I am looking for some ideas to add to my letter in support of stricter border control and support of the bill currently in the Senate.

Whatever you have to offer let me know.

James

Get some background on the senator first.  i wrote both of my senators about 2 months ago.  one of them, mel martinez, is a former immigrant (legal) so i worded my letter differently than when i wrote to bill nelson.

it took about 3 weeks, but their offices actually replied as well.  here are their replies:

From the office of Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL): Dear Mr. Orzel:            Thank you for contacting me with your concerns about border security.             We are truly a nation of immigrants, and our diversity is one of our country’s greatest strengths.  At the same time, the influx of illegal immigrants across our borders provides special challenges to U.S. immigration policies, and we cannot ignore violations of U.S. immigration law.  The uncontrolled flow of people across our border poses a serious threat to our national security as it could allow terrorist to sneak into the country. Additionally, the U.S. should urge the Mexican government to put an end to all activities that encourage illegal and dangerous crossings of our border.             Recently, I supported the Homeland Security Appropriations bill (H.R. 2360) that set aside $6 billion for customs and border security to keep unauthorized people and goods from entering the country, which is $627 million more than what was authorized in FY 2005. Under the bill, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which enforces immigration laws in the U.S. such as immigrant employment practices, would receive $3.8 billion, a $200 million dollar increase from last year's enacted budget. Please know that I share your concerns about border security and will keep them in mind.  Don’t hesitate to contact me again.

and...

From the office of Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL): Dear Mr. Orzel: Thank you for contacting me regarding immigration reform. I appreciate hearing from you and would like to respond to your concerns. Like you, I strongly believe that one way to safeguard our homeland and halt the flow of illegal immigrants is to work tirelessly to secure our borders. On October 28, 2005, President George W. Bush signed into law the Homeland Security Appropriations bill for fiscal year 2006 (P.L. 109-90), which includes more than $30 billion to protect our homeland. It specifically sets aside $2.3 billion for the Border Patrol to improve and expand its stations, to install and improve fencing, lighting, and vehicle barriers along the border, and to acquire technologies, such as portable imaging machines, sensors and automated targeting systems that focus on high-risk travelers and goods. However, this is just a start, as Congress begins to review the President's recently submitted fiscal year 2007 budget request. Please know, I will continue to work with my colleagues to ensure substantial additional resources are made available to the Department of Homeland Security and the Border Patrol. There were approximately four million illegal immigrants living in the United States, when Congress last addressed the issue of comprehensive immigration reform in 1986. Today, it is estimated there are more than 11 million. Those immigrants who enter our country illegally, and those who employ them, disrespect the rule of law. We live in a time where terrorists are challenging our borders, and we simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, and unchecked. Americans are right to demand better border security and better enforcement of immigration law. Further, American employers need to take responsibility when determining the immigration status of individuals they hire. Too often illegal immigrants attempt to enter the United States chasing the promise of a job, only to risk survival and face even death crossing the desert or never find a job at all. In the interest of cheap labor, unscrupulous employers look the other way when employees provide fraudulent citizenship documents. This hurts both American workers and immigrants whose sole aim is to work hard and get ahead. It is imperative that we implement a simple, fool-proof and mandatory mechanism for all employers to check the legal status of new hires. In an effort to further protect our nation, we must contend with scores of illegal immigrants living and working within our borders without our knowing their identity or background. That is why we need to develop a guest-worker program that will replace the flow of illegals with a regulated stream of legal immigrants who enter the United States after a series of checks. This would enhance our nation's security by protecting our citizens from terrorists that may exploit the openness of our society. If we hope to bring the 11 million undocumented immigrants out into the open, we must give them a reason. This means granting those with jobs interim legal status to work with the opportunity, after paying penalties and without amnesty to eventually earn citizenship. We can do this by imposing a hefty fine for having illegally entered out country, and by forcing the undocumented to go to the back of the line in their pursuit of citizenship. The interim status should only apply to those already here, so as to not open the door for others. We cannot claim to have dealt with the problems of illegal immigration if we ignore the illegal resident population or pretend that they will leave voluntarily. Some of the proposed ideas in Congress provide a temporary legal status and call for deportation, but fail to answer how the government would successfully deport this large amount of people. If temporary legal status is granted, but the policy says these immigrants are never good enough to become Americans, then the policy makes little sense. However, without solving the porous border or incentive problem the population of illegals will only grow. Successful, comprehensive immigration reform can be achieved by combining strong border control legislation with a realistic workplace and an earned citizenship program. These three pillars of immigration reform are found in three separate pieces of legislation I have cosponsored -- the Strengthening America’s Security Act (S. 1916), the Employment Verification Act (S. 1917), and the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act (S. 1033). Please know that, I will work with my Senate colleagues to ensure that the ideas included in these important pieces of legislation are incorporated into the immigration reform process. Again, thank you for sharing your views. If you have any additional questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me. In addition, for more information about issues and activities important to Florida, please sign up for my weekly newsletter at http://martinez.senate.gov. Sincerely, Mel Martinez United States Senator

hopefully these guys keep my (and other) letters in mind when they vote on this upcomming immigration reform bill.  

People bitch and moan about the gov't all the time, but your ability to influence it does only come around every other November!!!

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To tell you the truth, the Republicans really stepped on their dicks with this one.

There was no NEED to make it a FELONY to be an illegal alien. All they had to do was simply punish the EMPLOYERS more and strengthen the border. Period, end of story. They didn't have to go and make poor little Jose the hedge-trimmer & Maria the motel-maid FELONS overnight by the stroke of a pen!

No one would be marching in the streets against punishing BUSINESSES for employing illegal workers and strengthening the border.

But nooooooooooo. The ham-handed repbulicans had to go and screw up in an election year, stir up the entire hispanic community and galvanize a rapidly-growing yet teetering voting block against them.


This was very stupid.

Ok, here is a nice letter that may make them think. Enjoy...

Dear Senator RINO:

I had planned to write you with my concerns on how to stop the flow of Latinos into the US. However, after seeing the news reports today it is clear that America that I knew is no longer.  

Accordingly, I do not plan on participating in this charade any longer and will no longer vote for any party. In addition, as my grandparents did many years ago I will find the courage and gumption and seek to emigrate from this country. Like many British subjects after the revolution I plan of relocating to the Atlantic Provinces of Canada where undocumented workers are few and far between. I believe this will remain a safe place for me and my children for many years into the future. Please make sure my Social Security checks are forwarded to my new address. Thank you,

Sincerely,

Quoted: Ok, here is a nice letter that may make them think. Enjoy... Dear Senator RINO: I had planned to write you with my concerns on how to stop the flow of Latinos into the US. However, after seeing the news reports today it is clear that America that I knew is no longer.   Accordingly, I do not plan on participating in this charade any longer and will no longer vote for any party. In addition, as my grandparents did many years ago I will find the courage and gumption and seek to emigrate from this country. Like many British subjects after the revolution I plan of relocating to the Atlantic Provinces of Canada where undocumented workers are few and far between. I believe this will remain a safe place for me and my children for many years into the future. Please make sure my Social Security checks are forwarded to my new address. Thank you, Sincerely,

I think chaps their asses a bit more if you tell them you're going to vote for "the opposition" (that's the way I phrase it).  Also, I personally don't refer to "documents" when referring to illegal aliens as the crisis has nothing to do with "documents".  It's not about a piece of paper.  It's about criminal behavior.

Regardless, a big thumbs up for taking the time to write the vermin.  If enough of us raise hell about this, our "representatives" might learn to fear US more than the illegals and their employers.