Opinion -- My Wife Followed Every Rule. It Still Took Everything We Had.

By Missouri State Representative Ray Reed

I met my wife, Natalia, years before I ever imagined becoming a state legislator. Long before that cold November day when she held my hand as I cast my vote and later watched as I was declared the next state representative for our district, we were just two young people in love, trying to build a life together in a country that too often makes it harder than necessary.

Natalia was born in Mexico and entered the United States legally. But like millions of families across this country, we had to navigate an immigration system so complex, so slow, and so punishing that even as a state legislator with access to resources, attorneys, and all the institutional knowledge I could gather, it still nearly broke us.

By the time you read this, my wife will finally have gained legal status. But the truth is, we never should’ve had to fight this hard.

There were nights when she would wake up crying and sweating from the anxiety, the uncertainty, the weight of a process that makes even the most secure relationships feel vulnerable. You may not know what it’s like to hold your wife in the middle of the night while she sobs over an immigration form, but I do. There were nights when I would wake up, too, startled from dreams of her being taken away and stressed from the fear of losing her to a system that too often confuses cruelty for justice. I would turn to see her still lying next to me and feel the flood of relief that she was safe. But almost as quickly, the weight returned in recognition that this was not just a dream we could shake off, but a reality we were living in, and a fight we could not avoid.

And yet, Natalia never let the system harden her. If you’re a regular visitor to the Missouri State Capitol, chances are you know her name. Legislative staff adore her. Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle light up when she walks into the rotunda. Spouses of elected officials ask where she is if I show up without her. Frankly, she’s more popular in Jefferson City than I am.

She is the face of what immigration looks like in real life: not a policy talking point or a border surge graphic, but a warm, brilliant, courageous woman who loves her family and her country, both the one she was born into and the one she chose for herself.

We often hear that the immigration system is broken. What’s left unsaid is that it was broken on purpose. Since day one, the Trump administration has slashed legal immigration pathways, built backlogs by design, and poured acid into the gears of a process that already struggled to function. They made things harder not out of necessity, but out of cruelty.

We need to stop pretending that families like mine are expendable. What my wife and I endured, what millions of couples, parents, and children endure every day, is what happens when politics replaces policy and when fear replaces fairness.

Our story has a happy ending. But it didn’t have to be this hard, and we won’t stop speaking out until every family, no matter where they come from or what they look like, can walk their journey with dignity, without fear, and with a system that sees them not as a threat but as neighbors, parents, spouses, and citizens in waiting.

Representative Ray Reed proudly serves as the State Representative for Missouri’s 83rd House District, which includes vibrant communities across the St. Louis region, including Brentwood, Maplewood, Richmond Heights, Shrewsbury, and portions of Affton. He was elected to his first two-year term in November 2024.

 

Opinion -- We Promised to Protect Him. We Lied.

By Tony Pentimalli

Sayed Nasir didn’t sneak into the United States. He didn’t hop a fence or break a law. He followed every step, played by every rule, and trusted every word of a promise this country made: Help our troops, and we will protect you. That promise was supposed to mean something.

On June 11, in a San Diego courtroom, that promise was shattered.

Nasir served the United States military as an interpreter in Afghanistan for over three years. He helped American soldiers navigate hostile terrain, interpret tribal negotiations, and survive the chaos of war. He risked his life daily. The Taliban noticed. They killed his brother. They abducted his father. His wife and children fled for their lives.

When the U.S. military pulled out, Nasir did what any man trying to survive would do. He escaped to Brazil, secured a humanitarian visa, and walked over 6,000 miles—including through the hellish Darien Gap—to reach the U.S.-Mexico border. There, he scheduled an appointment through the CBP One app and was lawfully paroled into the country to begin the asylum process.

He followed every step. He showed up to every hearing. He complied.

And still—agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tackled and arrested him in the courthouse hallway. His case, a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) lawyer said, had been “improvidently issued.” No clarification. No due process. No hearing. Just handcuffs.

What happened to Sayed Nasir isn’t an isolated case. It’s a pattern.

ICE has begun using the vague legal phrase “improvidently issued” as a bureaucratic loophole—one that allows them to dismiss active asylum claims on a technicality, detain applicants with no criminal records, and ship them off before the courts can intervene. It’s not justice. It’s not order. It’s a numbers game.

And in Trump’s second term, the numbers are everything.

Internal memos from DHS and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) reveal aggressive targets: 3,000 arrests per day, regardless of threat level or legal status. To meet those quotas, ICE is detaining everyone from asylum seekers to status adjusters to U.S. allies who risked everything for American troops.

This is what that looks like:

In San Diego, flashbang grenades exploded outside Buona Forchetta restaurant while ICE agents attempted to extract a detained migrant. Family members and neighbors surrounded the van. They begged for a warrant. The agents responded with war-zone tactics. Windows shook. Patrons screamed. A waiter dropped to the floor.

In Worcester, Massachusetts, ICE agents shoved a teenage girl to the pavement as she tried to protect her mother—an undocumented woman with a baby—during a street arrest.

