Bob Coggins for U.S. Senate
Immigration
Immigration has been the most asked about issue in the personal e-mails I have received
from citizens. I have always had an opinion on the issue but first wanted to do as much
research on the subject as I could and then actually think about it. (I am sure you are already
thinking how crazy it sounds for someone who is trying to become an elected official to actually
do research and/or think, but I did just that.) During my digging I uncovered some "fun" facts
that are not helping our situation with illegal immigration in this country. The most startling
discovery being that a bill was introduced in the Senate on 12 May 2009 that would "establish a
non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote
leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States." What that means is that Sen.
Byron Dorgan [North Dakota] and the 53 cosponsors of the bill would like to advertise to the
world that the United States is open for business and to come on over. All this being
accomplished by a non-profit corporation set up by our government...sound like a bad idea to
you yet? On 9 September 2009 this bill passed in the Senate. S.1023 Library of Congress
The largest and one of the toughest groups of illegal immigrants to stop from staying in our
country are visitors on tourist visas. These people come here from wherever intending to stay
and legally do...that is until they get jobs, drivers licences, outstay their visas time limit, etc. I
honestly do not know how we are to stop illegal immigration when it is so easy for foreign
nationals to enter this country while we have no way to know if they ever left. The current batch
of Senators are apparently not too concerned though, the bill I previously mentioned passed
the Senate 79-19. If we as a nation are to ever take control of our country we need to first stop
advertising to the rest of the world that America is here (if they haven't already heard about the
place do we really need them here as tourists), and give law enforcement the tools to check
the status of a foreign nationals' visa. There are many holes in the current system and I do not
have all the answers, but I know the current direction we are headed is not the best one.
For the record, I am not an "isolationist." I understand that international tourism is a huge
part of our economy here in Florida, which I welcome. I recently met a wonderful group from
Wales, they spent a couple weeks here and then went home. Great people who love their
home and went back there after visiting Florida. My wife and I would like to be able to visit them
in Wales someday. I fully understand that international tourism is not the problem, the problem
lies within our government and how it has addressed the situation. Florida literally cannot
afford to close her borders, but the nation should not continue sidestepping the issue.
Immigration is not the problem, illegal immigration is what we will have to find a solution for.
from citizens. I have always had an opinion on the issue but first wanted to do as much
research on the subject as I could and then actually think about it. (I am sure you are already
thinking how crazy it sounds for someone who is trying to become an elected official to actually
do research and/or think, but I did just that.) During my digging I uncovered some "fun" facts
that are not helping our situation with illegal immigration in this country. The most startling
discovery being that a bill was introduced in the Senate on 12 May 2009 that would "establish a
non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote
leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States." What that means is that Sen.
Byron Dorgan [North Dakota] and the 53 cosponsors of the bill would like to advertise to the
world that the United States is open for business and to come on over. All this being
accomplished by a non-profit corporation set up by our government...sound like a bad idea to
you yet? On 9 September 2009 this bill passed in the Senate. S.1023 Library of Congress
The largest and one of the toughest groups of illegal immigrants to stop from staying in our
country are visitors on tourist visas. These people come here from wherever intending to stay
and legally do...that is until they get jobs, drivers licences, outstay their visas time limit, etc. I
honestly do not know how we are to stop illegal immigration when it is so easy for foreign
nationals to enter this country while we have no way to know if they ever left. The current batch
of Senators are apparently not too concerned though, the bill I previously mentioned passed
the Senate 79-19. If we as a nation are to ever take control of our country we need to first stop
advertising to the rest of the world that America is here (if they haven't already heard about the
place do we really need them here as tourists), and give law enforcement the tools to check
the status of a foreign nationals' visa. There are many holes in the current system and I do not
have all the answers, but I know the current direction we are headed is not the best one.
For the record, I am not an "isolationist." I understand that international tourism is a huge
part of our economy here in Florida, which I welcome. I recently met a wonderful group from
Wales, they spent a couple weeks here and then went home. Great people who love their
home and went back there after visiting Florida. My wife and I would like to be able to visit them
in Wales someday. I fully understand that international tourism is not the problem, the problem
lies within our government and how it has addressed the situation. Florida literally cannot
afford to close her borders, but the nation should not continue sidestepping the issue.
Immigration is not the problem, illegal immigration is what we will have to find a solution for.
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Regarding amnesty, I do not support it. If someone illegally enters this country I do not see how they should be allowed to be
magically granted citizenship or a green card over people who have legally immigrated here and are in the immigration
process. I understand the fact that the United States is an amazing country, which many people around the world would like
to live, but there is a right way to do things and I believe that is how everything should be done. A way I like to explain it is that
we could easily open our homes to a foreign exchange student, we know they are coming and where from, but if a stranger
knocks on your door and asks to live with you they would probably get the door slammed in their face. It is audacious and
ridiculous to think that would be the proper way to go about trying to live anywhere.
magically granted citizenship or a green card over people who have legally immigrated here and are in the immigration
process. I understand the fact that the United States is an amazing country, which many people around the world would like
to live, but there is a right way to do things and I believe that is how everything should be done. A way I like to explain it is that
we could easily open our homes to a foreign exchange student, we know they are coming and where from, but if a stranger
knocks on your door and asks to live with you they would probably get the door slammed in their face. It is audacious and
ridiculous to think that would be the proper way to go about trying to live anywhere.