Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

Lars Larson Show: Criminal Alien of the Week Report

September 26, 2013

Lars:

It has been an interesting last full week in the month of September when it comes to criminal aliens here in the State of Oregon.

In September 2013, county correctional facilities and jails in Clackamas, Jackson, Linn, Lincoln, Marion, NORCOR, Polk, Umatilla, Washington, and Yamhill counties incarcerated 185 criminal aliens for various crimes that had United States (U.S.) Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents had identified as possibly being in the country illegally.

Clackamas County Jail with ICE Holds (9/10/13): 22

Jackson County Jail with ICE Holds (9/10/13): 16

Lincoln County Jail with ICE Holds (9/10/13): 6

Linn County Jail with ICE Holds (9/11/13): 6

Marion County Correctional Facility with ICE Holds (9/11/13): 29

NORCOR ⁽¹⁾  with ICE Holds (9/16/13): 8

Polk County Jail with ICE Holds (9/16/13): 5

Umatilla County Jail ⁽²⁾  with ICE Holds (9/16/13): 15

Washington County Jail with ICE Holds (9/17/13): 71

Yamhill County Jail with ICE Holds (9/17/13): 7

Total ICE Holds: 185

(1) NORCOR, an acronym for Northern Oregon Regional Correction Facilities, incarcerates prisoners for Hood River, Wasco, Sherman and Gilliam counties.

(2) Umatilla County Jail incarcerates prisoners for Umatilla and Morrow counties and Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation.

As a group, for the nine months of 2013, the preceding 10 county correctional facilities and jails incarcerated an average of 153.00 criminal aliens per day with U.S. DHS–ICE Holds.

This week let us take your radio listeners on an in depth look on the connection of illegal aliens being permitted to drive in the state and how that may connect to those alien’s ability to distribute drugs.

First, let us look at alien driving crimes; of the 185 criminal aliens incarcerated in the preceding 10 correctional facilities and jails, 42 or 22.70 percent of those criminal aliens were charged with some type of driving crime or violation.

Second, let us look at drug crimes; of the 185 criminal aliens incarcerated in the preceding 10 correctional facilities and jails, 29 or 15.67 percent of those criminal aliens were charged with some type of drug crime.

Often connected with illegal aliens charged with driving crimes or violations are those also charged with drug crimes; six of the 42 criminal aliens or 14.28 percent were charged with some type of driving crime or violation and a drug crime.

If Lars Larson radio listeners who are registered Oregon voters want the opportunity to hinder illegal alien ability to drive and distribute illicit drugs in the state, your listeners should go to the “Protect Oregon Driver Licenses,” SB 833 referendum (#301), website (http://www.protectoregondl.org/ or http://www.protectoregondl.com) and download a signature sheet, print it out, sign it, and mail their signature sheet to the referendum’s petitioners before the October 1st deadline.

Lars, the last full week of September and another criminal alien report for Lars Larson Show F.M. 101.1 radio listeners.

docfnc

www.ProtectOregonDL.org: “Let No Referendum Signature Go Uncounted”

www.ProtectOregonDL.org: “Let No Referendum Signature Go Uncounted”

September 25, 2013

Protect Oregon Driver Licenses Campaign Participants:

Protect Oregon Driver Licenses, SB 833 Referendum (#301) Campaign, asks that by October 1st (Counting today, Sept. 25th — within the next six days) all referendum signature sheets be returned to the referendum’s petitioners so that the signatures of signees, on a mixture of many thousands of individual and ten-line signature sheets, can all be validated for accuracy and authenticity by referendum campaign staff:

Protect Oregon Driver Licenses
PO Box 7354
Salem, OR 97303
Phone: 503-435-0141
Website contact form: http://www.protectoregondl.org/contact-protect-oregon-driver-licenses

Persons who are registered Oregon voters, who haven’t yet signed a SB 833 referendum (#301) signature sheet, can go online to the Protect Oregon Driver Licenses’ website (http://www.protectoregondl.org/ or http://www.protectoregondl.com) and find a single line signature sheet to download, print out, sign and mail to the referendum’s petitioners.

