There was no one to save the INS (Immigration and Naturalization Service) when the House of Representative axed it into two today. One bureau will look after the enforcement of laws and the other will manage the services for the immigrants. There are two main functions of the INS. One of its function is to enforce the immigration laws. For example, secure the borders from the illegal immigration. The other is to provide services to the immigrants. For example, issue them green cards or process their applications for citizenship. Vote was 405-9. It was a remarkable feat for the grave diggers of INS.
Republicans have been gnashing their teethes on the existing INS for years. They are viewed as a “bad cop” by the minorities of color as the issues of immigration and INS is concerned. The Democrats play the role of a “good cop” on this very sensitive issue. Today’s vote again proved that Democrats and Republicans are the two sides of the same coin. Their fight in the two Houses ( Senate and House of Representative) is a sham. It is only to befool the Americans. Both parties represent the interests of one class é one segment of society, the Haves é a corporate America. Proof? Billions of tax cuts for the rich on the expanse of the poor in the first year of the Bush Administration. In Clinton administration, Republicans and Democrats joined hands on the issues of immigration and welfare. Both were anti-minority and anti-poor acts. And today, they end the INS as the world knew it by both the parties with the support of the Bush Administration.
There so-called differences are highlighted to keep their vote-banks intact. Republican is a party of the Whites. They constitute 95 of the party. Democrats is the party of the Whites and the minorities of the color é Latinos, Afro-Americans and Asians. But it is led by the White elite. To keep the minorities of color in its pocket, White leadership of the Democrats advocates its cause and betrays them again and again by joining hand with the Republicans.
A laundry list has been quoted to dump the INS. It is charged for the presence of about 11 million illegal aliens in the country. It is grilled for allowing 300,000 thousands individuals to roam the country after deportation orders. As it is not enough, INS is held responsible for a backlog of 5 million un–adjudicated petitions by the immigrants. “Three weeks ago, I asked the INS for all current policy directives it has issued. The response I received is startling: The directives fill six-and-a-half boxes but contain no index and no way to find a particular directive. How can the 34,000 INS employees follow directives if they can’t find them? This is an agency in disarray, lamented Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a Republican from Wisconsin, chairman of the House Committee on the Judiciary in the Washington Times. . Democratic minority leader also said “yes”. “I am convinced it is time for reform,” said House Democratic Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo. Then came the swinging Attorney General Aschcroft “We are committed to ending the INS as we know it.” And the fate of the INS was sealed é Legislature and the Executive both decided to end it.
The dissenting few voices like Rep. Melvin Watt were silenced who warned about the creation of a two-headed monster. “One of those “no” votes spoke out again against the bill Thursday, with Rep. Melvin Watt, D-N.C., calling the proposed two new agencies a “two-headed monster.” “You’ve got one inefficient unproductive INS now. It seems to me what you’re going to end up with is two inefficient agencies,” said Watt, who acknowledged he did not have enough votes to stop the bill.”
How this split will serve the interests of the minorities of color no body knows. One apprehension is that the 5.5 billion allocated for INS will go to enforcement of the laws and a little will left for the services of the immigrants.
The Senate will pass its own version of the bill. In case of difference betweens the bills passed by the two Houses, both bills will go to conference for a unified version. This unified version, passed by the both Houses, will be sent to the President for signature. After the presidential approval it will become law.
