For those in VA and care.... - 04/12/06 07:51 PM
A few weeks back when I heard about VA possibly allowing illegal immigrants to in state tuition I emailed a Senator George Allen and my local congressman too. I've gotten responses from both this week.
Originally posted by From Senator Cucenelli, 37th District:
Dear Mr. Stabler,
I can assure you that Senator Cuccinelli does not and would not support legislation to give illegal immigrants benefits that even citizens do not have. Senator Hanger�s SB677 passed the Senate with only 3 votes dissenting. Senator Cuccinelli was one of the 3 senators who voted against the bill. Despite passing the Senate, this legislation was stopped in the House, at least for now.
Senator Cuccinelli sponsored several pieces of legislation this year and last year which would make it more difficult for non-citizens to get benefits that should be reserved for citizens. This year, his SB313 passed the House and Senate. This bill would make sure that any person who indicated that they are not a citizen would be ineligible to vote, even if they registered to vote. Senator Cuccinelli�s SB629 would have made it much more financially risky for any business to hire illegal immigrants.
Senator Cuccinelli has also supported legislation to keep illegal immigrants from receiving the in-state tuition rates that should go to citizens of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Thank you for your correspondence. Please do not hesitate to contact this office on any issue of concern.
Sincerely,
Eve Marie Barner
Legislative Aide
Senator Ken Cuccinelli, II
37th District
703.766.0635 (phone)
703.268.5602 (fax)
Originally posted by From Senator George Allen:
Dear Ryan:
Thank you for your contacting me regarding the need for immigration reform. I appreciate your comments and value the opportunity to respond. We are a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. I understand this well, as my own mother is an immigrant who came to our country legally after World War II.
Throughout this debate, I have consistently said the legislative priority should be to secure our borders and stop the flow of illegal entry. A country that cannot control its borders, cannot control its own destiny. I have advocated and supported measures to address this neglected responsibility with more border patrol personnel, detention centers, sensors and virtual or physical fences where necessary to stem the flow.
Once that fundamental problem of border security is addressed then the Congress should move to forge both a stable and consistent legal immigration policy and a responsible legal temporary worker plan. But I believe that no plan should reward illegal behavior and this includes a form of amnesty; therefore, I voted against the convoluted three-tiered amnesty deal.
I did support and vote for the amendment to significantly improve border security and make reasonable adjustments for legal visas for students, workers, families, health care professionals and tech workers. Alas, no proposal passed in the Senate. The need for border security and immigration reform remains inadequately addressed. I will keep working to find a solution and consensus on this growing, important issue consistent with the principles of securing our borders, not rewarding illegal behavior and devising a legal temporary worker system.
I appreciate your contacting me on this matter and hope you will not hesitate to contact me again about issues important to you. If you would like to receive an e-mail newsletter about my initiatives to improve America, please sign up on my website (<http://allen.senate.gov>). It is an honor to serve you in the United States Senate, and I look forward to working with you to make Virginia and America a better place to live, learn, work and raise a family.
With warm regards, I remain
Sincerely,
Senator George Allen