Let me say it again, “Let No Referendum Signature Go Uncounted,” Protect Oregon Driver Licenses Campaign Participants please return your signed and dated referendum (#301) signature sheets to the referendum’s petitioners by the October 1st deadline.

docfnc

www.ProtectOregonDL.org: A Drive-Through Democracy Event

http://www.ProtectOregonDL.org: A Drive-Through Democracy Event

September 22, 2013

Protect Oregon Driver Licenses, SB 833 referendum (#301) campaign, in September is going to have another drive-through signature gathering opportunity (a day only event) on Monday, Sept. 23rd, noon to 7:00 p.m., near The Bomber Restaurant & Catering, at 13515 SE. McLoughlin Boulevard in Milwaukie, Oregon.

Persons who are registered Oregon voters, who can’t get to the signature event near The Bomber Restaurant, interested in signing the referendum, can go online to the Protect Oregon Driver Licenses’ website and find a single line signature sheet to down load, print out, sign and mail to the referendum’s petitioners.

http://www.protectoregondl.org/ or http://www.protectoregondl.com

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Arizona’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Arizona’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

Arizona Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, both know as members of the “Gang of Eight,” voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19, 2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0 percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently, when Senators McCain and Flake have returned home from Washington D.C. to Arizona over the last five years they have failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 241,700 citizens were unemployed in July; the state ranked 10th tied with Oregon for the percentage of unemployed.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an estimated 230,000 unauthorized workers in Arizona; 7.4 percent of the state’s total labor force.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president, the addition of 230,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in Arizona. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, Arizona’s 241,700 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, along with all the state’s Reps., Ron Barber, Trent Franks, Paul Gosar, Raul Grijalva, Ann Kirkpatrick, Ed Pastor, Matt Salmon, David Schweikert and Kyrsten Sinema, and tell them Arizonians should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

 

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts South Carolina’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts South Carolina’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, know as member of the “Gang of Eight,” voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19, 2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0 percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently, when Sen. Graham has returned home from Washington D.C. to South Carolina over the last five years he has failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 174,300 citizens were unemployed in July; the state ranked 9th tied with Connecticut for the percentage of unemployed.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an estimated 45,000 unauthorized workers in South Carolina.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president, the addition of 45,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in South Carolina. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, South Carolina’s 174,300 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. Lindsey Graham and Tim Scott, along with all the state’s Reps., James Clyburn, Jeff Duncan, Trey Gowdy, Mick Mulvaney, Tom Rice, Mark Sanford and Joe Wilson, and tell them South Carolinians should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Florida’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Florida’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelsen (Rubio a member of the “Gang of Eight”) both voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19, 2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0 percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently, when Sens. Rubio and Nelsen have returned home from Washington D.C. to Florida over the last three years they have failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 665,300 citizens in the state were unemployed in July.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an estimated 600,000 unauthorized workers in Florida; 6.6 percent of the state’s total labor force.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president, the addition of 600,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in Florida. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, Florida’s 665,300 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. Marco Rubio and Bill Nelsen, along with all the state’s 27 Representatives, and tell them Floridians should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Tennessee’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Tennessee’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

Tennessee Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker both voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant
Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized
workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s
legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19,
2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals
unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0
percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently during their tenure in office, when Sens. Alexander and Corker returned
home from Washington D.C. to Tennessee they failed to take a look at the number
of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 266,500 citizens in Tennessee were unemployed in July; the
state ranked 7th nationally for percentage of unemployed at 8.5 percent, tied with
its Northern neighbor Kentucky.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an
estimated 95,000 unauthorized workers in Tennessee.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president,
the addition of 95,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in Tennessee. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach
to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, Tennessee’s 266,500 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker, along with all the state’s nine Representatives, and tell them Tennesseans should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Nevada’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Nevada’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

Nevada Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller both joining the of the “Gang of Eight” in voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant
Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized
workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s
legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment
to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19,
2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals
unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0
percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently during their tenure in office, when Sens. Reid and Heller returned home
from Washington D.C. to Nevada they failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 131,000 Nevada citizens were unemployed in July; the state
ranked 1st nationally in percentage of unemployed at 9.5 percent.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an
estimated 140,000 unauthorized workers in Nevada; 10.0 percent of the state’s total
labor force.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president,
the addition of 140,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in Nevada. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach
to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify,  which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, Nevada’s 131,000 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. Harry Reid and Dean Heller, along with all the state’s four representatives, and tell them Nevadans should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Colorado’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts Colorado’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

