News (Noticias) Tagged ‘Senator Mel Martinez’

U.S. Senator John McCain’s presidential campaign today announced the leadership of its Florida Hispanic Coalition. The coalition includes respected political, business and community leaders.

“John McCain has always been a strong advocate for Hispanics in Florida and across our nation,” said Senator Mel Martinez. “John McCain recognizes the value and contributions Hispanics have made in America. He is someone who has always put this country first, and that’s why he has my full support. The support of this coalition reflects his deep commitment to our community.”

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen added, “As the first Hispanic woman elected to the United States Congress, I know first-hand the inspiration John McCain has provided to all Latinos. He is a patriot who strongly believes in the values that are important to our community.”

Today, John McCain addresses the 25th annual National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) in Washington, D.C., and next week he will make a historic trip to Colombia and Mexico.

Florida Hispanic Coalition Leadership

Honorary State Co-Chairs

Senator Mel Martinez

Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen

Congressman Lincoln Diaz-Balart

Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart

State Co-Chairs

State Senator Rudy Garcia

State Senator Alex Diaz de la Portilla

Speaker Marco Rubio

State Representative Anitere Flories

State Representative Rene Garcia

State Representative Marcelo Llorente

State Representative Carlos Lopez-Cantera

State Representative Juan-Carlos (JC) Planas

State Representative David Rivera

State Representative Julio Robaina

State Representative Marco Rubio

State Representative Trey Traviesa

State Representative Juan Zapata”

Leaders from the Hispanic business community held a press conference this morning to announce Tampa Bay as the first city in the United States chosen to host the 18th Annual Retailers of the Americas Conference. Present at the press conference to discuss highlights of the event were the following members of the Tampa Bay’s Host Committee:

– Derek Lloyd, President of Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay (CACCTB),
– Augustine Martinez, USHCC President & CEO,
– Julio Fuentes, President of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“The CACCTB is committed to the growth and development of the Tampa Bay region and Florida.” stated Mr. Lloyd. “We are pleased to welcome our Caribbean, South and Central America neighbors to Tampa Bay and provide a favorable setting which encourages numerous opportunities to promote and expand their business successfully.”

Tampa was selected due to leading attributes such as its diverse Hispanic heritage and the opportunities that Tampa Bay region provides globally and locally for its cultural ties, airport facilities, port, industrial centers and distribution of goods. From a business perspective the Tampa Bay region provides more than just theme parks, it provides an industry that parallels the growth in global commerce and communication.

“Tampa holds such a talented cross-section of people, all looking to promote the city and what it has to offer,” said Augustine Martinez. “In our preliminary search for the perfect city to name as host for this one of a kind event, we were blown away by the Tampa community. We highlighted Tampa for the simple fact that, when thinking of how to bring commerce to the U.S., Tampa has it covered. Geographically and culturally, it is the perfect gateway to the Americas.”

“On behalf of the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, we show full support of this great conference,” said Julio Fuentes, FSHCC President. “We are excited that the city of Tampa was chosen and extend the invitation to Hispanic businesses in the rest of Florida to participate.”

“Small businesses play a significant and important role in our economy. We need to continue opening markets at home and abroad to raise living standards and consolidate democratic gains in the hemisphere,” said Senator Mel Martinez on the benefit the conference will have on Tampa and the state of Florida.

The 18th Annual Retailers of the Americas Conference, also known as XVIII Congreso del Comercio Detallista de las Americas, will host hundreds of business executives and dignitaries from across Latin America and the United States. The conference, expected to see an attendance of 3,000, will convene in Tampa between November 20 -22, 2008.

The press conference took place at the Embassy Suites (Downtown) at 10:30AM. Speakers also included the Honorable Faye Culp, Florida House of Representatives and Neighborhood Services Administrator Santiago Corrada.

Background:
The mission of the 18th Annual Retailers of the Americas Conference is to integrate the commercial sectors in the western hemisphere in a collaboration effort to develop strategies and initiatives directed at fortifying technological know-how, economic development and the creation of jobs. Previous host countries include, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru, Mexico, Chile, Puerto Rico and Argentina.

About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of more than 2.5 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that generate more than $388 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States, Puerto Rico, Canada, Mexico, Bolivia and Uruguay.”*

The League of United Latin American Citizens will sponsor Florida citizens from Orlando, Miami, Tampa, Jacksonville and various other cities to express their outrage at not having their votes counted.

“It is a disappointment that Florida has been denied that undeniable right to vote,” said LULAC National President Rosa Rosales. “LULAC believes that every vote needs to be counted with Latino votes at stake.”

The DNC along with state and party leaders are urged to come to a resolution on this issue which could hurt millions of voters.

Florida voters should not be punished because Florida legislators, frustrated by the outsized clout of early-voting states, broke party rules when they moved up the primary in a bid for more influence.

Organizations participating along with LULAC include Florida Voters League, University of Central Florida, Florida Demands Representation, Southern Leadership Coalition and local Florida civil rights leaders.

Both Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) encouraged Florida voters to go to the polls and vote during the Florida primaries.

LULAC will be delivering petitions to the DNC headquarters.

The League of United Latin American Citizens advances the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of Hispanic Americans through community-based programs operating at more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.

Media Advisory

Who: LULAC, Florida Voters League, University of Central Florida, Florida Demands Representation, Southern Leadership Coalition and local Florida civil rights leaders.

What: Demonstrating in front of the Democratic National Committee for the right of Florida to vote

Where: DNC headquarters 430 South Capitol St. SE Washington, DC 20003.

When: Wednesday, April 30th at 10 a.m. – noon

Contact: Lizette Jenness Olmos, Communications Director, LULAC 202-365-4553 “*

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to feature Texas Congressman Solomon P. Ortiz on the Monday, April 21 broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

Congressman Ortiz is involved with numerous issues that affect the Hispanic population of the U.S. He is a supporter of border security and comprehensive immigration reform, but is an opponent of building a wall along the Mexican border. Rep. Ortiz, along with 13 other senior members of Congress, recently signed onto an amicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing that the Homeland Security Department’s decision to waive over 30 laws to proceed with the border wall was unconstitutional.

