| Usually supports higher immigration, population growth, foreign labor. |
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Each symbol in the left-hand column below
signifies an action for HIGHER immigration. |
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Each symbol in the right-hand column
below signifies an action for LOWER immigration. |
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Goodlatte Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Goodlatte Amendment would eliminate the visa lottery. This is a program that each year gives another 50,000 green cards to people without any regard to their humanitarian need or to what they might offer the country or to their having any family connections in the United States. It is a program that promotes massive illegal migration by people who think they may some day win the lottery and be allowed to stay in the United States. The bi-partisan U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform under the leadership of the late Barbara Jordan recommended eliminating the visa lottery. The Goodlatte Amendment passed by a vote of 273 to 148.
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Rep. Pastor in 1996 voted for the Chrysler-Berman Amendment to H.R.2202. It was a vote in favor of a chain migration system that has been the primary cause of annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million today. Rep. Pastor supported provisions that allow immigrants to send for their adult relatives. Then each of those relatives can send for their and their spouse's adult relatives, creating a never-ending and ever-growing chain. The bi-partisan Barbara Jordan Commission recommended doing away with the adult-relative categories and chain migration (begun only in the 1950s) in order to lessen wage depression among lower-paid American workers. The House Judiciary Committee agreed with the Jordan Commission and passed H.R.2202, which would have effectively ended chain migration. But on the floor of the House, Rep. Pastor helped kill the reform by voting for the Chrysler-Berman Amendment which stripped out the legal immigration reforms. Rep. Pastor’s vote was important; the reformers were only 28 votes short of approving the end of chain migration. Rep. Pastor helped continue a level of immigration that the Census Bureau projects will result in a doubled U.S. population in the next century. The Chrysler-Berman amendment passed the House by a vote of .
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R. 1117, REAL ID Repeal and Identification Security Enhancement Act of 2007. This bill would have repealed the REAL ID Act’s provisions implementing secure driver’s license/personal identification card standards; would have prohibited a Federal agency from accepting a driver’s license or identification card newly issued by a state more than two years after minimum standards are promulgated (pursuant to a negotiated rulemaking process involving specified stakeholders), unless the license or card conforms to those standards; would have required states to be in full compliance (i.e., each state would be required to certify compliance with DHS) with those minimum standards within five years of the standards being issued, unless DHS determines that a later deadline for compliance is more feasible; and would have required DHS to award grants to states to assist them in conforming with minimum standards for driver’s licenses and identification cards as established pursuant to this bill. Rep. Tom Allen (D-Maine) was the measure’s main sponsor.
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Rep. Pastor is a cosponsor of H.R. 1645, the Security Through Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy Act of 2007 (STRIVE Act of 2007). The STRIVE Act contains provisions to increase chain migration, import additional foreign workers, and reward illegal aliens. As well, it contains some interior enforcement and border security measures. However, the enforcement measures would be eclipsed by the massive increases in immigration numbers that would result from the amnesty, guestworker, and chain migration provisions.
Major Foreign Worker Importation Provisions: The STRIVE Act would establish the H-2C “guestworker” program, through which 400,000 “new workers” (plus their spouses and minor children on an unlimited basis) may come to the United States annually to perform labor or services for which no unemployed U.S. citizens living domestically can be found. In addition, it would allow the annual cap on H-2C visas to be increased to as many as 600,000. The STRIVE Act would allow the “guestworkers” to stay up to six years, during which time they could petition for lawful permanent resident (LPR) status at any time (they may apply on their own after having been an H-2C for a total of five years); would allow those applying for LPR status to stay and work in the United States as long as it takes to be granted such status; would authorize employers to lay off U.S. workers and replace them with H-2Cs, provided they lay off the U.S. workers more than 90 days before or 90 days after they petition for H-2Cs. In addition to the H-2C provisions, the STRIVE Act would more than double the number of employment-based (EB) immigrant visas available annually; would exempt EB immigrants seeking admission to work in “shortage occupations” from numerical caps through fiscal year 2017; would vastly increase the cap on H-1B visas (i.e., a minimum cap of 115,000 per year [with 20 percent increases authorized in any year following a year in which the cap was met, not to exceed 180,000]); would create various permanent exemptions from numerical caps on admission for “high skill” aliens; would extend the authorized stay of L-1 “intracompany transferee/specialized knowledge” nonimmigrants (no cap on these visas) for whom applications for LPR status are pending.
Major Amnesty Provisions: The STRIVE Act would grant amnesty to nearly all of the 12 million illegal aliens in the United States by one of several routes. Specifically, it would grant amnesty to illegal aliens by giving those here illegally and continuously since June 1, 2006, “conditional nonimmigrant” status (which lasts for six years of work here in the United States), then allowing them (and their illegal alien spouses and children) to become lawful permanent residents (LPRs); would condition this amnesty upon an illegal alien’s: (1) payment of fines; (2) payment of back taxes for any period before being granted “conditional” status; (3) satisfaction of English language and U.S. history and civics requirements; (4) “touching back” (i.e., leaving the United States and being re-admitted at a port of entry equipped with the entry component of US-VISIT) before being granted LPR status (although the bill allows for several exceptions); (5) undergoing a medical examination; and (6) clearance through security and background checks. For those few not captured by the that amnesty, the STRIVE Act would grant amnesty to more illegal aliens by canceling the removal of, and adjust to conditional (i.e., for six years) LPR status, illegal aliens who meet certain other criteria. Finally, it would grant amnesty to illegal aliens by: (1) immediately granting LPR status to any alien who is a member of a persecuted religious minority had an asylum application pending on May 1, 2003, applies, and pays a fee; and (2) expanding the scope of the amnesty available via the Haitian Refugee Immigration Fairness Act of 1998.
Chain Migration Provisions: H.R. 1645 would increase the number of family-sponsored immigrant visas available annually by more than a quarter of a million. In addition, it would expand the definition of “immediate relative,” for purposes of the exemption from the numerical cap, to include the children of children of U.S. citizens.
Rewards For Illegal Immigration: H.R. 1645 would repeal existing statutory provisions denying illegal aliens’ eligibility for in-state tuition.
Border Security Provisions: The STRIVE Act would make some improvements in border security (e.g., more enforcement personnel, strengthened infrastructure, better equipment, etc.), but would negate the effectiveness of these improvements by putting in place policies that undermine U.S. sovereignty. You can read more details about the bill here.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Stearns Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Stearns Amendment prohibits any alien from being granted legal immigration status of any kind until criminal record databases and terrorist watch lists are checked, and it is confirmed that no fraud has occurred. This amendment would subject each and every individual who seeks any sort of legal immigration status to a criminal background check and a review of terrorist watch lists to ensure that the United States only grants immigration status those who do not wish our citizens harm. The Stearns Amendment passed by a vote of 420 to 0.