In New Bedford, ICE officers used a hammer to smash the window of a couple’s car. They dragged Juan Francisco Mendez into custody, called him the wrong name, and discovered later he wasn’t even the target. Mendez was mid-process in a legal status change.

None of these stories made front-page news.

None prompted a press conference from the president.

But something about Nasir’s arrest did break through. Maybe it was the footage—his trembling voice repeating, "I worked with the U.S. military. I have all the documents." Maybe it was the cold-blooded nature of it: arresting a man at a hearing he was legally required to attend. Maybe it was the fact that even Fox News Pentagon reporter Jennifer Griffin wrote, simply, "This should anger every American."

It should.

Because it exposes what we’ve become.

We told men like Sayed Nasir that we’d keep them safe. We let them risk their lives to support American operations, and then when it was no longer convenient, we tossed them aside.

The Biden administration entered office promising not to forget our Afghan allies. “We will keep our commitment,” the president said in 2021. “They stood with us, and we will stand with them.”

That commitment now lies broken, buried beneath the flashbang smoke.

The Trump administration is doing more than breaking a promise. It is weaponizing the backlog.

There are still over 150,000 Afghans who served alongside U.S. troops waiting for protection. Many have been killed. Others—like Nasir—are now being rounded up by the very country they helped. By contrast, the Obama administration processed over 8,500 Afghan SIVs in 2016. Trump’s second term has admitted fewer than 600.

This isn’t immigration enforcement. It’s betrayal.

And it sends a clear message to every interpreter, fixer, guide, and ally in every future war America wages: Don’t believe our promises. Don’t trust our word. Because when the time comes, we will abandon you. We will forget your face. We will call you illegal.

And we will hand you back to the men who want you dead.

Representative Jason Crow, a former Army Ranger who served in Afghanistan, put it plainly: “If we can’t protect those who risked their lives for our troops, we lose credibility—not just in Afghanistan, but everywhere we deploy.”

The legal justification for Nasir’s arrest doesn’t hold water either. Multiple federal courts have warned ICE against making arrests inside courthouses, calling it a chilling violation of due process. That’s exactly what happened in San Diego.

The men behind these decisions—Stephen Miller, Kristi Noem, and Trump himself—aren’t enforcing law. They’re staging a spectacle. They want America afraid, divided, and brutal. They want to make an example out of men like Nasir. Not because they broke the law, but because they remind us what honor looks like.

If there is still a conscience in this country, it must act now. 

Congress must investigate the “improvidently issued” loophole. Veterans' groups must speak louder. Civil rights organizations must file lawsuits. And Americans—of every party, in every state—must demand that we keep the promises we made.

Because if we let this slide, it won’t stop with Nasir. It won’t stop with Afghan interpreters. It won’t stop at all.

This isn’t just immigration policy. It’s authoritarian conditioning. The war tactics, the courthouse arrests, the spectacle—it’s all part of the same doctrine: make the public fear, and make the state feel godlike.

We are either a nation that keeps its word—or we are a nation that lies.

Sayed Nasir is still in detention. And America’s soul is right there with him.

And if we don’t fight for him now, no one should believe in us again.

*Tony Pentimalli is a political analyst and commentator fighting for democracy, economic justice, and social equity. Follow him for sharp analysis and hard-hitting critiques on Facebook and BlueSky

Trump Revokes TPS Status for Immigrants

On Thursday, the Trump Administration began notifying 532,000 immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela that they would have to leave. They were admitted in 2022 under a humanitarian parole program created by the Biden Administration. They had financial sponsors and had two-year work permits to work in the US, the Associated Press reported.

This move is part of Project 2025, the agenda proposed by Trump allies during the 2024 campaign. The project also calls for Congress to make E-Verify mandatory, tighten parole standards, and cut back on the H-1B program.

 

Iowa Sheriffs Refuse to Sign ICE Agreements

Iowa Starting Line reported Friday that no county sheriff in Iowa, a red state, would sign ICE 287 (g) cooperation agreements. This was despite a threat from the National Sheriff’s Association, which supported Trump in the 2024 election, which warned that sheriffs departments that refused to comply would risk getting listed as “sanctuary jurisdictions.”

CBS 2 Iowa, based in Dubuque, quoted Dubuque County Sheriff Joe Kennedy as saying that while they were willing to cooperate with ICE, they did not want to get into a binding agreement where they had the ability to control his employees.

Section 287 (g) of the US Immigration & Nationality Act authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to deputize participating state and local law enforcement officers to enforce immigration laws. But such deputies would be required to undergo a 30-day training, which Kennedy says the county doesn’t have the money to do.

Subsequently, The National Desk, a Sinclair-owned chain of TV stations, reported that the National Sheriff’s Association backtracked on its support for such a "sanctuary" list, citing what they saw as a lack of transparency or straight answers by Trump officials. The list was subsequently taken down.

Editorial -- Restrictive Immigration Policies Aren't Working

It turns out that restrictive immigration policies do not work and do not stop people from coming to a country illegally. On Monday, the UK, which has some of the most restrictive immigration policies in the world, reported that 1,295 boats attempted to cross the British Channel from France on that day alone, a record. 