In addition to his interest in the Hispanic community, as a senior member of Congress and Chairman of the Readiness Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee, Congressman Ortiz has great knowledge of the state of the military and of current Iraq/Afghanistan operations. Congressman Ortiz is also one of the most influential supporters of the Merida Initiative, which proposes to send financial support to Mexico to combat the narcotics trade.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), NIDA Director Nora Volkow, ACS President Elmer Huerta, Mexican Consul Enrique Escorza, California State Senator Gil Cedillo and former Senator George McGovern.

Don’t miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the evening, and nightly transmissions of Noticiero Azteca America at 5:30 pm EST and PST / 4:30 pm CST; and 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at
www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and
www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org .

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to present M.A.T.T. (Mexicans and Americans Thinking Together) on the February 25 broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

M.A.T.T.’s charter is to become “the voice of reason influencing policy to improve US/Mexico relations,” with a mission to “encourage Mexicans and Americans to come together to bridge the gaps in understanding and quality of life so that we may truly prosper together.” The February 25 segment features the group’s CEO, Lionel Sosa.

Mr. Sosa was the founder of the precursor to Bromley Communications, the largest Hispanic advertising agency in the U.S., and has served as a Hispanic media consultant in six Republican presidential campaigns since 1980.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), NIDA Director Nora Volkow, ACS President Elmer Huerta, Mexican Consul Enrique Escorza and Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO).

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the evening and nightly transmissions of Noticiero Azteca America at 5:30 pm EST and PST / 4:30 pm CST; and 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at
www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and
www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.

About Azteca America and Grupo Salinas

Azteca America is the fastest-growing Hispanic network in the United States. The network is a wholly owned subsidiary of TV Azteca S.A. de C.V., one of the two largest producers of Spanish-language television content in the world. Azteca America currently has presence in 62 markets throughout the United States.

Azteca America and TV Azteca are companies of Grupo Salinas, a group of dynamic, fast-growing, and technologically advanced companies focused on creating shareholder value, building the Mexican middle class, and improving society through excellence. Created by Mexican entrepreneur Ricardo B. Salinas, Grupo Salinas also includes Grupo Elektra, Banco Azteca, Afore Azteca, Seguros Azteca, Grupo Iusacell and Azteca Internet.

For more information, Visit: www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate

Azteca America is a Grupo Salinas Company.
Visit: www.gruposalinas.com

Grupo Salinas Media Contact:
Daniel McCosh
011 (5255) 1720-0059

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to have hosted Senator Ken Salazar (D-CO), on this week’s broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

Senator Salazar, one of three Latino senators currently in office, is a fifth generation Colorado farmer and rancher. Despite pride in his Hispanic heritage, he is emphatic that he represents national interests in security, energy independence, agriculture, health care and the environment, and has often reached across the aisle to achieve his legislative goals.

“I am a Senator for Mexican-Americans, for Latinos, for Afro-Americans, for White women, men. I am a Senator for everyone,” he said.

“We all have aspirations for ourselves and our children. We have dreams for our nation and our world. We must unite, with this unification there is much power.”

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), NIDA Director Nora Volkow, ACS President Elmer Huerta and Mexican Consul Enrique Escorza.

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the evening and nightly transmissions of Noticiero Azteca America at 5:30 pm EST and PST / 4:30 pm CST; and 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to have featured the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute on this week’s broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI) was established in 1978 by Congressman Edward Roybal, Congressman E. “Kika” de la Garza and Congressman Baltasar Corrada to help increase opportunities for Hispanics to participate in and contribute to the American policy making process. Today, the organization’s charter is to develop the next generation of Hispanic leaders on local, state and federal levels.

“What we do is make sure that Latinos also have opportunities and that the door (to policy making) is open,” said Esther Aguilera, President and CEO of the CHCI, adding that she sees the current generation of future Latino leaders as being better prepared than their predecessors.

The CHCI currently operates on an annual budget of over $4 million with programs that benefit more than 50,000 Hispanic students, parents and educators.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), NIDA Director Nora Volkow, ACS President Elmer Huerta and Mexican Consul Enrique Escorza.

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the evening and nightly transmissions of Noticiero Azteca America at 5:30 pm EST and PST / 4:30 pm CST; and 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to have hosted the head of Mexican Consular Services in Washington, Enrique Escorza, on this week’s broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

The request for documents by Mexican nationals residing in the United States has increased sharply as anti-immigration policies are on the rise. To meet demand, many Mexican consular offices, including that of Washington DC, have mobile units that go onsite to areas with high Mexican concentration to provide documentation and other services to residents.

Despite increased demand, the consular office in Washington DC has reduced the time for processing passports by 25%. The office is one of the most efficient consular offices in the United States, generating about 2 million dollars’ worth of services with a staff of nine people.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ), NIDA Director Nora Volkow and ACS President Elmer Huerta.

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the transmission of Noticiero Azteca America, at 11:00 pm EST PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to present Dr. Elmer E. Huerta on the Dec. 17 transmission of “Issues: Caras y Voces” (Issues: Faces and Voices), a political forum hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

Dr. Huerta is the first Latino to assume the presidency of the American Cancer Society. Born in Peru, he studied medicine at the University of San Marcos and Johns Hopkins University. He is founder and director of the Cancer Preventorium at the Washington Cancer Institute in the Washington Hospital Center, the only cancer prevention/screening service specifically designed for Latinos in the metro Washington, DC area.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY), Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and NIDA Director Nora Volkow.

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the transmission of Noticiero Azteca America, at 11:00 pm EST and PST/ 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/corporate and www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to have hosted National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow on this Monday’s broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces”, a political forum hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

Dr. Volkow, who has been the NIDA director since 2003, is a pioneer in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain. As a research psychiatrist and scientist, she has used brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects of drugs and their addictive properties.

During the segment, Dr. Volkow presented a computer enhanced video showing the harmful effects of cocaine on the brain due to the rapid dialation and constriction of blood vessels.

Dr. Volkow was born in Mexico, and earned her medical degree from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, where she received the Premio Robins award for best medical student of her class. Her psychiatric residency was at New York University, where she earned the Laughlin Fellowship Award as one of the 10 Outstanding Psychiatric Residents in the USA. She was recently named one of 20 people to watch by Newsweek magazine in its “Who’s Next in 2007″ special report.

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) and Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the transmission of Noticiero Azteca America, at 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST. Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/coporate and at

Azteca America, the fastest-growing Hispanic television network in the United States, is proud to have hosted Senator Bob Menendez on this Monday’s broadcast of “Issues: Caras y Voces”, a political forum hosted by veteran Latino journalist Armando Guzman.

