Las Vegas Sun

November 30, 2009

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Letter: Follow money to immigration policy

Sunday, Nov. 14, 1999 | 9:45 a.m.

Malena Burnett, founder of Fair Treatment of Immigrants, wonders why Sens. Bob Graham of Florida and Gordon Smith of Oregon are seeking amnesty for illegal agriculture workers who have been in the country for only four or five months. It's money. Smith owns two of Oregon's largest produce packing and freezing operations. Keep those cheap peas and carrots coming and keep my margins high. Agricultural interests are among Graham's biggest contributors.

And Sen. Harry Reid and Rep. Shelley Berkley are little different. For them, it's money and votes. If they can get amnesty for these people, it's more bucks from the Culinary Union and more votes from the ones who are granted amnesty.

Burnett knows very well why it has taken so long for any action for this particular group of illegal aliens. Even some of the most jaded members of the House and Senate don't like the idea of granting amnesty to people who have broken the law twice: once when they entered the United States and then again when they signed up knowingly in Jose Velez's immigration fraud scheme.

KENNETH RECORD

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