virginia immigration reformers for answering our call to action and flooding Governor Warner's office with requests to sign H.B. 1954.
In-State Tuition Setback
Governor Warner also amended H.B. 2339, legislation that would bar illegal aliens from paying reduced in-state tuition at public colleges and universities.
Warner's amendments weaken the bill and would extend in-state tuition benefits to illegal aliens if they: (1) can prove they graduated from a Virginia high school; (2) have lived in Virginia for at least five years; (3) are trying to change their status from illegal to legal; (4) have parents who have paid, or have themselves paid, Virginia income taxes for the past five years.
The Virginia General Assembly will consider this amendment on April 2.
If you live in Virginia, please follow this link to FAIR's Virginia Action Alert to see how you can help stop this amendment from passing.
MD Legislature Approves In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens
The Maryland General Assembly approved legislation last week that would reward illegal aliens who grow up in Maryland with taxpayer-funded in-state tuition benefits. This legislation will become law if signed by Governor Bob Ehrlich, who stated he may veto the bill. If you live in Maryland and oppose rewarding illegal aliens with taxpayer-funded in-state tuition benefits, please call Governor Ehrlich (410-974-3591) immediately and urge him to veto H.B. 253 and S.B. 520. See FAIR's Maryland Action Alert for more details.
Senate Approves Feinstein-Kyl ID Theft Bill
On March 19, the Senate approved legislation sponsored by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jon Kyl (R-AZ) that would increase penalties for identity theft crimes. S. 153, the Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act, would help law enforcement capture and prosecute serious identity thieves, including people using identity theft to break immigration law.
S. 153 would increase penalties for anyone who commits "aggravated identity theft" in order to commit a serious federal offense, including immigration violations and false citizenship.
In addition, the bill would makes it easier for prosecutors to prove identity theft by stating that as long as criminal intent is proved for the underlying offense, no further proof of intent is required. It also makes "possession" of false identity documents with intent to commit a crime a punishable offense. Current law punishes only transfer or sale of false identity documents.
Inspector General Report Finds Foreign Student Tracking System Inadequate
Justice Department Inspector General Glenn Fine charged in a report released last Monday that the immigration department's new Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS), which was mandated by Congress to be fully implemented by January 1, 2003, is still not fully operational.
According to Fine, the SEVIS database does not include information on all foreign students in the U.S. and won't until August 1, 2003. The report concluded that immigration inspectors at ports of entry are not fully trained on how to use SEVIS to identify whether an alien is a legitimate student. Even if SEVIS alerted immigration authorities to danger signs, Fine said the agency has no system in place to follow up on indicators of fraud or rule-breaking by schools.
The House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration has tentatively scheduled a hearing on this matter for next week.
Upcoming Events:
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security will hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 25, to consider funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in upcoming Fiscal Year 2004. DHS Secretary Tom Ridge will testify. The hearing will begin at 10:00 a.m. in room 138 of the Dirsken Senate Office Building.
The Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Terrorism, Technology and Homeland Security will hold a hearing on Tuesday, March 25, to discuss protecting the homeland. The hearing will begin at 2:15 p.m. in room 226 of the Dirksen Senate Office Building.
On Wednesday, March 26, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus will hold a hearing on the Matricula Consular, the identity card issued by Mexican consulates to Mexican nationals living in the United States. The hearing will begin at 9 a.m. in room 340 of the Cannon House Office Building.
The Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) will hold a panel discussion this Wednesday, March 26, on immigrant welfare use since welfare reform. The discussion will begin at 9:30 a.m. in the Lisagor Room of the National Press Club. The National Press Club is in Washington, D.C. on the corner of 14th and F St.
Please forward this message to interested friends, acquaintances, and email lists. For current immigration news, please visit the SteinReport. You can visit our website at FAIR or go to the Legislative Action Center to find your representatives and local media contact information. For other information, call FAIR's legislative department at (202) 328-7004.
Some good news, some bad news and heavens only knows, what else.