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Thompson takes stand on immigration
The Sioux City Journal ^ | November 13, 2007 | Charlotte Eby

Posted on 11/13/2007 12:46:59 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- At a campaign event Monday, Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson rejected the idea of allowing illegal immigrants to earn U.S. citizenship through military service.

Anna Castaner, an Indianola resident, posed the question to Thompson during an event inside a coffee shop.

Thompson drew applause from the crowd when he said he wouldn't support it.

"They need to go back and abide by the law," Thompson said.

The former U.S. senator from Tennessee said the country could have "enforcement by attrition."

He called for securing the American border and stopping so-called sanctuary cities from blocking the enforcement of immigration laws.

He said employers knowingly hiring illegal immigrants also should be stopped.

"After a little while, we're going to start seeing movement in the right direction. This problem wasn't created overnight and won't be solved overnight," he said.

Thompson voiced support for a proposal by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that would prohibit employers from deducting payroll taxes for illegal immigrants they knowingly employ.

Thompson said the country shouldn't accommodate illegal immigrants, and that people who are here illegally shouldn't set the terms or bargain for the circumstances under which they are allowed to stay.

"And until we convince the American people that we're going to enforce our own laws, and enforce our own borders, none of this other stuff is going to fly because it's counter-intuitive to the way we do things here in this country," Thompson said.

Castaner, the woman who asked the question, likes Thompson in the GOP caucus race as well as Rudy Giuliani, whom she describes as more open-minded.

She said she thinks Giuliani's moderate positions are more in tune with the rest of the country.

"That's why he's more popular," Castaner said.


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Iowa; US: New York; US: Tennessee; US: Virginia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: aliens; amnesty; attrition; borders; caucuses; deportation; election; election2008; electionpresident; elections; fred; fredthompson; giuliani; gop; illegalaliens; illegalimmigrants; illegalimmigration; illegals; immigrantlist; immigration; iowacaucus; mexicans; migrants; military; primaries; republicans; rinorudy; rudygiuliani; sanctuarycities; thompson; undocumented; wheresthefence
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Always with the moderation. That way spells defeat.
1 posted on 11/13/2007 12:47:01 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
She said she thinks Giuliani's moderate positions are more in tune with the rest of the country. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Obviously Castaner doesn't know about the avalanche of calls and letters that members of congress received to make sure that amnesty legislation was defeated. Or she believes that she can create her own propaganda instead of reporting on the issue.

Securing the borders of our country is a high priority issue in this election, and fools like Castaner are perpetuating a feeling of helplessness, that border security is not possible.

Soon our candidates will have to start being quite heavy handed with such bleating reporters.

2 posted on 11/13/2007 1:14:50 AM PST by Candor7 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Baghdad_(1258))
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Anyone who honorably serves this country in the military and is honorably discharged should be eligible for citizenship. Otherwise, don’t let illegals join the military. There are two ways of looking at it. The military is either breaking the law by hiring illegals or it serves as a means of providing them legal status. Which is it going to be? Having asked that, I still support Fred as opposed to the moderate one.


3 posted on 11/13/2007 1:15:55 AM PST by pallis
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To: Candor7

When push comes to shove, she’ll vote for Hillary in the Fall, IMO.


4 posted on 11/13/2007 1:17:43 AM PST by 2ndDivisionVet (Your "dirt" on Fred is about as persuasive as a Nancy Pelosi Veteran's Day Speech)
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To: pallis

Where do you get the idea that the military is enlisting illegals?


5 posted on 11/13/2007 1:18:23 AM PST by iowamark
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I disagree that moderation can’t work. Attrition seems the best way to circumvent the left by appealing to a majority of Americans. Then, as we offer citizenship to those interested, we can say that now since we gave you a choice, then you have to leave. Offering citizenship will get some out of the shadows, which is a better place than the government makes it out to be, and the rest who stay there can be dealt with in a more aggressive manner since they didn’t accept the alternative. We should increase ICE’s budget and build more federal prisons to house illegal felons and gang members. We have to seal the border by backing up the border patrol and finishing the fence. Along with this it will be imperative that English is made our official language. To make this easier, English should be made the official language of our government. Denying welfare benefits to illegals can offer an incentive to become citizens. We can cut off funding to sanctuary cities. This is all attrition and it will work.


6 posted on 11/13/2007 1:20:05 AM PST by TheThinker (Clarity, Honesty, Logic, Imagination. These are the keys to truth and the defense against liberalism)
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To: pallis
Otherwise, don’t let illegals join the military.

I absolutely reject the concept of illegals being permitted the honor of joining our military.

I don't care about the circumstances. They need to be deported upon identification as an illegal alien.

What I do approve of is legal guests and visitors who enter legally and then decide that service is an ideal means to pursue permanent citizenship.

