Posted on 9/2/11

Congress has the absolute power to regulate Immigration and Naturalization in the United States, documented in Article I, Section 8, and Clause 4 of the Constitution.

Between 2000 and 2010, the Republican and Democratic Congress did little to address immigration and with embarrassment the one attempt was unconstitutional. The bill was identified as the Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (Dream Act - 3992). The House of Representatives passed the bill on December 8, 2010 with a 216 to 198 vote and on December 18, 2010 the Senate killed the bill with a 55-41 vote.

In Tami’s opinion, the ‘Dream Act’ alone should make Americans question the expertise, competence, and vision of the Federal Government. In summary, the bill was unconstitutional; it provided a path to citizenship for some unauthorized individuals, while providing benefits to minors for completing postsecondary education and military service.

Now research shows the impact of delaying comprehensive reform, in 2010, we have an estimated 40 million foreign-born residents; 28.5 million authorized and 11.5 million unauthorized - which equates to approximately 13% of total population. For comparison, in 1970 foreign-born accounted for 4.8% of total population; 1980-6.2%; 1990-7.9%; and in 2000-11% of the total U.S. population.

The failure of Congress to act on comprehensive reform has resulted in States trying to find solutions. The National Conference of State Legislature reports: “state legislatures continue to grapple with immigration issues at an unprecedented rate. In the first quarter of 2011, state legislators in the 50 states and Puerto Rico introduced 1,538 bills and resolutions relating to immigrants and refugees. This number surpasses the first quarter of 2010, when 1,180 bills were introduced.”

Almost all major legislation proposed by the States have been overruled, the Courts affirm the Federal Government has the explicit power to regulate Immigration and Naturalization, and not States. Tami believes Immigration and Naturalization powers should remain Federal; however she remains concerned, as of September 1, 2011 the Federal Government had failed to present a comprehensive immigration reform plan.

Tami’s administration will make immigration reform a top priority; she recognizes that immigration can have a negative impact on a country and its citizens. Republicans and Democrats have failed Americans and therefore should be held accountable for postponing Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Their delay has contributed to high levels of immigration, unemployment and poverty.

Tami will sign a Reform Act that protects Americans rights. No American should lose their right to liberty and happiness because the Federal Government was complacent and ill-advised on the effect 38 million foreign-born immigrants would have on our economy, culture, and rights.

American Liberty shall not be sacrificed:

Without doubt, it denotes not merely freedom from bodily restraint, but also the right of the individual to contract, to engage in any of the common occupations of life, to acquire useful knowledge, to marry, establish a home and bring up children, to worship God according to the dictates of his own conscience, and generally to enjoy those privileges long recognized at common law as essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men. (1923)

Tami's top priority is to address why foreign- born households have the highest median salary $52,642 and why non-citizens households have a higher median income $36,401 than many unskilled and skilled American workers.

Table 1. Income and Earnings Summary Measures by Selected Characteristics: 2009 and 2010

 Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010, pg 6.

Immigration Plan

America’s Immigration History was shaped by: (1) the United States’ need for skills (2) the people’s desire to bring family members to the United States and (3) foreign conflicts which impeded opportunity. History has shown that economic growth, personal happiness, and national loyalty were critical for determining if foreign-born persons became citizens.

Unauthorized Immigrants

In 2011, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that the unauthorized immigrant population living in the United States was 11.5 million. The country of Mexico accounted for 59% of the unauthorized and 57% of the total unauthorized were males. Furthermore, between 2000 and 2011 the unauthorized population grew by 35.2 %.

The unauthorized resident immigrant population is defined as all foreign-born non-citizens who are not legal residents. Most unauthorized residents either entered the United States without inspection or were admitted temporarily and stayed past the date they were required to leave.

Table 4, in the DHS report charts the States with the highest unauthorized populations - California 2.8 million, Texas 1.8 million, Florida 740,000, New York 630,000 and Illinois 550,000. These states account for a significant portion of the United States GDP, which concerns Tami when considering they have some of the highest unemployment and poverty rates in the country.

