Forging a passport is a federal crime.
Yet for some reason the Senate immigration bill created by the Gang of 8 has language in it allowing three forgeries to be made before a crime is committed.
Yep, the bill, which passed the Senate 68-32 with 14 Republicans voting in favor, would essentially change the current law from one forgery per crime to three.
Why? Well, perhaps we should ask Senator John McCain (R-AZ) that question. CNSNews.com did and guess what? He didn’t know. A prominent member of the Gang of Eight who wrote the bill was clueless, as was Senator Marco Rubio.
Now who in the world added that provision? Was there any discussion about it? Who was in on the discussion? What exactly was the discussion or the thought process that led to a decision to give people 3 shots at getting their forgery right before being punished? Do those sound like fair questions? Is anyone in the major media asking them? Does the MSM even know about this interesting provision?
On Capitol Hill on Wednesday [July 17, 2013], CNSNews.com approached McCain, “Senator McCain, can I ask you a question about the Senate immigration bill? Under the bill, how many passports can someone forge before it becomes a crime?”
McCain said, “You’re going to have to ask our folks that, I don’t think that we stand for any forgeries.” Let me get this straight. McCain a signer on the bill doesn’t know but his “Folks” might and he doesn’t THINK his group stands for forgery. Maybe the folks know the answer to that one too…
CNSNews.com followed-up, “Can you tell me why that would be part of the bill in the first place?” McCain answered, “ I cannot tell you that it is part of the bill.” And the “folks” in Washington DC wonder why their approval rating is in the teens?
Well Senator let me help you and your folks. On Page 777 the legislation states, “any person who, during any period of 3 years or less, knowingly – (1) and without lawful authority produces, issues, or transfers 3 or more passports; (2) forges, counterfeits, alters, or falsely makes 3 or more passports; (3) secures, possesses, uses, receives, buys, sells, or distributes 3 or more passports, knowing the passports to be forged, counterfeited, altered, falsely made, stolen, procured by fraud, or produced or issued without lawful authority; or (4) completes, mails, prepares, presents, signs, or submits 3 or more applications for a United States passport, knowing the applications to contain any materially false statement or representation, shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.” Source CNS News
Crazy how bizarre items like this pop up in these hastily penned laws isn’t it?
When the question was put to Rubio two days later, he said forgery is a federal crime. He was then informed of Section 3707 of the immigration bill (S. 744) titled, “Reform of Passport, Visa and Immigration Fraud Offenses.” It makes no mention of any “waivers, but it does specifically amend Section 1541 of Title 18 of the U.S. Code, which currently requires criminal penalties for issuing “any” unauthorized passports. As amended by S. 744–the Senate immigration bill Rubio co-sponsored–a person would not be dealt criminal penalties until they forged “three or more passports.” Source: CNS News
I’m no sleuth but it appears this provision allows anyone trying to get into the country illegally with a forged passport, two extra tries if caught.
We truly are a caring nation.