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Rep. Pastor is a cosponsor of H.R. 1358, the Nursing Relief Act of 2007, to increase the importation of foreign nurses by creating a new nonimmigrant visa category (i.e., the W visa) for aliens coming to the United States to work as professional nurses. H.R. 1358 would initially cap the annual issuance of these visas at 50,000, but would provide that if that cap is reached in any year, the next year’s cap would be increased by 20 percent (no reduction if the cap is not reached – just a maintenance of the current cap). Additionally, it would exempt from the annual cap: (1) nonimmigrants working in geographic areas designated as “health professional shortage areas”; and (2) spouses and children of W nonimmigrants.
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Rep. Pastor was a cosponsor of H.R. 3381, the L-1 Nonimmigrant Reform Act. H.R. 3381 strengthens the rules governing the admission of L-1 intra-company transferees, adds protections for American workers, and increases the penalties for employers who violate the rules. The bill also establishes a cap of 35,000 on the number of L-1 nonimmigrants who may be admitted annually, but it exempts all L-1 visa holders who work at nonprofits in the United States.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Dominican Republic-Central America-United States Free Trade Agreement Implementation Act (CAFTA). CAFTA does not does NOT include any explicit language about visas. It does, however, include language in chapters 10 and 11 that is virtually identical to the language in other FTAs that creates the expectation of a right of immigration. It is expected that, like NAFTA, CAFTA will generate an increase in illegal immigration. CAFTA, like other recent FTAs, covers four "modes" of delivery of services between countries (Cross Border, Consumption Abroad, Commercial Presence and Movement of natural persons). Although there is nothing in the text of the agreement that would provide a single extra visa to the United States, by using language on Mode 3 and Mode 4 delivery of services that is identical or virtually identical to that in all recent FTAs, the USTR has allowed for the creation of an expectation of immigration. In other words, the foreign investors and service providers who read the agreement may easily believe that it will give them the right to enter the United States either to invest in a service providing company here or to go to work for a subsidiary from the home country. (Remember that Congress only has the authority to approve or reject free trade agreements; it many not amend them because of the President's fast track authority. Once Congress gives its approval, it may not pass laws that restrict or alter the provisions of the trade agreement, or the United States will be subject to trade sanctions.) CAFTA narrowly passed the House by a vote of 217 to 215.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 2862, the Science, State, Justice, Commerce (SSJC), and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006. The Tancredo Amendment would have prohibited the use of SSJC funds to include in any bilateral or multilateral trade agreement any provisions that would increase immigration. This effectively would have prevented the U.S. Trade Representative from including immigration increases in Free Trade Agreements (as occured with the Sinagpore and Chile Free Trade Agreements, for instance). The Tancredo Amendment failed by a vote of 106 to 322.
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Rep. Pastor helped the House pass H.R.3736.
Enacted into law, it increased by nearly 150,000 the number of foreign workers high-tech American companies could hire over the next three years. Although the foreign workers receive temporary visas for up to six years, most historically have found ways to stay permanently in this country. Rep. Pastor voted for more foreign workers even though U.S. high tech workers over the age of 50 were suffering 17% unemployment and U.S. firms were laying off thousands of workers at the time.
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Before the House passed the H-1B doubling bill (H.R.3736), Rep. Pastor voted for a Watt Substitute bill that would have forbidden U.S. firms from using temporary foreign workers to replace Americans. It also would have required U.S. firms to check a box on a form attesting that they had first sought an American worker for the job. The substitute failed 177-242.
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Rep. Pastor voted AGAINST the Pombo Amendment to H.R.2202. He was part of a 242-180 majority that killed the amendment that would have created a massive new program. Agri-business would have been allowed to import up to 250,000 foreign farm workers each year for a period of service of less than a year. A bi-partisan congressional study with the Bush Administration (1989-93) had concluded that there were at least 190,000 farm workers already in America who were out of work at any given time. The federal commission said the oversupply of farmworkers was a major reason why farm workers’ real incomes had fallen by almost half over the previous two decades. The amendment had no provisions for ensuring that the temporary workers went home after their jobs were concluded. Rep. Pastor’s vote was on the side of America’s farm workers and on the side of limiting illegal immigration.
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Rep. Pastor was part of a 262-154 majority that brought a foreign nurses guestworker program to an end. He voted AGAINST the Burr Amendment to H.R.2202. Those favoring the amendment said many rural areas had a shortage of nurses and needed the foreign workers. Rep. Pastor was among those who contended that there are more than enough Americans trained in nursing to do the job if the pay and working conditions are appropriate.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the rule to H.R. 3962, the Affordable Health Care for America Act. Despite high publicity about the big loopholes in the bill allowing illegal aliens to participate in many parts of the new federal healthcare plan, the Rules Committee brought a rule to the House floor that blocked a vote on any amendment giving the Members a chance to close the loopholes. NumbersUSA notified the Members of Congress that a vote FOR the "closed" rule would be graded as a vote to provide rewards and incentives for illegal immigration. In particular, the rule prevented the House from considering the Heller, Deal, and Wilson verification amendments to the bill. By supporting the rule, Rep. Pastor signaled his/her support of a health bill that creates rewards or incentives for illegal immigration. The rule passed 242-192 (7 Nov. 09; 1:33 PM).
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Rep. Pastor opposed the Calvert amendment to H.R. 2997, the 2010 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The amendment would have required all Dept. of Agriculture contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify system to verify the eligibility of their employees. The amendment failed in the House Appropriations Committee 23-34. This vote against the mandatory use of E-Verify is a vote in favor of illegal workers.
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Rep. Pastor opposed the King amendment (250) to H.R. 2892, the 2010 DHS appropriations bill. This amendment requires Immigration and Customs Enforcement to remove the lookout posts constructed by drug smugglers, thereby making it more difficult for drug smugglers and reducing illegal immigration associated with illegal drug activity. This amendment passed 240-187-1 (24 June 2009, 9:14 pm).
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Rep. Pastor supported the King amendment (253) to H.R. 2892, the DHS appropriations bill. The amendment requires all DHS contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify system to verify the employment eligibility of their employees. The King Amendment would have essentially implemented an Executive Order signed by President George W. Bush requiring all federal contractors to use E-Verify but the EO has been continually postponed by President Obama. Use of E-Verify is one of the most effective tools of Attrition Through Enforcement and keeping illegal aliens out of U.S. jobs. The amendment passed 349-84 on 24 June 2009 (9:24 pm).
