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]

We have to think here and play samrt for a change.

I agree. But I do think the tide is turning, since the elephant in the living room (illegal immigration) is not only being talked about now - it is front and center of the GOP election issues.

You have some great ideas and are most definitely on the same side as the majority of the rest here. BUT, if I may add some advice, instead of negativity on every thread, I'd rather see more of your positive ideas and strategies. It's almost as if you are playing devil's advocate - but with people that want the same thing you want. It tends to come off as oppositional instead.

[ejonesie22]

Well it’s kind of my point. That is what the sizable opposition is going to do.

We have a time sensitive window here. I don’t think the tide will keep turning once the left starts really pushing back, and that mushy middle is going to fold. We don’t have the numbers to sustain after that.

We have to strike now, while the iron is hot, and be done with it before they can recover.

I have run the numbers backwards and forward, personnel, facilities and the like. Even did some hand drawn flow charts a while back, a lot of what ifs. Total deportation always went belly up at some point once the opposition factors came into play, especially the further it went.

We need to exit the immigration issue successfully and do it quick. It may mean eating a little internal crow to do it.

[Perchant]

So do we sit here and demand all or nothing, and loose our place at the table or take a chance and take the high road.

False choices and embracing criminality as "the high road" for you. Your nonsense doesn't rise to the level where it can even be called sophistry. I haven't read every post in this thread but I sure do hope that all of the Thompson backers are challenging you on your nonsense.

[ejonesie22]

Actually more than a few folks see the logic and know the political realities we face here. Those who do will be part of the solution that gets this nation past this.

The "high road" is solving this issue and beating the left.

As for you comments on sophistry and the like, if you have not read the posts, I expect you are missing more than a few points.

The funny thing is, every negative respondent never provides me with plausible methods on how the extreme position of "chucking 'em all" would actually work, never address the logistics and personnel issues and never address the fact that Conservatives don't even come close to have full control over all facets of American life.

They never address the very obvious problems of doing this in 2007 America.

Indeed all I get is a "We'll just 'round them up, you'll see!" and of course the laughable concept that I am some immigrant lover. We shall see indeed. I fear it will be the exact opposite of what we want.

[NewRomeTacitus]

Therein lies the test. His position will place him diametrically opposite of President Bush, Karl Rove, McCain, Graham, Martinez and the minion of other conservatives who failed at forcing another amnesty on the country. They all preached that an anti-illegal position would cause the death of the GOP. We shall see. One thing for sure is this move ensures Fred will never get the endorsement of President Bush.

Without reading the 200 plus posts after yours (#65) I wholeheartedly agree that Fred would not only break away from the pack but would set himself up as the winning candidate if he hammered this issue. The common folks are looking for a person who will do what the Constitution dictates and what is right: enforcing the laws and protecting our nation from invasion - no matter if it's in slow motion and catered to by traitorous special interest groups who funnel massive amounts of money into political campaigns.

Tom Tancredo got into the race strictly to keep this issue on the table. While he and Duncan would be excellent representatives of our nation I know neither can knock down the Hidebeast. Fred's on a good tack here but he's got to get a might more energized and inspiring...especially for the younger voters having been literally taught that "progressiveness" (Democrat) is the responsible way to vote.

Seriously - I just finished reading a 2002 history book and that was it's message. Did you know that the native American cultures on this continent were just fine and dandy before European "disruption and militarism"?

If Fred sticks to the truth and repels the status quo he could not only win this but become a leader this nation desperately needs right now. If he wins and betrays the base by shaping policy to favor criminal contributors (not naming names) he would guarantee Democrat dominance for the next ten years; at the very least. THAT scenario would wrap up the story of the United States - within most of our lifetimes. A Hillary win would also put that dire fate in that range. She would be the female equivalent of Adolph Hitler when he was turned loose on a weak and directionless political landscape in 1934 Germany.

[wardaddy]

Nice post....that salisbury steak gave me heartburn

Thompson needs to more define himself.

[wardaddy]

Nice post....that salisbury steak gave me heartburn

Thompson needs to more define himself.

[wardaddy]

Fred will never get the endorsement of President Bush.

I doubt anyone wants it. Bush has sure squandered what might have been...his accomplishments notwithstanding.

He's The Brother From Another Planet to me these days

[WOSG]

You have it backwards. The Demo candidates have only three cards to play

The mexican card
The queer card
The abortion card

The GOP candidate OTOH have the:
Law-and-order principle
Moral values principle
Right-to-life principle
Liberty principle

Application of those 4 principles are most of the ‘cards’ you need to run Government.

[Reagan is King]

I like it! This is an issue that has appeal across both parties and with the independents. I think it’s much more of an issue for voters than the media and the politicians admit it is. Millions of Americans are having to deal with the invasion of illegals every day and they’re getting sick of it. Keep it up Fred!

[Hornitos]

Sanctuary cities, where city employees are not required to report illegal immigrants to federal authorities, would lose discretionary federal grants . . .

That would be good. Let these so-called sanctuary cities accept the consequences of their beliefs for a change.

[Hornitos]

This is an issue that has appeal across both parties and with the independents . . .

But it's the single-issue voters which which makes one wonder what weird ideas are swimming in their heads.

[NewRomeTacitus]

So solly - gettin’ old doth suck in so many ways. How do you think Jessie feels after mixing those onions into his beans?

I think this might be where Thompson may be (re)defining himself. It’s a bold step after being labeled CFR and Status Quo for so long, and he must know that those won’t get him elected (hey, he found Lorrie Morgan was a nut and cut her loose right quick). Next lunch is on me if our homeboy doesn’t do something else to further himself from the establishment in the next week.

[Ben Ficklin]

The article contradicts you.

[longtermmemmory]

I think the one issue voters are a minority.

There are usually 5-10 items a voter has as an important list.

It is just unusual to have a candidate like Giuliani who has a large list to hit ALL the various 5-10 items.

[trisham]

LOL! It was the perfect word for the moment.

[trisham]

:)

Vote for Fred in the new sidebar poll!

[ejonesie22]

Very true...

[mthom]

Ill translate for the rest of the posters. Your post means you are pro-mexican immigration, pro-gay marriage and pro-abortion.

[RightWhale]

It’s about time. A lot of Fed funding goes to the States. Maybe some goes to the cities, but even if it goes to the States the States can reallocate items such as DOT funding to get the desired result.