| This call for a General Strike is a non-violent, peaceful, and powerful means to send a message to D.C. It is not meant to hurt the country in any way but to remove those who have. | |
9/11-15/08 
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IMMIGRATION REFORM FACTS & LINKS
To report illegal aliens (activity) call the DHS National Hotline 1 866 DHS 2ICE.
No Immigrant Bashing |
Advocating a major reduction in the number of H-1B visas issued and enforcement of our labor laws shouldn't be construed as advocating hostility toward foreign workers. Even those who've violated the terms of their visa should be treated with respect. Ultimately, the excesses and abuses of the H-1B visa program are the fault of the Congress which has bowed to the high-tech industry lobbyists. |
FACTS
Schools:  |
California’s public school system, which once led the nation in education, now stands at or near the bottom of the list. In many parts of the state, schools have drastically deteriorated from trying to meet the needs of a rapidly growing immigration-driven student population.
Currently, California’s K-12 system is home to one in eight American students.
In 2004–05 California spent $9,811 per pupil to educate our children. An estimated 425,000 illegal immigrant students filling California’s classrooms cost taxpayers more than $4 billion. Some estimates are as high as $7.7 billion, just to educate illegal immigrants.
In areas with especially high immigrant populations, such as Los Angeles, the school construction program required to meet the demand of explosive student enrollment was so massive that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had to be called in to manage it. It’s common for schools to use trailers as temporary classrooms to try to accommodate out-of-control student numbers.
Standards of learning continue to fall steadily as number of students per teacher reaches unprecedented proportions. The fact that many immigrant students don’t speak English only adds to the difficulty in providing an adequate education for all California students.
As of 2005, 25 percent of California’s K-12 enrollment was designated as “English learners,” 43 percent speak a language other than English at home, and 33 percent live below the poverty line.
Also as of 2005 one-third of the state’s 982 public school districts neared the bottom of their financial reserves in an effort to make ends meet, with 14 expected to run out of money in two years. Another 65 also face the likelihood that their expenses will surpass revenues in that time.
Traffic:
As home to five of the nation’s 20 most congested metro areas, California’s traffic problems are legendary.
According to the American Public Transportation Association, each person traveling by car in peak periods wastes, on average, 62 hours a year—nearly eight full working days—in congestion delays. For Californians that number is even higher.
Traffic experts agree that there is neither enough money nor enough time to build the roads and highways needed to meet the California’s current demands. The cause? Too many cars and too many people.
Consider the problem faced by California during one of its highest immigration periods, from 1984 and 1997. During that time at least 26,000 lane-miles of streets and highways were added to the entire road network statewide; the Interstate highway system grew by five percent; freeways and expressways off the Interstate system increased by 26 percent; principal arterial streets grew 13 percent; and minor arterial streets increased 26 percent. Over that same period California’s population grew 28 percent and the amount of driving increased by 45 percent.
The conclusion? Building roads doesn’t solve our problems, controlling our state’s population does.
Health Care: |
California’s health care system is under siege. Two-thirds of California hospitals are losing money; hundreds of medical groups have closed or gone bankrupt while most of the others are in financial trouble; and 84 hospitals have closed, many due to overuse of emergency rooms and illegal aliens' unpaid medical bills.
Experts warn that California is not prepared for the onslaught we would receive today in the event of an emergency such as an earthquake, hurricane, bioterrorist attack or a pandemic.
Financial pressures and competition continue to impact the supply of doctors, nurses, clinics and hospitals. Yet our population continues to swell even as health care resources dwindle. In 2006, California is spending $186 billion on healthcare. And yet we still can’t keep up with the growing demands.
Until California controls its population growth, the health care situation will only get worse. And California won't control its population growth until immigration is reduced to reasonable levels.
National Security:
“I absolutely believe that the next attack we have will come from somebody who has come across the border illegally. Anybody who believes we’re safer [since 9-11], they’re living in Neverland.” – Eugene Danes, retired deputy director of the Border Patrol sector in Blaine, WA.
Five years after 9-11 our nation is still facing virtually open borders and non-enforcement of existing immigration laws.
One problem is the severe shortage of Border Patrol agents. Although about 1,300 agents have been added since 2001, there still aren’t nearly enough—currently about 11,000—to protect the 6,900 miles of border the United States shares with Canada and Mexico. And terrorists know this.
In recent years, al-Qaeda operatives have begun spending time in Mexico and other Latin-American countries to absorb the language and culture and prepare to cross the US border—sometimes with the help of smugglers.
In addition, over 40,000 “OTMs”—a Border Patrol acronym for “other than Mexicans”—were allowed into the United States in 2004. OTMs include those from “special interest” nations—countries known for sponsoring or supporting terrorism, including Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq and Pakistan. When caught by the Border Patrol, OTMs, like so many other illegal border crossers, are typically arrested and released with a “promiso,” a promissory document stating that they will show up for their immigration hearings. Most don’t show.
