Secret Immigration Bill Takes Away YOUR Liberty - Act Now!

From the Liberty Coalition, of which Democrats.com is a member... 

Action Alert: Oppose National ID in Immigration Reform

The current debate on immigration reform in the U.S. Senate has been highly secretive. The text of the bill has still not been offically released, though it has been leaked, and the mainstream media reports have been largely superficial. Did you know that this bill would reinstate the REAL ID card, which has already been rejected by fifteen states? Indeed, the legislation makes it impossible for Americans to work without either a national REAL ID card or U.S. passport.

Title III of the so-called "Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007" is dedicated to "employment verification." Under this scheme, no one will be allowed to have a job in the United States until the employer checks with the Department of Homeland of Security to make sure the employee is allowed to work. This applies to everyone -- including Americans.

While aliens and foreign nationals will have to present some kind immigration documents to check against the DHS database, Americans will have to present either a US passport (soon to require biometric elements) or both a drivers' license compliant with the REAL ID national ID system and a Social Security card. This is despite the fact that at least four states have passed binding legislation opting out of the expensive REAL ID system and at least a dozen more are in the process of doing so. REAL ID mandates significant changes to the amount and type of sensitive, personally identifiable information states will obtain, store and share about each and every applicant for an ID card. Such a national ID system is repugnant to core American values of individual liberty. Moreover, these mandates will likely lead to rampant identity theft and significant invasions of personal privacy.

Two amendments will be debated to strike the REAL ID provisions from the so-called "Secure Borders, Economic Opportunity and Immigration Reform Act of 2007." The first is the "Baucus-Tester Amendment," Amendment #1236. The second amendment is the "Baucus-Tester-Obama Amendment." While neither amendment fully strikes the Title III "Electronic Employment Verification System" (EEVS), both strike the provisions which require REAL ID as a prerequisite for employment.

We encourage our members and everyone opposed to a national ID card to call their U.S. Senators now via the Capitol switchboard at 202-224-3121 and urge a vote in favor the Baucus-Tester and Baucus-Tester-Obama amendments to the immigration bill. Senators should also be told that no immigration bill which contains an EEVS "no work list" is worthy of support -- nor is any Senator who votes for such a bill.