Tag: illegal immigration

Sen. Lamar Alexander Wants an Amnesty Immigration Bill Like the One He Voted For in 2013

Chris Alto

Pro-American immigration groups want voters to tell legislators in Washington that no amnesty fix for illegal aliens whose parents brought them to the U.S. illegally and who later received deferred deportation under Obama’s unconstitutional DACA program can be considered, if at all, until after certain fixes are made to the immigration system. And the same thing goes for any form of a “DREAM Act” to help an even larger group of illegal aliens. Activists that want immigration reform that makes Americans’ interests the priority, say that any Congressional action must first terminate the visa lottery program, end chain migration, increase interior enforcement and fund the border wall. Tennesseans who have delivered the “no amnesty” message to Sen. Lamar Alexander’s office, however, are being told that Lamar’s priority is to help illegal aliens by reviving the ‘Gang of Eight’ amnesty bill which he voted for in 2013: Dear , Thanks very much for getting in touch with me and letting me know what’s on your mind regarding the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. On September 5, 2017, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that the Department of Homeland Security was ending the program known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). The DACA program was…

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Mae Beavers Rejects Democrat and Republican Leadership’s ‘Amnesty First’ Demands

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In light of Democrats – and some Republicans – push for “amnesty now, reforms later,” gubernatorial hopeful Mae Beavers issued a statement Tuesday reiterating her support of President Trump’s plans to secure the nation’s borders, as well as implement critical reforms to the immigration system including ending the practice of so-called “chain migration” and the Visa lottery, making mandatory the use of the federally run E-Verify by every employer in America. “The cornerstone of President Trump’s campaign was to secure our border and stop the flood of illegal immigrants into our country,” Beavers pointed out. “Millions of Americans voted for him based on that campaign promise alone, and I have every confidence that President Trump intends to fulfill his promise,” adding: I encourage the Tennessee Congressional delegation to stand solidly with President Trump in rejecting any and all attempts to water down his campaign promises with some sort of ‘we will get to border security later’ scheme. Congress has promised to secure our border AFTER we grant certain levels of amnesty before. We always get the amnesty…but never the increased border security and enforcement of our immigration laws. I am calling on our entire Tennessee Senate and Congressional delegation to make it…

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Bob Corker Once Told Other Senators That Illegal Immigration Isn’t ‘Fair to American Citizens’

Chris Alto

In 2007, when Bob Corker went to D.C. as the newly elected junior Senator from Tennessee he was openly against illegal immigration until he switched over while trying to save the 2013 “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill. During debate on the “Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007,” that would have ended chain migration, instituted a system of merit-based immigration, increased border security and interior enforcement, Corker said that to be “fair to American citizens,” illegal aliens should have to leave the country and then re-enter through legal channels: One of the things we are trying to address in this bill is a situation where our immigration has been broken, the system has been broken for many years. In 1986, legislation was offered to try to solve this problem. What has happened is it has gotten even worse, so there has been, obviously, more thought put into this bill. I appreciate again the many amendments and the discussion that has taken place. Many of the things we have talked about have addressed the legalities, have addressed some of the technicalities in our immigration system. It seems to me, one of the things we have not addressed—while we have tried to address fairness…

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State Senator Todd Gardenhire Considering Renewal of In-State Tuition Push for Illegal Aliens, Despite Poll Showing Widespread Opposition

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State Senator Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) is considering another try at getting in-state tuition for illegal aliens, despite a recent Tennessee Star Poll released just before Christmas that shows likely Republican primary voters oppose the proposal by an astounding 88 percent to 6 percent margin. (See question 12 on page 3 below.) [pdf-embedder url=”https://tennesseestar.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/171219-Triton-Dec-2017-TN-Star-GOP-Primary-Survey-Topline-Results.pdf” title=”171219 Triton – Dec 2017 TN Star GOP Primary Survey – Topline Results”] The Tennessee General Assembly is set to reconvene at noon, January 9, and the Chattanooga-area legislator told the Times Free Press he hasn’t yet “tested the waters” to see if there has been any significant movement by the state’s lawmakers toward granting the significant discounts to would-be students whose legal status is dubious, at best. One reason for Gardenhire’s hesitation to push for the measure likely stems from the fact that every gubernatorial candidate has come out against the proposal, which he says “surprised” him. “Mark White and I need to sit down and talk about it,” Gardenhire said to the Times Free Press. “So we’ll have to see what the temperature is before we sit down and try to take that on.” The proposal passed the state Senate on 2015, but failed in the state House by a single vote.…