Senator Menendez (D-NJ) is the first member of a minority to represent New Jersey in the U.S. Senate, and the sixth Hispanic to serve in the Senate. He is a staunch supporter of small businesses and immigrant rights.

He spoke out strongly against the current trend of aggressive immigration raids, where immigration officials often arrest undocumented residents at gunpoint in the early hours of the morning.

“Being in this country without documents is and always has been a civil violation. But not a criminal one,” said Senator Menendez. “There can be a fine and other consequences. But using immigration police forces and other (law enforcement) forces to grab families that are undocumented, and have no crimes … in their files. It’s unbelievable that we are using United States forces and resources in this way.”

“Issues: Caras y Voces” features top leaders that impact the Hispanic community through one-on-one interviews conducted by Armando Guzman. Covering the White House and the Capitol for almost two decades, Mr. Guzman is one of the most respected correspondents in Washington. The interview forum airs every Monday evening during Noticiero Azteca America, the network news broadcast of Azteca America.

Past guests of “Issues: Caras y Voces” include: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Senator Harry Reid (D-NV), former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano and Congressman Jose E. Serrano (D-NY) .

Don’t Miss “Issues: Caras y Voces” Mondays during the transmission of Noticiero Azteca America, at 11:00 pm EST and PST / 10:00 pm CST.

Webcast repetitions are available at www.aztecaamerica.com/coporate and at www.fundacionaztecaamerica.org/.

The forum is also broadcast in Mexico on Proyecto 40.”*

Washington, DC - In the elections this past Tuesday, immigration emerged as a prominent issue in the closely-watched Virginia state and local races. It also showed up late in the New York elections. Meanwhile, in the U.S. House of Representatives, freshman Congressman and former football player Heath Shuler (D-NC) introduced an enforcement-only bill (HR 4088) alongside such anti-immigrant stalwarts as Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and Brian Bilbray (R-CA). The following is a statement by Frank Sharry, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan pro-immigrant advocacy group in Washington, DC.

As the saying goes, the only polls that matter are on Election Day. Forgive us. We are biting our tongue. We want to scream “We told you so!!!” But we are above that. We will refrain from such childish triumphalism and seek to educate.

Let’s Review

Immigration is an issue that is relatively new to most in the political class, and as a result is often misunderstood as both a policy issue and a political issue. Just as in the lead up to the 2006 mid-terms, the pre-election conventional wisdom this year held that illegal immigration had arrived as a potent new Republican wedge issue. It goes something like this: “Watch out. This issue has legs and it will swing elections. The polls couldn’t be clearer. People are angry about this issue. Candidates, especially those who run on the issue, say illegal immigration is all they hear about on the campaign trail.”

But what about 2006 we ask? You told us it would work then and it didn’t. In fact, in the first election in which immigration became a major issue across the country, the results were indisputable: in race after race the centrist reformer beat the hard liner. (See the Forum’s analysis of the 2006 races, Nov. 8, 2006.)

Perhaps, but that was then and this is now comes the response. In 2006 the pop of this issue was overwhelmed by the prominence and power of other issues. Now that illegal immigration is front and center, from Virginia to New York, you guys are in for a rude awakening.

Thanks for sharing, we reply. But we stand by our prediction: voters want measured leadership, not gotcha politics; yes, the issue has legs, but the hard-liners don’t; voters are not so much anti-immigrant as they are anti-inaction.

The cognoscenti smile and dismiss our views as the wishful thinking of those with an axe to grind.

Results Don’t Lie

So, now that the results are in, perhaps we can shift from predictions to analysis.

In Virginia, the November 7th front page Washington Post headline said it all: “In the Ballot Booths, No Fixation on Immigration.” Democrats continued their winning streak in this once-red, now-purple state by taking the State Senate and gaining in the House of Delegates. Combined with the recent wins of Governor Tim Kaine, Senator James Webb, and the ascendancy of Senate candidate Mark Warner, Democrats are on a roll.

How did Democrats dodge the immigration bullet in Virginia? By emphasizing sensible leadership and practical solutions on the priorities of the voters, including illegal immigration, over the heated rhetoric and polarizing politics of many Republican candidates. Democratic candidates acknowledged the importance of illegal immigration and promised measured action. Perhaps the leading example is the Fairfax Country Board Chairman Gerry Connolly (who won re-election against immigration hawk John Blaise by a 2-1 margin). He promised to deal with problems associated with immigration based on behavior, not immigration status, and he denounced the demagoguery of Republicans, including his opponent.

According to the Post’s columnist Marc Fisher, who follows Virginia politics closely, many Republicans now get that they relied too heavily on immigration as an issue. On November 8th, he wrote:

The one point on which moderates and conservatives seem to agree is that their party overplayed the illegal immigration issue. “They went for a magic bullet with immigration, and it didn’t work,” says a conservative strategist who doesn’t want his name used because his clients don’t agree that immigration is a losing issue. Prince William County board Chairman Corey Stewart [the leading proponent of harsh policies aimed at making the country inhospitable to undocumented immigrants], the strategist says, “won last year as the anti-tax and anti-growth candidate, and he ended up in the same place this year. He pushed hard on immigration, but it didn’t move his numbers” in his reelection victory Tuesday. Moderates say harsh rhetoric on immigration repelled independent voters. Northern Virginians “know this crackdown on illegal immigration was posturing,” Potts says [Sen. Russ Potts is a moderate Republican from Winchester, VA]. “The only entity in the world that could solve that problem is the federal government.”

But what about New York? Didn’t the botched roll-out and public outcry over Governor Spitzer’s ill-timed drivers’ license proposal doom the Democrats up for election on Tuesday? Well, the November 7th New York Times headline read: “New York Democrats Say License Issue Had Little Effect.” According to someone who should know, June O’Neill, the chairwoman of the state Democratic Party, “it’s clear that all politics really are local and that the pundits really missed the mark on this one. For weeks, all we’ve heard was that driver’s licenses would be a key issue in these races. That just didn’t come to pass.”