These people are coming despite increasingly aggressive policies from the UK, such as using the Royal Navy to stop boats, and threats to deport people to Rwanda, which faces allegations of torture and extrajudicial killings. The problem is that governments who focus on criminalizing migration are treating the symptoms, not the problems of war and famine. A disproportionate number of these people are fleeing wars such as Afghanistan, Syria, and now Ukraine. As a side note, if the politicians are tired of “illegal immigration,” then maybe they should quit starting or escalating the wars that cause it.

All countries have borders. But the fact is that if people want to migrate to a certain place, which people have done for millennia since the Biblical fall of man, you’re not going to stop them. 

The solution is not open borders, but neither should it be the kind of draconian police state tactics that the US decries Russia for using. Many politicians throw up their hands and ask why more people don’t come legally. The problem is that it costs thousands of dollars to get someone into this country legally, meaning only people with plenty of money can afford to do it. We need to enforce our immigration laws, but we have to make it as easy as possible to come to the US legally.

Sure, if people come to this country for the purpose of selling drugs to our kids, plotting terrorist attacks, or committing violent crimes, then they should be deported after serving the maximum possible sentence. But if people come for the purpose of starting a new life, learning English, and playing by our rules, then they should be allowed to come here. 

Many of the people coming here include babies and young children. The Supreme Court now says that life begins at conception. So it is only fair that if we are to adopt that standard, we should treat people with dignity from conception to the grave.

One of the most disturbing aspects of our immigration system is the fact that an unelected bureaucracy, with unelected judges, and officers who are not accountable to the people, are the judge and jury. If people are tired of Big Government trying to regulate our farms out of existence, then we need to pay attention when Big Government suspends basic constitutional law that we fought the British in 1776 to win. If they suspend the civil liberties of immigrants, it’s only a matter of time before they do it to us.

Unless one is Black or Native American, we are all either immigrants or descended from immigrants. One of my ancestors was English; another was Polish. All of our families were strangers and guests in another land at one time. 

Instead of unelected bureaucrats playing judge and jury, we need to enforce laws already on the books. If someone crossed the border via the Rio Grande, that is federal property and criminal trespass. If someone then crossed into private property without the owner’s permission, that is criminal trespass as well. If someone is stealing identities to give to undocumented immigrants, that is identity theft and should be prosecuted. But let’s enforce our immigration laws the way we enforce any other laws we have – with the right to a jury trial, the right to an attorney, to present evidence in their defense, and to appeal a guilty verdict. 

And as for employers who undercut our economy by hiring undocumented workers at subminimum wages, there are laws on the books for that. Prosecute them for wage theft. Require them to participate in e-Verify. Sue them for knowingly hiring undocumented workers for the purpose of undercutting competition.

But don’t create a police state, suspend basic civil liberties for certain people, talk about how certain countries need to become pariah states because they do not follow the “Rules Based International Order,” and expect the rest of the world to listen.

McCaskill Bill Would Require Use of E-Verify

Following her years-long effort to mandate the use of the Electronic Verification (E-Verify) system, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill introduced the E-Verify System Act of 2018 this week, which would require all employers to use the E-Verify system to ensure that newly hired employees are either United States citizens or foreign nationals authorized to work in the U.S. legally.

“Creating a system that allows employers to verify the work status of their employees is a commonsense step and something that we can and should come together to address,” said McCaskill, the top-ranking Democrat on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “The fact that the current system is voluntarily and haphazardly enforced creates more incentive for illegal immigration and allows too many businesses to easily skirt the law.”

The murder of Brooklyn (IA) girl Mollie Tibbetts by an immigrant worker prompted the renewal of calls to push for tighter verification standards. The case reignited the immigration debate; there was question over whether the suspect, Christhian Bahena Rivera (24) was in the country legally. His attorney, Allen Richards, says he was and is seeking a gag order in the case, fearing the poisoning of potential jurors. The Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement and his employer say he was not. He is being held on $5 million bond.

Under current law, employers are required to examine documents presented by new hires to verify their identity and work authorization, but the current process is broken and often people fall through the cracks. The bill, which McCaskill introduced with Senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), would allow employers to electronically verify the identity and work eligibility of new employees by comparing information from workers’ work eligibility documents (such as Social Security cards or drivers’ licenses) to information in Department of Homeland Security and Social Security Administration records for that individual. While it is currently unlawful to hire an individual without proper work status, the current E-Verify system is voluntary and enforcement is haphazard.

McCaskill’s bill makes the use of the E-Verify system mandatory for all employers, strengthens the program by using a facial photo and other information specific to an individual, and includes additional robust protections to address privacy and information security.

Editorial -- No Place for Hate Groups in Immigration Debate

We all agree with Dave Seminara in the Chicago Tribune that something has to be done about the immigration problem. In 1986, the Reagan Administration kicked the can down the road by giving amnesty to all illegal immigrants who were here before 1979 while doing nothing to address the problem in the long term so that it would not happen again. That was a typical American solution -- if we can't agree, then kick the can down the road for as long as possible in the hopes that someone else would figure out how to solve the problem.

