Republican Party of Texas Adopts a Platform Including Guest Worker Program for Immigrants

Once again, Texas Republicans show leadership on the issue of immigration reform. Friday night, in Fort Worth, Texas, the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) took a historic step toward finding solutions for our nation’s broken immigration policies. Since Monday, members of the Platform Committee heard testimony from a wide variety of people on the issues of border security and immigration reform. Most nights working until all who wanted to speak were able to do so. The result is a new plank in the platform of the party called “The Texas Solution”.

The concept behind this solution is to provide a practical set of guiding conservative principles to define potential solutions to these issues. It then puts the burden of details on the legislators at the state and federal level to create and implement real solutions.

The Texas Solution points out the failure of the federal government to live up to one of its primary constitutional duties - defending the borders of this nation. It recognizes that mass deportation is not an equitable, nor practical solution to decades of the government’s ignoring the enforcement of immigration law. Nor is amnesty a reasonable or acceptable solution. This is an important step for the party as we continue to reach out to conservative Hispanics across Texas. Prior versions of the platform were used by Democrats to create a false impression that Republicans were both anti-immigrant and anti-Hispanic. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The plank calls for the federal government to secure the border. It calls for a practical approach to applying technology and manpower to ending the lawlessness that exists along our borders. It demands safety and security for all Americans living along the border and across Texas.

The plank calls on the government to create an effective and secure guest worker program and an update for long outdated Social Security card. The guest worker program should be created in a way that will be self-funding. It would require criminal background checks of all applicants. Applicants applying who have prior immigration offenses would be required to pay a fine. Applicants, and their employers, would have to prove they can provide adequate health insurance. They would not be entitled to any form of public entitlement programs. 

In order for the program to work properly, applicants would be issued a biometric identification card that would track all address changes in addition to criminal and civil court appearances. They would also only be allowed to work for employers who properly classify them as employees and who will withhold taxes and match social security taxes.

Art Martinez de Vara speaking in opposition to a motion to amend the language of the 2012 immigration plank

Nelson Spear, Brad Bailey, Norman Adams, Steven Hotze, and Allen Blakemore smiling after the 2012 immigration plank had passed. Thanks for all your hard work!

This is a bold step for the Republican Party of Texas. For several years, people across Texas have been working hard to bring the conservative message of the Republican Party to conservative Hispanics around the state, particularly in South Texas where the Republican Party is expanding rapidly. People like Aaron Peña and J.M. Lozano have shown the way through their brave decision to switch to the Republican Party. Candidates like Adela Garza, running for Congress in the newly created 34 District and Miriam Martinez running for the Texas Legislature are proving voters in South Texas with a real choice in elections in South Texas. 

This plank in the platform reflects a consensus of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. These people came together and expressed frustration about the status quo where nothing is being done to move a solution forward. Texas, once again, leads the way and brings forward a true solution to the long standing problems of border security and illegal immigration.

Thank you to the hard work of individuals such as Norman Adams, Art Martinez de Vara, Brad Bailey, and Nelson Spear for working so tirelessly to get this plank passed!


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SOME things that need to be critically observed by all Americans, specifically for those who want to see an end to the travesty called illegal immigration.  First on the agenda is the fact that the miles of constructed border fence that Homeland Security says they have covered, is a downright lie and is misleading to the public. Just go to AMERICAN PATROL website and you can identify where the fence is, and where it doesn’t exist.  Whether it’s Arizona, California, New Mexico or Texas the cost for not securing the border is staggering. TODAY it’s in every taxpayer best interest to get rid of the pro-illegal alien legislators, who come from both sides of Congress and throw them out. THAT includes the state assemblies that genuflect to the business, corporate and all special interest organizations. THEY are the ones subverting our hard earned money in subsidizing illegal aliens and their children. Both parties are untrustworthy and only the emerging growing membership of the TEA PARTY can stop this adversity to our liberties, freedoms and following the edicts of the U.S. Constitution.

H.R. 2885 - Already well sponsored is Mandatory E-Verify, which was initially sponsored by Senator Lamar Smith of Texas. The   bill entitled ‘The Legal Workforce Bill’ (H.R.2885) has been blocked by House speaker, John Boehner of Ohio and Dave Camp of Michigan, who is Chairman of the powerful Ways and Means Committee. Americans must insist these lawmakers. E-Verify have gained a success rate nationwide, but are still only voluntary.  We must insist both parties place (H.R.2885) to be presented on the house floor without delay.  Millions of Americans that remain jobless would benefit highly from mandatory E-Verify. This computer based government application can detect illegal workers and reject them from every business—large and small—with heavy punishment for indifferent company owners. Farmers are just as incorrigible as they pay little or nothing towards the illegal aliens they employ, leaving the medical treatment, schooling and welfare benefits for the state taxpayer to cover.