As Mort Kondracke, a long-time observer of the immigration debate wrote in Wednesday’s Roll Call, “American voters this year have rejected a nativist approach to illegal immigration. It ought to be a warning to Republicans: Don’t make this your 2008 wedge issue. Election results on Tuesday, especially in Virginia and New York state, also should encourage nervous Democrats that they can support comprehensive immigration reform - stronger enforcement plus earned legalization - and prevail.” (”Despite Danger, GOP Tees Up Immigration as 2008 Wedge Issue,” Nov. 8, 2007.)

Will House Democrats Learn From Virginia Democrats, or Not?

So, let’s see if we can be heard now that illegal immigration issue was once again tried just about everywhere, and once again failed just about everywhere. Why do polls show voters angry and frustrated with this issue, but seem reluctant to give their votes to the hardliners with the toughest rhetoric, the meanest mailers, and the punchiest slogans? Because despite the visibility of a loud but not large cadre of mobilized extremists, most of those voters upset with the illegal immigration issue want leadership aimed at solving the problem, not political grandstanding aimed at inflaming tensions. And the partisan gap on what E.J. Dionne calls “solutionism” is getting bigger by the day. (”Democrats Hone The Brand,” Washington Post, Nov. 9, 2007.)

What can we learn from the way illegal immigration is playing in elections when it comes to the Democratic Party and in particular the House of Representatives as it heads into an important election year? This is the People’s House, and in 2006 the people fired the Republicans for playing games rather than solving problems. They hired the Democrats to give them a chance. How are they doing on the vexing challenge of illegal immigration?

Speaker Pelosi deserves very high marks. Earlier this year she rightly called on the Senate to move on comprehensive immigration reform first (the Senate had approved a version of comprehensive reform in 2006, and taking it up first would provide needed momentum to move it in the House). She regularly and loudly called for action on this pressing priority. She and those members who are immigration experts were clearly disappointed when in June of this year Republican opposition killed a Senate bill designed to win Republican support, thereby dooming comprehensive immigration reform as we have known it for this Congress.

But the voters want action, and the issue won’t go away. What now? The House Democratic leadership seems divided. Some want to move targeted measures, while some are interested in a reformulated broader approach. Still others seem tempted to move towards an enforcement-only approach favored by most Republicans.

Enter Heath Shuler, Freshman Democrat from the red state of North Carolina. Coming from a state that has experienced the largest percentage increase in illegal workers, one can understand that he wants to take on this issue and be seen as a leader. Introducing a bill and sending out a press release locally is standard fare for members in their first term. But he is not alone. He has been joined by more than 40 Democratic co-sponsors and a similar number of Republican co-sponsors

At first blush, and as policy, the Shuler proposal may sound reasonable to those relatively new to the immigration issue. His enforcement-only bill would get tougher on the border, facilitate the apprehension and deportation of those in the U.S. illegally, and institute a full-blown employer verification and sanctions regime aimed at preventing the hiring and employment of illegal workers. After all, don’t we need enhanced enforcement to get control of the borders and reduce illegal immigration? And what’s wrong with doing “enforcement first” so we gain the confidence of the American people who are skeptical about our resolve to curtail illegal immigration?

In reality, while the Shuler proposal may sound reasonable, if enacted as proposed, it would be anything but. Let’s recall that we have 12 million undocumented immigrants living and working in the U.S. According to the Pew Hispanic Center, most have lived in the U.S. for more than five years, most work in multiple jobs, and most live in family units comprised of citizens, permanent residents, and undocumented immigrants. The undocumented comprise 1 out of 20 workers in the U.S. and are overrepresented in agriculture, landscaping, construction, and hospitality. The effect of an enforcement-only bill along the lines of Shuler’s would be as follows: some undocumented immigrants would leave the country, but the vast majority would stay even as they are driven further into the shadows; unscrupulous employers and cutthroat sub-contractors would have a bigger pool of even easier-to-exploit workers; and decent employers intent on paying decent wages and growing their businesses would be further undermined by bottom-feeder employers. As a result, American low-wage workers would be worse off, law-abiding employers would be worse off, immigrant families would be worse off, and the currently dysfunctional immigration system would be worse off.

But what about the politics? If voters are upset about illegal immigration and want something done, shouldn’t Democrats take the lead and propose measured solutions? And isn’t enforcement a critical component of fixing the broken system? Yes, and yes!!! As part of a broader bill that reboots the system and legally registers the current undocumented through an earned legalization program, many of Shuler’s proposals could work. In fact, his bill seems to be based on legislation written by the likes of Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Gutierrez rightly sized up the Shuler bill when he said this: “It looked like he grabbed my STRIVE bill [the comprehensive immigration reform proposal introduced by Gutierrez and Jeff Flake (R-AZ) earlier this year], took all the enforcement parts of it and forgot to turn the page. It’s a book he didn’t finish reading.” (CQ Politics, “Divisive Border Bill Faces Tough Road,” Nov. 9, 2007.)

Without the legalization component, Shuler’s bill hops on one foot. Worse, it hops right over the political cliff. As Gutierrez himself said, “we might as well put the Republicans in charge.”

How so? The Shuler bill as proposed is closer to the punitive Sensenbrenner bill that passed the Republican-controlled House in December 2005 (HR 4437) than the comprehensive reform proposals favored by most Democrats. And the Sensenbrenner bill was the infamous measure that led Latino immigrants and their allies to take to the streets in the largest protests in recent American history. It is hard to imagine how the headline “Democrats for Sensenbrenner-lite” does anything but turn off Latino immigrants, the fastest growing group of new voters in the nation.

The fact that the bill is co-sponsored by the likes of Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and Brian Bilbray (R-CA) only makes matters worse. Tancredo, and not Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) or President Bush, is now the face of the GOP when it comes to immigration, especially in the Latino community. As a Presidential candidate, he sure gets a lot of attention in the Spanish language press. He calls Miami a “third world country,” repeatedly demands the arrest and deportation of Latino kids without status who have won honors in high school and want to go to college, and rails against the “invasion” by those from south of the border. Bilbray has his own baggage. Before returning to Congress, Bilbray was a lobbyist for the militant anti-immigrant group FAIR (Federation for American Immigration Reform), and now chairs the equally controversial House Immigration Reform Caucus founded by Tancredo, a collection of mostly Republican Congressional Representatives who have been driving the nativist agenda in the House.