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Randy Boyd On In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens: Universities ‘Would Make A Significant Amount of Money’ By Not Charging Them ‘Triple’ Out-of-State Rates

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Randy Boyd

In a carefully parsed response to a question from WTN’s Ralph Bristol on Wednesday, GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd said he agreed with a recent opinion issued by Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery that the matter of charging in-state tuition for illegal aliens is the responsibility of the Tennessee General Assembly. But, Boyd added, our “[state] universities are not at capacity,” and, just like a hotel, we should not keep paying students away by charging them “triple” out-of-state tuition, but instead should charge them “full” in-state tuition. This is the precise language used by in-state-tuition advocates State Sen. Todd Gardenhire (R-Chattanooga) and State Rep. Mark White (R-Memphis) in their recent attempts to push in-state-tuition for illegals through the Tennessee General Assembly. Gardenhire and White are expected to re-introduce that legislation to the Tennessee General Assembly when it convenes next month. The recent Tennessee Star poll shows the support of in-state tuition for the children of illegal immigrants is potentially toxic to a campaign aiming to earn a majority of Republican primary voters in 2018. A staggering 88 percent of Republican primary voters polled say they oppose providing taxpayer subsidized in-state college tuition to illegal immigrant students versus a mere 6 percent who…

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Illegal Aliens Occupied Congressional Hallways Demanding Amnesty During Votes On Tax Reform Bill

Chris Alto

Chanting “undocumented and unafraid,” illegal aliens continued more than a month of protests at the Capitol on Wednesday as the House of Representatives cast the final vote in favor of President Trump’s Tax Cut and Jobs Act. “Hundreds of illegal immigrant ‘Dreamers’ were taking to the halls of the U.S. Capitol complex Wednesday to complain they were being left behind by congressional leaders working on a year-end deal that does not grant them full citizenship rights,” The Washington Times reported on Wednesday: The Dreamers were particularly angered that Democrats, who they were counting on to engage in a shutdown showdown over their fate, appear to have backed off and are willing to grant another month-long funding bill without a an solution in hand. The activists, wearing red stocking hats and T-shirts, marched and lay down in hallways to try to slow business in the office buildings that ring the Capitol. They broadcast the actions live on Facebook. “We want Dream Act,” protesters chanted, referring to a bill that would grant tentative legal status to more than 2 million illegal immigrants, and would see 1.7 million of them earn a green card signifying permanent legal presence, according to the Migration Policy…

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GOP State Rep. Candidate Tommy Vallejos Marched With Open Border Groups Demanding Amnesty for Illegal Aliens

Chris Alto

Tommy Vallejos, a Montgomery County Commissioner and GOP candidate for Tennessee’s District 67 State House seat currently held by retiring State Rep. Joe Pitts (D-Clarksville), has been an advocate for both legal and illegal aliens in Tennessee. Vallejos is the founder and current Chairman of Latinos for Tennessee (L4TN) and former Director for Hispanic Organization for Progress & Education (HOPE), a position he held for almost five years but which is not referenced on his campaign’s website. Pitts’ wife Cynthia served on HOPE’s board during Vallejos’ tenure as director. While leading HOPE, Vallejos joined Soros-backed open border groups including the Tennessee Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) in the 2010 D.C. march organized by the National Immigration Forum. Rally-goers were demanding comprehensive immigration reform that along with border security, would include an amnesty and path to citizenship for illegal aliens. U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, considered Congress’ most radical open borders advocate for illegal aliens, was the rally’s keynote speaker. Today, Vallejos tells The Tennessee Star that “I have never been for amnesty, but felt our immigration system was broken (still is) and needed reform.” As a recognized leader of the Latino community, Vallejos who described himself as a “staunch Republican,” opposed a 2006…

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Todd Rokita Pushes Bill to Imprison Those Who Do Not Enforce Federal Immigration Law

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Rep. Todd Rokita said Tuesday that his bill could put elected officials in prison for failing to enforce federal immigration law. “If they’re going to act like criminals themselves, if they’re going to put the interests of these illegal immigrant criminals above the safety of their own citizens, then we ought to lock them up,” Mr. Rokita, Indiana Republican, said on Fox News.

