Numbers USA

Massive foreign worker increase back alive in Senate backroom negotiations

By Roy Beck, Monday, September 15, 2008, 1:04 AM

Just as we had seemed to push back attempts for massive increases in foreign workers by the U.S. House last week, we now learn the danger has risen to Orange Alert level in the Senate.

Let’s take a look at some of the millions of Americans who are being ignored by Senate staffers as they negotiate behind closed doors to bring in additional permanent immigrant workers next year:

THESE AMERICANS BEING SACRIFICED IN BACKROOM SENATE TALKS
In August, 592,000 additional Americans were added to the official unemployment rolls.
Total number of Americans who are officially unemployed, looking for a job and can’t find one? 8.28 million!
Current official unemployment rate (highest in 5 years)? 6%
Official unemployment rate considerably higher for Hispanic women: 8.7%
Rate twice as high for Black American men: 12.3%!
Look to see whether Sen. McCain or Sen. Obama show any concerns at all for these people in their Presidential races.

CLEAN E-VERIFY RE-AUTHORIZATION AGAIN IN DOUBT
We had counted on Republican Senators to agree to stand up to the blackmail of Sen. Menendez that we’ve been telling you about for the last month. (Read background in my previous blogs.) Sadly, we have learned that an undetermined number of Republican staffers are now also trying to increase foreign workers during a time of rising American unemployment.

Menendez — you may recall — has put a hold on re-authorization of the E-Verify on-line program that keeps illegal aliens out of jobs.

He has been saying he will let the Senate vote to keep the program going IF the Senate will also add hundreds of thousands more permanent immigrants. Our understanding has been that Senate Majority Leader Reid (D-Nevada) was ready last week to over-rule Menendez and bring E-Verify to the floor. And it looked like Reid was willing to do it without adding extra foreign workers.

Then at the end of the week, several Republican staffers seem to have re-opened the whole thing to add foreign workers, apparently to satisfy the demands of special interest lobbyists.

Our message to every Senate office has to be:

1. No increase in immigration and foreign workers of any kind.

2. Re-authorize E-Verify without any strings — just like the House did a month ago.

CAPITOL HILL SWITCHBOARD: 202-224-3121

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