1.  The United States of America is a nation of immigrants and we have benefitted from their contributions.  As such, we welcome legal immigrants and encourage them to integrate, assimilate, and contribute the fabric of this great Nation.  Thus, all legal immigrants become Americans first.

2.  We are a Nation of laws, and therefore we cannot condone illegal immigration.  We must enforce all current immigration laws, including employer sanctions.

3.  Immigration is a national security and economic issue, and not one related to ethnicity, race, or national origin. Given legitimate concerns about terrorism, economics, illegal trade, and drug/gun/human trafficking, we must first secure the border and all points of entry into the U.S. This includes both the Mexican and Canadian borders, and all airports and seaports.

4.  Laws apply to people on both sides of the border—those outside who might break the laws by entering illegally and those inside who break the laws by hiring them.  Penalties should apply to both.

5.  Recognizing problems with current immigration laws and procedures, the entire immigration system and process should be revamped.

6.  Immigration policy must be based on the needs of this Nation and humanitarian grounds.  For example, current preference must be given to scientists and engineers who might directly contribute to our national security and economics needs, since our educational system is not currently producing them in the quantities needed to sustain our security and growth.

7.  We must institute a “guest worker program” that allows the illegal workers to come out of the shadows and register as guest workers. This program will also allow these undocumented workers to enter and leave the US safely, and get paid properly. These guest workers would not be entitled to vote or receive social welfare services.

8.  Those illegal immigrants who desire to stay in the U.S. must pay a penalty and should go “to the back of the line” to follow the proper process which they should have in the first place. They should be classified as guest workers or temporary visitors and must avoid any misdemeanor during that waiting period.

9.  As for the children of illegal immigrants, the law on anchor babies must be changed. Those children born in the U.S. to illegal immigrants should not be able to emigrate their parents or relatives. We cannot allow illegal immigrants to have a path to automatic citizenship through their U.S. born children. Also, we cannot let the U.S. become an orphanage to world for illegal immigrants to come and “drop off” their children.

10.  We believe it is very important that Hispanic conservatives speak out to defuse the accusations of liberals that solutions by conservatives, though applying these criteria, are racist.  As stated, immigration is a matter of national and economic security, and we have previously and will continue to condemn immigration or other policies based on racism.

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Without giving dollar amounts, the City of San Antonio is proposing a vote next May on $55 million in street improvements that include wasteful spending on streetcars, in addition to the $239 million county and city officials have already committed to this 19th century transportation technology. The San Antonio TEA Party urges defeat of any bond proposal that includes any further funding for streetcars.

Voters overwhelmingly rejected rail for San Antonio in 2000. They approved an Advanced Transportation District to collect sales taxes in 2004, on explicit pledges that funds would not be used for light rail, but instead for better bus service. County commissioners and city council members broke faith with voters this year when they misappropriated ATD tax dollars and other public funds to launch plans for streetcars.

George H. Rodriguez, President of the San Antonio Tea Party, said: “Our past votes were ignored; we were not given the opportunity to vote again on streetcars; so, the only way voters have to voice their opposition is to vote against bonds for street projects that include any money for streetcars.”

Despite the decade-long efforts of local officials who have preached the virtues of inner-city living, 2010 census numbers show San Antonians are locating north of 1604 and leaving downtown. Streetcars designed to spur downtown development are only their latest effort to stem the outbound tide.

Rodriquez added: “County and city officials who voted for streetcars see themselves as ‘agents of change’ and will do ‘what is best for the community’ regardless of how citizens vote. They feel they know what’s best for everyone, and individual rights are secondary to collective needs.

On December 5, 2011, at 1901 S. Alamo, San Antonio, Mr. Rodriguez will attend the final meeting of the subcommittee considering streets projects to include in the May 2012 bond vote, where he will be among the Citizens to be Heard. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 6 PM.

Immigration is a pressing issue, particularly in south Texas because of its proximity to the international border.  Due to this and a large population for whom immigration is a real and personal matter, the subject has become an emotional one.  Respecting those feelings and convictions, we feel the immigration issue must be viewed first and foremost in logical terms.

Legal immigration has been the backbone of America’s growth, development, and success throughout its history; it has been indispensible in making America what it is today.  From the first colonists from England and Spain, through successive waves of immigration from Western and later Eastern Europe, Asia and the Pacific region, to countless Africans who were brought here involuntarily, they embraced their new American identity and uniquely contributed to the American mosaic.  They have strengthened the character and culture that is the United States.  From its earliest beginnings, legal immigration has had and still has a place in our life and culture.