Unfortunately, what Seminara chooses to do is rely on the rhetoric and data from a right-wing hate group. The Center for Immigration Studies, whom Seminara chooses to rely on, was founded by John Tanton, a known racist who associates with white nationalists and holocaust deniers. That, in and of itself, is a grave disservice to all the millions of Americans who risked their lives during World War II to protect the world from Hitler, Mussolini, and the Japanese Empire. We know this sounds harsh to people. But as a responsible media outlet, we have to tell it like it is. And when the corporate media refuses to report facts that are easily available through a simple Google search, we will report such facts. 

The CIS, of course, will churn out study after study claiming to back their "facts." However, on a personal note, my mother worked for a TV survey firm one time where she had to interview respondants about their TV watching habits. Half of them responded that they did not watch TV because there was nothing good on. However, the firm that she worked for threw out the data because it was not convenient for their purposes. This is how certain groups that are outside the mainstream try to give their views a thin veneer of respectability -- give themselves neutral sounding names, do study after study, and conveniently ignore data that does not fit their claims.

One of the main problems with our society is certain corporate and governmental and political interests who try all they can to control our lives. Together, they comprise the modern Big Brother. This is one of Big Brother's favorite propaganda techniques -- control every aspect of our lives with more and more work, rules, and regulations, and then turn around and tell us who we are supposed to be afraid of. Father Knows Best.

We all agree that the immigration system is broken. The way it is set up now, people like you and me who want to work hard and play by the rules cannot get in while the terrorists who want to destroy our way of life like the 9/11 bombers can. My common sense goals would be allowing people who want to start businesses here in this country and people who want to start a new life with their families in while keeping the terrorists out. Unfortunately, there are too many powerful special interests who are totally happy with the status quo. Certain powerful corporations can drive down wages by hiring illegal immigrants; after all, they cannot complain of their treatment or they will be reported and sent right back to Mexico. And certain powerful political interests are happy because they can keep us in bondage by telling us who we are supposed to be afraid of. And certain powerful government interests are happy because they can dream up more and more hoops for hardworking people to jump through that criminals won't. The end result is 11 million people living in legal limbo with no easy way out of their situation.

We do not have all the answers, but one thing we do know is that we are a lot more worried about a government setting up a police state than we are of people who simply want to work hard and play by the rules. Our families all (unless we are Native Americans) were immigrants to this land at one time or another. The children of Israel were told in the Old Testament to show hospitality to strangers because they were strangers wandering in the desert at one point. There is plenty of room for debate on how to go about fixing our broken immigration system. Unfortunately, relying on propaganda from groups that are outside the mainstream is never going to solve our problems.

Virgil Goode -- No Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants

Virgil Goode charges Obama and Romney with wanting to maintain the status quo, which he says would encourage more illegal immigration. Mitt Romney, on his website, opposes amnesty but would attract more legal immigrants, saying that it would help create more jobs. Obama is pushing the DREAM Act, which would address the status of immigrant children brought here at a young age. Goode would oppose any amnesty, repeal the 16th Amendment and require proof of citizenship before enrolling in public schools.

Senators Seek to Combat Illegal Tunnel Activity on Southwest Border

U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill along with Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Jon Kyl (R-AZ), and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) introduced legislation to combat illegal tunnel activity on the Southwest border of the United States. The Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011 would provide law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to locate tunnels, identify criminals and punish those involved in illegal activity.

“Last year, we passed legislation to help secure our Southwest border by increasing law enforcement and judicial resources and providing aerial surveillance drones. This legislation addresses those who have literally gone underground in an effort to bypass detection. This is a commonsense piece of legislation that will improve agency coordination and response when it comes to combating illegal tunneling and securing our border,” said Senator McCaskill.

The Border Tunnel Prevention Act of 2011 will:

· Make the use, construction or financing of a border tunnel a conspiracy offense;

· Include illegal tunneling as an offense eligible for Title III wiretaps even when there are not drugs or other contraband to facilitate a wiretap;

· Specify border tunnel activity as unlawful under the existing forfeiture and money laundering provisions to allow authorities to seize assets in these cases.

Last year, McCaskill was successful in passing a law that provided $600 million in border security resources without adding to the country’s deficit. The bill was paid for by raising fees on companies that choose to outsource high-paying American jobs. The additional fees provided millions to fund an increased Border Patrol and National Guard presence, judicial resources, and unmanned aerial vehicles along the border.

Companion legislation will be introduced in the House of Representatives by Congressman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas).

McCaskill: Employer Enforcement Must Be an Immigration Priority

At a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee hearing yesterday focused on the progress that has been made toward securing the U.S. Southwestern and Northern Borders, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill questioned former immigration and current Government Accountability Office (GAO) officials about budget cuts that will affect border security and pushed for increases in enforcement against employers who knowingly hired illegal immigrants. Last year, McCaskill co-sponsored deficit-neutral legislation to provide $600 million to increase law enforcement personnel and provide unmanned surveillance technology on the Southwest Border of the United States. At the hearing, McCaskill expressed her disappointment that the House’s proposed budget cuts would take away a vital portion of that measure, by cutting funding for 870 federal agents at the Southwest Border.

