Congress is considering far-reaching immigration legislation which would decide whether immigrants living illegally in the US could qualify for legal status and, ultimately, permanent residency and U. S. citizenship.

TSCL is fighting "guest worker" amnesty legislation, and a related U.S. Social Security Totalization Agreement with Mexico because of the threat it poses to your Social Security check. Under both, immigrants who worked here for some time illegally would gain access to work-authorized Social Security numbers. Once an immigrant has a work-authorized number, all earnings, whether legal or illegal, may be credited to their Social Security account. Thus immigrants, and all their entitled dependents, would become eligible for benefits sooner and potentially draw higher benefits, based on earnings while illegal. Millions of immigrants would be added to the Social Security rolls at the same time the program is rapidly running short of cash revenues. This would trigger benefit cuts for retirees who earned their benefits the legal way.

Over the years illegal immigration has been very difficult to slow, let alone halt for any length of time. Twenty years ago, in 1986, Congress passed legislation that promised to clamp down on the flow of new arrivals and prohibited employers from knowingly hiring illegals. But in the two decades since, the number of illegal immigrants in the United States has grown from about 4 million to as many as 12 million, according to the Pew Hispanic Center.

Regardless of whether Congress moves on immigration legislation, the President may still send the U.S.-Mexico Totalization Agreement to Congress. Unlike legislation, totalization agreements are treaties negotiated by two nations and do not need Congressional action to take effect. However, Congress can stop a totalization agreement from taking effect if it disapproves the agreement. Once Congress receives the agreement, lawmakers will have just 60 legislative days in which to act.

TSCL endorses H. Res. 20 introduced by Representative J.D. Hayworth (AZ) and H. Con. Res. 50 introduced by Representative Virgil Goode (VA) disapproving the Totalization Agreement. This is believed to be the only way to stop Totalization from taking effect. Time is running short. Please contact your Representative and ask him or her to stop the Totalization Agreement With Mexico. Also, please sign our Petition to Congress Protesting Illegal Alien Amnesty 'Guest Worker' Legislation and U.S. Social Security Totalization With Mexico.

Sources: "Procedures for Issuing Numbers and Benefits to the Foreign Born," Testimony of Barbara D. Bovbjerg, GAO, before the House Subcommittee on Social Security, March 2, 2006, GAO-06-253-T. "Social Security Scales Back Worker Inquiries," Mary Bether Sheridan, The Washington Post, June 18, 2003.

May 2006