In 2005, FBI Director Robert Mueller told the House Appropriations Committee that he was aware that individuals from countries with known al-Qaeda ties had entered the United States under false identities.
Environment:
“California cities and counties continue to dominate the list of places with the highest number of days with high air pollution.” – The American Lung Association of California
California is famous for its smog. In a 2006 nationwide American Lung Association air quality study, the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside area continued to top two of the lists of most polluted regions in the nation, while Bakersfield moved into the spot of the most ozone-polluted. Kern County was also one of the most polluted counties for ozone, while Riverside topped particle pollution lists. Eight other California metro areas also ranked among the worst cities in America for short-term particle pollution: Bakersfield at 2nd; Fresno-Madera at 3rd; Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Truckee, CA-NV at 8th; Visalia-Porterville at 11th; Hanford-Corcoran at 13th; San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos at 14th; Modesto at 18th; San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland tied for 20th; and Merced came in at 23rd.
And air pollution is just one of the environmental problems facing our state. Because of rampant population growth, we’re also experiencing degradation of our ground water; pollution of our lakes, rivers and streams; destruction of forests, national parks, and natural habitats; wildfires and forest fires—often caused by migrating illegal immigrants; over-consumption of precious natural resources; deadly sewage on our beaches; continually expanding urban sprawl; and more.
Experts agree that the most dangerous problem facing our environment now and in the future—whether local, national, or global—is human overpopulation.
California is one of the most environmentally sensitive and biologically diverse regions in the world, and to many of its residents, the most beautiful. But now, as our state population explodes, that’s all changing. How long can such a sensitive and diverse system last in the face of pollution, overdevelopment, and so many other types of human encroachment?
Taxes: |
“One of the greatest scams the federal government has ever imposed upon taxpayers across the country is unfunded federal mandates, and education costs and health care costs [for immigrants] imposed by the federal government on local taxpayers without reimbursement is not only unfair, it is a scandal.” – Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas)
Taxpayers are being stuck with the bill for illegal immigration across the nation, but Californians are hit especially hard. In 2004 alone, the education, health care, and incarceration of illegal aliens cost California taxpayers a total of $10.5 billion. Two years later, the costs have undoubtedly gone up with the number of aliens living in our state and taking advantage of taxpayer-funded services.
Often referred to as “cheap labor,” illegal immigrants come at a high price to taxpayers—in our state and across the nation. Ironically, “open borders” advocates often use the argument that illegal aliens have a net positive effect on local, state, and national economies. But according to a growing body of research, illegal immigrants consume far more than they contribute to the nation, and what they do contribute is grossly disproportionate.
Crime: |
“Institutionalizing illegal immigration creates a mindset in people that anything goes in the U.S. It creates a new subculture, with a sequela of social ills.” - Patrick Ortega, News and Public-affairs Director of Radio Nueva Vida in southern California
In a statewide poll more Californians named crime as the most serious problem facing the state than any other issue, including education. With reason. California crime rates rose 3.2 percent in 2005 and homicides rose more than 4 percent. Robberies rose 5.2 percent and aggravated assaults by 2.6 percent. Many counties saw even more dramatic increases.
While experts differ on the causes of crime rate increases in our state, much of the evidence points to growing population densities and increasing poverty and unemployment. In many ways, we are “importing danger” when we leave our borders open to whoever wants to enter, and when we tolerate lawbreaking at the border.
In Los Angeles, 95 percent of all outstanding warrants for homicide (which total 1,200 to 1,500) are for illegal aliens. Up to two-thirds of all fugitive felony warrants (17,000) are also for illegal aliens. Illegal aliens comprise 75 percent of L.A.’s “Most Wanted” list.
By the end of 2005, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitations inmate count had risen to 195 percent of the prison system’s capacity. Nearly 25 percent of all inmates in California detention centers are Mexican illegal aliens. Currently, many are released early due to overcrowding, even felons.
Over the last 20 years, prison populations have surged in every state in the country—doubling, and then doubling again. The United States now has more than two million people incarcerated. That's more than ever before, and more than any other country.
Water Supply: |
"Models show that even if we take action now to reduce emissions, we will still face serious stresses to water supply in California. Increases in [climate] temperature both decreases water availability while increasing demand. It will no longer just be a battle among the farming industry, the environmental groups and the cities, but those within each interest group will be competing with each other for water." - W. Michael Hanemann, professor of agricultural and resource economics and director of the California Climate Change Center at UC Berkeley
A 2004 study from UC Berkeley predicts that California will experience significantly hotter summers throughout this century, thanks to worsening air pollution, with resulting impacts on human health and the availability of water.