“I was proud to cosponsor with Senator McCain a bill that was fully paid for last year, that added $600 million to border security including drones for real time surveillance. I’m assuming that there’s no one on the panel that disagrees that this kind of technology in terms of real time surveillance unmanned could be extremely effective along the border as it relates to criminal activity? Imagine my surprise when that is part of what was cut in the [continuing budget resolution] that was passed by the House of Representatives. I’m willing to bet that most of the folks who were excited about passing that CR said ‘we need to secure the border’ a few times during this past campaign,” McCaskill said in yesterday’s hearing.

In addition to addressing the need to provide adequate technology and manpower to secure the border, McCaskill also advocated for increases in criminal and civil penalties for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. McCaskill said that although some progress has been made lately, any approach to addressing the problems of illegal immigration must include stronger enforcement programs.

“The fact is there have been very few instances where employers have been held accountable for knowingly and repeatedly violating the law when it comes to illegal immigration,” McCaskill said.

Over the past four years, McCaskill has repeatedly challenged both the Bush and Obama administrations to strengthen employer enforcement programs. She believes jobs are the magnet bringing people into this country and enforcing penalties for knowingly breaking the law as it relates to hiring illegal immigrants will provide a strong deterrent.

“These folks aren’t coming across the border for vacation. They’re coming for a job,” she said.

Yesterday’s hearing was the first in a series to follow focused on immigration policy and border security issues.

English-only driver's tests passed in Missouri House

English would become the language of Missouri's drivers and roadways under a bill
passed Thursday [March 10] by the state House of Representatives. The House voted to
eliminate all languages except English from driver's license examinations.

The current Missouri driver's test is offered in 11 languages besides English. The
bill's sponsor, Rep. Jerry Nolte, R-Galdstone, said limiting the exam to
English-only would make Missouri roads safer by requiring the driving test to be
administered in the same language that appears on street signs.

"There are substantial number of signs saying things like 'left lane closed' or
'bridge out' that, especially at highway speeds, people need to be able understand
relatively quick for safety," Nolte said.

However, Nolte said there were no statistical data available on how many road
accidents were caused by foreigners because of their incapacity to read English on
traffic signs.

In 2010, more than 10,000 out of 167,000 written tests in Missouri were administered
in foreign languages; the most common were Spanish and Chinese. Of those given in a
foreign language, roughly 3,000 passed.

Critics of the legislation said it discriminates against legal immigrants who have
not learned English and against people who use their driver's license as a form of
identification and for voting.

One of the opponents was Rep. Joe Fallert, D-Ste. Genevieve, who said this bill
would not succeed in removing nonproficient English speakers from Missouri roads,
anyway.

"International driver's license holders and foreigners who got their licenses in
other states were still going to be able to drive here," Fallert said.

However, 102 representatives in the Missouri House defended English-only exams. Rep.
Mark Parkinson, R-St. Charles, said everyone applying for U.S. citizenship is
required to prove a sufficient ability to speak English, which he said should be a
part of the American transition. Parkinson said he saw no reason why requirements
should be lowered when it comes to drivers' license tests.

"Driving is not a right," Parkinson said. "It is a privilege."

After two sessions of discussion, the Missouri House passed the original bill with
an added clause, allowing American sign language interpreters were allowed to
interpret for applicants.

The illiterate already can have the examiner read the test to them, according to a
spokesperson for the Public Information and Education Division of the Missouri
Highway Patrol.

Nolte said another motive for writing the bill was a recent discrimination lawsuit
filed in 2007 against Oklahoma. When immigrants were denied the option of taking the
driving test in Farsi, the predominant language of Iran, they sued the state. 

However, Democrats say this is an anti-jobs move that will make Missouri less
appealing to workers who have not mastered the English language as well as prevent
thousands of legal immigrants from working if they can't drive to their jobs.

The bill heads to the Senate after passing with a 64 percent majority vote in the
House of Representatives.

McCaskill Bill Cracks Down on Sham Universities, Illegal Immigration

Following recent news reports exposing instances of student visa fraud through ‘sham universities,’ U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill is sponsoring legislation that would further crackdown on participants and institutions. Specifically, the legislation would put in place criminal punishment for officers of educational institutions that knowingly attempt to receive certification to participate in the student visa program as a means to commit fraud. If passed, the bill would punish violators with up to 15 years in prison, financial penalties, or both. “‘Sham universities’ pose a serious threat to our nation’s security. For too long these institutions have played the system and gotten away with it,” McCaskill said. “This bill puts a stop to this harmful practice.” Last week, McCaskill announced an investigation into instances of fraud and abuse within the Student Exchange and Visitor Program (SEVP). The bad actors in SEVP not only put a stain on all of the schools that operate in an ethical manner, but also threaten our national security, by potentially allowing the admittance of those not seeking an education but instead looking to enter the country by any “legal” means. McCaskill called on the Inspector General of the Department of Homeland Security to conduct an investigation into these instances of student visa fraud and uncover how such schools were able to legally issue student visas. Additionally, McCaskill asked the inspector general to look into the current process for schools to become certified in the SEVP and how to improve the procedures to ensure that ‘sham universities’ will no longer be allowed by the Departments of State and Homeland Security to provide admittance into the United States. In 2010, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials in Los Angeles revealed that two schools claiming to provide English-language education were in fact front operations designed to get student visas for prostitutes from Russia, along with other ineligible foreigners. Several other examples of ‘sham universities’ have been investigated in San Francisco and Florida. No similar situations have been identified in Missouri yet. McCaskill believes enforcing the immigrations laws currently on the books should be the first step towards fixing our broken immigration system. She has fought for tougher crackdowns on employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers and some progress has been made as penalties for such employers have risen dramatically since 2007. Last year, McCaskill also passed a deficit-neutral law to provide $600 million in funding for additional border patrol agents and unmanned aerial surveillance to secure the southwest border.