Today, the majority of Americans is rightly concerned about immigration for reasons of national security and fiscal responsibility.  The United States is a sovereign nation responsible first and foremost to its citizens to ensure safety and security within its borders and preserve our democratic institutions for future generations.  We must do what is important and proper for America and its citizens.  Especially in an age in when terrorists and criminal cartels are at our doorstep, we believe the priority for any government is securing the nation’s borders.  From a fiscal standpoint, the cost of illegal immigration is staggering, with one recent report showing that illegal immigrants in Texas cost the taxpayers $250 million each year in medical care and for detention of prisoners.

Respecting the desire of many to come to the US to live and work, we believe those who wish to immigrate, either temporarily or permanently, should do so in an orderly and lawful manner.  For example, for those who wish to come to the US to work and send money home, we support a temporary or guest worker program. Under such a program, visitors would contract with employers, overseen by the Department of Homeland Security, to remain in the US for a certain period of time and then return to their native country.  Regulating this process would secure our borders as well as protect workers from being victimized by human traffickers or by exploitative employers.

As for illegal immigration, it is just that:  illegal.  Civilized society is built on the concept of the rule of law to which all in that society must ascribe.  Therefore, illegal immigration—breaking the established rules of entry—cannot be tolerated.  Criminal aliens should be deported as soon as possible.  Medical and law enforcement expenses incurred by the US or state governments should be paid by the illegal’s country of origin, or, if not paid, deducted from future foreign aid that country would have received.

Consideration of amnesty for those in this country illegally is unacceptable.  Amnesty was granted once before in 1986 for 3 million aliens, and thus set a dangerous precedent condoning illegal behavior.  That mixed message—that unauthorized entry into this country is illegal, but we will ultimately allow it if the entrant can manage to stay long enough—cannot be allowed.  Amnesty for breaking the law is out of the question.

Concerning children of illegal immigrants born in the US or brought here, we believe people cannot break the law without consequences.  Thus, children of illegal immigrants born here should no longer be granted citizenship automatically, but should wait until the parents legally become full citizens.  Children brought here without proper processing are also illegal and should return to their country of origin to go through a lawful process.

The issue of illegal immigration has been framed by some in racial and ethnic terms.  This does a severe injustice to this serious issue.  For those genuinely interested in working toward a solution, this is simply a detractor from the point at hand and evidence of no convincing arguments from the other side.  The arguments against illegal immigration are blind to racial, ethnic, religious, and national qualifiers.  Again, illegal immigration is, quite simply, illegal and must be eliminated.  It is imperative that our nation control the entry of all immigrants and keep track of the status and location of all legal “guests” and “visitors” to our country.

A related topic is that of racial profiling by law enforcement officials in dealing with illegal immigrants.  We support local law enforcement in checking for immigration status if there are compelling reasons.  It is standard policy—and we believe only common sense—that if a person of any racial, ethnic, religious, or nationality is stopped in a traffic situation or is investigated in relation to a crime, that person should provide proper identification.  If the person cannot, then his or her legal residency in the US should be reviewed.  All Americans routinely carry proper identification such as a driver’s license, and they produce it when asked.  If Federal law requires all visitors to this country carry identification (which it does), then for law enforcement officials not to be allowed to ask for such identification is absurd.

The US strives for peace with all nations, especially those with whom we share national borders and historic ties.  Respecting the sovereignty of nations, the US is reluctant to interfere with the internal workings of others; yet when those internal affairs directly impact the US, it reserves the right to be concerned and comment.  Some countries become indignant when their internal policies (including economic conditions and drug-related violence from which citizens understandably wish to flee) are questioned by the US, but they feel free to publically criticize the US’s responses within our own borders to these problems.  While no country is perfect, US policies and practices are unmatched in rights and dignity afforded legal visitors and guests in this country. Further, given the amount of US foreign aid lavished on many of these countries, their criticisms come off as feeble attempts to avoid responsibility for their own failed policies and actions.

The third time wasn’t a charm.  The first, conservatives loved: the “Cut, Cap, and Balance” bill, which the SATP and most Americans supported, but the Senate and the President ignored after House passage.  The second, conservatives hated and prevented from being brought to a House vote.  The third no one liked, but the House, Senate, and President reluctantly accepted.  The vote in the House was 269 to 161, and split the Tea Party Caucus fairly evenly (32 for to 28 against).

In the end, the majority of both houses and the President agreed the third bill was better than no bill.  With some hesitation, we agree.

In fact, without a long-view perspective we would be furious that after the strong message sent by voters last November, the Administration and Congress still didn’t get it.  Admitting the deal was far from perfect, we do believe, however, it is probably the best deal we could get, given the fact conservatives control only one House of Congress … at least until the 2012 elections.