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Randy Boyd Fundraiser With Jeb Bush Closed to the Public, $4,000 Bought a Picture With Both

Wendy Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Jeb Bush on Thursday headlined a fundraiser for Republican gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd at the Omni Hotel downtown. Boyd, who is considered an establishment figure by grassroots conservatives, has faced criticism for turning to Bush to boost his campaign. The former Florida governor badly failed in his bid for the Republican presidential nomination last year. Thursday’s event was closed to the media, which a Boyd campaign spokeswoman reiterated in the hotel lobby when approached by a reporter and photographer for The Tennessee Star.  There did not appear to be any other journalists at the Omni. Several Boyd supporters and volunteers approached by The Star declined to be interviewed. Earlier in the day, Bush spoke at a conference on education at the Omni, where U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos also spoke. The conference, which concludes today, was organized by the Foundation for Excellence in Education (ExcelinEd), an initiative founded by Bush that promotes school choice and other education reforms. In the evening, Bush fans paid big bucks to mingle with him and Boyd and Boyd’s wife, Jenny, at the fundraiser. A photo reception cost $4,000 per person/couple. A general reception cost $1,000 per person/couple, and the dinner that…

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Southern Baptists’ ERLC Backs New Evangelical Group Calling for Acceptance of Young Illegal Immigrants

Wendy Wilson

On Thanksgiving Day, the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC) of the Southern Baptist Convention tweeted its support for a new evangelical group calling for Christians to embrace young illegal immigrants. Voices of Christian Dreamers claims to be grassroots, but in reality is the creation of powerful immigration activists. “As we celebrate Thanksgiving, this group of Christian Dreamers shares why they’re thankful,” said the ERLC tweet, which included a link to a video produced by the group. As we celebrate Thanksgiving, this group of Christian Dreamers shares why they’re thankful. Watch here: https://t.co/RnUqmaNF47 https://t.co/4sqOPIIDv4 — ERLC (@ERLC) November 23, 2017 ERLC President Russell Moore has frequently been criticized by conservatives for his support of progressive immigration policies. The ERLC is the Southern Baptists’ public policy arm and has offices in Washington, D.C., and Nashville. Voices of Christian Dreamers describes itself on its website as “a grassroots, Dreamers-led movement committed to changing the conversation about undocumented immigrants in the Church and beyond, through highlighting biblical teaching, personal stories and other helpful resources.” Its website explains: Dreamers—a term derived from the DREAM Act, a bill that has been repeatedly introduced but never yet passed into law—are individuals brought into the U.S. as children…

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Rep. Marsha Blackburn Releases Video Backing President Trump’s Immigration Policies

Wendy Wilson

U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN-7) on Monday released a video in which she expressed support for President Trump’s immigration policies. Blackburn, who is running for the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN), says in the video: I support the president’s goals and his plan on immigration. He is right to require Congress to get in there and figure out this entry-exit program, and how our visas are issued. Forty percent of those that are illegally in the country are here because they have overstayed a visa. So, the American people for a variety of reasons have said let’s secure this southern border. Yes, part of it will be a wall, part of it is probably going to be increased surveillance. Part of it is going to be other technology. The good thing is the border patrol is leading a lot of this discussion in saying this is what we need. And we in Congress need to give the border patrol what they see they need. What they tell us they need, in order to secure the southern border. On Thursday, Fox News published an op-ed by Blackburn in which she spoke out against sanctuary cities and discussed legislation…

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EXCLUSIVE Interview: Joe Carr Standing Firm on Conservative Record in 14th District State Senate Special Election

Wendy Wilson

MURFREESBORO, Tennessee — Joe Carr held forth on a range of issues Thursday at Slick Pig BBQ on East Main, a favorite hangout where he feels right at home. In an interview with The Tennessee Star, the conservative State Senate candidate energetically answered questions on immigration, health care and education. Carr announced Monday that he will run for the State Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Tracy (R-Shelbyville), who late last week was appointed as state director of rural development for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Tracy’s resignation means there will be a special election within the next few months. Murfreesboro businessman Shane Reeves also announced this week that he will run for the seat as a Republican. Carr served in the Tennessee State House of Representatives from 2008 to 2014, lost the 2014 Republican U.S. Senate primary to Lamar Alexander, and also lost the 2016 Republican 6th Congressional District primary to Rep. Diane Black (R-TN-06). He lives on his family farm in Lascassas and is semi-retired after having founded and sold two engineering firms. In recent years, he has become known for his T-Bones and Politics fundraisers featuring big-name guest speakers. Viewed as a solid conservative by his admirers, Carr is against the…

