This guy never ceases to amaze me.  Below is a mass-email that I received from Mr. Graham.  I have to wonder what the purpose of the email is for.  Obviously, this is going to people that had contacted him to voice their disgust of his amnesty bill.  Does he really consider his constituents so dense, that we should now believe he is an advocate of the legal citizens of South Carolina?

He acknowledges his failure at comprehensive reform.  Which, as you remember, he said was the only way reform could happen.   He then goes to brag about his recent amendment to the border enforcement bill.  Also keep in mind; he said there were no votes for this concept.  But somehow this precise concept passes 89-1.

Previously, his biggest concern was granting amnesty to millions of illegal people in our country.  My question is, if his plan is an incremental one now, why was amnesty not his first bill?  That’s right, he has heard our bigoted voices and has shied away from this approach and more importantly acts as though he was never such a big proponent of amnesty.  Hmm, I wonder if someone is now worried about reelection?

What a charlatan!  I will not forget what you did sir.

However, I believe the best part is the second to last paragraph that he throws in to jab the people that opposed him.  “…the beginning of what I expect will be a longer, more drawn out effort to reform our nation's immigration policies.”, Lindsey Graham. 

Let me suggest your next action to hide your real intent.  How about insisting that current employment laws, regarding illegal aliens, are enforced.  Better yet, increase the fines and penalties.

Below is the email I received:

Dear Friend:

I know from our previous communication that you are greatly concerned about immigration reform and the impact illegal immigrants are having on our nation. There is no doubt that we must get a handle on this pressing problem.

While the comprehensive approach to reforming our nation's broken immigration system failed in the Senate last month, the problems posed by illegal immigration have not gone away. There remain at least half a dozen major changes in policy we have to make as a nation to get the problems of illegal immigration under control.

I am pleased to report last week our nation took a major step forward in securing our nation's borders. We began the process of addressing our illegal immigration problem one piece at-a-time. The Senate, by a vote of 89-1, accepted an amendment I introduced to spend $3 billion on Border Security and Interior Enforcement.

Many of these provisions were contained in the Senate immigration bill as well as the Graham-Kyl-Martinez amendment which were debated last month.

My proposal -- the Graham Amendment -- provides and requires:

·        The U.S. government to establish and demonstrate operational control over 100 percent of the international land and maritime borders between the U.S. and Mexico.

·        Funding to construct the 700 miles of fencing required by the Secure Fence Act.

·        Funding for the hiring, training, and placing on duty 23,000 Customs and Border Patrol agents.

·        Permanently ends 'Catch and Release' by providing the resources necessary to detain up to 45,000 aliens per day.

·        Funding for 300 miles of vehicle barriers at the border.

·        Funding for 105 ground-based radar and camera towers.

·        Funding for the deployment of 4 unmanned aerial vehicles at the border.

·        Funding to handle the deportation of absconders and visa overstays.

In the age of terrorism, regaining operational control of our nation's borders is a national security issue of the highest order. We need more boots on the ground, more miles of fencing, better technology which acts as a force multiplier, additional detention beds, and unmanned vehicles. The Graham Amendment provides funding for these important and much-needed changes in federal policy.

'Operational control' is a military term, and I look at this effort to secure our border as a military operation. The vote on my amendment shows a seriousness and commitment to border security that our nation has lacked for some time.

But I also want to be clear, more work remains to be done to get a handle on our nation's illegal immigration problems. We still need a more robust Electronic Employee Verification System (EEVS), a visa tracking system, a merit-based immigration system, assimilation programs to ensure people learn English, a method to ensure everyone is paying taxes, a temporary guest worker program for people who want to come here, make money and return to their home country, and other changes.

The Graham Amendment on Border Security and Interior Enforcement is a solid first step on immigration reform. It also marks the beginning of what I expect will be a longer, more drawn out effort to reform our nation's immigration policies.

Thank you again for the opportunity to share this latest information with you. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this and other important issues facing our nation.

Sincerely,

Lindsey Graham

U.S. Senator

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