Texan describes immigration policy plan

By Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI

TIFTON — An informational meeting to address the national immigration issue was held Tuesday morning at the Tift County Agricultural Services Center. The speaker was Brad Bailey, the founder/CEO of The Hard Work Clean Hands Initiative.

Several elected officials, farmers and businessmen attended the hour and a half meeting where Bailey explained the initiative and “The Texas Solution.”

He first introduced himself to attendees by stating that he is from Houston, Texas, attended the University of Mississippi and is a business owner. He stated that immigration is a hot and heavy topic, and the debate has evolved with many people getting involved.

Since the tragedy of 9/11 in 2001, the debate has changed, he said, “and rightfully so.”

The national immigration issue has led to the development of HWCH, which proposes conservative solutions to the current U.S. immigration policy.

HWCH is “a national, nonprofit organization comprised of like-minded business and community leaders who recognize the failures of the current immigration system and the need for conservative, market-based reform.”

Their mission is “to develop and advance conservative, market-based approaches to the nation’s immigration issues; to sensitize conservatives about the rhetoric on immigration; to provide a voice for conservative job creators by educating the broader community on the urgent need for comprehensive, conservative, market-oriented reforms of the immigration process; to support, financially and otherwise, those Republican candidates and incumbents who seek conservative, free-market approaches to immigration issues; and ultimately, to enact conservative, market-based immigration reform into law.”

Bailey discussed The Texas Solution that has been adopted by the Texas Republican Party as a conservative solution for America’s immigration system.

He informed the crowd that the 2012 Republican Party of the Texas Platform committee adopted this solution June 8 at the end of a three-day convention. He stated that approximately 10,000 people attended the meeting (8,000 were delegates). He said the solution was attacked five times to be replaced with the 2010 immigration platform. However, two-thirds of the delegates supported the 2012 proposal each time, which resulted in it unanimously passing after it came to a floor vote.

Bailey noted that they will be presenting The Texas Solution at the Republican National Convention in August.

“It’s going to be a hot topic,” he told The Gazette. “Most people who will be attending don’t know about what was heard here — about how broken the system is, such as with the H-2A Program.”

He said The Texas Solution is a baby step to presenting a solution instead of complaining about the problem. He noted that it’s a one-page document about perimeters. It tones down rhetoric and offers solutions.

There’s a lot of emotion surrounding immigration, Bailey told the crowd. He said securing our borders is the main issue, noting that the federal government has failed in doing that.

“It’s a major, major problem. Rhetoric surrounding this issue is damaging the Republican brand. Let’s provide solutions,” he said.

“Eleven million people are here illegally. Can we really deport 11 million people?” he asked. “But, we do need to get the bad guys out. Let’s address the elephant in the room. We’re tired of this being a political football that is being kicked around.”

Bailey further discussed The Texas Solution in details, which states, “Because of decades-long failure of the federal government to secure our boarders and address the immigration issue, there are now upwards of 11 million undocumented individuals in the U.S. today, each of whom entered and remain here under different circumstances. Mass deportation of these individuals would neither be equitable nor practical; while blanket amnesty, as occurred with the Simpson-Mazzoli Act of 1986, would only encourage future violations of the law. We seek common ground to develop and advance a conservative, market-and law-based approach to our nation’s immigration issues by following these principals: Secure our boarders, modernize the U.S. social security card, birthright citizenship and create an effective and efficient Temporary Worker Program.”

He explained that a national Temporary Worker Program should be implemented to bring skilled and unskilled workers into the U.S. for temporary periods of time when no U.S. workers are currently available.

The program should also require: Self-funding through participation fees and fines; applicants must pass a full criminal background check; applicants with prior immigration violations would only qualify for the program if they paid the appropriate fines; applicants and/or employers must prove that they can afford and/or secure private health insurance; applicants must waive any and all rights to apply for financial assistance from any public entitlement programs; applicant must show a proficiency in the English language and complete an American civic class; temporary workers would only be able to work for employers that deduct and match payroll taxes; and all participants would be issued an individual Temporary-Worker Biometric Identification Card that tracks all address changes and both civil and criminal court appearances as a defendant.

Bailey noted that they support the improvement of the 1936 social security card to use contemporary anti-counterfeit technology. He assured that the social security card will not be considered a national ID card for U.S. citizens.

“We’re not looking for a national ID card. We want U.S. employers to be able to tell the difference between a real and fake social security card,” he said.

Bailey stated that the 2012 immigration platform on The Texas Solution is a 180 degree platform; it differs from the 2010 platform.

“We’re the first state Republican party to produce solutions instead of rhetoric,” he stated, noting that with his involvement, he just wanted to make a difference.

“This can no longer be a third rail political issue. Republicans are scared to touch this issue because they think no one understands it but they do,” he said.

Bailey noted that he’s in favor of states administering the Temporary Worker Program. Also, he stated that the initiative is planning to film a documentary about the national immigration issue by visiting farms, etc. to document the problems.

For more information on The Texas Solution, visit hardworkcleanhands.com.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

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