Building A Strong Wyoming

Hosted by Wyoming State Representative Keith Gingery of Jackson Hole
Temprorary Guest Worker Program
Knowing that everyone seems to have strong feelings on the immigration issue, I thought we might narrow the discussion to simply the Temporary Guest Worker Program. This is the area of the new proposed law that directly affects Jackson Hole. Many of our hotels and restaurants rely on H2B Visa workers, the current temporary worker program. One of the problems in the past has been the limited number of H2B visas given out. Under the new law, the new limit would be 400,000, the workers would be limited to 2 years and would have to return back to their home country for 1 year before reapplying for another 2 year term. The worker could only participate in the program 3 times. If they bring their family they must show that they will have the means of supporting their family members and that they have health insurance. Without getting off the subject into the other areas of the proposal (i.e. the new Z visas, amnesty, border security), what do you think about the proposal for the new Temporary Guest Worker Program. Will this help or hurt our community?
Posted: Friday, May 18, 2007 11:33 AM by KGingery

Comments

CrazyaboutJax said:

The new law doesn't sound like it will help the issue. In a town like JH, immigrants want to come for more than 2 years because the pay is so great here. And once you've stayed at home for a year, it might be hard to get the momemtum to come back and get the same job. With that said, my guess is the same old illegals will be doing what they've always done - enter the US illegally. It's easier. I don't know what the answer is, it's a very complex issue. This all works if the US does a better job of protecting the borders.

# May 28, 2007 10:07 PM

littledrop said:

400,000 guest workers will really keep wages depressed. You might as well just leave the floodgates open. This is what our congressional delagation and business community really wants--cheap labor.

The town will do just fine withour another visa worker if housing is built and wages are in line with the cost of living. Additionally, if the immigrants are sent packing, Americans have access to their housing. Plenty of Americans would love to live and work in Jackson.

In regards to the fines and paying of back taxes that the illegals would have to pony up, why is it that we don't fine the business owners and make them pay back taxes? After all, our own government and the business community are responsible for the immigration problem. The Government left the border open and looked the other way as the immigrants crossed and the business community hired.

# June 3, 2007 1:57 PM

littledrop said:

Our congressional delegation has repeatedly said that they are against “amnesty” for illegal immigrants because it would reward illegal behavior and encourage more of it.

The truth is that they have been rewarding illegal immigrants since they have occupied their offices.

They rewarded illegal immigrants by knowingly ignoring border security; by ignoring guest workers who overstayed their visas; by making it easy for illegal immigrants to find work; by not going after employers who hired the illegal immigrants; by paying for the healthcare of illegal immigrants; by allowing the IRS to hand out taxpayer ID numbers to illegal immigrants; by allowing banks to open accounts for illegal immigrants; by allowing states to issue drivers licenses to illegal immigrants; by allowing cities to educate the children of illegal immigrants; by allowing police to ignore the immigration status of illegal immigrants; by publicly funding organizations that provide services to illegal immigrants; by allowing illegal immigrants to serve in the armed forces of the United States; and lastly, by allowing the babies born to illegal immigrants in the USA to become US citizens. It has been one reward after another for illegal immigrants.

Enzi, Cubin, and Thomas (before he passed away) are directly responsible for the immigration mess; it's time they owned up to their failures; it's time they secured the border, enforced our laws, and legalized otherwise law-abiding illegals.

# June 15, 2007 4:54 PM
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