Shuler’s foray could turn out to be something of a political disaster for Democrats in 2008. It could enhance the chances of an enforcement-only bill actually being approved in the House in 2008, a move that would be very unpopular with the growing number of Latino voters in key swing states such as Florida, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Nevada. Isn’t it supposed to be Republicans that are sweating bullets about the Latino vote and the potential for a historic realignment of the electoral map? This is what Michael Gerson, former speechwriter to George W. Bush, had to say in a recent Washington Post column:

I have never seen an issue [immigration] where the short-term interests of Republican presidential candidates in the primaries were more starkly at odds with the long-term interests of the party itself. At least five swing states that Bush carried in 2004 are rich in Hispanic voters — Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, Colorado and Florida. Bush won Nevada by just over 20,000 votes. A substantial shift of Hispanic voters toward the Democrats in these states could make the national political map unwinnable for Republicans … Some in the party seem pleased. They should be terrified.

No wonder Brian Bilbray rushed to join Heath Shuler in the press conference announcing the bill.

Hold Back, or Lean Forward?

So, what should the Democratic leadership do? Here’s our recommendation: Learn from recent elections. Go on offense, propose measured solutions, and unite behind policies that will actually have a chance of working. Be tough and smart. Be for carrots and sticks. Be for targeted enforcement at the border and in the workplace and for earned legalization. Be for ending illegal immigration as we know it. Recognize that the only way to make a system to prevent illegal hiring really work is to make verification and sanctions work and simultaneously provide a path to legal status for the current undocumented in the workforce. Don’t drive workers further underground, bring them out of the shadows so they are known to the government, in the U.S. legally, and able to stand up for their labor rights alongside American workers. Be for enforcement plus legalization, not enforcement-only.

This approach is good politics and good policy. It appeals to those voters who want a tough crackdown and voters who want a humane approach to those here illegally. Beyond the hotheads, most voters want a practical solution that will work. They want employers to be held to account, the border to be controlled, and the immigrants in the country to be legal. They want taxes paid, laws respected, and workers protected. If Democrats unite behind such a strategy, they can stand for what voters want and do so in a way that replicates the winning strategies of recent elections. If they don’t, they could end up being me-too Republicans in more ways than one.

“*

“Senator Mel Martinez, the Florida Republican who has served as general chairman of the Republican National Committee, stepped down Friday after 10 months on the job.

In a statement, Mr. Martinez said he had met his goals of raising “the resources necessary to support our presidential candidate and ensure Republican victories next November.”

He served alongside Robert M. Duncan, who is chairman of the party and will remain so.”*

“Nova Southeastern University (NSU) announced today it was awarded a $2.8 million Title V Developing Hispanic Serving Institution grant from the U.S. Department of Education for its Fischler School of Education & Human Services undergraduate program. The grant, paid over a five-year period, will provide support to develop research-based programs targeted at increasing Hispanic student engagement and leading to academic success.

“We are honored that the U.S. Department of Education recognizes NSU’s leadership in Hispanic education,” said Ray Ferrero, Jr., J.D. - President of NSU. “The grant is intended to strengthen NSU’s capacity as a Hispanic-serving institution especially in the undergraduate areas of student acquisition, retention and graduation.”

Initiatives to be developed by NSU’s Fischler School of Education & Human Services include programs improving student success and building competence. In addition, the grant will provide continuous learning through professional development of faculty. The grant will supplement other programs at NSU that enhance access and affordability for minority and disadvantaged students.

“NSU is one of six private four-year universities in the country to receive this grant,” said Larry Calderon, Ed.D. Vice President for Community and Government Affairs at NSU. “We are grateful for the support of Senator Mel Martinez’s leadership in making critical legislative reforms to improve and update the program.”

“Florida’s Hispanic population is rapidly growing but the college graduation rates among this community are lagging. These programs are intended to help Hispanic students achieve greater academic success,” Martinez said. “I commend NSU for working to improve the retention and graduation rates of Hispanics. Benefiting this community will benefit our state.”

In order to be considered for the grant an educational institution must have at least 25 percent Hispanic population enrolled in undergraduate studies. As well, the university had to demonstrate significant need in providing access to the Hispanic community and a commitment to address the need long-term.

NSU awards more post graduate and first professional degrees to Hispanic and African American students than any other University in the United States. During the 2006-2007 academic year, NSU provided need-based grants to over 1,700 students. Of these grants, more than 1,000 were awarded to minority students.

About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University is a dynamic fully accredited institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the sixth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences. For more information visit www.nova.edu. “

“U.S. citizens of Hispanic origin who have made exceptional achievements and contributions within their respective fields will be recognized in the latest Hispanic Business 100 Most Influential Hispanics (R) list.

Hispanic Business magazine’s annual October list contains nominations made by Web site visitors, readers, contributing editors, magazine staff and writers. Individuals selected for this prestigious recognition are key players who impact both national and worldwide arenas in the fields of politics, business, academia, media, arts, entertainment, and sports. Among this year’s 100 Influentials are Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), actress America Ferrera, astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria, and interior designer Orlando Diaz-Azcuy, who graces the October cover.

Also prominent within the October issue is the Quarterly Economic Forecast in which Hispanic Business discusses the “unpleasant truths” that surfaced during the subprime mortgage meltdown. The economic forecast focuses on the impact the credit and credibility crisis may have on future consumption, savings, economic growth, employment, and small-business financing.

In spite the mortgage crisis, the U.S. Census Bureau reports that 1.6 million Hispanic-owned firms generated $222 billion in revenues in 2002, and more banks are popping up with the sole purpose of catering to these Hispanic entrepreneurs. Hispanic Business looks at this trend that includes recent Hispanic startups such as Security One Bank in Washington, D.C. and Azteca America Bank in Chicago. “When we submitted our application to the regulators, they said to us, “We were wondering when you all were coming in,’” says George Pla, co-founder of California’s Santa Ana Business Bank.

Moving to the world of sports marketing, Hispanic Business examines how the Los Angeles Dodgers work to retain their Hispanic fan base and how other franchises - from baseball’s Milwaukee Brewers to auto racing’s Champ Car World Series - are gaining the attention of the lucrative fan base.

Finally, Gilbert Casellas, the former chairman of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, speaks to Hispanic Business magazine on the importance of corporate diversity boards, the evolution of diversity programs, and how diversity issues get lost in translation overseas.

Hispanic Business Media is:
Hispanic Business(R) magazine – The award-winning print magazine that provides readers around the world with the most relevant news on the U.S.-Hispanic economy.