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Rep. Pastor opposed the Kingston amendment to H.R. 2892, the 2010 DHS Appropriations bill. The amendment would have required all DHS contractors and subcontractors to use the E-Verify system to verify the eligibility of their employees. The amendment failed in the House Appropriations Committee 23-35. This vote against the mandatory use of E-Verify is a vote in favor of illegal workers.
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Rep. Pastor is a cosponsor of H.R. 2414, the Agricultural Job Opportunities, Benefits and Security Act of 2009. This bill is an amnesty for agricultural workers. Of the 1.2 million illegal aliens currently working in agriculture, an estimated 860,000 plus their spouses and children could qualify for this amnesty, so the total could reach three million or more. The potential recipients of the amnesty will be required to prove at least 863 hours or 150 work days of agricultural employment in two preceding years. H.R. 2414 would, subsequently, allow these “blue card” illegal aliens to apply for legal residency (i.e., amnesty), provided they demonstrate that they have worked in agriculture here: (1) 100 work days per year each of the first five years following enactment; (2) 150 work days per year each of the first three years following enactment; or (3) over the course of the first four years after enactment, 150 work days per year for three of those years and 100 work days for the other. Rep. Howard Berman (D-CA) is the bill's main sponsor.
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Rep. Pastor vote against an amendment to H.R. 5818, the Neighborhood Stabilization Act of 2008. This amendment would prevent illegal aliens from receiving Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds pursuant to this act. The amendment passed by a vote of 391-33 (8 May 2008; 11:30 am).
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of an amendment to HR 5819 that would prohibit SBIR or STTR awards from going to a small business concern if an unlawful alien has an ownership interest in that concern or in a concern that has interest in the small business. The amendment also prohibits SBIR and STTR awards from going to businesses that have repeatedly hired, recruited, or referred unlawful aliens. The Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program ensure that the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts. The amendment passed by a vote of 406-0, with 3 present.
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Rep. Pastor voted against a motion to H.R. 5719, the Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act. This motion would have recommitted H.R. 5719 with instructions to add language to deny tax exempt interest with respect to bonds of sanctuary states and cities, thereby putting pressure on cities that do not enforce immigration laws and cities who do not cooperate with federal authorities on immigration matters. This motion failed by a vote of 210-210.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R. 1275, the "American Dream Act." This bill would make illegal aliens eligible for in-state tuition and would allow DHS to grant illegal college students legal status. This bill would encourage illegal immigration and reward illegal immigrants, as well as harming legal students.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Gingrey amendment to HR 3043, an amendment to prohibit the use of funds by the SSA to administer Social Security benefit payments, under any agreement between the United States and Mexico establishing totalization arrangements between the two countries. The amendment passed 254-168.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Forbes amendment to HR 2638, which would prohibit funds pursuant to this bill from being used to extend the "temporary protected status" designation of a country. This amendment failed 123-298.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the first Tancredo amendment to HR 2638, which would prohibit funding from HR 2638 from being used to fund the visa waiver program. This amendment failed 76-347.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Brown-Waite amendment to HR 2638. This amendment re-directs $89 million set to be appropriated to the Undersecretary for Management's account to the Border Security Fencing, Infrastructure, and Technology Account, with a view towards constructing at least 700 miles of fencing along the southern border. The amendment was adopted 241-179.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Drake Amendment to H.R. 2638, the appropriations bill for the Department of Homeland Security. The Drake Amendment would fully fund the president's budget request ($26.4 million) for the training and support for the voluntary participation of local law enforcement officers in immigration law enforcement, an important force multiplier in the fight against illegal immigration. This amendment passed 286-127.
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Rep. Pastor voted against a Motion to Recommit H.R. 800, the Employee Free Choice Act of 2007. The Motion to Recommit, introduced by Rep. McKeon (R-CA), would have recommitted H.R. 800 to the Committee on Education and Labor with instructions to report the legislation back to the House with an amendment that would require that all employees allowed to vote in union elections be citizens or legal residents of the United States. This would have prevented illegal aliens from voting in unionization elections. This would have been an important interior enforcement measure because illegal aliens should not be allowed to have an influence in whether a workforce decides to be unionized or to block unionization. Businesses should not be allowed to use illegal aliens to stop unionization desired by its American workers. And unions should not be allowed to use illegal aliens to force unionization on American workers who don't want it. Although some Representatives voted against the Motion to Recommit because it would have delayed final passage of the bill, a vote in favor of the Motion to Recommit was clearly a vote in favor of interior enforcement and against allowing illegal aliens to vote in union elections. Motion to The Motion to Recommit failed by a vote of 202-225.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H.R. 6095, the Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 2006 which would clarify state and local law enforcement’s inherent authority to enforce Federal immigration laws and overturn a decades-old court injunction that impedes the Federal government’s ability to remove aliens from El Salvador on an expedited basis. H.R. 6095 passed by a vote of 277-140.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of H.R. 4830, the Border Tunnel Protection Act of 2006 that would penalize any person constructing or financing a border tunnel with up to 20 years’ imprisonment and anybody who recklessly permits others to construct or use such a tunnel on their land with up to 10 years’ imprisonment; would punish those who use a border tunnel to smuggle aliens (including terrorists and criminals), weapons, drugs, and other illicit goods by doubling the sentence for the underlying offense (i.e., up to 40 years’ imprisonment). H.R. 4830 passed by a vote of 422 to 0.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H.R. 6061, the Secure Fence Act of 2006. H.R. 6061: requires the Department of Homeland Security to construct 700 miles of reinforced fencing along the U.S.-Mexico border; provides for the installation of additional physical barriers, roads, lighting, cameras, and sensors in five specified lengths (encompassing approximately 700 miles) along the United States’ southwestern border; requires DHS to study the necessity, feasibility, and economic impact of constructing a similar barrier along the U.S.-Canada border; enhances border infrastructure, including checkpoints, roads, and vehicle barriers; and requires DHS to achieve and maintain "operational control" of our borders within 18 months of enactment and require reports on the progress toward this goal. H.R. 6061 passed by a vote of 283-138-1 (1 denotes a vote of "present.")
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Rep. Pastor voted against the King Amendment to H.R. 5441, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill. The amendment would deny federal homeland security funding to state and local governments who refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities. The King Amendment would be a huge incentive to rescind the policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists, by denying states and localities that enact them some Federal funding. Sanctuary policies bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy. The amendment passed by a vote of 218 to 179.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Tancredo Amendment to H.R. 5541, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill. The Tancredo Amendment would prohibit funds appropriated by H.R. 5441 from being used to administer the continuation of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for nationals of Guatemala, Honduras, or Nicaragua announced by DHS before the bill's enactment. Temporary Protected Status provides a temporary amnesty for certain illegal aliens from designated countries. The Tancredo Amendment failed by a vote of 134-284-1 (the "1" was a "present" vote).