H.R.140 - The Birthright Citizenship Act introduced by Rep. Steve King would end Birthright Citizenship, requiring that at least one parent of a child born in the United States be a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident. The U.S. is one of only two developed nations (Canada) to still offer Birthright Citizenship. This is a hundred billion dollar expenditure for taxpayers Smuggled children that inherit instant citizenship through misguided laws, which have not been tested in the Supreme Court. Another unfunded mandate, that is part of uncompensated mandates such as education through high school graduation, free health treatments from the common cold to expensive surgeries paid by YOU. An overcrowded prison system full of criminal aliens that is to blame for high percentages of wicked acts in the U.S. Then a profusion of welfare programs manipulated by both parties, giving access to programs, denied to our citizens and legal residents.

These two laws on their own would save over $100.000.000.000 annually? No! I’m not talking about millions, but billions that are cleverly extracted through taxes. Similarly little is said about the $40.000.000.000 that leaves this country by wire transfer to foreign banks. Another astronomical payout would be if the Democrats, Liberals and the Republicans passed an amnesty. The cost according to the Heritage Foundation would be in the region of $2.4000.000.000.000, to complete the processing and the whole carnival once again on the backs of taxpayers.

These new amendments will be useful to the state of Arizona and all 50 states, with many convulsing under the Department of justice lawsuits, and the relentless financial bombardment of illegal aliens settled around the country. No matter the outcome of the U.S. Supreme Court, these laws and amendments passed by Congress could begin a major mass departure of foreign nationals.

There is a short list of premier contenders for second place, but Marco Rubio is held in high esteem and would bring a polarized bloc of Hispanics to the voting booth?  Nobody is positive on the outcome of where the largest majority of LEGAL Hispanics stand, but the highest priority should be EMPLOYMENT, economy and the ‘Rule of Law’, and then they should be drawn to the Constitutionality of the TEA PARTY leadership? Not excluded is the African American community, who have ostracized by business owners, especially the teens who in the last ten years have been hit hard, by the illegal immigrant domination of start-up jobs. Even the general Caucasian young American has been alienated by the same discount labor and under the table labor wages, so millions of school population remains unemployed?

Years of planned encouragement by both political parties, has erupted in a major response from anti-illegal alien organizations, including NumbersUSA, Americans for Legal Immigration (ALIPAC), The Heritage foundation, The Federation for Immigration Reform, Judicial Watch and thousands of more groups, blogs available to all readers across the Internet. Let your Senator or Congressman/Women know that they are not eligible for your vote if you discover they are pampering the millions of invaders who have settled here illegally--phone DC. , Switchboard at 202-224-3121 Demand also that your state adopts a voter ID law, so no non citizens, illegal aliens or felons can manipulate the elections impending, including the Presidential vote.

After never missing a vote for almost 50 years, I will be sitting this one out. Texans have been betrayed by the Texas GOP in favor of illegal aliens. So why vote? "better the devil you know, than the devil you don't know"