HispanicBusiness.com(R) – The foremost content-driven, real-time interactive site that brings your brand to a market of 325,000 unique monthly visitors.

Hispanic Business Events – Features and draws the nation’s most affluent and influential Hispanic leaders through the Hispanic Business magazine EOY(R) Awards for entrepreneurial excellence, and the Woman of the Year (WOY) Awards.

HispanTelligence(R) – A unique data reporting service offering invaluable, on-target information on the U.S.-Hispanic sector.

HireDiversity.com(R) – Expanding your value proposition through diversity recruiting and development services.

Hispanic Business(R) magazine, HispanicBusiness.com(R), Hispanic Business magazine EOY(R), HireDiversity.com(R), EOY(R), and HispanTelligence(R) are registered trademarks of Hispanic Business Inc. 2007 Hispanic Business Inc. All rights reserved.”

” Tom Steed Building

Federal Law Enforcement Training Center

Glynco, Georgia

11:31 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much. (Applause.) Please be seated — unless, of course, you don’t have a chair. Thanks for having me. I’m honored to be here at the headquarters of the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

I don’t know whether you realize this, or not, but the government originally planned to open this center inside the Capital Beltway. No one looks very sad that they didn’t open it inside the Capital Beltway. (Laughter.) It’s a spectacular place to have this center. It is a glorious place to live. I’m honored to be in your presence. Thanks for letting me come by and share some thoughts with you.

I want to thank Director Patrick for her strong leadership and her kind introduction. I appreciate very much the tour I have just taken. A lot of our fellow citizens probably don’t know what goes on here, but this is a center full of smart, capable instructors who are helping to train men and women who’ve volunteered to serve our country on the front lines of protecting the homeland. I am grateful to be in your midst. I thank those of you who work here; I thank those of you who are being trained here; and I thank your families, as well.

We have a mission, a vital mission, and that’s to protect our country. And you all are on the front lines of that protection. And it gives me great confidence when I meet you to tell the American people there’s a lot of decent souls doing everything they can to provide security for the American people. So, thanks.

I appreciate the folks at FLETC that I met that are working the border and helping train people to secure this border of ours. And I’ve come today not only to thank you, but to talk about immigration. Immigration is a vital issue facing this country. And the fundamental question is, will elected officials have the courage necessary to put a comprehensive immigration plan in place that makes it more likely we can enforce our border and, at the same time, uphold the great traditions of — immigrant traditions of the United States of America. And that’s what I want to discuss with you.

Before I do, I do want to introduce some people. I want to introduce Secretary of Commerce Carlos Gutierrez — I appreciate you coming, Mr. Secretary. (Applause.) Carlos wasn’t born here, see. He was born in another country — Cuba. And now he sits in the Cabinet of the President of the United States. There’s something great about a country that welcomes people, people who uphold our laws and realize the great blessings of America.

With us, as well, is Senator Mel Martinez. He wasn’t born in America. He’s a Senator from Florida. He was born in Cuba. I don’t know if you know his story, but his mother and father put him on an airplane to come to the United States of America, to be raised by total strangers because they didn’t want their son to grow up under a tyrant named Fidel Castro. He used to sit in the Cabinet of the President of the United States; now he sits in the United States Senate. What a wonderful country it is, where people can come to live in a country based upon liberty, and realize the great blessings of our country.

And I want to mention those two men because, to me, they represent what the immigration debate is all about: Will we be a welcoming place, a place of law, that renews our spirit by giving people a chance to succeed?

So, Senator, thank you for coming, as well. (Applause.)

I saved the other two traveling with me because they were born here — starting with the United States Senator from Georgia, a south Georgian named Saxby Chambliss, one of the finest senators in the United States Senate. (Applause.)

Finally, I asked Secretary Mike Chertoff to leave the bench to become the Director of the Department of Homeland Security. It’s a big job. It’s a job that requires organizing various agencies under one task, and that’s to provide protection to the American people. Secretary Chertoff is doing a fine job. I’m glad he’s joined us today. Thanks for coming, Mr. Secretary. (Applause.)

I thank all the state and local officials here who have joined us. I appreciate you taking time to come over and say hello. I thank the citizens from this part of the world who have joined us, as well. Thanks for supporting this good institution. I know you know this, but FLETC provides an important role for this country of ours, and I thank you for supporting it.

Before I talk about immigration, I do want to offer condolences for Agent Robert Smith. He died last week from injuries in a helicopter crash. He was a Customs and Border Protection agent. He reminds us on a regular basis that those who are on the front line of protecting the country take danger as a part of their job. And, therefore, we offer our deepest condolences for Robert Smith’s family and his friends, and we ask for God’s blessings on them.

Our nation depends on our federal agents to enforce our immigration laws at the border and across the country. You’ve got a big job to do; we’re counting on you to enforce those laws. And when you graduate from FLETC, you’re going to be an important part of that role. That’s why you’re here; it’s to upgrade your skills so you have the capacity to do the job the country expects you to do. You’re going to safeguard our ports of entry, you’ll investigate workplace immigration violations, and you’ll arrest those breaking the law. We are a nation of laws, and we expect people to keep the laws. And if they break the laws, there will be a consequence.

This administration of mine is committed to ensuring that our federal agents have the resources you need to carry out your responsibilities. For some of the older hands here — I’m not going to pick you out of the crowd — I’m sure you will tell some of the younger folks that things have changed significantly over the past years. One way to measure how things have changed is look at the budget. We’ve doubled the funding for border security since I took office. We now spend $10 billion a year to protect this border. One commitment to the American people that we’re serious about helping you do your job is to spend more money on the job. It’s a way to measure whether or not our — we’re meeting our words with commitment. And we are.

We’ve used additional money. People say, what are you spending it on? Well, we’re expanding the number of Border Patrol agents from about 9,000 to 13,000, and by the end of — we have expanded it — and by the end of 2008, we’re going to have 18,000 agents. We will have more than doubled the Border Patrol in a relatively quick period of time. We believe the more manpower is on the border, the more likely it is we’ll be able to enforce the border, like the American people expect us to do.

We’re investing in new technology, we’re strengthening infrastructure. In other words, we’ve taken our duty seriously to protect the border of the United States of America. As a matter of fact, we take it so seriously that I asked the governors to put some National Guard troops down there until our Border Patrol agents got trained.