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Marshall Amendment to H.R. 5441, the fiscal year 2007 Department of Homeland Security (DHS) appropriations bill. The Marshall Amendment would increase funding for USCIS' employment verification program by $20 million. This program , which is currently voluntary, allows employers to electronically check the eligibility of new employees to work in the United States. However, in December, 2005, the House passed H.R. 4437 which makes the program mandatory. The Marshall Amendment would fund this program. The Marshall Amendment passed by a vote of 358-63.
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Rep. Pastor voted againstH.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. H.R. 4437, as amended and passed, includes major improvements in interior enforcement and border security, as well as a reduction in legal immigration numbers. Among its most significant provisions are: a requirement that all businesses must use an electronic system to check if all new hires have the legal right to work in the country; additional security fencing along the Mexican border; a mandate that the federal government cooperate with local authorities in picking up all illegal aliens they detain; and elimination of the visa lottery program that each year awards 50,000 green cards to randomly selected winners. H.R. 4437 passed by a vote of 239 to 182.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Sullivan Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Sullivan Amendment requires full implementation of the automated entry-exit system that was instituted by Congress in 1996. As well, it requires the removal of unlawfully present aliens unless they fear persecution at home or are seeking asylum. It also reinforces the important role of state and local law enforcement in the fight against illegal immigration. The Sullivan Amendment failed by a vote of 163 to 251.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Norwood Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Norwood amendment clarifies the existing authority of State and local law enforcement personnel to assist in the apprehension and detention of illegal aliens. As well, it requires DHS to: (a) provide training assistance to state and local law enforcement agencies; (b) reimburse state and local entities aiding in immigration enforcement; (c) continue the Institutional Removal Program (IRP), which guarantees that dangerous or criminal aliens who have been incarcerated, are removed and not released into the community; and, (d) expand the IRP to all states and, in so doing, authorizes state and local law enforcement to detain illegal aliens for up to 14 days. Further, it authorizes $1 billion for State Criminal Alien Assistance Program grants and prohibits state and local law enforcement who fail to aid or cooperate with federal government enforcement from being reimbursed for alien incarceration costs. This amendment would not only help deter future illegal immigration, but gradually begin to reduce the current 10-12 million illegal alien population in the United States. The amendment passed by a vote of 237 to 180.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Hunter Amendment to H.R. 4437, the Border Protection, Antiterrorism, and Illegal Immigration Control Act of 2005. The Hunter Amendment would shore up security by building fences and other physical infrastructure to keep out illegal aliens. Specifically, it mandates the construction of specific security fencing, including lights and cameras, along the Southwest border for the purposes of gaining operational control of the border. As well, it includes a requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study on the use of physical barriers along the Northern border. The Hunter Amendment passed by a vote of 260-159.
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Rep. Pastor was a cosponsor of H.R. 1502, the Civil Liberties Restoration Act of 2005. H.R. 1502 requires removal proceedings to be open to the public and provides even broader due process rights for aliens. It eliminates criminal penalties and deportation for aliens who violate certain immigration laws as well as the National Security Entry-Exit System (NSEERS), which tracks aliens from terrorist-sponsoring countries.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H. Amdt. 288 to H.R. 2862, the the Science, Departments of State, Justice, and Commerce Appropriations, 2006 Act. The amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) would deny federal funding to states and cities that are in violation of section 642(a) of the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996. This is the provision that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies that bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public services and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy. The Tancredo Amendment would have created an incentive for states and cities to follow federal law prohibiting policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists. The amendment failed by a vote of 204 to 222.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Obey amendment (H. Amdt. 144) to H.R. 2360, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The Obey amendment provided $100 million to fund grants under the REAL ID Act to assist States in conforming with minimum drivers’ license standards. The Obey amendment passed by a vote of 226-198.
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Rep. Pastor voted against an amendment (H. Admt. 138) to H.R. 2360, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2006. The amendment would deny federal homeland security funding to states and local governments who refuse to share information with Federal immigration authorities. The amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO), would have created a huge incentive to rescind the policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists, by denying them some Federal funding. Sanctuary policies bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public services and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy. The amendment failed by a vote of 165 to 285.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Norwood Amendment, to H.R. 1817, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations bill. The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Norwood (R-GA), clarifies the existing authority of State and local law enforcement personnel to assist in the apprehension and detention of illegal aliens. This amendment would not only help deter future illegal immigration, but gradually begin to reduce the current 10-12 million illegal alien population in the United States. The amendment passed by a vote of 242 to 185.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the H. Amdt. 206 to H.R. 1815. The amendment authorizes the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the military, under certain circumstances, to assist the Bureau of Border Security and U.S. Customs Service of the Department of Homeland Security on preventing the entry of terrorists, drug traffickers, and illegal aliens into the United States The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Goode of Virginia, passed the House by a vote of 245-184.
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Rep. Pastor is a cosponsor of H.R. 2330 the Secure America and Orderly Immigration Act . H.R. 2330 clearly spells out a path to jobs and residency for illegal aliens. Among the significant immigration-increase provisions of the bill are: a new visa category (H-5A) for 400,000 low-skill foreign workers (this cap can be adjusted upwards); a provision for the H-5A temporary workers to apply for permanent resident status after four years; a new temporary 6-year visa category (H-5B) for illegal aliens (and their spouses and children) already in the country; an amnesty for illegal aliens who apply for an H-5B visa and pay a $2,000 fine; an increase of 150,000 visas per year for employment-based immigrants; and an exemption of immediate relatives (spouses, children, and parents of U.S. citizens) from the annual level of 480,000 family-sponsored immigrant visas thereby providing 254,000 additional visas to the family preference categories. H.R. 2330 contains modest measures to increase border security such as creation of a Border Security Committee and creation of a new electronic work authorization system that would eventually replace the current "I-9" system. H.R. 2330 would also require the federal government to reimburse hospitals for the cost of providing emergency health care to H-5A and H-5B workers. Companion legislation, S. 1033, has been introduced in the Senate by Senators Jon McCain (R-AZ) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA).
