Fred Thompson Prepared to Announce Major Plan to Crack Down on Illegal Immigration

Blogs For Fred Thompson ^ | October 23, 2007 | brkcmo

[blogsforthompson.com]

Fred Thompson is set to announce today a major proposal that would take a huge bite out of the enormous illegal immigration problem in America. Fred will meet in Florida with the Collier County Sheriff, Don Hunter, and will then reportedly announce the details of his plan that would enforce our nation's borders and target cities and employers that harbor and hire illegal aliens. AP writer Brendan Farrington reports on the expected announcement:

Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson is choosing a county with a large farmworker population to announce an immigration policy Tuesday that will include stripping federal grant money from cities and states that don't report illegal immigrants.

Thompson plans to meet with Collier County Sheriff Don Hunter before announcing details of his border security and immigration enforcement proposal.

A major part of the plan will be to reduce the number of illegal immigrants by increasing enforcement of existing law. Sanctuary cities, where city employees are not required to report illegal immigrants to federal authorities, would lose discretionary federal grants, said a campaign source who didn't want to be named because the plan hasn't been announced.

Thompson will also call for stronger laws to force employers to verify that workers aren't illegal immigrants, a more rigorous system to track who is coming in and out of the country and a plan to increase prosecution of "coyotes," smugglers who bring illegal immigrants across the Mexican border, the source said. He will also talk about border security.

Collier County has vast tomato farms that hire thousands of immigrants. Last year it was part of a two-county sweep with 163 illegal immigrants arrested in one weekend. The campaign plans to cite figures that 22 percent of the county's crime is committed by illegal immigrants and that 40 percent of county's arrest warrants are for illegal immigrants.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement recently trained 27 Collier sheriff's deputies to enforce immigration laws.

At a campaign stop in Georgia last week, Thompson accused rivals Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani of being soft on illegal immigration when Romney was Massachusetts' governor and Giuliani was New York's mayor.

[CottonBall]

It's one thing when a Rep. like Trancredo offers up legislation to cut off funding to scofflaw cities when that is what he has the power to do in his position in Congress but it's laughably weak for a president to make such an insignificant proposal.

I think it's more about Thompson showing where he stands on the matter. BTW, Bush managed to get some idiot Senators to write up HIS amnesty proposal.

[CottonBall]

But if we start rounding up entire families, it will play on endless loop on the MSM.

Not necessary, as you already mentioned. Cutting off the jobs and free handouts will create a self-imposed mass exodus.

[ejonesie22]

That will get many, but not all. Plus the business lobby is going to start swingging once that happens. There are merits to their arguments since unemployment is historically low and it is hard to find reliable employees in many markets.

The trick is to finally make this work for our side. I dont love mexicans, really don’t care, but I would love to beat the damn democrats at their own game for a change.

[Man50D]

What in the SUBSTANCE of his proposed solution do you not like?

We don't need a "plan" to strictly enforce immigration laws no more than we need a "plan" to enforce any other laws. Creating some grandiose idea when simple enforcement will acheive the same goal. Thompson, or whoever becomes President, only needs to send the word to the Justice Department to follow the letter of the law.

[TomGuy]

Fred Unveils Border Security and Immigration Reform Plan
	Posted by Sturm Ruger On 10/23/2007 12:30:31 PM CDT · 5 replies Fred08.com ^ | October 23, 2007 | Fred Thompson

[Will88]

“The question is why has Thompson suddenly made enforcing current immigration laws an issue instead of when he was Senator?”

Because he’s a politician and he fully realizes that the illegal alien issue has come to the forefront after simmering on the back burner for years. And, actually, there was never a proposal to amnesty 12 million or more while he was a senator. In the end, maybe we should be pleased that politicians are finally beginning to listen to the mass of citizens on this issue rather than only listening to their biggest contributors.

And, since there was nothing like the “comprehensive” Bush/Kennedy/McCain monstrosity while he was in the Senate, we don’t know what position he would have taken. We should be pleased if a major contender makes tough proposals on this issue, and then watch him like a hawk if he wins the presidency.

[longtermmemmory]

FNC is a day late and a dollar short.

We already knew that on FR.

FNC is just using huckabee to vote split for their NYC buddy Giuliani.

Huckabee is irrelevent.

He has no money. He is a nanny stater.

they are just proping him up to keep the race open.

Huckabee is one of the Fruitles Five used to vote split for Hillary Giuliani.

[commonguymd]

I like it.

[Man50D]

Did you read the article?

“A major part of the plan will be to reduce the number of illegal immigrants by increasing enforcement of existing law.”

Apparently you didn't read the article thoroughly. Per the article: " Thompson will also call for stronger laws to force employers to verify that workers aren't illegal immigrants".

The part of the current law that needs to be changed is the part that allows local governments to ignore the current law without penalty (legal or financial).

Did you read my post #9? The Federal Immigration and Nationality Act already addresses this issue! per the law:

Per the law:"A person (including a group of persons, business, organization, or local government) commits a federal felony when she or he:

· assists an illegal alien s/he should reasonably know is illegally in the U.S. or who lacks employment authorization, by transporting, sheltering, or assisting him or her to obtain employment, or · encourages that illegal alien to remain in the U.S. by referring him or her to an employer or by acting as employer or agent for an employer in any way, or · knowingly assists illegal aliens due to personal convictions.

It seems that the vast majority of Thompson’s plan will be to force localities to enforce existing law by withholding federal money from sanctuary cities.

Again the above passage from the law addresses that issue.

He does suggest new laws and penalties regarding the hiring of illegals and the activities of Coyotes

I suggest you read the law in post #9. It pertains to every issue you have mentioned.