Claire McCaskill Calls Out Republicans on Border Security

Today, U.S. Senator Claire McCaskill, in a hearing of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, criticized her Republican colleagues for their double talk on border security. Republicans, McCaskill said, often say that securing our border should be a top priority in terms of the immigration problems our country is facing, but this week House Republicans eliminated $600 million from border security and immigration enforcement.

Last summer, McCaskill passed deficit-neutral legislation to provide $600 million in funding to increase border security, which was signed into law. The new law provided 1500 additional border patrol agents to help secure the Southwest Border. In today’s hearing on the Department of Homeland Security’s budget for the upcoming year, Secretary Janet Napolitano confirmed that this week House Republicans had decimated the funding for border security for the upcoming year.

“Last year Senator Schumer and I were successful in getting some legislation passed that provided for additional border patrol personnel. It’s my understanding that the House in action yesterday…or the day before has cut a lot of that money that we identified as additional resources to be brought to the border. I’ve got to tell you I get whiplash sometimes around here,” McCaskill said today. “I listen to sanctimonious speeches about border security, border security, more resources for border security … then five minutes later the same people that are giving the sanctimonious speeches are yanking out the money in the budget that we need to secure the border.”

Watch video of McCaskill’s testimony here.

Show-Me State of Mind for June 18th, 2008

No Amnesty for Employers or ImmigrantsWhen it comes to immigration, Congressman Sam Graves likes to say, "You can't fix a leaky faucet while the water is running."I couldn't agree more, and that's why Graves' record on immigration leaves those of us who live here in Missouri scratching our heads. Sam's been in Washington so long that he's left the water running, forgotten to call the plumber, and now demands to know where the water is coming from!More than 5 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States since Graves and President Bush took office together in 2001. We all know that unsecured borders and attractive jobs are what draw immigrants. That's why securing our borders and cracking down on lawbreaking employers must be our top priority.Congressman Graves talks tough on immigration, but he's really exploiting the issue for political gain while undermining our efforts to fix the problem. In 2005, Graves voted to cut $48 million from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. These are the folks charged with keeping our borders safe. How could Graves write in March 2005 that "our current immigration policy is sick," only to vote a few months later to cut funding for border agents? In 2006, Graves voted against a bill that would have cracked down on smuggling illegal immigrants across the border - only one example of his siding with businesses who knowingly hire illegal workers. Businesses and individuals who break the law by recruiting, hiring, and harboring illegal immigrants must be held accountable for their actions.Why would Graves do this? Because businesses who benefit from cheap immigrant labor and oppose employer sanctions are funding his reelection campaigns. Graves is so beholden to these special interests that he is still pushing for more work visas even though he knows that millions of immigrants who entered the country on these visas have overstayed and become illegal immigrants.We need a Representative who will work to fix the immigration problem by strengthening our borders and enforcing our laws. And we especially need someone who will oppose amnesty for illegal immigrants, and for lawbreaking employers.Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

Capitol Report for June 18th, 2008

Acting on Illegal Immigration – Part 2, The Missouri Plan
It is important for us, as a nation, to recognize and appreciate those who have come to our country and have followed the law. These law-abiding individuals work here, pay their taxes here, and contribute to our culture. Last week, I wrote about the current challenges of illegal immigration, the strain it has and will continue to place on all levels of government, and the impacts it has on hard working Missourians. The responses and inquiries for details were tremendous, therefore this week; I will go into greater detail about the legislation passed this year by the Missouri General Assembly.
First, applicants for taxpayer provided benefits must now provide proof of citizenship, residency, or lawful presence when applying for food stamps, housing and other taxpayer provided services. This ensures that these benefits established to assist Missouri residents will only go to Missouri citizens. Not only will any individual who cannot prove lawful presence be denied state benefits, they will also be prohibited from receiving a Missouri driver’s license.
Next, we empowered law enforcement officers by allowing them to verify immigration status of anyone arrested or detained in Missouri and automatically denying bail for jailed individuals who cannot prove legal residency.
Most importantly, this legislation prohibits communities from adopting safe sanctuary policies for illegal immigrants, bars individuals from transporting or harboring any illegal alien, and prohibits government entities, political subdivisions and government officials from interfering with any communication with the federal government regarding the citizenship or immigration status of any individual.
Finally, this legislation penalizes employers who violate the law by knowingly employing illegal workers. These employers will be subject to fines and/or the revocation of business licenses and permits. Additionally, any business or employer who receives a contract to do work for the State of Missouri must participate in a federal work authorization program to ensure all of their employees are legal residents.
I believe that the legislation passed this year makes it clear that Missouri will not tolerate individuals who break the law. We welcome all nationalities and those who have taken the proper steps to make America their home. We urge those who are here illegally to do the right thing, follow the law, and then join us in finding freedom in the American dream.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 429, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Captiol Report for June 11th, 2008