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Rep. Pastor voted on the floor of the House against H.R. 418, the REAL ID Act. This legislation would set federal standards for the issuance of drivers' licenses and require proof of "legal presence" in order to obtain a driver's license. This would make illegal aliens ineligible for drivers' licenses. As well, H.R. 418 would tie the driver's license expiration date of a temporary visa holder to the expiration date of their visa so that those who enter the country legally as visa holders, but become illegal aliens by overstaying their visas will not have a valid driver's license after the date of the expiration of their visa. In addition, H.R. 418 includes provisions to broaden the terrorism-related grounds for inadmissibility and deportability of aliens, and to complete construction of the San Diego border fence. H.R. 418 would deter illegal immigration by making it more difficult for illegal aliens to enter and to remain in the United States. It also would reduce significantly the risk that terrorists will be able to game our asylum system or avoid removal because of loopholes in our immigration laws. H.R. 418 was passed by the House of Representatives by a vote of 261-161.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Nadler Amendment to H.R. 418. The Nadler Amendment was an amendment to strike Section 101 of H.R. 418. Section 101 of H.R. 418 is the section includes reforms of our asylum laws to prevent terrorists from gaming our asylum system. Specifically, it includes provisions to ensure that our asylum system is consistent with our justice system in which the trier of fact is always allowed to use the credibility of the defendant and witnesses in deciding the case. Requiring an asylum claimant to bear the burden of proof is consistent both with our justice system and with international law, which says we must grant asylum to an alien who has been persecuted or has a well-founded fear of persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, membership in a particular social group, or political opinion (the five grounds agreed upon in the Geneva Convention). The Nadler Amendment failed by a vote of 185-236.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the rule that incorporated the Manager's Amendment to H.R. 418 (H. Res. 75). H.R. 418 was brought to the House floor for consideration under a rule that incorporated an amendment by the bill's sponsor, Chairman Sensenbrenner. Because the rule included the amendment, a vote for the rule did two things: 1) like any rule for consideration, it established the time limits for debate of the bill and permitted the debate to begin; and 2) it added the text of the Manager's Amendment to the original bill. The Manager's Amendment included the following changes to strengthen the provisions of H.R. 418: requires immigration judges to determine an alien's credibility before granting relief or protection from removal; limits deportable aliens' ability to stall their deportation by filing endless appeals in court; and strikes both the section of the bill that explicitly recognizes states' ability to issue "driving certificates" that do not comply with the standards, and the provision that permits the Department of Homeland Security to regulate such alternative licenses. The Manager's Amendment also included a provision to eliminate the cap of 10,000 per year on the number of asylees who may apply for adjustment to permanent resident status after residing in the U.S. for at least one year following the grant of asylum. However the rest of the provisions of the Manager's Amendment more than make up for this provision, since asylees already are virtually assured permanent resident status eventually. The Manager's Amendment passed by a vote of 228-198.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Ose Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. The Ose Amendment would have ensured completion of the last 14 miles of the San Diego border fence. This would serve as a physical barrier to additional illegal immigration. While the border fence will segment the habitat of a few species and cause localized habitat destruction in the immediate construction zone, it will reduce the widespread destruction of habitat for all species that is caused by large numbers of illegal aliens trampling through pristine areas, leaving huge quantities of trash and human waste, and building campfires that too often turn into devastating wildfires. The Ose Amendment passed by a vote of 252-160.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Green Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. The Green Amendment would have made all terrorist-related grounds of inadmissibility, grounds of deportability, as well. This would have strengthened immigration law with regard to the deportability of alien terrorists. The Green Amendment passed by a vote of 283-132.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Souder Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. The Souder Amendment would have given all security screening personnel access to law enforcement and intelligence information maintained by DHS. The Souder Amendment would have helped security screeners identify and stop illegal aliens. The Souder Amendment passed by a vote of 410-0.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Smith Amendment to strip from H.R. 10 the asylum provision that reaffirmed that the burden of proof is on the asylum claimant, and that the adjudicator may require corroborating evidence "where it is reasonable to expect such evidence." This would have made it harder for terrorists to receive asylum in the U.S. by no longer allowing them to claim that the tenets of a terrorist organization are a "political opinion" for which their home government would persecute them if they are denied asylum. The Smith Amendment failed by a vote of 197-219.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Smith Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. The Smith Amendment would have stripped the expanded expedited removal provision from H.R. 10 that requires DHS to utilize expedited removal in the case of all aliens who have entered the U.S. illegally and have not been present in the U.S. for 5 years. This is the provision that had the potential to dramatically increase deportations of illegal aliens by eliminating the appeals process. Somewhere around 2.5 million illegal aliens could be subject to the expedited removal provision. The Smith Amendment failed by a vote of 203-210.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. H.R. 10 represented the primary legislative response in the House of Representatives to the recommendations of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9-11 Commission). The 9-11 Commission made several recommendations with regard to immigration that, in the Commission's opinion, would increase security and help prevent a future attack. Many of the Commission's immigration recommendations were included in H.R. 10 such as provisions to: prohibit driver's licenses to illegal aliens; expedite removal of illegal aliens; increase Border Patrol and ICE agents; and prevent Federal agencies from accepting or recognizing consular ID as valid proof of identity. H.R. 10 passed by a vote of 282-134.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of a Motion to Recommit with Instructions on H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. H.R. 10 represented the primary legislative response in the House of Representatives to the recommendations of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9-11 Commission). The 9-11 Commission made several recommendations with regard to immigration that, in the Commission's opinion, would increase security and help prevent a future attack. Many of the Commission's immigration recommendations were included in H.R. 10 such as provisions to: prohibit driver's licenses to illegal aliens; expedite removal of illegal aliens; increase Border Patrol and ICE agents; and prevent Federal agencies from accepting or recognizing consular ID as valid proof of identity. The Motion to Recommit, introduced by Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), would have effectively stripped ALL of the immigration provisions from H.R. 10, thus removing all of the measures that were based upon the immigration-related recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. The Motion to Recommit failed by a vote of 193-223.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of a Motion to Instruct Conferees on S. 2845, the National Intelligence Reform Act of 2004. S. 2845 represented the primary legislative response in the Senate to the recommendations of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9-11 Commission), however, it contained NO effective immigration provisions. Alternatively, H.R. 10 represented the primary legislative response in the House of Representatives to the 9-11 Commission. It contained provisions to prohibit driver's licenses to illegal aliens; expedite removal of illegal aliens; increase Border Patrol and ICE agents; and prevent Federal agencies from accepting or recognizing consular ID as valid proof of identity. The Motion to Instruct Conferees on S. 2845 encouraged the Conferees to strip the expedited removal, asylum, and secure ID provisions of H.R. 10 from the final bill. The Motion to Instruct Conferees failed by a vote of 169-229.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Menendez Amendment to H.R. 10, the 9/11 Recommendations Implementation Act. H.R. 10 represented the primary legislative response in the House of Representatives to the recommendations of The National Commission on Terrorist Attacks Upon the United States (9-11 Commission). The 9-11 Commission made several recommendations with regard to immigration that, in the Commission's opinion, would increase security and help prevent a future attack. Many of the Commission's immigration recommendations were included in H.R. 10 such as provisions to: prohibit driver's licenses to illegal aliens; expedite removal of illegal aliens; increase Border Patrol and ICE agents; and prevent Federal agencies from accepting or recognizing consular ID as valid proof of identity. The Menendez Amendment would have stripped ALL of the immigration provisions from H.R. 10, thus removing all of the measures that were based upon the immigration-related recommendations of the 9-11 Commission. The Menendez Amendment failed by a vote of 203-213.
