Bush admin to crack down on Illegal Immigration.

Bush is finally starting to crack down on illegal immigration. Since our joke of a congress wasn't able to pass any kind of reform President Bush is making some changes in our current plan that will fine employers who hire illegal immigrants. Personally I think this is a good start but so much more needs to be done. For starters, why don't we try enforcing the laws we already have in place! We also need to crack down on Apartment homes who are renting to illegal immigrants. If they can't work here and can't live here they'll be no need for them to come here illegally. Just a thought. (hey if you can't beat them, fine the heck out of them) ...Anyways, check out the latest.... read below.

Government to Step Up Immigration Law Enforcement
Friday , August 10, 2007
WASHINGTON —

The Bush administration on Friday unveiled a host of changes aimed at stepping up enforcement on illegal immigration, which officials said was necessary because Congress failed to act on comprehenesive reform legislation earlier this year.

"Our hope is that the key elements of the Senate bill will see the light of day at some point, but until Congress chooses to act, we'll be taking some energetic steps of our own," Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said Friday.

The new measures are aimed at strengthening border security, further preventing illegal immigrants from taking jobs, finding immigrants who have already entered the United States, and revising temporary worker programs.

The measures would include fines for employers by as much as 25 percent, and a stepped up process to punish employers who knowingly and repeatedly hire illegal immigrants, Chertoff said. The administration also would speed deployment of border agents and increase processing facilities.

Chertoff and Commerce Secretary Carlos Gutierrez announce the changes in a news conference Friday.

The administration also wants to expand the list of international gangs whose members are automatically denied admission to the U.S., reduce processing times for immigrant background checks, and install by the end of the year an exit system so the departure of foreigners from the country can be recorded at airports and seaports.

In addition, employers will face possible criminal sanctions if they don't fire employees unable to clear up problems with their Social Security numbers.

The Homeland Security Department will ask states to voluntarily share their driver's license photos and records with the agency for use in an employment verification system. The sharing is meant to help employers detect fraudulent licenses, according to the summary, which was provided by a congressional aide.

Some of the initiatives are similar to proposals contained in the recent immigration measure which failed to pass in the Senate, though they are not nearly as sweeping.

The legislation was opposed by many conservatives who complained that people don't trust their government to start new immigration programs since existing immigration laws are not enforced.

The Senate bill would have allowed millions of illegal immigrants to obtain legal status and eventually apply for legal residency. It also would have created a guest worker program and stepped up border security.

Some lawmakers have kept up efforts to tighten the border. Last month, the Senate added $3 billion to a homeland security bill and devoted the money to U.S.-Mexico border security.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.