Tami has four major concerns with the number of unauthorized foreign-born: growth in percentage of total population, the children born and granted citizenship, loyalty to America and the financial impact on America. The goal of immigration reform shall remain, to reward those who seek the ideals instituted in our Constitution and to protect Americans rights.

Tami recommends an immigration reform policy that incorporates the following guidelines:

All unauthorized immigrates in the United States will have 90 days to apply for a temporary resident permit, with an associated fee applied to the registration. The following will apply:

Each illegal immigrant of the age of 18 will have 90 days to declare their intent to become a citizen – at this time, they would receive a five year temporary resident permit, then upon achieving five years of consecutive residency in America they can apply for citizenship

Example: On Sept 1, 2012 a person declares their intent to become a citizen; five years later on Sept 1, 2017, they can apply for citizenship.

• Children under 18 will be granted temporary residency utilizing their parent or guardian permits.
• Children under 18 found homeless will be granted rights of protection if the community and police support their documentation.
• Police, Education, Financial Institutions, Medical Centers, Utilities, DMV’s, Employers, etc., will have the right to ask for identification on resident status when opening accounts.
• Police will have the right to ask for documentation from any driver of a vehicle or perpetrator of a crime. Any individual who is unable to locate valid documentation within 48 hours could be deported.
• All individuals unwilling to apply for a path to citizenship or unable to obtain an authorized temporary immigration permit will be deported.
• Employers of temporary farm workers will be encouraged to hire those who have applied for the path to citizenship.
• Military personnel will assist with documenting a long-term strategy for protecting our Nation’s Borders.
• Maintain Secure Communities, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
• Initiate a review of all government benefits associated with unauthorized or authorized immigration.

Authorized Immigrants

In 2010, the United States had estimated 28.5 million authorized foreign-born immigrants, which includes: temporary and permanent residents, and naturalized citizens. Tami has four concerns with the amount of authorized foreign-born: (1) loyalty to America and Constitution (2) impact on unemployment (3) effect on altering America’s culture and (4) influence on globalization.

The objective of immigration reform shall be to reward those who seek the ideals instituted in our Constitution and to protect Americans rights. Tami knows the majority of authorized immigrants could secure employment in foreign countries; this concerns her, since many Nations struggle today to keep their educated. This situation hinders the efforts and progress of developing countries and their skills compete with American workers.

Tami believes it is in the best interest of the United States to evaluate immediately the effects of authorized immigration on our culture and posterity. Furthermore, policy research should include the financial cost of immigration on, short and long-term Medicare and Social Security benefits, unemployment rates, poverty rates and on the national debt.

Tami wants these areas to be appraised:

• How to reconcile the imbalance in immigrant regulations practiced throughout the world, and the impact on America.
• All Immigration associated with educational grants and post-secondary education.
• Utilization of foreign-born racial statistics, to achieve or meet minority grants or quotas.
• Impact of foreign-born on unemployment statistics and poverty.
• Foreign corporations operating in United States.
• Reports on immigration regulation in foreign Nations providing American citizens and corporations with accurate data so they can make informed business decisions.
• Green Card and marriage regulations; potential need for quotas.
• Review of all amnesty and refugee legislation

Tami's top priority is to address why foreign- born households have the highest median salary $52,642 and why non-citizens households have a higher median income $36,401 than many unskilled and skilled American workers.

United States Immigration History

Click Here

Tami, support this creed discovered in her Grandfather’s D.A.R. manual for Citizenship:

The American’s Creed

I believe in the United States of America as a government of the people, by the people, for the people, whose just powers are derived from the consent of the governed; a democracy in a republic; a sovereign Nation of many sovereign States; a perfect Union, one and inseparable, established upon those principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for which American patriots sacrificed their lives and fortunes. I therefore believe it is my duty to my country to love it; to support its Constitution; to obey its laws; to respect its flag; and to defend it against all enemies.