Colorado Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall (Bennet a member of the “Gang of
Eight”) both voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant  Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized
workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s
legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional
Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment
to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau
of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19,
2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals
unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0
percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently, when Sens. Bennet and Udall have returned home from Washington D.C.
to Colorado over the last five years they have failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 196,200 citizens in the state were unemployed in July.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an
estimated 120,000 unauthorized workers in Colorado; 4.6 percent of the state’s total
labor force.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president,
the addition of 120,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in Colorado. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach
to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, Colorado’s 196,200 unemployed U.S.
citizens should contact Sens. Michael Bennet and Mark Udall, along with all the
state’s Reps., Mike Coffman, Diana DeGette, Cory Gardner, Doug Lamborn, Ed
Perlmutter, Jared Polis and Scott Tipton, and tell them Coloradans should never
have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in
the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally
mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and
across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts New Jersey’s unemployed

U.S. Senate’s immigration legislation hurts New Jersey’s unemployed

September 20, 2013

By David Olen Cross

New Jersey Sens. Robert Menendez and Jeffery Chiesa (Menendez a member of the “Gang of Eight”) both voting for the passage of Senate Bill 744 (S.744), termed comprehensive immigration reform by some, amnesty by others, is unconscionable considering the United States’ July seasonally adjusted number of 12.1 million unemployed citizens; 7.4 percent of the country’s civilian labor force.

According to the “February 1, 2011 Pew Hispanic Center, Unauthorized Immigrant Population: National and State Trends, 2010” there are 8.0 million unauthorized workers in the U.S.

With so many unemployed American citizens looking for jobs and 8.0 million unauthorized workers currently holding the jobs many citizens will do, the U.S. Senate’s legislation at best seems oblivious to the plight of the unemployed in this country.

Two of the negative consequences of S.744 are revealed in a June 2013 Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report which indicates the legislation will cause unemployment to increase through 2020 and average wages to decline through 2025.

An evaluation of the seasonally adjusted unemployment numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), U.S. Department of Labor, News Release from August 19, 2013 titled “Regional and State Employment and Unemployment — July” reveals unemployment rates in the states represented by the “Gang of Eight”: Arizona, 8.0 percent; Colorado, 7.1 percent; Florida, 7.1 percent; Illinois, 9.2 percent; New Jersey, 8.6 percent; New York, 7.5 percent; and South Carolina, 8.1 percent. Five of the preceding seven gang member states had a higher percentage of unemployed than the national average.

Apparently during their tenure in office, when Sens. Menendez and Chiesa returned home from Washington D.C. to New Jersey they failed to take a look at the number of unemployed in the state.

The BLS reported 394,600 citizens in the state were unemployed in July; the state ranked 6th nationally in percentage of unemployed.

Back to the Pew Hispanic Center report: according to the Pew report, there are an estimated 400,000 unauthorized workers in New Jersey; 8.6 percent of the state’s total labor force.

If S.744 is passed by both sides of congress and signed into law by the president, the addition of 400,000 unauthorized workers into the state’s civilian labor force, if the CBO report is right, will likely increase unemployment in New Jersey. This would be a setback for a state still mired and struggling to come out of a severe recession.

The U.S. House of Representatives will hopefully take a more incremental approach to any type of immigration reform and first pass standalone legislation requiring a federally mandated national employment verification system like E-Verify, which the federal government currently uses on all its new hires.

As Congress returns from its recess, New Jersey’s 394,600 unemployed U.S. citizens should contact Sens. Robert Menendez and Jeffery Chiesa, along with all the state’s 12 Representatives, and tell them New Jerseyans should never have to compete for scarce jobs now or in the future with persons illegally in the country; and furthermore, the U.S. Congress passing a standalone federally mandated E-Verify system is best way to get those unemployed in the state and across the country back to fulltime work.

David Olen Cross of Salem writes on immigration issues (docfnc@yahoo.com).