Announcement

**acelaw** · 08-03-2003, 08:14 AM

The corruption and the raping of the citizens wallets of this country continues.You all should be so proud of your LA RAZA.

http://www.hispanic.bz/assurance_of_public_benefits.htm
The American Hispanic Coalition Proposes Federal Legislation Providing Assurance of Public Benefits for All Persons Living in the USA

July 21, 2003 -- As part of the American Hispanic Coalition 2004 Election Strategy, www.Hispanic.bz, focusing on issues that have a direct impact on Hispanics, American Hispanic today included as part of its platform the need to have federal legislation approved mandating all benefits received by residents of each state be available to all persons living within each state. The legislation would prohibit state and local officials to verify immigration status for anyone who applies for "public benefits."

The federal legislation would also prohibit state and local officials to verify immigration status or proof of citizenship every time someone casts an election ballot, and would prohibit state or local officials to report any suspected illegal immigrants to federal authorities.

The inclusion of Assurance of Public Benefits was added after review of what is happening in several states and specifically Arizona, which has launched an initiative drive for a proposed state law to discourage illegal immigration.

The Arizona proposal would require state and local officials to verify immigration status for anyone who applies for "public benefits." The initiative also would require proof of citizenship every time someone casts an election ballot, and would make it a crime for state or local officials to fail to report any suspected illegal immigrants to federal authorities.

Several Arizona lawmakers bluntly described the initiative as discrimination against Mexicans and other Hispanics.

"What drives them is race, there is no other explanation for what they are doing today," said Rep. Ben Miranda, D-Phoenix.

According to Jon Garrido, president of the American Hispanic Coalition, "Support forthcoming in the 2004 presidential election will be given to which ever presidential candidate commits to accepting the American Hispanic Coalition Platform and gives assurance the candidate will promote passage of said legislation in Congress."

Garrido added, "Of nearly equal importance will be the Democratic candidate and President Bush promoting defeat of the Arizona initiative."

**acelaw** · 08-04-2003, 02:40 PM

Legislators back bill limiting visas

Joseph Straw , Register Washington Bureau 08/04/2003

WASHINGTON "” U.S. Rep. Rob Simmons, R-2, has signed on to one of three bipartisan bills drafted by Connecticut lawmakers aimed at limiting foreign worker visas, which critics argue are compounding unemployment in the state, particularly in technology industries.

Simmons co-sponsored a bill authored by U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson, R-5, which has companion Senate legislation written by U.S. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn.

The bill targets two types of visas: L-1 visas, intended for use by foreign management and specially skilled workers employed by companies with U.S. operations, and H-1B visas, which are intended for temporary stays but can be extended.

"Loopholes in our current visa laws have caused too many U.S. workers to lose out to a cheaper foreign work force," Simmons said.

U.S. Rep. Rosa L. DeLauro, D-3, has submitted a similar bill with co-sponsors including U.S. Reps. John Larson, D-1, and Christopher Shays, R-4, centering on L-1 visas.

Nationally, the number of foreign workers here on L-1 and H-1B visas grew from close to 444,000 in 1997 to more than 700,000 in 2001, and dropped off to 684,000 last year, according to federal statistics cited by the Organization for the Rights of American Workers in Meriden.

In Connecticut, the figure has grown from close to 9,000 in 1997 to more than 14,000 last year.

"We're appalled by the number of Americans being displaced by outsourcing and the availability of cheap foreign labor," said TORAW President John Bauman.

The Dodd bill would cap H-1B visas at 65,000 annually, down from 195,000, and would limit the length of L-1 visas to five years for management workers and three years for specialized workers, a two-year reduction for both.

The Dodd bill would also mandate that L-1 visa recipients have worked for the employer for two of the prior three years, and would forbid employers from subcontracting out foreign visa workers.

"That's where American information technology workers are being put out of their jobs," a Dodd aide said.

The Dodd and Larson legislation would, like the DeLauro bill, prevent companies from laying off a domestic worker within six months of hiring a foreign worker on a visa.

Dodd testified Tuesday before the Senate Judiciary Committee's immigration and border security subcommittee on the issue.

"At the very least, laws enacted by Congress should ensure that workers living in Connecticut and elsewhere throughout America confront a level playing field when competing for jobs," Dodd said.

DeLauro's bill would cap annual L-1 visas at 35,000 "” cited as the average number issued over the past decade. The bill would also institute a $1,000 fee for each L-1 visa, and would require that companies apply for them on an individual basis rather than in groups.

The DeLauro bill also proposes sanctions ranging from fines to disqualifications from the visa programs for employers violate regulations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Joseph Straw can be reached at jstraw@nhregister.com or at (202) 737-5654.

08-04-2003, 07:12 PM

Ace, ace, ace!

Announcement

The American Hispanic Coalition Proposes Federal Legislation Providing Assurance of Public Benefits for All Persons Living in the USA

The American Hispanic Coalition Proposes Federal Legislation Providing Assurance of Public Benefits for All Persons Living in the USA

Comment

Comment

Comment