And we’re beginning to see some results. In this immigration debate, oftentimes people say, well, they’re not doing anything to protect the border. Well, that’s not — those folks just simply don’t know what’s going on. You do. Men and women who wear the uniform understand what’s going on. There’s a focused, concerted effort to enforce our border.

As a matter of fact, you can tell when the border is better defended because the number of arrests go down. In other words, when people know there’s a consequence to trying to sneak across, there’s less likely to be people sneaking across. Arrests have gone down by 27 percent over the past year on the southern border. That’s a sign of progress. It should say to the American people that we’re doing what the people expect us to do.

The new infrastructure is making a difference. The Predators make a difference. The number of Border Patrol agents make a difference. I don’t know if any of you spent time out in Artesia, New Mexico, if you’re working for the Border Patrol, but I was impressed with boot camp. And they’re training these Border Patrol agents to do the hard work that the American people expect them to do.

One of the problems we had prior to the administration addressing the problem was we had what was called — what happened was called catch and release. You had your Border Patrol working hard, finding somebody trying to sneak into our country illegally, they’d catch him, and then they say, well, you know, look, you need to come back for your hearing; we’re going to let you out, but come back for your hearing. Well, the problem was, the people didn’t want to come back for their hearing. They generally wanted to go work. And so they would just disappear.

And it discouraged our Border Patrol agents. I talked to too many agents and heard too many stories about people saying, wait a minute, I’m tired of doing my job on the front line of protecting the border only to have the people that I have stopped coming in meld into our society.

And so we worked with Congress and we’ve got a lot of detention facilities now along the border. We didn’t have space before. Now we do have space. And as a result, catch and release has virtually been eliminated. It sends a strong — getting rid of the catch and release program sends a strong signal to people: If you come to the country, we will find you, and we’re going to send you home, so don’t try to come in the first place.

In other words, we’re working hard to enforce the border. And we’re stepping up enforcement inside the country. I see a lot of ICE hats. These are the folks that are charged with making sure that people who knowingly hire somebody who’s here illegally pay a price. In other words, part of making sure our country is a rule of law, we’ve got to have people enforce the law. It’s against the law to hire somebody who is here illegally. That’s the law. And we’re training people here to make sure that they know how to enforce that law. And the message to employers, if you’re hiring somebody here that you know is illegal, we’re going to — there’s a consequence to be paid. That’s what a nation that bases it’s system on rule of law does. That’s what we’ll continue to do.

And ICE is active. Your folks are working hard. ICE investigations have led to more than 3,000 arrests for immigration violations since the beginning of this fiscal year; nearly 600 arrests for criminal violations, including fraud and identity theft; and nearly $30 million in penalties against businesses that have violated the law.

We’re working hard to enforce the border. The immigration debate, you hear people say, well, they’re not doing anything to enforce the border. They’re wrong, and you know they’re wrong. And I’m here to thank you for doing — for working as hard as you can.

And now we’ve got to build on the progress. It’s important for our American citizens to understand that the immigration system is in desperate need for comprehensive reform. And Congress has a historic window to act. The system isn’t working. Think about a system that encourages smugglers to stuff people in 18-wheelers, people that want to work, people that want to provide for their families. Think about a system in which there’s tremendous document forgery.

You’ve got a person out here in south Georgia who needs somebody to help them on their farm. The person shows up with documents. They don’t know whether they’re real, or not. There’s a lot of forgery going on. We’ve got people — in my judgment, this isn’t what America should be about. And yet the system is broken to the point where people are being used as human cargo, being exploited, simply because most want to come and provide for their families; most are willing to do jobs Americans aren’t doing. The system needs to be fixed.

I appreciate the Republicans and Democrats in the United States Senate, starting with Saxby Chambliss and Mel Martinez, who put politics aside and put courage first to work on a comprehensive bill. It takes a lot of courage in the face of some of the criticism in the political world to do what’s right, not what’s comfortable. And what’s right is to fix this system now before it’s too late. And I thank you two for your courage. (Applause.)

And Carlos and Mike Chertoff spent a lot of time sitting with the senators from both political parties. I don’t know if you’re tired of it, but a lot of Americans are simply tired of this endless political bickering, that we can’t work together because it might make somebody else look good. I tried to change the system. It’s not working. (Applause.) So I sent the two Secretaries in there with the senators from both parties, and said, okay, why don’t we sit down and see if we can’t figure something — something that’s good for the country. Each side is going to have to give a little bit. Not everybody is going to get everything they want, but what matters more is fixing the problem now.

And we’re making some progress. Most Americans — many Americans say their primary concern is border security and ensuring that those who violate our laws face consequences. That’s what you’re hearing out there when you’re listening to the debate.

Others say their chief concern is keeping this economy strong. There’s a — a lot of employers need a legal way to fill jobs that Americans simply aren’t doing. There’s a lot of jobs here in Georgia that require people from — that are willing to do the work that Americans aren’t doing. It’s just the way it is.

You talk to your farmer friends, or your nursery friends — I remember the peach grower, Saxby, that you sent over to the White House. He’s there saying to me, you’ve got to understand something, Mr. President, my business won’t go forward unless I have some of these good people that are willing to work long hours in my peach orchard helping me harvest the crop. So a lot of people in this debate are concerned about getting a bill in place that will help keep the economy growing.

Others say their main concern is to bring hardworking, decent people out of the shadows of our society. All of these concerns are part of the same issue, and it’s important for American citizens to understand that the legislation now before Congress addresses them all as one. Our view is, is that you can’t solve the problem unless you address all aspects of the problem. We’ve tried to address immigration reform in the past by talking about only one aspect of immigration reform. To make it work, to address the concerns of the American people, there must be a comprehensive approach.

A lot of Americans are skeptical about immigration reform primarily because they don’t think the government can fix the problems. And my answer to the skeptics is, give us a chance to fix the problems in a comprehensive way that enforces our border and treats people with decency and respect. Give us a chance to fix this problem. Don’t try to kill this bill before it gets moving. Give us a chance to make it easier for the folks who wear the uniform along our borders to do their job.

I believe the bill before Congress learns from the mistakes of the past. It is the best hope for lasting reform. If people are interested in fixing a system that’s broken, this bill is the best hope to do so. It answers the longstanding concerns of the American people. It deserves widespread support. And I strongly back it.