Without compromising our own beliefs or our commitment to seeing them enacted, Tea Partiers cannot lose sight of the big picture.  Success of this movement does not hinge on one vote, but the forward movement of our cause over time.  The United States of America did not arrive at this political, economic, and social brink overnight, and we surely will not move back from it overnight.  The battle will be protracted during which we’ll see some tremendous strides, some baby steps, and even may encounter retreat or loss.  Ronald Reagan would say, “The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted; it belongs to the brave.”  The brave aren’t those who are willing to end it all in one battle, but those who wisely navigate the ebb and flow of the war to achieve the desired goal, often realizing small victories along the way.

So what were the victories in this latest episode? Here are several that we see:

1) The bill prevented a default, with a credit downgrade and weakening of the U.S. dollar it would bring.  Many will argue, and rightly so, that default was not inevitable: it’s a matter of priorities of how the revenues will be spent.  Obviously it’s a choice on whether the U.S. will pay its debts to creditors, pay entitlements such as Social Security and pensions/benefits, or pay discretionary spending.  It could have shut down certain government functions and agencies (which the SATP has previously recommended by name).  But given who controls the Executive Branch of government and its current priorities, this could have been disastrous.

2)  The bill mandates significant savings over ten years by capping discretionary spending. Granted many of these cuts do not phase in until 2013 and there could have been more and sooner actions, but this represents a step in the right direction.

3)  The bill sends a wake-up call to the Nation on the hazards of overspending when the raising of the debt ceiling has been almost a routine event over recent decades.  It shows that Washington’s spending culture is beginning to change and the conversation has shifted from an agenda of ever-growing government and increased taxes. It marks the new conversation about cutting spending.

4)  The debate reopened discussion on a Balanced Budget Amendment, which the SATP has long advocated.  It begs the obvious question that if a BBA is good for most of the states, why is it not good for the Federal government?

5)  The bill forced the President and big-spenders to back off on some of their liberal demands.  Until now, the President showed no intention of abandoning his out-of-control spending agenda, which always included raising taxes on at least some part of the population.  Finally realizing that idea was a non-starter, both the Senate and the President were forced to give up on raising taxes on hard working families and businesses.

6)  The debate showed government leadership that we Tea Party patriots will not submissively follow what we didn’t believe would bring at least some, even small, relief to our current national plight.  Tea Party Caucus members and others let Speaker Boehner know he could not count on their support unless other key concepts were part of the final bill.  That was impetus for the final discussions that produced a bill that many could support.  It’s ironic that our detractors see our success as greater than we see it, with the mainstream press and commentators disparaging the Tea Party’s influence, and even the Vice President reportedly referring to us a “terrorists.”

We don’t suggest this is a time to celebrate.  Yet, consider this: in 2009 we had no chance of being heard on these issues, much less influencing a vote.  2010 brought us a major success as We the People spoke loudly and clearly that promises of “hope” and “change” weren’t working, and sent to Congress several dozen new representatives. Since January 2011, they have navigated the bureaucracy, learned the ropes, and most recently demonstrated they are willing and able to take a strong and principled stand on the core issues. The modest actions of 2011are not an end; they are only a plateau from which to continue the climb.

As columnist Michael Tanner of the Cato Institute noted in the National Review Online, “It could be worse. President Obama started out the year calling for an increase in government spending. Instead, the deal included cuts or at least reductions in the rate of spending growth. And, Republicans stood firm against any tax increase. … And a precedent has been set. Call it the Boehner Rule: Future increases in the debt ceiling will almost certainly have to include additional spending cuts.”  In short, the deal was very likely the best that conservatives could get under the circumstances.  The way we will know if it were a surrender out of fear or a strategic retreat is the action our representatives take in the future—whether it is back to subservience and acceptance of government growth, or a stepping stone to true and proper change for America.

Ideological battles are often long and costly. Ultimate success will be through thoughtful actions that may from time to time require us to accept what we can at the moment, and prepare for the next battle.  Such action, whether by us in the trenches or our representatives in Washington, are not abandonment of core principles, but an acceptance that small victories are building blocks for future successes.  Success will not come overnight.  We must now build upon this momentum and ensure movement continues in a forward direction.  That includes our monitoring and directing our representatives to keep them focused on moving America in the right direction: maintaining a strong national defense to retain our National sovereignty; protecting individual rights and liberties while promoting personal responsibility, morality, and religious expression; strictly adhering to the Constitution and the rule of law; and exercising limited government, sound fiscal policies, and free enterprise.

Thank you for working with us to that end.