[ejonesie22]

The crackdown will get about 1/2 in the next few years. Still have 10 million.

Problem is the crackdown will drive many of those into the underground. Until it is easier to be poor in Mexico than here, well...

This isn’t about abiding the law, its about politics and the logistics of actually arresting 10 million people.

We have 2.5 million native criminals behind bars right now, and almost 1/2 of those arrested today nationwide will be back on the streets due to lack of space and manpower. Look at the stats on the various LE sites.

Even if the budget was approved to hire the 20,000 or more LEOs to enforce borders and arrest illegals, and offer really good salaries for such a position, we don’t have the available man power nationwide to take the jobs. Look up the number of cities that cannot hire and retain qualified police officers.

The people who would actually do a good job at it are already employed and those unemployed in our current economy would suck at the job, leaving those arrested with an easy escape. The only other option is to hire illegals. Ironic ain’t it.

This also ignores the investments in logistics such as transport , detention facilities and the like. Imagine the cost. It isn’t that simple once you get past the “Head `em up, move `em out!” rhetoric.

So then what is the answer? Is there an answer that will address both the finical and legal issues, one that reflects conservative principal, one that goes past any hatred toward illegal aliens and looks objectively at actually solving the problem. What is more important, despising these people or solving the issue in a conservative and nationally acceptable way. If we fail that, we will go no where and it will be 50 million by the next decade. If you have a better answer, one that addresses the logistical and political realities, that goes beyond "Round 'em up and head 'em out" to address how exactly we are going to do that, I am all ears, for I have done that, and getting rid of all of them fails every time.

[Will88]

“Now maybe it’s a very small (but noisy) minority, but that sentiment is out there. It’s not an “invention of anti-enforcement/pro amnesty types.”

It’s a canard used shamelessly by pro-amnesty pols such as Kennedy/McCain/the Bush Administration and others who spoke in favor of amnesty. They finally quieted down some after they realized a large number of US citizens were sick of: “You can’t deport them all,” “Jobs Americans won’t do,” “Family values don’t stop at the Rio Grande,” and other such drivel.

They definitely invented it as a stupid, insulting and harmful to their cause slogan along with the others mentioned.

[Man50D]

Unless there is substance in the announcement, it is relatively meaningless.

It would be substantive for him to say "I will order the Justice Department to follow the letter of the law regarding The Federal Immigration and Nationality Act".

[kevkrom]

It would be substantive for him to say "I will order the Justice Department to follow the letter of the law regarding The Federal Immigration and Nationality Act".

That's what the plan pretty much does, along with adding a few additional measures/funding to help with enforcement.

[ejonesie22]

But not for all. Believe me, between it being easier to be poor here than in Mexico, and the Business lobby, we still will be dealing with half.

In a country where middle class America sees these guys mowing the lawn every day and thinks nothing of it, the tide can turn quickly.

It is not a question of loving Mexicans, but winning this thing permanently.

[SnakeDoctor]

I still don’t understand your objection to Thompson’s proposal. Clearly there is a breakdown between the federal law as currently written, and the local enforcement of that law.

Thompson is proposing pushing enforcement of existing law - along with additional stiffer penalties for sanctuary cities to ensure that the law is enforced locally. As of now, the penalties are clearly not stiff enough, as federal law isn’t being enforced.

His proposal to allow the withholding of federal funds for intentional lack of enforcement would close the loophole that is currently allowing federal law to be ignored ... and act as a means of forcing sanctuary cities to enforce the law.

According to results, the current law is clearly ineffective ... thus changes in penalties are required.

I don’t see the problem here.

H

[jmc813]

Preferred candidate? I'm not picky, any of the globalists will do. Rudy Dalton McRomney?

So in other words, you're a one-issue voter.

[CottonBall]

In a country where middle class America sees these guys mowing the lawn every day and thinks nothing of it, the tide can turn quickly.

And it can turn quickly the other way once existing laws are enforced. When people realize that they are breaking the law by hiring illegals and don't see everyone in their street doing it - it will change. It wasn't that long ago that candidates had to drop out of races because it was disclosed that they had hired an illegal or two.

[ejonesie22]

Or...

The business lobby pushes really hard for exceptions, and politicians on both sides yield, which they will.

Plus many already know they are illegal, what do you think the term means. You would be surprised how many blind eyes are tuned among the middle and upper classes. People like cheap and dedicated labor and there is not really anyone to replace a lot of these guys. When it get harder to find help, they will start screaming to their pols to reverse this thing, and then in reverse it will go in the totally opposite direction you want.

It is a wicked game and needs to be played smart.

[LadyNavyVet]

“Thompson, or whoever becomes President, only needs to send the word to the Justice Department to follow the letter of the law.”

The President may only need to send word, but a candidate needs to offer the electorate information by which to judge his fitness for office. It’s what candidates are supposed to do during campaigns.

Again, do you have any argument with the substance of his proposal?

[CottonBall]

So then what is the answer? Is there an answer that will address both the finical and legal issues, one that reflects conservative principal, one that goes past any hatred toward illegal aliens and looks objectively at actually solving the problem. What is more important, despising these people or solving the issue in a conservative and nationally acceptable way. If we fail that, we will go no where and it will be 50 million by the next decade. If you have a better answer, one that addresses the logistical and political realities, that goes beyond "Round 'em up and head 'em out" to address how exactly we are going to do that, I am all ears, for I have done that, and getting rid of all of them fails every time.

I haven't seen people here posting about hating illegals, as you've stated twice. That's YOU implying an emotionality to the subject, something liberals do all the time. Besides, I haven't read anything from you giving a solution that you would approve of, given your criteria above.