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Phil Valentine, Raul Lopez Discuss Illegal Immigration at Nashville Republican Women Luncheon

Wendy Wilson

NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Conservative radio talk show host Phil Valentine said Wednesday that illegal immigration can easily be stopped if we “demagnetize” the U.S. “The solution is quite simple,” he said at a Nashville Republican Women’s luncheon at the Richland Country Club. In addition to not being able to get a job, people here illegally should not be able to open a bank account, take out a loan or get a credit card, Valentine said. “If you demagnetize America, like I’ve been saying for 20 years, and make it impossible for somebody to be able to function in this society unless they’re legally here, you’ve solved that problem,” he said. In recent years, a growing number of banks and financial institutions have allowed people to open accounts without requiring them to show they are in the U.S. legally. Valentine also said the diversity visa lottery is “insane.” The program allows people to immigrate, often more quickly, to the U.S. to give underrepresented countries a boost. Valentine said he favors a merit-based system, which President Trump and his allies are promoting. “If people want to come, then come to the table and tell us what you can do for us. This…

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Commentary: The Real Immigration Battle Is Going to Be Over Chain Migration

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by Printus LeBlanc   Following the New York City terrorist attack last week, many people were shocked to find out the attacker was an invited guest to the U.S., via the visa lottery program. The visa lottery program is the shiny object in the media right now, but the real danger is the chain migration that eventually brings an immigrant’s entire family to the U.S. Current U.S. immigration policy is based on family reunification. This includes immediate relatives of U.S. citizens, a separate category from the families of legal permanent residents. Immediate relatives include spouses, children under 21, and parents. But family reunification of immigrant arrivals in addition to U.S. citizens has also been a basis for admitting immigrants, but the priority went to the highly-educated and skilled. The promotion of family reunification originated with the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA established a hierarchy of family-based preferences, like parents, adult children, and adult siblings. However, priority still went to highly-educated or skilled immigrants. The Immigration Act of 1965 (Hart-Celler Act) was the next piece of legislation to influence chain migration. The bill went beyond simply promoting family reunification and made it the priority of U.S. immigration policy.…

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4 Examples of What Happens When Jurisdictions Don’t Cooperate With ICE

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“Sanctuary” policies haven’t kept federal immigration authorities from doing their job, but there have been numerous cases of local jurisdictions refusing to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer requests. In some cases, those released have been charged with murder and other crimes. Sanctuary jurisdictions are cities or counties that have formal policies that prohibit local…

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Noncitizen Immigrants Voted Illegally in Pennsylvania Elections

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A Pennsylvania election official confirmed Wednesday that noncitizen immigrants illegally voted in elections hundreds of times since 2000, casting doubt on the state’s ability to screen out ineligible voters on its election roles. Jonathan Marks, commissioner for Pennsylvania’s Bureau of Commissions, Elections and Legislation, told a state legislative committee that an agency analysis found 544 improper…

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Georgia Issuing Driver’s Licenses to More DACA Recipients Than Feds Say Live in State

Wendy Wilson

Georgia has issued driver’s licenses to more DACA recipients than the federal government says live in the state, reports InsiderAdvantage. “How many illegal aliens have benefited from former President Barack Obama’s DACA amnesty?,” asks writer D.A. King, a pro-enforcement immigration activist. “That’s a question that should get a closer review.” According to the federal government, Georgia currently has 21,600 DACA recipients, but 48,935 DACA recipients have received driver’s licenses in the state, according to the state Department of Driver Services. Georgia’s number of approved DACA recipients has stayed within a close range under 25,000 since the program began in 2012, according to the federal government. Numbers have fluctuated somewhat within given states because of various factors, including new applicants, recipients not seeking renewals, and recipients having their status revoked because of criminal activity. Some 8,700 DACA recipients in Georgia have also received official photo ID cards. People can be issued both a driver’s license and an ID card. “We think the discrepancy in the stated numbers of DACA beneficiaries from federal authorities and the database of the Georgia agency in charge of the integrity of our driving and ID credentials is worthy of an official explanation,” writes King, who is the president of the…

