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May 06, 2007

" Sleeping With The Emeny"

New Immigration Rules Could Allow Foreign Terrorists to Live in U.S. as Refugees

Fox News....for complete article

WASHINGTON — Today's foreign terrorists could become tomorrow's U.S. refugees if the Bush administration gets its way.

The intent is to grant refugee status to rebels who have fought repressive governments or advanced U.S. foreign policy objectives, particularly in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America.

But proposed changes to immigration rules also could cover U.S. enemies such as Al Qaeda members and fighters for Hamas and Hezbollah.

To some lawmakers, the revisions under consideration by the administration are too broad and potentially dangerous.

Officials say the changes are meant to reverse the unintended consequences of post-Sept. 11 restrictions that have kept thousands of otherwise eligible people from a haven in the United States.

The administration wants the authority to waive those restrictions so it has as much flexibility as possible in deciding who can and cannot enter the country.

Under current law, virtually all armed nongovernmental groups are classified as terrorist organizations and the U.S. is prohibited from accepting their members and combatants as refugees.

There is limited ability to grant waivers to supporters of those groups who can prove they were forced to provide assistance. But more than 10,000 people have been barred. That includes many from Burma, Laos and Vietnam, including some of whom fought alongside U.S. forces in Vietnam.

Last year, the government planned to accept 56,000 refugees; the actual number was 12,000 less, primarily due to the restrictions.

In addition, about 5,000 people already in the United States as refugees have been blocked from seeking U.S. citizenship because of the rules. Some 600 people asking for political asylum have had their cases put on hold.

"This has had a devastating impact on the admission of refugees and asylum seekers," said Jennifer Daskal, U.S. advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, which supports the proposed changes.

Amendments to the Immigration and Naturalization Act would permit the government to waive the rules for active members and fighters of terrorist groups on a case-by-case basis.

They would cover any foreigner who has engaged in terrorist activity, said Gonzalo Gallegos, a State Department spokesman.

"This amendment thus provides the executive branch with the authority to admit aliens who have engaged in armed action against oppressive regimes or in furtherance of U.S. foreign policy or both," he said.

Lawmakers, however, are skeptical of the need for such expansive changes.

"The provision in this bill would extend the waiver authority in current law to groups that are definitely not friends of the United States," said Republican Sen. John Kyl, who is leading an effort to revise the amendment.

"I do not think that there is a single member of this body who believes that any member of al-Qaida, Hamas or Hezbollah should ever be considered for admission to this country," he said.

Acting on behalf of a bipartisan group, Kyl in late March blocked the amendment from appearing in the Iraq war spending bill that President George W. Bush vetoed on Tuesday.

Kyl's office is working on wording that would cut out what he called the bill's "excesses."

A new version, giving the executive more limited waiver authority, could be ready as early as this week, according to aides.

The State Department and advocacy groups see no reason for concern, saying that members of Al Qaeda, Hamas or Hezbollah never would benefit.

Wild Thing's comment.......

Oh My God, ok I am not an alarmist but some things make sense and some things don't! And this has got to be one of the worst ideas to do something like this.

Sure let's let a few good ole boys come in as Refugees. They only want to be Americans and oh yes they also want to learn how to fly planes. But they are so sincere about being Refugees so they must be OK. Good giref!

"keeping one's enemies close," but this may be taking it a bit too far. ....to put it mildly. How far can the American public, THAT CARES ABOUT AMERICA, be pushed by a utopian administration and Congress? Where does the line get drawn in the sand ?

Some quotes from over the recent years:

“Islam is a revolutionary faith that comes to destroy any government made by man. Islam doesn’t look for a nation to be in better condition than another nation. Islam doesn’t care about the land or who own the land.

The goal of Islam is to rule the entire world and submit all of mankind to the faith of Islam. Any nation or power in this world that tries to get in the way of that goal, Islam will fight and destroy.”

-Mawlana Abul Ala Mawdudi, founder of Pakistan’s fundamentalist movement

Do you remember this quote???? Osama bin Laden on one of his fatwas on al-Jazeera TV. On February 14, 2003 -- about six weeks before troops from the United States and Britain entered Iraq, bin Laden said: "The interests of Muslims and the interests of the socialists coincide in the war against the crusaders."

"We do not differentiate between those dressed in military uniforms and civilians; they are all targets in this fatwah."- Osama Bin Laden

" We are not fighting so that you will offer us something. We are fighting to eliminate you." - Hussein Massawi, former leader of Hezbollah

Posted by Wild Thing at May 6, 2007 12:47 AM

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Comments

Posted by: TomR at May 6, 2007 07:05 AM

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Posted by: Lynn at May 6, 2007 07:58 AM

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Posted by: Brian at May 6, 2007 11:59 AM

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Posted by: Jack at May 6, 2007 03:07 PM

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Posted by: Wild Thing at May 7, 2007 12:18 AM

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Posted by: Wild Thing at May 7, 2007 12:20 AM

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Posted by: Wild Thing at May 7, 2007 12:22 AM

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Posted by: darthcrUSAderworldtour07 at May 7, 2007 07:05 AM

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