Posted on 10/24/2013 10:37:13 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Hundreds of advocates for immigration reform are protesting Idaho House representative Raul Labrador’s recent statement against reform by gathering at his office in Meridian today at 1:15 p.m for a press conference declaring, “We are not your pawns.”
“They just feel like this is a game to him. That he is playing with thousands of people in Idaho that live here and are undocumented. He is playing with their lives because they are in hopes of immigration reform,” said Ruby Mendez, a spokesperson for the Idaho Community Action Network. “For him to come out and say that the immigration bill is dead or it won’t even pass is definitely very upsetting for many people. They feel like they are being used.”
Labrador has been a supporter of immigration reform in the past, but in June he backed out of a bipartisan group sponsoring an immigration reform bill. Oct. 16, when asked by Huffington Post if immigration reform was dead he said yes, citing the Obama administration and the shutdown for why immigration reform would be impossible.
“I think it is,” Labrador told the Huffington Post. “For us to go to a negotiation, to the negotiating table with President Obama after what he has done over the last two and a half weeks, I think would be probably a very big mistake.”
But the Idaho Community Action Network and the Coalition For Immigration Rights in Idaho are skeptical of his recent comments, and in this press conference will call on Labrador to step up to bi-partisan leadership and sponsor new immigration bill HR15.
“Our main purpose is to call out on Labrador for two things. One is to co-sponsor a bill called HR15. Another one is to show leadership and call on [House] Speaker [John] Boehner to support the bill,” said Mendez.
For immigration advocates in Idaho, Labrador’s against renewed talk of immigration reform means he is playing political games with their lives.
“That is why we are using that term, 'pawns,' because we feel like we are a game to him. He can just say, ‘No more immigration reform,’” said Mendez. “He should know the difficulties many of these families go through because he was an immigration attorney. He personally lived and worked with these people. He should help his constituents in this situation.”
But Mendez and other supporters of immigration reform still believe Labrador can be the leader they need him to be.
“We have been pushing on Labrador because he has been very vocal about immigration reform. We definitely feel that he can be the type of leadership that pushes for passing immigration reform with bi-partisan leadership,” said Mendez.
In Idaho? They must have been bussed in.
This is an insurgency ready for war.
In Idaho? They must have been bussed in.
Nah, they have been moving across the country for decades, in the late 80’s early 90’s I had employees who’s friends and relative were moving to Tennessee from Southern California and in the last decade there have been a lot moving from the usual “undocumented” centers to get their children into a better environment.
Yeah, but... Idaho? If you’re not Mormon in Idaho, you don’t usually last long.
So what stance does Labrador take on amnesty? has he stood strong on this or has he officially caved?
A Latino Republican in Congress who refuses to give in inch on the immigration reform debate would certainly be highly refreshing, considering Ted Cruz is all there is at the moment.
This story only backs reports which say Democrats will benefit the most from amnesty.
Unbelievable how brazen these illegals and their organizations are.
In a sane country they would have been slapped up and sent packing, and their organizations shut down. But, nah, this is America - home of the wet noodle politician.
When DemocRATS smear Republicans as anarchist terrorist hostage takers they shouldn’t be surprised when the Republicans are no longer interested in compromising with the filthy RATS.
You’re not even supposed to be on the board.
There are large number of illegals in the towns and cities west of Boise
Labrador is pro Amnesty...and has been working to pass Amnesty as part of the House Group of 8.
I think his “change of heart” is due to 2014 elections.
His ‘change” is a sign that Illegal Alien Amnesty will not pass this year...but be concerned around November and December 2014 when the lameducks will push Amnesty thru
Illegal Alien Amnesty is not Immigration Reform
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