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ICE Nabs Alleged Sexual Abuser After NYC Ignored Detainer

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Immigration agents arrested an Indian national suspected of assault and sexual abuse after New York City jail officials released him in spite of an outstanding detention request, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials said Wednesday. ICE deportation officers detained 21-year-old Gurnam Singh on Oct. 16, following at least three previous arrests and encounters by New York…

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Representative Diane Black Stands with President Trump on ‘Immigration Policies and Principles’

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Gubernatorial hopeful Representative Diane Black (TN-06) issued a strong statement of support Monday of President Trump’s extensive series of memos outlining the White House Immigration Policies and Principles. The new outline is, by and large, a restatement of previous positions together into a single, comprehensive document (see embedded .pdf below). “I applaud President Trump for taking a strong step to secure our borders and keep Americans safe,” Representative Black stated, adding: The President has been consistent in his efforts to stop illegal immigration and make sure that we put Americans first. I support him and I hope every Republican does the same. I’m glad the President has included some of the provisions from my bill with Senator Toomey (H.R.400 –  Stop Dangerous Sanctuary Cities Act) to end sanctuary cities and make sure that liberal politicians around the country can’t ignore the law and put their citizens in danger. It’s something we need to do, and I support President Trump’s efforts to do it.” The Principles, which were included in a letter sent by President Trump to Senate and House leadership Sunday, were also tweeted via the White House pool: Enforce Immigration Laws Across the United States https://t.co/4ZDIYTWpHv — Public Pool (@WHPublicPool) October…

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Gov. Haslam Has Not Kept Campaign Promises to Curb Illegal Immigration in Tennessee

Chris Alto

Broken promises from Bill Haslam’s 2010 campaign could figure prominently in any run for Bob Corker’s Senate seat.  While campaigning for governor, Haslam repeatedly raised the issue of illegal immigration and how he, as governor, would work to insulate Tennessee from the negative fiscal effects of illegal immigration and from becoming a magnet for illegal immigrants. In his “Jobs4TN” written campaign materials Haslam tied job development and employment for Tennesseans to the problem of illegal immigration and promised: In order to keep Tennessee a great state, we must also work to provide more and better job opportunities for Tennessee residents. An important part of that effort must be making sure that available jobs are only going to individuals who are legally resident in the state. Tennessee is paying a price for the failure of the federal government to effectively secure our nation’s borders and enforce our immigration laws. As governor, I will enforce the state laws on the books and do everything within my authority to be sure that Tennessee does not attract illegal activity. After he was elected, however, Haslam began to incrementally retreat from considering illegal immigration a negative fiscal and/or employment issue. In 2009, during the Bredesen administration, Managing…

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California Sues to Stop The Wall on Environmental Grounds

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Tennessee Star

California Attorney General Xavier Becerra filed a lawsuit Wednesday alleging that President Donald Trump’s proposal to expedite construction of a wall at the U.S.-Mexico border violates laws aimed at protecting the environment. Becerra announced the legal challenge standing in front of the existing border fencing at Border Field State Park near San Diego, saying the federal…

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FAKE NEWS: PolitiFact Falsely Claims DACA Won’t Lead to Chain Migration

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The fact-checking website PolitiFact labeled as “false” Virginia Republican Rep. Dave Brat’s statement that legalizing the DACA ‘kids’ would lead to three-four million more people coming into the country, because of chain migration. But Brat was right, experts say, and PolitiFact was only looking at half the facts. In a Sept. 7 interview on MSNBC, Brat…

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Mae Beavers Doubles-Down on Her ‘America First’ Positions Opposing DACA, Sanctuary Cities, and Amnesty

