Homeland security chief endorses legalizing undocumented immigrants

[Jorgy]

By Tanya Weinberg
Staff Writer
Posted December 10 2003

Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told a Miami audience Tuesday that the country should legalize millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country.

"The bottom line is, as a country we have to come to grips with the presence of 8 to 12 million illegals, afford them some kind of legal status some way, but also as a country decide what our immigration policy is and then enforce it," Ridge said at a town hall meeting at Miami-Dade Community College.

The forum was the second in a national series organized by the nonprofit Council for Excellence in Government, which aims to develop homeland security recommendations for various levels of government and the public. Business and community leaders, students and others had the chance to ask Ridge and state and local officials about topics that included cybersecurity, airport security, cargo inspection and immigration.

A man who identified himself as Miguel Arroyo, of Aventura, asked Ridge whether he supported immigration legalization and whether he thought it would benefit national security.

Ridge said he thinks the body politic is about ready to address the issue of the illegal immigrants, who he said contribute to communities and Social Security and pay taxes. He referred to a growing number of bills that would grant residency to some of those living here illegally. He said one of these, which would require all illegal immigrants to leave the country before applying for residency, is "not workable."

"I'm not saying make them citizens, because they violated the law to get here," he said. "So you don't reward that type of conduct by turning over a citizenship certificate. You determine how you can legalize their presence, then, as a country, you make a decision that from this day forward, from this day forward, this is the process of entry, and if you violate that process of entry we have the resources to cope with it."

At the town hall meeting and at a morning meeting with Gov. Jeb Bush, Ridge praised Florida's level of security preparedness. This year Florida is spending $403 million on homeland security. Most comes from the $29.4 billion in federal money for domestic security programs.

At the morning meeting, Bush told a national security advisory council that the state has improved coordination between law enforcement and emergency personnel and heightened security at seaports.

"In the event of a disaster, a terrorist attack of any kind, ... today we are better trained, better equipped, better coordinated," Bush said.

The town hall audience of about 300 was asked "Do you feel safer than you did a year ago?" Fifty-two percent said yes, 28 percent said no, and 20 percent said unchanged.

Staff Writer Christy McKerney contributed to this report.

Tanya Weinberg can be reached at tweinberg@sun-sentinel.com or 305-810-5029.

[critch]

If you think that's bad! The U.S. is about to agree to allow millions of Mexican, not Americans, to go back to Mexico and have their Social Security checks delivered to them. We are going to mail SS checks to Mexico.
My money says that the money goes to the Mexican government and never makes it to the named recipient. They shouldn't be getting that money in the first place! Here or in Mexico. I'm livid.

critch

[Deleted User]

[Deleted by Admins]

[fng]

These are our conservative representatives.................right.

Corporate america runs this country. This is to make the equivocal of an occidental E.U.

Our constitution will be COMPLETE toilet paper within 20 years.

[burniegoeasily]

If you cant beat them, let them join you.[:@] I guess we can erase our laws and start rewarding all law breakers with rewards.[:@]

[CalHunter]

but also as a country decide what our immigration policy is and then enforce it,"

I agree with this part of Ridge's statement. I do think something needs to change. From what I understand, the INS isn't able to process citizenship requests in a timely manner and that is holding up the legalization process a lot. It would also help a lot more if Mexico and other countries were more efficient in processing background investigations. Maybe these countries need some of this heat turned back on them to start performing their jobs properly instead of letting the U.S. get all of the heat.

In clinton's reign, Law Enforcement was not allowed to stop, detain or deport illegal aliens without some criminal reason (being an illegal wasn't enough). I haven't heard of that policy changing so assume it's pretty much in effect everywhere.

IMHO, I think the proper way to handle this problem is to make the INS a lot more efficient and redesign the green card process so it doesn't take forever. The INS already has a process for issuing people temporary green cards and even for permanent alien cards. I think anybody in this country with an alien (green) card should be required to notify the INS of their living address and workplace address and any changes within 10 days. That way we can keep track of them. If they don't like that much big brother, then become a U.S. citizen.

I don't feel comfortable with aliens driving on a Mexican drivers license since I don't know about Mexican DL requirements such as skills required, insurance, etc. I think aliens should be able to get a green card type DL which specifically CANNOT be used to gain eligibility for voting. These alien drivers licenses should be clearly marked and the hoolder should have to meet the same requirements for skills, proof of insurance, etc. as U.S. drivers.

I also believe that aliens should have to pay some kind of tax on their income to help support the hospitals, roads, public safety, etc. so that they do not get a free ride. They use these services and should have to help pay for them. I do not believe they should be allowed to participarte in social security for retirement purposes as that should rightly be reserved for U.S. citizens.

I think we could negotiate this with Mexico so that there is an orderly, efficient and prompt process wherein their citizens can legally come to the U.S. and earn money but also pay their fair share of the costs. I don't know why the politicians have to make this whole situation so difficult when a little common sense could resolve most of the problems.

[Briman]

Myabe we can reduce the crime rate by making murder and rape perfectly legal, and stop terrorism by giving muslims legal incentives to strap bombs to themselves or steer plans into buildings.

[CalHunter]

I must be missing your point briman. I offered a proposal on eliminating some of the problems with aliens coming into our country legally and the current programs for such activity. I do not support people coming into our country illegally. I think the illegals should be sent to Mexican prisons so they would not want to repeat the mistake. Mexican prisons do not have the luxuries of our prisons and that way Mexico could foot the bill for their citizens committing offenses in our country. As for people legally entering our country, all of these programs currently exist except that legal emmigrants already get standard issue U.S. drivers licenses just like you and I--Something I disagree with.