But breaking the law initially and then using the military as an "out" for the consequences, I can't agree with.

We can do much, much better for the quality of peers we send to serve with our sons and daughters.

7 posted on 11/13/2007 1:32:30 AM PST by Caipirabob (Communists... Socialists... Democrats...Traitors... Who can tell the difference?)
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To: iowamark

If it isn’t, Thompson’s point is moot, and to answer your question, I don’t know what the military’s policy is. I’m merely responding to Thompson’s reasoning. Should the military ever start enlisting illegals, it should be a means of achieving legal status. How’s that?


8 posted on 11/13/2007 1:34:50 AM PST by pallis
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To: All
Thompson voiced support for a proposal by U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, that would prohibit employers from deducting payroll taxes for illegal immigrants they knowingly employ.. Thats it? Thats all? Employers can't deduct payroll taxes which they aren't deducting in the first place? Thats all? Thats not what I would consider "interior enforcement." How about a $10,000 fine for every illegal alien employed. Thats what I would call a start. This was the only thing specific Thompson pointed to, and it is weak. If this is all he can come up with during the PRIMARY period, just imagine him turning his back during the general election.
9 posted on 11/13/2007 2:05:06 AM PST by Hunterite
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To: iowamark
Where do you get the idea that the military is enlisting illegals? This is all moot. The military wouldn't know if an illegal is illegal because illegals are undocumented to begin with. According to law, they are still citizens of another country and a possible legal immigrant. Unless they have a record here.
10 posted on 11/13/2007 2:07:43 AM PST by Hunterite
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To: Hunterite

Noooo...... that’s NOT all. That’s just all that this short newspaper article mentioned in its brief synopsis of Thompson’s comments.

Fred’s comprehensive (and tough) immigration policy has been published repeatedly lately and is widely available.


11 posted on 11/13/2007 2:48:46 AM PST by Jedidah
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To: pallis

I believe the military allows legal immigrants to join the military and then I think they give them so many years ( I think about 5) and then they have the opportunity to apply ahead of the line so to speak. I think that’s the way it use to be.


12 posted on 11/13/2007 2:57:26 AM PST by ONEBYEONE (u)
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To: TheThinker

>>Offering citizenship will get some out of the shadows<<

That is the amnesty mantra, and hearing it gets annoying to most of us on FR.

>>This is all attrition and it will work.<<

The “out of the shadows” mantra is not attrition, and that would convince any person in the world who wants to migrate here that there will always be another amnesty if they sneak in and wait long enough.


13 posted on 11/13/2007 3:02:07 AM PST by ding_dong_daddy_from_dumas (Illegals: representation without taxation--Citizens: taxation without representation)
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To: ONEBYEONE
I believe the military allows legal immigrants to join the military and then I think they give them so many years ( I think about 5) and then they have the opportunity to apply ahead of the line so to speak. I think that’s the way it use to be.

You are correct. The military does enlist illegals and after so many years they are eligible for citizenship.

14 posted on 11/13/2007 3:53:36 AM PST by Uncle Chip (TRUTH : Ignore it. Deride it. Allegorize it. Interpret it. But you can't ESCAPE it.)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
WE LOVE FRED'S STAND ON IMMIGRATION

To say thank you to Senator & Mrs. Thompson and family, for their sacrifices now and in the future....

WE'RE GOING TO SEND THEM A THANKSGIVING DAY GIFT!



Click Here!

15 posted on 11/13/2007 3:57:57 AM PST by W04Man (I'm Now With Fred http://Vets4Fred.net)
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To: iowamark

It happens...


16 posted on 11/13/2007 3:59:44 AM PST by Just mythoughts
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To: Hunterite
The military wouldn't know if an illegal is illegal because illegals are undocumented to begin with.

Uh, it isn't hard for the military to ask for a birth certificate, a SS number, a high school transcript and some finger prints. As well as a sworn statement regarding citizenship.
17 posted on 11/13/2007 4:09:24 AM PST by Kozak (Anti Shahada: There is no god named Allah, and Muhammed is a false prophet)
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To: ONEBYEONE
The Military is an excellant vehicle toward citizenship for LEGAL aliens. Illegals should not even be considered. The fact is, that 99% of those here illegally couldn't qualify for our military. The educational requirements would exclude most of them.
18 posted on 11/13/2007 4:15:23 AM PST by jeffDavis1861
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To: Kozak

According to the law, Illegals are still citizens of their parent country, unless they have a record of being caught, or comiting a crime. All the illegal would have to do is lie on their application stating that they never crossed into US territory.


19 posted on 11/13/2007 4:28:33 AM PST by Hunterite
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

“Rudy Giuliani, whom she describes as more open-minded.”

Open-minded, codeword for Liberal


20 posted on 11/13/2007 4:29:09 AM PST by wolfcreek (The Status Quo Sucks!)
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