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Gubernatorial candidate Mae Beavers doubled-down Friday on her support of President Trump’s constitutional decision to end the legally dubious DACA program, issuing this statement: “As I have said before, the Executive Order that President Barack Obama relied upon to create DACA was unconstitutional and I applauded President Trump for making the decision to end the program. He also made the right call to put the burden of crafting and passing immigration legislation that secures our border, enhances enforcement of our immigration laws, makes it easier for employers to distinguish between legal and illegal job applicants with E-verify, and provides for limits on legal immigration in the hands of Congress, where it belongs,” Beavers said, adding: American taxpayers have carried the burden of illegal immigration long enough. President Trump has made it clear that American taxpayers and workers are his top priority rather than promoting the agenda of those who have illegally entered our country, illegally worked in our country, and illegally relied upon identity fraud to cover up their illegal actions. I fully support him in putting America and Americans first! He is also confirming that “the Wall” will be built, as he promised throughout the campaign last year, and…

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Commentary: Tennessee Attorney General Abuses His Position to Offer Political and Not Legal Opinion

Chris Alto

  Disregarding the Constitution, foundational principles of federalism, immigration law and his statutorily prescribed duties, Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery III, the state’s chief legal advisor, has used his position and office to advance a political agenda on behalf of illegal aliens in the state. Forty-three states elect their Attorney General unlike in Tennessee whose state Constitution directs the State Supreme Court to make the appointment for a term of eight years. Elected Attorney Generals are viewed as more accountable to the public and more independent from the governor. Elected AGs are also viewed as having more credibility should a situation arise requiring investigating wrongdoing by any state official including the governor. Prior to his appointment as Tennessee’s Attorney General, from 2011 – 2014, Slatery, also from Knoxville, served as counsel to Governor Haslam. “In addition to providing legal advice to the Governor, he oversaw the process for judicial appointments, coordinated the legal affairs of the executive branch for the Governor, assisted in the development and implementation of legislation, and reviewed requests for executive clemency and extradition.” Using his official letterhead, Slatery informed Sens. Alexander and Corker that Tennessee would not challenge the DACA program despite admitting the likelihood of prevailing. Slatery’s…

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Tennessee Attorney General Slatery Pushes Amnesty For Illegal Immigrants On Advice From Soros Funded Organization

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Prior to withdrawing Tennessee from the coalition of state Attorneys General challenging the 2012 DACA program Attorney General Herbert Slatery, III, met with Stephanie Teatro, a co-Director of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC), who convinced Slatery to ignore the Constitution and the entire body of U.S. immigration law and advocate instead for illegal aliens in Tennessee. After meeting with Teatro, Slatery reneged on his commitment to the coalition of Attorneys General challenging DACA. Even though there was no statutory or Constitutional authority for Obama’s unilateral action on DACA, or the fact that DACA does not alter anyone’s illegal immigration status, Slatery chose instead, to join TIRRC’s push for passage of the “DREAM Act of 2017” which would grant amnesty and a path to citizenship for the DACA eligible. Slatery’s push for amnesty is also in line with the campaign being led by the New American Economy. In 2013, this same organization then called the Partnership for a New American Economy (PNAE), was championing the “Gang of Eight” immigration reform bill which included amnesty and was supported by Sens. Alexander and Corker. GOP gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd is a named member of the PNAE. In his letter to Sens. Alexander…

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Tennessee State Legislators Caved to Leftists on ‘Soft Amnesty’ Instead of Upholding Constitution

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Sixteen Republicans in the State Senate and twenty-seven in the House caved to the demands of the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) when they voted to give in-state tuition to illegal aliens with deferred deportation under DACA, or who might become eligible for DACA. DACA does not alter a grantee’s illegal immigration status. Ignoring the illegal immigration issue and offering a “soft amnesty” to DACA illegal aliens, the forty-three Republicans voting “aye” for the Gardenhire/White 2015 in-state tuition bill, also voted to violate federal and Tennessee law. These lawmakers also ignored the fact that Obama’s DACA policy was neither a statutory nor Constitutional exercise of executive authority. Republican Senators voting for the 2015 in-state tuition bill:  Janice Bowling, Richard Briggs, Rusty Crowe, Steve Dickerson, Todd Gardenhire, Mark Green, Dolores Gresham, Ferrell Haile, Ed Jackson, Brian Kelsey, Becky Duncan-Massey, Randy McNally, Frank Niceley, Doug Overbey, Steve Southerland, Lt. Gov. Ron Ramsey. Republican House members voting for in-state tuition: Harry Brooks, Kevin Brooks, Kent Calfee, Dale Carr, Mike Carter, Bill Dunn, Jimmy Eldridge, Andrew Farmer, Marc Gravitt, Mike Harrison, Ryan Haynes, Patsy Hazlewood, Bud Hulsey, Curtis Johnson, Sabi Kumar, Pat Marsh, Gerald McCormick, Steve McDaniel, Steve McManus, Bob Ramsey,…