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Rep. Pastor voted in favor of the Oxley Amendment (H. AMDT 754) to strip the Culberson Amendment from H.R. 5025, the Transportation, Treasury, and Independent Agencies Appropriations bill. The Culberson amendment would have prohibited the Treasury Department from using any of the funding in the bill to publish, disseminate, authorize or enforce regulations that permit or allow financial institutions to accept the Mexican matricula consular ID card. The Culberson amendment was intended to send a clear message to the Treasury Department and to financial institutions that Mexican matricula consular ID card is neither a secure nor acceptable forms of ID. While it would not have actually required Treasury to change the current regulations which permit financial institutions to accept consular ID cards (rules governing amendments to appropriations bills would not permit such a requirement), it would have made those regulations unenforceable, which is a strong incentive for Treasury to change them. Rep. Oxley offered an amendment to strip the Culberson Amendment from the bill. The Oxley Amendment passed by a vote of 222-177.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Hayworth Amendment (H. AMDT 745) to H.R. 5006, the Labor, HHS, Education Appropriations bill. The amendment would have prohibited any funding in the bill from being used to pay Social Security Administration (SSA) employees to administer any benefits that would not be payable but for a totalization agreement with Mexico. The effect of this would be to prevent the U.S.-Mexico totalization agreement from taking effect -- at least during FY 2005 -- since SSA employees could not be paid for any work they do to determine or pay benefits under the agreement. The U.S.-Mexico totalization agreement would allow both legal AND illegal aliens working in the United States to qualify for Social Security benefits. The amendment failed by a vote of 178-225.
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Rep. Pastor voted IN FAVOR OF the Pastor Amendment to strip the Culberson Amendment from the Treasury/Transportation Appropriations bill. The Culberson Amendment, introduced by Rep. John Culberson (R-TX), would have essentially prohibited the use of Mexican matricula consular ID cards for banking services in the U.S. It would have prohibited the Treasury Department from using any of the funding in the bill to "publish, disseminate, authorize or enforce regulations that permit or allow financial institutions" to accept Mexican matricula consular ID cards. The amendment was intended to send a clear message to the Treasury Department and to financial institutions that consular ID cards like the Mexican matricula consular are neither secure nor acceptable forms of ID. While the Culberson Amendment did not actually require Treasury to change the current regulations which permit financial institutions to accept matricula consular ID cards (rules governing amendments to appropriations bills would not permit such a requirement), it made those regulations unenforceable, which is a strong incentive for Treasury to change them. The Pastor Amendment to strip the Culberson Amendment failed by a vote of 26-25.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored S. 2381, the Safe, Orderly, Legal Visas and Enforcement Act of 2004. Introduced by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), H.R. 4262 included an amnesty that would grant Legal Permanent Resident status to certain illegal aliens (and their spouses and minor children) who have lived in the U.S. for at least 5 years and worked for an aggregate of 2 years. Virtually all of the 10.3 million illegeal aliens estimated to have been living in the U.S. in March 2004 could have qualified for this amnesty, along with their spouses and children. As well, H.R. 4262 would have significantly increased overall immigration numbers by increasing the number of family visas and exempting from the family-based visa ceiling all immediate relatives. H.R. 4262 also contained guestworker provisions that would have increased the annual limit on H-2B visas to 100,000 and created a new H-1D visa for up to 250,000 guestworkers a year who are not covered by other visa categories.
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Rep. Pastor voted, as part of the Appropriations Committee, against the Goode Amendment to the Labor/HHS/Education Appropriations bill. The Goode Amendment would have prohibited Appropriations funds from being used by the Social Security Administration to implement a totalization agreement between the United States and Mexico because the proposed agreement would allow illegal aliens from Mexico to collect Social Security provided they had left the U.S. or obtained legal status. The amendment failed by a vote of 20-26, which was an impressive show of support for the amendment considering the pressure against it from sources like the White House.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the King Amendment (H. AMDT 655) to the Commerce, Justice, State, Appropriations Act of 2005, H.R. 4754, that would have increased funding to the Justice Department for enforcing current federal law against sanctuary policies for illegal aliens. Sanctuary policies bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public services and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy. The King Amendment would have allowed the Justice Department to more fully enforce federal law against policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists. The amendment failed by a vote of 139-278.
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Rep. Pastor voted AGAINST an amendment (H. AMDT 583) to the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2005, H.R. 4567, that would prohibit homeland security funding from going to states or cities that have violated Federal law by enacting sanctuary policies. Sanctuary policies bar public officials, including police officers, from asking an individual's immigration status to determine eligibility for public services and from reporting illegal aliens to federal authorities. In 1996, Congress passed a law that specifically prohibits state and local governments from enacting sanctuary policies. Despite that, cities such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago and Houston, still have sanctuary policies in place. Maine is the only state with a sanctuary policy. The amendment, offered by Rep. Tom Tancredo, would have created a huge incentive to rescind the policies that protect illegal aliens, criminal aliens, and, potentially, terrorists, by denying them some Federal funding. The amendment failed by a vote of 148-259.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Goode Amendment to H.R. 4200, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the military, under certain circumstances, to assist the Department of Homeland Security in the performance of border control functions. The Goode Amendment passed the House by a vote of 231-191.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored the Earned Legalization and Family Unification Act of 2003,H.R. 3271. This bill would have created an amnesty for more than 6.5 million illegal aliens who had lived continuously in the U.S. for five years prior to enactment of the bill. In addition, H.R. 3271 would have changed the way in which the annual cap on family-based legal immigration is figured, increasing chain migration by about 250,000 a year. Although H.R. 3271 would have left Border Patrol in place somewhat slowing the flow of illegal aliens, it would have sent the word to the rest of the world that if they can get past the Border Patrol or come in legally on a visa and then illegally overstay the visa, they will be rewarded with a route to U.S. citizenship.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H.R. 2359, the Basic Pilot Extension Act of 2003. H.R. 2359 would extend for five years the voluntary workplace employment eligibility authorization pilot programs created in 1996. This program is an important component of preventing illegal aliens from taking jobs from those who have the legal right to work in this country. H.R. 2359 passed the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 18 to 8 before being brought up on the suspension calendar. Because it was brought up on the suspension calendar, no amendments were allowed to be offered to the bill and the bill needed a two-thirds majority in order to pass. Thus, even though a majority of Representatives voted in favor of H.R. 2359 (231-170), it failed because a two-thirds majority did not vote in favor of it. However, the Basic Pilot Extension Act eventually passed the Senate by Unanimous Consent as S. 1685. Then, the House passed by voice vote S. 1685 and it was signed by the President, becoming Public Law No. 108-156.
