Welcome to the Kansas Immigration Reform Effort web page. We hope this site will be a useful resource to you in the coming months as we pursue efforts to stop the illegal alien invasion into Kansas by reforming Kansas immigration laws to conform to the beliefs of the majority of the citizens of Kansans. (www.reformkansaslaws.com)
The effect of the illegal alien invasion in Kansas is measured in numerous ways. The costs to taxpayers for education, health care, crime, law enforcement, identification theft, and loss of jobs, to mention a few, are astronomical.
K.I.R.E is not against LEGAL immigration but the rule of law is absolutely essential to the preservation of our democracy and crossing our borders without proper credentials and approval is a violation of our laws which we cannot and will not allow.
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ARPKE ALMOST DEFEATS BRUNGARDT!!!!
Tom Arpke came within 202 votes of removing incumbent Senator Pete Brungardt from the Kansas legislature. Arpke, chairman of the Saline County republican party and an active member of the Kansas State republican party showed Brungardt that he does not have a mandate from the citizens of the 24th district to do as he pleases as their representative in the Senate. With this strong challenge from Arpke, Brungardt has been put on notice that the citizens are watching his every vote and will work tirelessly to defeat him four years from now.
Arpke supports smaller government, a frugal fiscal policy for Kansas (meaning cutting government spending) and no tax increases. He also spoke out in support of tough legislation to stop illegal immigration.
He may be contacted at arpkeforsenate@live.com or 785-827-8940. His web address is www.arpkeforsenate.com
One of the most important things we can do to succeed in getting good tough legislation passed to deal with illegal immigration is to support candidates who are willing to run against those incumbents who helped to defeat SB 458. It can be in the form of writing letters to the editor, volunteering in the campaign or contributing financially. Senator Pete Brungardt was instrumental in leading the effort against SB 458. He must Go!
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HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED TO SB 458
Hearings for SB 458, both for and against, were held and on Wed. March 12th the Federal and State Affairs Committee gathered to consider whether to vote SB 458 out of committee. Seven of the 9 committee members arrogantly decided they knew what was best for Kansas and totally ignored the fact that phone calls and emails were 300 to 1 for passing the bill as written. The remaining 2 Senators, Jim Barnett of Emporia and Ralph Ostmeyer of Grinnell, both tried valiantly to keep the bill intact but to no avail. Committee rules were ignored and the “magnificent 7″ committee members did the bidding of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and voted to destroy SB 458 as written.
The original language was replaced making it a worthless tool for dealing with the problem of the illegal alien invasion. The committee was persuaded by the Kansas Chamber which led the way along with a few businesses who want to hire illegal aliens in order to increase their bottom dollar.
Everyone is asking what can I do. Here are a couple of suggestions.
If you belong to the Chamber of Commerce, you can call & email them and tell them you will no longer pay membership dues which are being used to influence Legislators to ignore the will of the people by threatening to withhold campaign donation funds.
Call and email the Senators and Representatives and politely tell them you expect them to respect the will of the majority of Kansans and vote for tough legislation to rid Kansas of the problem of the illegal alien invasion.
Each and every Representative and Senator is up for re-election in November. We must remind them that it is the right of the people to vote their representatives in and out of office. And if they choose to ignore the will of the people we will have no choice but to replace them. For contact information for members of the Legislature go to www.kslegislature.org or email kskire@yahoo.com
Lack of progress toward reform is frustrating, especially for businesses that follow the rules
When it comes to the illegal immigration debate this year in the Kansas Legislature, it’s hard to decide whose actions have been more discouraging. Is it key business and industry organizations? Or is it the lawmakers who bowed to those organizations in watering down a Senate bill aimed at boosting penalties for knowingly hiring undocumented workers?
It hasn’t been the finest hour for either group.
Urged on by business interests, members of the Senate Federal and State Affairs committee last week stripped the bill of virtually all penalties. The committee also removed a requirement for employers to use a federal database designed to track the legal status of workers.
Supporters of the bill were flabbergasted.
“We gave the problem a pass,” said Rep. Ann Mah, D-Topeka.
Debate over immigration reform got off to a disappointing start when a representative of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce and Industry made this comment last month: “We are not interested in being responsible in the business community for solving a social concern.”
That’s a disappointing position, especially for Kansas businesses owners who are operating by the rules. Those employers are having a difficult time competing with those who hire illegal immigrant workers, and it’s fundamentally unfair.
We don’t believe employers should be held solely responsible for solving the immigration problem, but we do think they should shoulder some of the load. While it’s true many major businesses would be hurt by more stringent illegal immigration laws, the revised Senate bill swings too far against establishing a higher standard of hiring practices.
Sen. John Vratil, R-Leawood and a member of the committee, didn’t do much for the panel’s reputation when he had the following exchange with Jeff Glendening, vice president of political affairs for the Kansas Chamber of Commerce after the bill was revised:
Glendening: “Thank you very much. Greatly appreciated.”
Vratil: “I hope it’s to your liking.”
Glendening: “Very much so.”
Fortunately, that might not be the last word from the Statehouse on immigration this year.
A House committee passed a bill last week requiring businesses to use the federal employee verification database. Also under the bill, employers who knowingly hire undocumented workers could face contempt charges.
We sympathize somewhat with legislators’ struggles over the issue. Ideally, Congress would tackle the problem and create national policy. That hasn’t happened, of course, so states have been left to deal with the thorny topic — and create a patchwork of laws in the process.
Now, the path of least resistance for Kansas lawmakers would be to debate the issue but do nothing of consequence. That would keep business and industry organizations happy while allowing legislators to tell voters they tried to clean up the mess left to them by Congress.
We’re hoping for more than lip service.
If and when the Legislature next discusses hiring reforms, we hope the outcome is different.
Please check “RECENT POSTS” (on right side of this page) regularly for important new information. The full text of the “Substitute SB 458″ has been posted. The original SB 458 is also posted. Click on each one and you will be able to see how the Federal and State Affairs Committee gutted the language of the entire original bill and replaced it making it ineffective for removing the magnets such as jobs and benefits that draw illegal aliens into Kansas. Also check www.kslegislature.org for updates on this bill.
How can I become more involved in order to help stop illegal immigration in Kansas?
Please let me know.
Thanks.
Kansas Immigration Reform Effort (K.I.R.E.) encourages everyone who is truly concerned about illegal immigration and how it is affecting our way of life to call, email/write to ALL of the Senators and Representatives and tell them you want legislation passed to stop illegal immigration in Kansas. Grassroots efforts are the most effective means we have of convincing our elected officials that we voted them into office and we can vote them out unless they respect our demands for laws to protect our citizens and property.
Please attend the hearing at the Capital Wednesday Feb 27, 2008 @ 10:30 om the old supreme court room 313S on the 3rd floor. We must let the legislators know we mean business!
You should contact Rusty Childress at http://www.immigrationbuzz.com
and a few other sites like it and get Cross linked so as to make your site get more hits and be more visiable . .
I have a Major page of sites on mine on the “My Links” page I can add yours to the page also