ATTRITION THRU ENFORCEMENT ONLY

     As a first-time Delegate to the Texas  State Convention (been too busy working to support my 2 children and taking care of family to attend before now), I must admit that I, too, was disappointed with the wording of the new RPT Platform when it came to the Immigration/Border Issue.  But, first of all, the Platform was revised in too-short a time, especially regarding such a serious Issue!   Also, there was very little time between the printing of the proposed new Platform and our voting.  There ought to have been at least one day in between for Delegates to have had enough time to think or talk about the changes before voting.  Further, such a serious matter as Illegal Immigration/Border should have been presented and debated on the Floor long before 10 O'Clock at night-- NOT AFTER a long day of debating, interspersed with many caucuses, followed by a gala dinner event!  So I was dismayed with the poor timing of placing the most serious issue of Immigration/Border on the Agenda schedule!   Moreover-- not until AFTER the Gala Dinner Event when we reconvened in the Arena at 9:00 PM to discuss/debate this Issue-- about ONLY HALF of  the Delegates had returned to resume voting on the new Party Platform!                          Aside from being disheartened with poor planning as to the timing in debating this extremely important Immigration/Border Issue on behalf of the entire TX Republican Party, I was shocked with the new wording for this in our Platform, however it "might have come across".   As a former High School Senior English Teacher, tutor for College Board SAT's in English & Essay Writing, and recent English writer-teacher to oil company executives on How to Improve Writing/Speaking Skills, I believe the new RPT Platform implies Amnesty in this section.   Amnesty means "pardoning" of Illegals: it is very clearly and simply a matter of either deporting, or not, the individuals who have crossed our borders illegally, per definition of our U.S. Constitution and laws of our Land.             I was one of the few in the crowd who shouted "Nay" when people were shouting "Yay" to passing the various points of order or amendments to the various motions that eventually allowed  passage of the loose stance we are now taking against those who have crossed our Borders illegally.  After the Republican Platform was passed, and as we were leaving the Arena, I spoke with a couple of people who had spent many tedious hours on the Committee drafting these changes, and they felt it would be difficult to round up all the 11 Million or so who have gotten here illegally (but by whose definition or standard is that an accurate assumption?!)  They also said the first thing needing to be done was to secure our Borders and stop people entering our Country illegally.  I told them I agreed wholeheartedly with that!  However, their next comment that we do not need to now define how to do that-- but have left it to State and Federal Governments to handle--  seems to be sending a rather weak-- and, at best-- incomplete or vague message.   While I agree with our Republican Platform that, first and foremost, we MUST seal our Borders IMMEDIATELY,  I also believe that our RPT Platform should have also suggested which law enforcement entities should be enlisted in so-doing.             Albeit, besides the assumption that it would be difficult logistically to round up the Illegals and deport them-- not to mention the cost of doing so-- there is another aspect, they said, as to why the Committee revised the Immigration/Border Issue as they did:  Republicans needed to come up with a Definite Plan on what to do with all the Illegals already here OR risk allowing the Democrats to devise a Plan before WE do-- thus leaving us vulnerable to fighting off the Democrats' stance, retrospectively.  I say "So What?" to that!-- Is it not better to leave something un-said than to write the wrong thing?!  These committee-men felt that by our coming up with a Plan-- first-- Republicans would have a strategic advantage in taking the offensive approach, rather than having to resort to playing defense.   I found this somewhat a lame excuse of hiding behind what really is at stake: Republicans'  fear of losing Hispanic members and votes!  We are thus taking the "politically-correct" approach per political-science.  Common consensus is that Republicans MUST reach out to the Hispanic community and be "Hispanic-friendly", or risk losing Republican Party members, big-time!-- According to political-science theorists, this fact we must recognize and face.  After all, Numbers do speak Volumes.                            BUT what the Republican Party needs to face also is that the Immigration/Border Issue should NOT be confused with National Security!  They can be somewhat 2 separate issues.  The fact is that foreigners from 62 countries all around the world illegally cross our Southern Border alone EACH YEAR-- at this rate, it's not about Immigration-- it's an Invasion of our Country!  WHO ARE THESE ILLEGLS LIVING IN OUR COUNTRY?!  It may be true they are working here.  So what?!-- does that make Illegals safe for us for them to be here?  Through the years, spies have worked in other countries doing many different types of occupations!  Does that mean we should condone and give amnesty to or pardon all those who have illegally crossed our borders?-- especially when we don't know anything about most of them or their backgrounds?!                 And for our Platform to state that WHEN, and ONLY IF or WHEN, they commit a crime (which we MAY or MAY NOT know they have committed) they should be deported is really getting off target!  Of course it's a good idea to deport criminals, but this is not getting at the heart of the matter!  "Watchman, Watchman, What of the Night"?!  We have been suspicious, at least since 9-1-1, that there may be many "wolves in sheep's clothing" among us!  To base our purging Illegals from our Country purely on a work- or crime-basis is not only dangerously-missing the mark, but also stupid!  Using this kind of logic-- making our decision as to whether or not we should deport Illegals strictly based on whether they have a temporary work-pass or committed a crime-- is faulty thinking!  The very thought of allowing Al-quaeda Operatives to remain here (while plotting against us undercover) just because they are working here or have not gotten caught committing a crime, is not only ludicrous and illogical, it also poses a serious danger to the American people.  I do not believe the average American truly realizes how much danger we, living here on our own soil, are in!  Deciding which Illegals should remain here or not is a very serious issue and will require much thought and care as to what should really be done with them-- I believe this issue should be tackled AFTER we close off our Borders.                              Unfortunately, I believe the Political Party of Texas missed the mark on this particular Platform Plank.  This Plank should be re-worded by clearly stating that The Republican Party of Texas welcomes Hispanics, and ALL foreign nationals, to enter America legally-- even apply to become Naturalized U.S. Citizens if they so choose-- and further state that we are NOT targeting, nor are against, Hispanics or any foreign nationals; rather, WE ALL here in America-- whether Hispanics, Caucasians, African Americans, or Asians-- must adhere to our due process of law and abide by the laws of the U.S. Constitution, to ensure OUR National Security and Safety-- and that THE PRIMARY Focus at this point in our Nation's history, first-and-foremost, should be on STOPPING Illegal Immigration BY SECURING our Borders!   THIS should be our "all-time-consuming endeavor" NOW-- GET ON IT IMMEDIATELY!-- and not cloud this issue with any further discussion!  Too much talk and not enough action!  Given the short time-constraints of re-writing our Platform-- we could have stated that AFTER we have sealed off our Borders-- THEN, and ONLY THEN-- should we decide what to do about deporting, or not, who's already here, though I applaud the Committee for revising the Social Security Card format and cutting off ALL entitlements and benefits to the Illegals here now in America!  Other than that, ALL our efforts should be focused single-mindedly on SECURING OUR BORDERS, PERIOD!  And they must be secured ASAP!                                                      Respectfully Submitted,                  Lois Dickson Myers                  34-Yr. Resident of Harris County (Houston, TX)                  Lifelong Republican Party Member                  Member- National Society of The Daughters of The American Revolution
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