If you’re serious about securing our borders, it makes sense to support legislation that makes enforcement our highest priority. And that’s what this bill does. For decades, we have not been in complete control of the borders, and many people have lost faith in our capacity to get control of the borders. I ask them to look at what’s taken place over the past years, recent years. I wish they could talk to some of your Border Patrol friends, and talk about the advances that have been made and the good work they’re doing down there.

The first step to comprehensive reform must be to enforce immigration laws at the borders and at work sites across America. And this is what this bill does. For the skeptics who say that we’re not concerned about border security or workplace enforcement, they need to read the bill. The bill prioritizes enforcing our laws at the border, and saying to employers, we’ll hold you to account for employing somebody who’s here illegally — knowingly employing somebody who’s here illegally.

This bill sets enforcement benchmarks that have got to be met before other aspects of the comprehensive bill are triggered. In other words, there has to be certain accomplishments in place before other aspects of the bill come into being. And here are some of those markers: Increasing the number of Border Patrol agents. We said we’re going to double them; they’ve got to get doubled, until other aspects of the bill come into being. We’re going to build miles of state-of-the-art fencing. We’re going to improve surveillance with advanced technologies. We will do a better job of holding employers accountable for the workers they hire.

Most employers want to comply with the law. The peach grower wanted to comply with the law. Believe me, he’s a law-abiding, decent man. His attitude is, why don’t you help me verify the legal status of a potential employee, as opposed to holding me to account — which we will do, of course, if he knowingly hires somebody — give me a hand with the verification system.

And that’s why we’re going to promote tamper-resistant identification cards. In other words, if you’re here working, you’re going to have a card that you can’t tamper with, that some document forger can’t foist off as a document for somebody to come and pick peaches here in Georgia.

In other words, we’ve got a serious attempt in this bill, and a real attempt, to do what a lot of Americans want us to do, and that’s enforce the border. If you’re serious about keeping our economy strong, it’s makes sense to support legislation that gives foreign workers a legal path to jobs in America. There are people doing jobs here Americans aren’t doing.

The peach man said to me, he said, I can’t find somebody from my home town who wants to pick peaches, but I can find somebody who wants to put food on their table for a family from Mexico, for example. It seems to me it makes sense to give those people a chance to come and work here on a temporary basis. This bill says, temporary, it means temporary. You’ll be here for a number of years, and you’ll go back home. That’s what a temporary worker plan does. In the meantime, it helps meet the needs of our economy.

This bill — aspect of the bill will allow federal agents to focus on apprehending violent criminals and terrorists who are a threat to our country rather than people who want to work here. In other words, if you can come to our country on a temporary basis legally, you’re not going to sneak across the border. Who wants to pay a coyote hundreds of dollars, or thousands of dollars, when you can walk across, and say, I’m going to have a temporary job here in this country, and here’s my tamper — my tamper-resistant card?

If you’re interested in securing the border, wouldn’t you rather have Border Patrol agents chasing down terrorists and gun runners and dope runners as opposed to people who are coming to do jobs Americans aren’t doing? A temporary worker plan, that is truly temporary, is going to make it easier for us to enforce the border. Border enforcement and having a rational worker plan go hand-in-hand. And that’s what the American people have got to understand.

A temporary worker program will not begin until our border security measures are in place, and until we have a reliable system for verifying employment eligibility. That’s the way the bill works. Oh, I’m sure you’ve heard some of the talk out there about people defining the bill. It’s clear they hadn’t read the bill. They’re speculating about what the bill says, and they’re trying to rile up people’s emotions. This is a good piece of legislation. It addresses the border security needs, and it addresses the employment needs of our country.

If you’re serious about bringing hardworking illegal immigrants out of the shadows of our society, it makes sense to support legislation that will resolve their status without animosity, and without amnesty.

Others — I don’t — they estimate 11 million to 12 million people have been here for, some, quite a while. They’re in an underground in America. It’s not right, as far as I’m concerned. That’s not what this country stands for. I know there are some people out there hollering and saying, kick them out. That is simply unrealistic. It won’t work. There are some people saying, give them automatic citizenship. I oppose that. It won’t work. I don’t think it makes any sense to do that.

Amnesty is forgiveness for being here without any penalties — that’s what amnesty is. I oppose it. The authors — many of the authors of this bill oppose it. This bill is not an amnesty bill. If you want to scare the American people, what you say is, the bill is an amnesty bill. It’s not an amnesty bill. That’s empty political rhetoric, trying to frighten our fellow citizens. People in Congress need the courage to go back to their districts and explain exactly what this bill is all about, in order to put comprehensive immigration reform in place.

Let me explain how it works. Under the bill, those who want to stay in our country who have been here can apply for a Z visa. At some point in time, those who are coming to work will get temporary work visas. Those who have been here already can apply for a Z visa. To receive the visa, illegal workers must admit they violated the law and pay a meaningful penalty, pass a strict background check, hold a job, maintain a clean record, and eventually earn English — learn English. That’s how it works.

It says, if you want to be here, here’s what you have to do. There is a consequence for having broken the law. As a result of a recent Senate amendment, they have to pay back taxes if they haven’t paid taxes, too. You’re working hard, you pay taxes. People who have been here in this country ought to pay taxes. That’s what it says.

The hurdles to citizenship are going to be even higher. In other words, if somebody says, fine, I’ll take my Z visa, I’m out of the shadows now, I’ve got an opportunity to not hide in America. I’ll continue doing the work I’m doing, I’m going to keep my record clean. I’ll pay the penalties necessary so I can stay here — that’s what it says — but if you want to be a citizen, there’s more hurdles. It says, the Z visa worker would first have to pay an additional fine. In other words, you have broken the law and there’s a consequence for breaking the law. That’s what the bill says.

Secondly, you’ve got to return home to file an application for your green card. If you want to be a citizen, you pay a fine, you touch base home to apply for a green card, and then you take your place behind those who have played by the rules and have been waiting in line, patiently, to become a citizen.

This is a good bill. It recognizes that we’ve got to treat people with respect, and it also recognizes we’re a nation of law. And as we go forward, the legislation creates a new system for admitting new immigrants to our country, people who want to come here legally. The system is going to reward applicants based upon skills and education, in addition to family ties, so we can ensure America continues to hav