Illegal immigration has presented a number of challenges and demands that directly impact law abiding citizens. Illegal immigrants have been able to access and exploit many government programs that are paid for by Missouri’s hard working families and are intended for Missouri’s citizens who cannot help themselves. This exploitation has left fewer resources available to those individuals and children who follow our laws and are in need. As our economic growth slows and our revenue growth becomes less certain, this strain on the system will only increase.
While the exploitation of government-funded programs has created challenges, the greatest impact has been made on Missouri jobs. Illegal immigrants often depress wages because they are willing to accept wages that are below market conditions thereby eliminating thousands of jobs that were once held by legal residents. To compound this problem, many of the wages earned by illegal immigrants are often sent outside this country, which removes these resources from our economic cycle.
Missourians have demanded action that aggressively combats illegal immigration. While the federal government has sat idle, the state legislature worked hard this year to pass a legislative package which eliminates access to taxpayer provided benefits and targets employers who knowingly break the law by employing illegal immigrants. Additionally, this legislation empowers law enforcement to detain illegal immigrants while providing the legal protections necessary to prevent individuals or political subdivisions from interfering with their actions. I believe this legislation is a reasonable approach to protecting the rights of hard working Missourians while respecting the legal immigrants who follow the laws when entering our state and country. I am hopeful that our actions at the state level will protect Missouri’s working families while we continue to push for comprehensive action at the federal level.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 429, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Capitol Report for May 21st, 2008

2008 Legislative Session Comes to a Close
The Second Regular Session of the 94th General Assembly came to an end when we adjourned last Friday night at 6:00pm. At the beginning of this legislative session, we knew we had several challenges before us, but we were committed to moving a legislative agenda that is good for Missouri and its citizens. Although the legislative process throughout the final week was relatively slow, by the time the final gavel fell we were successful in passing property tax reform, immigration reform, and legislation protecting our children.
One of the most significant measures we passed this session was a reforming of our property tax system in Missouri. I am happy to report that we passed property tax reform legislation that will require the rollback of property taxes in reassessment years, eliminate back door tax increases, increase transparency in tax liability, and expand property tax support to seniors and the disabled.
Next, we focused on the one of the problems Congress continues to ignore, illegal immigration reform. At the beginning we embarked on a course to craft a strong immigration policy that punished employers who knowingly hired illegal immigrants, that directed our law enforcement to detain illegal immigrants, and that prevented illegal immigrants from obtaining a drivers license or public benefits. By the time session came to a close, we passed legislation that will stop illegal immigrants from taking Missouri jobs, punish employers who knowingly hire them, and ensure that illegal immigrants will not receive public benefits paid for by hardworking Missouri families.
Finally, we passed legislation to protect children from sexual predators and online threats. These new protections seek to protect children who access the Internet while increasing penalties for repeat offenders and individuals who committed offenses in other states.
It has been an interesting year in the legislature and I am glad to be home with Stephanie and Addison. We have strived to use our tax dollars wisely, make government more efficient, and return common sense to the public policy process. I believe we have continued to move Missouri forward and are better prepared for the future because of our actions today. I look forward to continuing to fight for Missouri’s taxpayers as we strive to make Missouri a better place to work, live and raise a family.
As always, please feel free to call, email, or write with your ideas or concerns. The Capitol number is (573) 751-1415, my email is brad.lager@senate.mo.gov and my mailing address is Room 429, State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

A Moment with Mike for April 30th, 2008

In the last few years, the General Assembly in Missouri has made considerable effort to crack down on fraud and abuse in many programs. We have been able to reduce fraud in our Medicaid system and have worked to end frivolous lawsuit abuse that caused medical malpractice insurance premiums to skyrocket. These changes have begun to bring a higher level of accountability to our state and we are continuing on this path by looking at illegal immigration and the drain it imposes on Missouri families and our public benefits.
Across America and here in Missouri, we have many programs meant to address the urgent needs of our citizens. Services like MO HealthNet provide health care services and Utilicare helps with the heating costs for low-income families. These and programs including food stamps and housing assistance offer help we hope is a temporary relief for Missourians who are going through a rough period. While it is my personal hope that most citizens only use these temporarily during tough times, it is our tax dollars that pay for these services and they should be there when Missouri taxpayers need them. There is already a high demand for these programs and we need to make sure that our Missouri citizens are first in line to receive these needed services and that they are not exhausted by those that are coming into our country and our state illegally.
The House recently passed HB 1626 which would prohibit certain illegal immigrants from receiving public benefits. Passing this bill would add greater accountability to our programs, save the tax-payers money, act as a deterrent and send a strong message about Missouri’s priorities. To qualify for Missouri programs, applicants would have to take simple steps to prove they are Missouri citizens. This bill outlines those steps and the necessary documentation to assure that those who are here illegally are not receiving benefits and that our Missouri citizens are not denied.
We are also working to empower our law enforcement. We have given approval to HB 1549, which would require the Highway Patrol and other law enforcement personnel to verify the immigration status of any person arrested and inform federal authorities if the person is found to be an illegal immigrant. This same bill would also prohibit sanctuary cities and crack down on those who commit drivers’ license fraud – two ways we can strongly discourage illegal immigrants from making Missouri their home.
Another public benefit we want to make sure is only utilized by U.S. citizens and legal immigrants is our public system of higher education. We have passed a bill that would prohibit Missouri public institutions of higher education from knowingly enrolling unlawfully present aliens.
It is common sense to make sure people who are here illegally, who don’t pay the same taxes as legal residents, are not entitled to receive our public benefits. We will continue to make every effort to continue to reduce fraud and abuse of our public assistance programs in Missouri.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 406A State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.

