August 7th 2009 Edition

Capitol Connection

FAIR's GR Team Exposes Health Coverage Loophole for Illegal Aliens in House Bill

As Congress attempts to tackle health care reform, true immigration reformers have one question: will the health care proposal backed by the Obama Administration and the Democratic Congressional Leadership provide taxpayer-funded health care benefits to illegal aliens? According to top Democrats in Washington (including Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT); House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA); House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA); and President Barack Obama), the answer to that question is no. However, FAIR's Government Relations team has studied the health care bill currently working its way through the House and concluded that the bill contains numerous loopholes that will undoubtedly allow illegal aliens to access taxpayer-subsidized health care - and the media is beginning to take notice.

Following the release of the language of the House bill, FAIR's GR staff combed through the legislation to see what the bill said. Almost immediately, it became clear that the bill lacked any method to verify eligibility to ensure that illegal aliens could not access taxpayer-funded health benefits. The team quickly compiled a two-page analysis detailing the huge loopholes in the legislation. The analysis concluded: "The health care reform bill lacks adequate safeguards to ensure that illegal aliens will not qualify for the taxpayer-subsidized public health plan or affordability credits."

While many elected officials in Washington have chosen to ignore the loopholes in the bill, two Members of Congress have tried to close these loopholes. House Ways & Means Committee member, Rep. Dean Heller (R-NV) offered an amendment at committee to require eligibility verification but his amendment was defeated along a party-line, with the 26 Democrats on the Committee voting against the amendment. (See FAIR's Legislative Update, July 27, 2009). Energy and Commerce Committee member, Rep. Nathan Deal (R-GA) offered an amendment to close yet another loophole but his amendment was narrowly defeated by a vote of 28 to 29. (See FAIR's Legislative Update, August 3, 2009).

FAIR's analysis received attention in nationwide media outlets. A July 30 piece on the health care bill by FOX News referenced FAIR's analysis: "In a recent study, FAIR said that nothing in the health care package would prevent illegal immigrants from enrolling in a taxpayer-funded public plan, and that no verification mechanisms exist to prevent them from receiving credits to help with private plans."

FAIR in Your Community

FAIR's Field Director, Susan Tully, hosted a meeting in Los Angeles to train activists forming a new group in the area. She is also working with Los Angeles Supervisor Mike Antonovich to find solutions to illegal immigration in Los Angeles.

FAIR field representatives met with a new group that recently formed in southwest Indiana. The group is called "Freedom Makers" and their mission is to address employment, leniency in the criminal justice system, the DREAM Act and health care issues as they relate to illegal immigration. They are particularly interested in exploring local legislation regarding E-Verify requirements at the city and county level.

Sign up for Hold Their Feet to the Fire 2009. This year's event will be even larger than the last, with radio show hosts from around the country coming to Washington, D.C. this September.

Susan Tully, National Field Director, will host FAIR’s first activist meeting in Idaho on August 13th in Lewiston. For details, contact Susan Tully at stully@fairus.org.

Please contact FAIR if you are interested in joining or forming a group in your area.

Kudos

FAIR, IRLI Help Oakland County, MI Commissioner Pass E-Verify Resolution

Last week, true immigration reformers scored a victory in Oakland County, Michigan. On Thursday, July 30, the Oakland County Commission voted unanimously to require all companies who provide services to the county to use E-Verify - the free federal program that quickly and easily allows employers to confirm that any employees they are hire are legal American workers and not illegal aliens.

The adoption of the resolution was a victory for Oakland County Commissioner Jim Runestad (R-Waterford) who introduced the resolution earlier this year. FAIR and FAIR's legal arm - the Immigration Reform Law Institute (IRLI) - worked behind the scenes with Commissioner Runestad to help ensure that the county passed this important resolution. Different departments within FAIR, including Government Relations, Research and Field Staff, all worked to help educate the Oakland County community and its elected officials on the importance of E-Verify.

One of IRLI's attorneys, Carl Little, assisted with the drafting of the E-Verify resolution. FAIR's Senior Researcher Eric Ruark provided the commission with facts and data proving that E-Verify is an effective and easy-to-use deterrent to help employers avoid hiring illegal aliens.

When the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan (ACLU) sent a letter on May 28, 2009 that falsely claimed that "relying on E-Verify will actually increase the costs to our local businesses," FAIR's Director of Government Relations sent a letter to the commission to rebut the ACLU's false argument. (See letter). FAIR's letter stated that E-Verify "has a proven track record of effectiveness" and noted that "using the program will not require employers to incur any out-of-pocket costs." The letter also stated that given Michigan's economic plight, "enacting [Commissioner Runestad's] Resolution. . . [would be] one small step the Commission could take to ensure that contractors hired by the county do their part by hiring only legal American workers."

Finally, on June 1, FAIR's Northern Field Representative Robert Najmulski spoke at a rally in Oakland County in support of the resolution. More than 100 people from across the political spectrum came to the rally to show their enthusiastic support for Commission Runestad's resolution. Commissioner Runestad's hard work, with some help from FAIR and IRLI, paid off when the Oakland County Commission unanimously adopted the resolution on July 30.

Commissioner Runestad commented on the passage of his resolution: "I was very pleased to have the assistance of IRLI and FAIR. With the help of Mr. Little, IRLI helped me redraft the resolution so that it could withstand the scrutiny of organizations dedicated to its defeat. Additionally, Mr. Ruark and Mr. Jaarda of FAIR provided me with a steady stream of facts to counter the endless misinformation disseminated by my opponents. Finally, Mr. Najmulski raised public awareness and support for the measure at the rally which was crucial in motivating the other commissioners to pass the resolution. IRLI and FAIR were invaluable resources, and I consider them partners in this victory."

The accomplishment in Oakland County is just one of many victories that FAIR and IRLI have achieved on the state and local level. Information on how the organizations work with local officials is available on FAIR's and IRLI's websites.