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Rep. Pastor voted against the Hostettler Amendment to H.R. 1950, the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. The Hostettler Amendment would have put some major restrictions on consular-issued ID cards that are frequently issued to illegal aliens by foreign governments. These cards make it easier for illegal aliens to gain government services and to otherwise profit from their illegal activity. The Hostettler Amendment passed by a vote of 226-198.
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Rep. Pastor voted AGAINST the Goode Amendment to H.R. 1588, to authorize members of the military, under certain circumstances, to assist the Department of Homeland Security in the performance of border control functions. The Goode Amendment passed the House by a vote of 250-179.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored of H.R. 1684, the Student Adjustment Act of 2003. H.R. 1684 would have granted in-state tuition and amnesty to illegal aliens under the age of 21 who had been physically present in the country for five years and were in 7th grade or above. Such a reward for illegal immigration serves as an incentive for more illegal immigration.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R. 773, the 21st Century Access to Banking Act. H.R. 773 would have authorized financial institutions to accept matricula consular issued in the United States as a valid form of identification. This would have allowed illegal aliens to use the non-secure and non-verifiable matricula consular ID card to open bank accounts in the United States, thus making it easier for illegal aliens to live and work in the United States.
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Rep. Pastor was a cosponsor of H.R. 1918, the Student Adjustment Act of 2001. H.R. 1918 would have granted in-state tuition and amnesty to illegal aliens under the age of 21 who have been physically present in the country for five years and are in 7th grade or above. Such a reward for illegal immigration serves as an incentive for more illegal immigration.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored the Gephardt amnesty bill, H.R. 5600. This bill would have created an amnesty for an estimated 6.5 million illegal aliens who had lived continuously in the U.S. for five years prior to enactment of the bill. In addition, H.R. 5600 would have changed the way in which the annual cap on family-based legal immigration is figured, increasing chain migration by about 250,000 a year. Although Rep. Pastor would have left Border Patrol in place somewhat slowing the flow of illegal aliens, he would have sent the word to the rest of the world that if they can get past the Border Patrol or come in legally on a visa and then illegally overstay the visa, they will be rewarded with a route to U.S. citizenship.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R. 4999, the Immigration Adjustment Act of 2002. This massive amnesty for illegal aliens would have granted permanent residency to illegal aliens who had entered the U.S. prior to January 1, 2000. Rep. Pastor's support of H.R. 4999 was an action in support of rewarding illegal immigrants and encouraging more illegal immigration via an amnesty.
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Rep. Pastor voted against H. Amdt. 479 to H.R. 4546, the Department of Defense Authorization bill. The amendment authorized the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the military, under certain circumstances, to assist the Bureau of Border Security and U.S. Customs Service of the Department of Homeland Security on preventing the entry of terrorists, drug traffickers, and illegal aliens into the United States The amendment, sponsored by Rep. Goode of Virginia, passed the House by a vote of 232-183.
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Rep. Pastor voted as part of the House Appropriations Committee for the Serrano Amendment to a supplemental appropriations bill. His vote was a vote in favor of lax enforcement of immigration laws that has contributed to the current illegal alien population of some 8-9 million. The Serrano Amendment would have prohibited local or state law enforcement officials from enforcing certain immigration laws (also known as implementation of Section 133). The Serrano Amendment failed by a vote of 23 to 33.
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Rep. Pastor voted as part of the House Appropriations Committee for the Farr Amendment to H.R. 4775, a supplemental appropriations bill. The Farr Amendment would have re-instated the Section 245(i) amnesty for four months. Section 245(i) grants an amnesty from the usual penalties for having broken immigration laws, which illegal aliens admit to doing in order to apply for Section 245(i). And current INS policy allows all illegal aliens who apply under Section 245(i) to remain in the U.S. during the years before a green card will actually become available. In addition, Section 245(i) removes the all-important security step of our embassies conducting background checks on potential immigrants in their home countries. Rep. Pastor's vote was a vote to accelerate the congestion and sprawl of American life by enticing millions more illegal aliens to move here. The Farr Amendment failed by a vote of 27-32
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Rep. Pastor voted FOR H RES 365, which was brought up and passed in a new form in March of 2002. The vote in favor of the bill was a vote in favor of rewarding illegal aliens via a four-month reinstatement of Section 245(i). That is an expired immigration provision that allows illegal aliens with qualified relatives or employers in the U.S. to pay a $1,000 fine, to apply for a green card in this country, and to be
allowed to stay in this country without fear of deportation until their turn arrives for a green card years, and even decades, later. The illegal aliens also would not have to go through the usual security screening in U.S. embassies in their home countries. The lowest estimate from supporters of the bill was that some 200,000 illegal aliens would benefit. H RES 365
included language that would implement some important visa-tracking regulations helpful to discouraging illegal immigration. But all of those provisions had already been passed previously in H.R. 3525, making the assistance to illegal aliens the sole purpose of the bill.
Rep. Pastor was one of 275 Representatives who voted in favor of the 245(i) amnesty. The bill narrowly passed by a vote of 275 to 137 (a two-thirds majority was needed in order to pass).