Show-Me State of Mind for April 23rd, 2008

Illegal Immigration will dry up when jobs do
When it comes to illegal immigration, Washington just doesn't get it. With our lax border security, it's no wonder that illegal immigrants flock to our country. We need to secure our borders now. But you and I both know that the illegal immigrants who are already here came to this country to work at our factories, hotels, and corporate farms.
There are about 12 million illegal immigrants in the United States right now, and almost half of them entered the country after January 2001. These illegal immigrants are currently employed by 6 million different U.S. companies. But in 2007, only 17 firms faced criminal fines or other forfeitures for hiring illegal immigrants. That's right - just 17 of the 6 million firms employing illegals were punished. Those numbers just don't add up.
Senator Claire McCaskill hit the nail on the head. "Why is it that hundreds of bar owners can be sanctioned in Missouri every year for letting somebody with a fake ID have a beer, but we can't manage to sanction hundreds of employers for letting people use fake identities to obtain a job?" The answer is that the big business lobby has kept Washington wrapped around its little finger. In 2005, Congress failed to pass an amendment to increase the fines for businesses who knowingly hire illegal immigrants. And enough lawmakers beholden to corporate special interests continue to drag their feet.
Washington stands by as businesses hire illegal workers instead of Americans. And we wonder why we're in a recession? I believe in an old-fashioned value called "accountability." Employers who hire illegal immigrants are breaking the law, and we need to hold them accountable. It's as simple as that.
A fine of less than $3,000 is pocket-change for a multi-million dollar firm. We need to significantly increase these fines for companies who knowingly hire dozens, or sometimes hundreds, of illegals. Illegal immigrants come across the border in search of jobs. We need to enforce and strengthen these laws to reverse this trend.
Kay Barnes is a candidate for U.S. representative for Missouri's 6th Congressional District

A Moment with Mike for April 16th

As we enter the last stretch of the 94th legislative session many long hours of committee hearings, studying legislation, floor debate and meeting with fellow representatives and constituents are under way. Hopefully these efforts will bring forward some important legislation in a number of areas that will make Missouri a better place to call home.
You may remember that last year we passed the Senior Tax Justice Act to remove the state tax on Missouri Senior’s social security benefits. This year we want to continue creating fair tax policy in Missouri so we are working to provide a 100 percent state income tax deduction for those receiving military pension benefits. HB 1788 would help encourage more veterans to make Missouri their home after retirement, in turn benefiting our economy and communities.
Because of the federal governments lack of action, combating illegal immigration is another of our top priorities. One important component of reform is to make sure our law enforcement personnel have the tools and authority to uphold the law. We have given initial approval to HB 1549, which would require the Highway Patrol and other law enforcement personnel to verify the immigration status of any person arrested and inform federal authorities if the person is found to be illegal. This same bill would also prohibit sanctuary cities and crack down on those who commit drivers’ license fraud – two ways we can strongly discourage illegal immigrants from staying in Missouri.
Another way to discourage illegal immigration is to make sure illegal immigrants stop receiving public benefits, an issue addressed in HB 1626. We must stop this drain on the system so that Missourians can be certain they are first in line to receive the services they need. Another public benefit we want to make sure is only utilized by U.S. citizens and legal immigrants is our public system of higher education. To ensure this, we have passed HB 1463 which would prohibit Missouri public institutions of higher education from knowingly enrolling unlawfully present aliens.
Finally, we are working on several bills to improve education, some of which I have mentioned before. HB 1722 has been approved in the House and sent to the Senate. This bill would improve the classroom experience for Missouri students by giving our teachers the ability to enforce classroom discipline without fear of being sued. This legislation prevents lawsuits against teachers who discipline students, as long as they are following board policy.
I am excited about the work we are doing and I am confident that the final weeks will bring about positive changes for our state.
If you have questions, you may reach me at my Capitol number 573-751-9465, at the local district number, 660-582-4014, by email at mike.thomson@house.mo.gov or by mail at Room 406A State Capitol Building, Jefferson City, MO 65101.