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Hundreds in Nashville Protest President Trump’s Constitutional Decision to End DACA

Wendy Wilson

  NASHVILLE, Tennessee — Several hundred protesters marched along West End Avenue in Nashville late Tuesday afternoon to denounce President’s Trump decision to end DACA. “Up, up with liberation. Down, down with deportation,” chanted the marchers, as similar protests took place across the country. Meanwhile, Trump supporters who want tougher immigration enforcement and adherence to the Constitution praised the president for following through on a campaign promise. The Trump administration announced early Tuesday that it would phase out DACA, which offers young people who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children and meet certain criteria the opportunity to obtain temporary permission to live and work in the U.S. Many recipients are now young adults. Former President Obama started the program in 2012 through an executive order, which critics called an unconstitutional exercise of power by the executive branch. Now it will be left up to Congress to decide what to do with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA recipients, known as Dreamers, will begin losing their permits in March unless Congress acts. Immigration activists are already lobbying Congress to save the program. Should Congress pass legislation to restore the DACA program before it ends six months from now,…

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Teach For America Says Their ‘DACAmented’ Trainees Can Tell Tennessee Students About Living Illegally in U.S.

Chris Alto

  Teach For America (TFA)  is “actively recruit[ing]” illegal aliens who have been granted temporary deportation through the unconstitutional DACA program. After one month of TFA summer training the “DACAmented teacher” can be placed in a Tennessee public school. Over one hundred “DACAmented” trainees are currently teaching in schools around the U.S. to date, and TFA is actively working to find more schools that are willing to employ illegal aliens who were given temporary work permits. In 2006, Memphis began partnering with TFA and three years later, Metro Nashville Public Schools followed. In 2014, the Islamic Center of Nashville whose president Rashed Fakhruddin helps train Metro middle and high school teachers, hosted TFA recruits at the mosque. Passionate about supporting the “DREAM Act” and educating “undocumented students,” TFA tells its DACAmented recruits that a personal story of living in the U.S. illegally can influence students : Picture standing in front of a classroom, having grown up undocumented. Imagine having the opportunity to share your story from fearing deportation to the day you graduated from college, and what it was like to get admitted to Teach For America. Think about the impact your story could have on your students, both those born in…

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Tennesseee Attorney General Wants Congress to Grant Amnesty and Legitimize Unconstitutional Action by Obama Administration

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Tennessee’s Attorney General Herbert Slatery, III, by letter dated September 1, 2017, informed Sens. Alexander and Corker that he is willing to forgo upholding the Constitution and the rule of law in favor of supporting Obama’s unilateral action that established the 2012 DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) program. Slatery has elected to leave the coalition of ten state Attorneys General and the Governor of Idaho, which in a June 29, 2017 letter to U.S. Attorney Jeff Sessions, requested a phase out of the 2012 DACA program because there was no statutory authority for the executive branch to unilaterally confer lawful presence and work authorization on illegal aliens. It was estimated that the 2012 DACA extended to over one million illegal aliens. The Attorneys General also requested that the memorandum and order establishing DACA be rescinded and that no new DACA permits or renewals be issued. The administration was also put on notice that the AG coalition would sue if the requested actions regarding DACA were not undertaken by September 5, 2017: This request does not require the Executive Branch to immediately rescind DACA or Expanded DACA permits that have already been issued. This request does not require the Secretary to alter the…

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Southern Baptist ERLC’s Russell Moore Urges Trump Not To Deport DACA Recipients Who Entered U.S. Illegally As Children

Wendy Wilson
Tennessee Star

  Russell Moore, head of the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission (ERLC), is among a group of evangelical leaders calling on President Trump not to deport immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children and offered a reprieve by former President Obama. President Trump will announce Tuesday what he intends to do with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. With a 2012 executive order, Obama offered young illegal immigrants who met certain criteria permission to temporarily live and work in the U.S. Those eligible for the benefits became known as “Dreamers.” Moore, who serves on the Evangelical Immigration Table, said in a statement Wednesday: It is long past time for Congress to work together to find a workable solution for our broken immigration system — especially for the hundreds of thousands of young, undocumented immigrants who were brought to our country by their parents. Many of these Dreamers have stepped forward in good faith. Congress should respond with a legislative solution that delivers on the promises made to these men and women and protects them from perpetual uncertainty. Let’s pray for a fair solution that highlights both justice and compassion. Other evangelical leaders involved with the Evangelical Immigration…