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Rep. Pastor voted on the floor of the House IN FAVOR OF a motion to suspend the rules and pass H.R. 1885, a four-month extension of Section 245(i), which is a de facto amnesty in that current federal policy did not deport illegal aliens once they applied for Section 245(i) and allowed them to remain in the U.S. for years until they were allowed to become official immigrants. The vote on the four-month extension represented a compromise of the White House push for a longer extension. Even though the four month extension was better than a year-long or permanent extension, it still would have resulted in at least 200,000 more people being added to the country through illegal immigration. Rep. Pastor was part of a 336-43 majority voting in favor of the four-month extension of Section 245(i). It did not become law, though.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R. 3142, the Agricultural Job Opportunity, Benefits, and Security Act of 2003. H.R. 3142 would have created an amnesty for certain agricultural workers. Of the 1.2 million illegal aliens then working in agriculture, an estimated 860,000 plus their spouses and children could have qualified for this amnesty, so the total could have reached three million or more. The potential recipients of the amnesty would have been required to prove 100 days of agricultural employment in the 18-month period that ended Aug. 31, 2003. Then, prior to receiving amnesty, workers would have had to show 360 days of additional farm work over the next six years.
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Rep. Pastor acted to reward those who break our immigration laws and encourage more illegal immigration by cosponsoring H.R. 348, the Central American and Haitian Adjustment Act of 2001. This legislation, introduced by Rep. Gutierrez would extend parts of the NACARA amnesty to certain illegal aliens from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti. Past experience has shown that amnesties for illegal aliens reward illegal immigration and encourage more.
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Rep. Pastor voted not to enforce the border by voting AGAINST the Traficant amendment to HR 2586. This amendment authorized the Attorney General and the Secretary of the Treasury, to request that members of the Armed Forces assist the INS with border control duties. The Traficant amendment passed by a vote of 242 to 173, but this measure was never considered by the Senate.
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Rep. Pastor, along with 151 other House Democrats, signed a letter to President Clinton saying he would sustain a veto of an end-of-session appropriations bill if it did not include an amnesty. This was an action in support of Rep. Conyer's amnesty act, H.R.4966, that would have granted amnesty to some 3.4 million aliens from Central America and Haiti. This would have been the largest amnesty in the history of the country -- larger than even the 1986 IRCA Amnesty.
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Rep. Pastor voted AGAINST enforcing the border by opposing the Traficant amendment to H.R.4205. This amendment authorizes the Secretary of Defense to assign, under certain circumstances, members of the Armed Forces to assist the INS with border control duties. The Traficant amendment passed by a vote of 243 to 183, but the Clinton Administration never chose to exercise this power.
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Rep. Pastor co-sponsored H.R.3553 which would have rewarded almost 1.2 million illegal aliens from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Haiti by putting them on the path to U.S. citizenship. This amnesty would have been IN ADDITION to the one passed in 1997 for almost one million Cubans, Nicaraguans and other long-time resident illegal aliens from Central America.
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Rep. Pastor helped create pressure in Congress to reward illegal aliens by cosponsoring H.R.2302. The bill would have allowed over half a million Central Americans who had been living in the United States illegally since at least 1991 to apply for legal residence, thus putting them on the path to U.S. citizenship. An expanded version of this bill eventually was passed by Congress when it was slipped into an appropriations bill for the District of Columbia (see the Nicaraguan and Central American Relief Act of 1997).
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Given the chance to vote against a notorious pro-illegal immigration program called Section 245(i), Rep. Pastor declined. The Section 245(i) program dealt with certain illegal aliens who were on lists that could qualify them eventually for legal residency. It provided them a loophole in which they could pay a fee and avoid a 1996 law’s provision that punishes illegal aliens by barring them for 10 years from entering the U.S. on a legal visa as a student, tourist, worker or immigrant. The controversial experimental program was supposed to “sunset” late in 1997 and be automatically taken off the books. But the Senate voted to permanently continue the pro-illegal immigration program by attaching it to an appropriations bill. House leaders, though, refused to include the program in the House appropriations bill. That meant the issue would be decided in a joint Senate/House Conference Committee. Representatives wanting to make sure that House Conferees fought the Senate stance, brought a “Motion to Instruct” to the floor. The motion -- if passed -- would make it clear that the House wanted the Conferees to kill the Section 245(i) program. Immigration lawyers lobbied the House vigorously to keep what to them was a lucrative program. Rep. Pastor was part of a 268 to 153 House majority that refused to “instruct” the Conferees to kill the program. Despite the vote, House Conferees worked hard to kill the program and succeeded.
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Rep. Pastor in 1996 was on the losing side of the 333-87 passage of H.R.2202. He voted AGAINST the large omnibus bill which authorized major increases in border patrol forces. The bill also had many provisions aimed at making life more miserable for illegal aliens who manage to get into the country, half of whom arrive with legal visas but then illegally overstay. Until passage of the bill, a person could be apprehended as an illegal alien, be deported and then turn around and come back to the U.S. on a legal student, tourist, worker or relative visa. After the bill, an illegal alien was barred from any kind of legal entry for 10 years.
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Rep. Pastor voted AGAINST the Gallegly Amendment to H.R.2202. That amendment would have made pilot workplace verification programs (see above) mandatory in five of the top seven immigration states. The amendment failed 86-331 under complaints that businesses and states should have more choice in whether to participate in programs to keep illegal aliens from taking jobs.
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Rep. Pastor voted IN FAVOR of the Chabot Amendment to H.R.2202. He was part of a coalition of pro-business conservatives and liberal civil libertarians who tried to use the amendment to kill the establishment of a voluntary pilot programs in high-immigration states. The programs were intended to assist employers in verifying whether people they had just hired had the legal right to work in this country. Such verification is considered by many experts to be an essential tool for withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens. The verification system established by H.R.2202 did not involve an ID card. Rather it provided that when new workers wrote down their Social Security number on an application, employers could phone into a national verification system to help assure that the number was a real number and belonged to the person giving it. In earlier smaller pilot programs, businesses had hailed the verification system for making it easier for them to avoid hiring illegal aliens. Rep. Pastor was unsuccessful in stopping the voluntary verification system. The Chabot Amendment failed by a 159-260 vote.
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Rep. Pastor cosponsored H.R.36, thereby working to put about one million illegal aliens from Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala and Haiti, including their spouses and children, on a path to U.S. citizenship. He joined with those who believe that illegal aliens should not be forced to return to their own countries if
those countries were hit by Hurricane Mitch. These illegal aliens came to the U.S. years before the hurricane and failed to qualify as refugees or asylees. Rep. Pastor advocated rewarding those who violated U.S. immigration laws by making them permanent lawful U.S. residents.
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Tell Representative Pastor what you think of
his immigration record. |
| Phone: |
(202) 225-4065 |
| Fax: |
(202) 225-1655 |
| E-Mail: |
email available via website. | | Website: |
http://www.house.gov/pastor/ |
| D.C. Address: |
2465 Rayburn House Office Building
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515 |
District Office | 411 North Central Avenue
Suite 150
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 256-0551 (V), (602) 248-7733 (F) |
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