And Californians are no strangers to water shortages.
Farmers are already required to cut back on the water used for crops. The San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta, the major water source for two-thirds of the state, is increasingly challenged by its fragile levees and growing demands. By the year 2020, demands on our water supply will result in shortages of six to 14 percent per year.
California has been ordered to wean itself from the excess of 800,000 acre-feet of water over its legal allotment from the Colorado River each year, but we have no viable alternative source. Yet our state acquires new water users at a rate of at least 500,000 people per year through immigration. Continuing our unchecked population growth means accelerating and exacerbating predicted water shortages and demands for water.
BOYCOTT:
Wells Fargo, BofA, Tyson Foods, Miller Brewing
Jobs: Selling Out Americans:  |
“Working America is facing a crisis. It’s a jobs crisis and it’s the number one issue facing Americans. Despite our so-called recovery, far too many people are out of work, and many have been out of work for a long time.” - Former AFL-CIO President John Sweeney
Growing numbers of Californians and Americans in general, are being displaced by lower cost legal and illegal immigrant workers. Farmers, contractors, and businesses see cheap foreign labor as a way to cut costs and increase profits.
Of particular concern is the glut of professional H-1B visa workers in the tech industry. By lobbying Congress, tech companies have helped continue to raise the number of H-1B visas issued annually to foreign workers. These companies aggressively recruit foreign workers willing to work longer hours for less benefits and lower salaries. In the past 10 years, 890,000 American high tech workers were forced to train their replacements on the job.
The tech industry claims “shortages” of high-tech workers, but even this year the number of H1-B visas issued exceeded the number of jobs created by the industry.
The result is thousands of Californians who are either unemployed or underemployed. The impact is especially brutal on minorities who are often overlooked by employers in favor of cheap foreign and often illegal labor.
Nationally, some estimates for the number of American workers displaced by immigration each year are as high as two million.
And then there’s wage depression. By adding millions of newcomers to the work force who are willing to work for Third World wages, we are creating unfair competition and lower-wage jobs for all workers. Not surprisingly, immigration is credited with 40 to 50 percent of the wage depression in recent decades for workers without a high school degree.
Energy Crisis: |
“An unreliable energy system discourages businesses from locating or even remaining in California, resulting in lost jobs and state revenues.” – California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger
In an average year, California adds over 500,000 to its already burgeoning population; employers create about 250,000 new jobs; and developers construct approximately 200,000 new housing units. This type of record-breaking growth brings immense increases in demand for energy and other resources. How can we cope with this new level of demand? Will California have the energy it needs?
Part of the problem is poor planning by the state and its utilities and aging power plants—but population is also a key factor.
Despite improvements in power plant licensing, enormously successful energy efficiency programs, and continued technological advances, development of new energy supplies in California is not keeping pace with the state's increasing demand. Construction of new power plants has lagged and the number of new plant permit applications has decreased.
While the Energy Crisis of 2000-2001 seems a part of the distant past, a 2004 report by the California Energy Commission predicted a recurrence of the crisis, beginning as early as 2006. Electricity rates, although not as erratic as during the 2000-2001 energy crisis, are still among the highest in the nation, forcing businesses to struggle to maintain profit margins as the cost of doing business in the state rises.
Energy demand will only continue to rise with California's rapidly growing population. Weather-adjusted electricity consumption in California increases at an average of two percent every year.
- COMPREHENSIVE IMMIGRATION REFORM/AMNESTYAfter decades of passively watching these problems grow, Americans are now waking up to the severity of this issue. Thanks to informed citizens' quick actions, 20 loopholes were discovered in the 347-page Immigration Reform Act. The document became suspect when a complex, previously ignored problem suddenly had a bill "living in the shadows" that required a quick vote. Because the Federal Government has failed to control illegal immigration, legislators are now addressing the issues at their local levels with bills to manage it incrementally, piece-by-piece, rather than trying to fix the entire national crisis at once--an impossible task. Securing our borders, enforce the existing laws equally with no sanctuary status, punish employers who violate our laws, remove the "magnets" by curbing free social services for those in the country illegally and pressure the Latin American leaders to create a strong middle class for their people. We must also address the fact that we're soft on illegal immigrants caught in crimes and not deported. No other country would allow this to continue. If we remove the many "magnets" which attract illegal immigrants into our country, we'll see significant self-deportation as a result. Government agencies and officials at all levels must address the concerns of the nation as well as local communities when it comes to immigration, both legal and illegal. Past mistakes have been made in attempts to fix immigration and our communities can no longer afford these kinds of mistakes.