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‘Drive to 55’ Likely Gives ‘Tennessee Promise Scholarship’ to Illegal Immigrants in a Boyd Administration

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd takes full credit for the “Drive to 55” higher education umbrella initiative which includes programs like the Tennessee Promise scholarship, but has made no definitive statement to date about whether illegal immigrants should be permitted access to this benefit or in-state college tuition. Boyd, however, is a named member of an organization that pushes state and local policymakers to support giving in-state tuition to illegal immigrant students and he has used his philanthropy to help expand an entrepreneurship program whose services are available to illegal aliens. He is also a board member of the “College Promise Campaign” which wants a universal and free entitlement for the first two years of a higher education. The board is led by the president of the leftist Joyce Foundation and honorary chair Dr. Jill Biden, wife of former Vice-President Joe Biden. A briefing book for state leaders posted on the College Promise website, Making Public Colleges Tuition Free, includes a reference to the “alternative application for undocumented students” used by two states for their college promise scholarships. Boyd also has six state legislators working to get him elected as governor, four of whom voted to give illegal immigrant students access to in-state college tuition.…

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Mayors of 44 Tennessee Counties Where President Trump Won Overwhelmingly Have Endorsed ‘Never-Trumper’ Randy Boyd for Governor

Chris Alto
Tennessee Star

  Since launching earlier this year, Randy Boyd’s gubernatorial campaign has sent out numerous press releases announcing the names of county mayors who are supporting him for governor.  To date, 45 county mayors across Tennessee have endorsed Boyd. The state has 95 counties. In 44 of these 45 counties where Boyd has claimed the mayor’s support, President Trump won the vote overwhelmingly over Hillary Clinton in the November 2016 general election – with anywhere from 56.4 percent to 84.9 percent of the vote. (Shelby County is the lone exception) Here is the list of the 44 counties won convincingly by President Trump whose county mayors have pledged support to Boyd for Governor: Anderson, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Carroll, Claiborne, Cocke, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Fentress, Franklin, Gibson, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Henry, Hickman, Humphreys, Jefferson, Johnson, Lake, Lawrence, Lewis, Lincoln, Loudon, Marshall, Monroe, Montgomery, Moore, Morgan, Obion, Overton, Pickett, Rhea, Roane, Scott, Sequatchie, Sevier, Unicoi, Union, Washington, Weakley, White. By supporting Boyd for governor, these county mayor are going against the voters on a key issue that put Trump in the White House, namely, illegal immigration. Boyd, who says he “aspire[s] to be like” failed presidential candidate Mitt Romney, aligned himself with “never-Trump”…

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Tennessee Taxpayers Fund Conexion Americas’ ‘Education Equity’ for Students Here Legally and Illegally

Chris Alto

  Last year Conexion Americas, a multi-million dollar funded Latino advocacy organization headquartered in Nashville, convened the Tennessee Educational Equity Coalition (TEEC), which it now leads. Partnering with the George Soros funded Migration Policy Institute, TEEC launched the “TN English Learner Network.” TEEC does not appear to be a separate corporate entity, but rather merely a “project” of Conexion Americas, according to the most recent Conexion Americas annual report. Renata Soto, founder and director of Conexion Americas, was elected in 2015 to lead the National Council of La Raza’s (La Raza) board. George Soros has generously funded La Raza over the years in amounts typically exceeding $2 million. Gubernatorial candidate Randy Boyd is a mega donor to Conexion Americas, which received $250,000 from Randy and Jenny Boyd in 2016, and his education non-profit Complete Tennessee, which works in a reciprocal relationship with Soto and the TEEC. Soto serves on his board and his organization serves as a State Partner to TEEC. Both Complete Tennessee and the TEEC say they want to address “equity gaps” in the education provided to Tennessee students. Both Soto and Boyd are tied to organizations that support “tuition equity,” which is the legislative reference to a bill that would…

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