King Defends His Immigration Bill and Gets Called Out

Rep. King defends his immigration bill - Newsday Jan. 24th
The terrorist attacks of Sept.11 made it clearer than ever that border security is homeland security. Yet, millions of illegal aliens enter our country every year.Adding to the terror threat, the number of non-Mexican illegals has more than quadrupled in the past three years. The Border Protection, Anti-Terrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act, which I co-authored with Rep. James Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.), is a reasoned, rational attempt to regain and maintain operational control of our borders.The legislation would seek maximum border protection by the use of physical barriers, state-of-the-art technology, increased border patrol agents and expanded detention facilities. It would require joint border efforts by the departments of Homeland Security and Defense and provide diplomatic levers to use against countries that deny or delay repatriation of their citizens. This bill passed after extensive hearings and two full days of debate on the House floor.My legislation consists of 128 sections, 257 pages and 43,148 words. Newsday's editorial criticizing that legislation ["Make it a felony to aid a migrant?" Opinion, Jan. 3] is an embarrassingly vapid non sequitur reeking with self-righteousness and willful misinformation. For instance, Newsday opposes the creation of a wall, although it may be "ultimately desirable." What are we waiting for?
Most ridiculously, Newsday - out of malice or ignorance - claims the legislation would make it a felony to "give a ride, food . . . or a bed to anyone who may be undocumented." The provisions to which Newsday is apparently alluding have been federal law for almost half a century and target alien smuggling gangs. They have never been used against church groups or immigrant advocates.The debate over illegal immigration - including border control and legal guest workers - warrants a serious and thoughtful debate. Thus far, Newsday has shown itself intellectually incapable of joining in that debate.
Rep. Peter King(R-Seaford)
Washington

Today, Ken Feifer from the Long Island Progressive Coalition calls King out on his position and the way King goes on the attack.

Rep. Peter King thinks he is King - Newsday Jan 31
I read Rep. Peter King's (R-Seaford) letter, and it is clear that he is unfit for duty ["Rep. King defends his immigration bill," Opinion, Jan. 24]. King again avoids substantive discussion of the issues and resorts to name-calling and artfully written insults: "an embarrassingly vapid non sequitur reeking with self-righteousness and willful misinformation. . . . Newsday has shown itself intellectually incapable of joining the debate."
One of the central tenets of the Border Protection, Antiterrorism and Illegal Immigration Control Act is the creation of an unprecedented burden on all American workers and American businesses through the creation of a federally mandated requirement for citizens as well as immigrants to get permission from the federal government before they can take a job. Does King educate the public on this point and seek to inform the people who vote for him as to how this provision would be enacted? No, he chooses to sling insults and tell us that if we cannot see his point we must be stupid.
King continues to act as if his incumbency were embodied in his last name. For those of us paying attention it becomes more and more obvious with each passing insult - it's time for King to go.
Ken Feifer
Editor's note: The writer is co-chairman of the Long Island Progressive Coalition.Massapequa