LINKS:9/11 Families for a Secure America www.911fsa.orgThe American Cause www.theamericancause.orgThe American Conservative www.amconmag.comAmerican Engineering Association www.aea.orgAmericans for Better Immigration www.betterimmigration.comAmerican Immigration Control Foundation www.aicfoundation.comAmerican Outlook www.americanoutlook.orgAmerican Patrol www.americanpatrol.comAmerican Resistance www.theamericanresistance.comThe Terry Anderson Show www.theterryandersonshow.comAmerican Worker www.americanworker.org
George Borjas www.borjas.comPatrick J. Buchanan www.buchanan.orgCalifornia Coalition for Immigration Reform www.ccir.netCalifornians for Population Stabilization www.capsweb.orgCarrying Capacity Network www.carryingcapacity.orgCenter for American Unity www.cfau.orgCenter for Immigration Studies www.cis.orgCoalition for the Future American Worker www.americanworker.org
Deport Aliens www.deportaliens.comDiversity Alliance for a Sustainable America www.diversityalliance.orgEco Future www.ecofuture.orgEnglish First www.englishfirst.orgEscaping Justice www.escapingjustice.comF.A.I.R. www.fairus.orgDon Feder www.donfeder.comFor The Cause www.forthecause.usOtis L, Graham Jr. www.otisgraham.comN.I.V. Info. www.zazona.com
H1B Info. www.h1b.infoHans Hoppe www.hanshoppe.comHire American Citizens www.hireamericancitizens.orgHudson Institute www.hudson.org
IEEE-USA www.ieeeusa.orgIllegal Immigration Boycott www.millerboycott.comImmigration Counters www.immigrationcounters.comImmigration Watch (Canada) www.immigrationwatchcanada.orgOn Power www.onpower.orgIssues & Views www.issues-views.comWilliam J. Olson www.lawandfreedom.comLegal American Folks www.legalamericanfolks.comAmerican Immigration Lawyers www.lyrelyrepantzandfier.com
Michelle Malkin www.michellemalkin.comMidwest Coalition to Reduce Immigration www.immigrationreform.orgMigration Dialogue www.migrationucdavis.eduNevada Action Coalition www.unitetofight.orgNumbers USA www.numbersusa.comOregonians for Immigration Reform www.oregonir.orgPredatory Aliens www.predatoryaliens.comPro English www.proenglish.org
Save Our State www.saveourstate.orgSecured Borders U.S.A. www.securedbordersusa.comSupport U.S. Population Stabilization www.susps.orgSobran's www.sobran.comSoutheastern Legal Foundation www.southeasternlegal.orgUtahns for Immigration Reform & Enforcement www.ufire.netV Dare www.vdare.comWake Up America www.wakeupamericausa
On September 11, 2001, the willful negligence of federal, state, and local politicians aided in the murder of 3000 people. These murders were the foreseeable, inevitable result of decisions made by Presidents and Congresses beginning in the 1960s. They dismantled procedures that screened out dangerous aliens attempting to get visas while masquerading as students, tourists, and business travelers; and concurrently, to open US borders to millions of illegal aliens.
ALL nineteen of the 9/11 terrorists were given entry visas by the State Department despite laws that barred all of them.
In disregarding the law, bureaucrats merely obeyed the wishes of politicians who in turn bowed to lobbying and campaign contributions by the travel and education industries. They wanted ever increasing numbers of aliens to fill more airplane seats, amusement parks, hotels, and college and university classrooms.There were profits to make and political careers to build by making it easy for any alien to get a visa, and neither the profiteers nor the politicians cared if some visitors were terrorists and criminals.
Meanwhile, employers such as beef and poultry processors, contractors, etc., discovered that the worker protections of the New Deal could be evaded and profits increased if American labor was replaced by cheap foreign workers, both legal and illegal.
Presidents and Congresses responded to their campaign donations by stripping America’s borders of personnel needed to keep out illegals and ending prosecutions of employers of illegals. State and city politicians joined in by giving drivers licenses, subsidized housing, and free medical care to illegals, and refusing to report them to the INS.
By 2001, the result of these political decisions was a population of over 10 million illegals and a culture of absolute lawlessness.
Thus, Al Qaeda’s planners knew the U.S. would grant visas to their agents, and that once in the U.S. the terrorists could blend in with the millions of illegals, free from fear of discovery; free to get drivers licenses, open bank accounts; free to finance, plan, and rehearse their mass murder; free, with U.S.-issued drivers’ licenses as valid ID, to board planes they would use to murder our loved ones.
All this freedom was granted them, wrongfully but knowingly, by American politicians in order to get support from those who profit from open borders. This must stop.
- Peter Gadiel, J.D., father of James Gadiel who was lost in the World Trade Center Disaster.
Peter is now a Board Member of 9/11 Families for a Secure America www.911fsa.org
"Credibility in immigration policy can be summed up in one sentence: those who should get in, get in; those who should be kept out, are kept out; and those who should not be here will be required to leave." -Barbara Jordan
