The facts behind our South Carolina ads about Sen. Graham’s amnesty push

The claims in our TV and radio ads about Sen. Graham (R-S.C.) and his Gang of Eight’s comprehensive immigration reform proposals are so shocking that some South Carolina news outlets are saying they must be false.

Well, they ARE shocking.  But, sadly for South Carolina’s and the nation’s workers and taxpayers, the information in the ads is true.  Let us show you the ways.  (You can also find the sources for the ads, as well as any updates that we make along the way, by clicking on this link:   https://www.numbersusa.com/content/action/who-does-sen-graham-represent-fact-sheet.html)

Highlighted in yellow is the audio script for our TV ad.  If your Senator or Reprepesentative is pushing “comprehensive immigration reform,” you can just substitute his/her name throughout the ad script and imagine how it would sound in your community.

(AD CLAIM No. 1)  Who elected Lindsey Graham to  demand millions more immigrant workers  when  . . . 

“Comprehensive immigration reform” proposals are about a lot more than amnesty for illegal aliens.  They also include huge new provisions for increasing the number of foreign workers through legal channels.

Lindsey Graham and his Gang of Eight have not yet introduced legislation with clear details that allows us to put a precise number on the additional immigrant workers they demand. But they have issued a statement of principles that give us a general idea. 

For starters, they promise to eliminate backlogs of people who have applied to immigrate from other countries. That alone potentially adds 4 million more immigrants with permanent work authorization. (SOURCE: Washington Post, “Bipartisan Framework for Immigration Reform”, Jan. 27, 2013).

Graham and Gang would also give green cards to any foreign student who earns a PhD or Masters in science, technology, engineering, or math,  even though the National Institutes of Health reports the oversupply of postdoctorates is dissuading the best American minds from entering those fields. (SOURCE: Washington Post, “Bipartisan Framework for Immigration Reform”, Jan. 27, 2013).

In addition, Graham and Gang talk of large new programs for bringing in workers through temporary programs for jobs at nearly every level of skills.  The “temporary” needs to be in quotes, however, because the business/union negotiations being done for the Gang have stated that the “temporary” workers will have a path to permanent immigrant status.  (SOURCE: Anne Bartlett, “Labor, business leaders declare progress in immigration talks” Washington Post, February 21, 2013).

(AD CLAIM No. 2): . . .  when so many South Carolinians are jobless? 

About 180,000 South Carolinians were actively looking for work and could not find anything in December.  That is an 8.4% federal U-3 category unemployment rate.  (SOURCE:  U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

But nearly 350,000 South Carolinians were stuck the in the broader federal U-6 category unemployment rate which also includes discouraged workers who still want a job and people forced into part-time work who want a full-time job. that is a 15.8% federal U-6 category unemployment rate. (SOURCE: Center for Immigration Studies and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.)

Nationwide, around 20 million Americans are in the broad unemployment category. It is amazing that any politician has the audacity to talk about ADDING more foreign workers in these circumstances.  (SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsand Center for Immigration Studies.)

(AD CLAIM No. 3): Who elected Senator Graham to insist on more green cards for foreign workers when . . .  

All of the sources for Claim No. 1 also back this claim.  In addition, Sen. Graham and the Gang want to add another 11 million or so green cards to give permanent work authorization to nearly all illegal aliens currently in the U.S.  Although the Gang talks about the amnestied illegal aliens having to go “to the back of the line,” the Gang would actually put them at the front of the line when it comes to jobs.  That is, nearly all of the estimated 7 million illegal aliens currently working would be able to keep their jobs while 20 million Americans are left standing in the unemployment lines still waiting.  (SOURCE: Washington Post, “Bipartisan Framework for Immigration Reform,” Jan. 27, 2013.)

Many Americans are under the false assumption that illegal aliens are primarily in agricultural jobs that few Americans would want to take.  But less than 5% are in agriculture.  Most illegal alien workers are in construction, manufacturing and service jobs that are being sought by “less educated” Americans (no more than high school degree) who suffer soaring unemployment. 

(AD CLAIM No. 4):  . . . when returning veterans can’t find jobs?

The December U-3 unemployment rate for all veterans nationwide was 7%. For post 9/11 veterans, it was 10.8 percent (9.9% for men; 15.7% for women).  Sen. Graham and Gang not only would put those jobless veterans behind illegal aliens but also would force them to compete with the large numbers of new foreign workers they intend to import.   (Source: “Unemployment rises for all veterans in December” by Rick Maze, Army Times, January 4, 2013) 

(AD CLAIM No. 5): Who elected Graham to demand amnesty and welfare for millions of illegal aliens?

Sen. Graham has persuaded some in the media that this part of the ad can’t be true because federal law prohibits welfare for illegal aliens.

But Sen. Graham and Gang’s proposal would help the 11 million illegal aliens get around that ban by declaring them “legal.”  And that is why “comprehensive immigration reform” would add trillions of dollars of new spending to taxpayers over the next couple of decades, according to preliminary statements from the Heritage Foundation which expects to release a full report soon. The Gang promises a green card and path to citizenship to the millions of illegal aliens, which makes them eligible for the array of social welfare programs.  Declaring an illegal alien to be a legal resident at the very beginning opens up federal entitlement spending, too. For example, the Affordable Health Care Act (commonly called “Obamacare”) requires every legal resident to qualify for government health care. Legal status also opens up benefits from Social Security, Medicare, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and child tax credits.  (Source: Washington Post, “Bipartisan Framework for Immigration Reform”, Jan. 27, 2013)

SPREAD THE MESSAGE

You can view the ad and sign a petition agaisnt the Gang of Eight’s proposal against unemployed Americans at: www.SayNoToAmnesty.com/SC

Let your friends have a chance to register their opinion, too.

ROY BECK is Founder & President of NumbersUSA