WHITE HOUSE VERIFIES IMMIGRATION REVIEW

The Liberty Committee ^ | 12/13/03 | Kent Snyder

[chicagolady]

The White House yesterday said a new immigration review is under way that could lead to amnesty for millions of illegal aliens living and working in the United States. Confirmation of the review came during a White House briefing, just two days after Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said during a town hall meeting in Miami that the government had to "afford some kind of legal status" to the 8 million to 12 million illegal aliens in the country. "We've taken steps to improve border security — significant steps, I might add; have made great progress there. We've taken steps to improve the immigration infrastructure," said White House spokesman Scott McClellan. "Those are some foundations for moving forward on a more orderly, safe and humane migration policy. "And this is a matter that really is under review at this point. We continue to look at it," Mr. McClellan said. Mr. Ridge, during a question-and-answer period after his Miami speech, said he would not support granting citizenship to illegal aliens now in the country "because they violated the law to get here," but the government needed to "determine how you can legalize their presence" and then institute an immigration enforcement policy to prevent future illegal entries. His comments drew harsh criticism from some congressional sources and immigration opponents. Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, said Mr. Ridge should resign if he is unable or unwilling to enforce existing immigration laws. He said the secretary's comments would "open a floodgate" of illegal aliens "trying to sneak into the United States in order to be first in line for amnesty." Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation of American Immigration Reform (FAIR), questioned what security interests of the United States were being served "by granting legal status to people whose identities cannot be confirmed and who already have shown an unwillingness to observe U.S. law? "The law has to be respected before you grandfather in the very people who disrespected it," he said. Various amnesty bills are pending in Congress, although none has been scheduled for debate or a vote. Congress approved an amnesty program in 1986, granting legal status to 2.7 million illegal aliens then in the country. The program contained increased enforcement and penalty policies aimed at ending illegal immigration, although the illegal alien population in the United States today is more than twice the total in 1986. Mr. McClellan said Mr. Bush "has always been a strong believer that America should be a welcoming society. We are, after all, a nation of immigrants, as he often points out." He said discussions with Mexico on a new amnesty proposal were ongoing prior to the September 11 attacks, but were halted. Mr. Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox had agreed to consider granting permanent residency, or green cards, to as many as 3 million Mexicans living illegally in the United States. Mr. McClellan also said that although some people had interpreted Mr. Ridge's comments as "some broad amnesty discussion," it was not that at all. "He's very involved in, obviously, overseeing border security and immigration matters, now under the new Department of Homeland Security," he said. "And I think he's been looking at the issue of the large number of illegal immigrants we do have in the country and looking at those that could be threats and those that are here for other reasons. "And so, he's just talking about the realities that we are facing now," he said. Asa Hutchinson, Homeland Security's undersecretary for border and transportation security, also defended Mr. Ridge's comments, saying they simply reflected ongoing debate in Congress over the immigration issue. "Secretary Ridge addressed it very honestly yesterday, engaged in that debate, but clearly this administration has not taken a firm policy position on that and the debate continues," Mr. Hutchinson said.

[ImpotentRage]

GWB has lost THIS voter, also. Not only because of his pandering to illegals and Vicente Fox, but for his "stands" on Israel, Taiwan, massive government spending, his lack of support for his judicial nominees, etc., etc. What a disappointment (for lack of a better word!) he has been.

[Dante3]

All of the illegals should be deported. In view of 9/11 to give amnesty to illegals borders on treason.

Although I'm not an one-issue voter, I will not vote for any candidate who supports child porn and/or destruction of this country. And amnestsy is a surrender to the enemy.

[Dante3]

Yes, he certainly has not supported his judicial nominees. More and more it feels like the Dem. and Rep. are in it together, pretending to be different while winking to each other.

Bush Sr.'s honoring Ted Kennedy of all people -- something one could argue out of the Twilight Zone -- just goes to prove what O'Reilly keeps saying: the rich and powerful protect each other

[gaspar]

As far as Arizonans from Yuma to Douglas are concerned Tom Ridge has done damned little to staunch the flow of illegals. Crime is rampant in south Tucson and the murder rate in Phoenix is the highest ever this year, thanks to illegal immigrants. The Indian reservations are invaded by illegals, and such beauty spots as Sycamore, Rucker and Leslie Canyons and the Buenos Aires bird refuge are dangerous spots and littered with the garbage left behind by thousands of crossers.

FReepers would do well to acess the Sierra Vista Herald from time to time: http://www.svherald.com to learn more about your inept Border Patrol at work.

[FITZ]

Leave them illegal. That's the way they chose to come, keeping them illegal makes them easier to deport when they cause trouble or commit any kind of crimes. Some people say we need illegals here to do the hard work for low pay that Americans and legals won't do or don't have to do --- so making the illegals into legals defeats the whole purpose of them being here.

[Dante3]

BUMP

[chicagolady]

FReep mail me on why you think FReep mail is the devil :)

Just kidding.

[Henrietta]

"Us conservatives need to quit being the abused wife who keeps coming back for more. "Sure he beats me, but he still loves me..." The Republican Party will never change, the Republican Party is not going to give up its lust for power. It's time to move on."

Exactly right. The difference between Dems and 'Pubs is....? I've been wondering that myself. We have a Republican president (for whom I voted) who dramatically expands government, says he would renew the assault weapons ban if presented for him to sign, signs legislation to allow warrantless searches, signs legislation to limit free political speech, and proposes amnesty to illegal immigrant lawbreakers. What party is he with again? Because I'm sure I can't tell. But I can assure you that he's not getting my vote in 2004. I'm going to 'waste' it on some third party. Once 'Pubs start losing elections, maybe they'll get the message.

[Dante3]

I knew the Bush family's fondness for things Hispanic, but I didn't expect it to extend to criminals such as illegal aliens who pose a tremendous threat to this country.

We no longer have two armies meeting on a battlefield. We are fighting a differenct kind of warfare, with the enemy soldiers infiltrating across our borders and finding that they even qualify for special perks.

[chicagolady]

Annie get your gun.

You have changed my mind.

We should be lobbying for CONCEAL AND CARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[chicagolady]

MILLION AMERICAN MARCH.........................



We are going to Washington D.C. on Labor Day, September 6, 2004
to demand our government reach real and immediate solutions to inequities in our immigration policies. We invite you to join us in making certain immigration will be a topic of discussion for our national debates during the upcoming presidential campaign season. The tragedy of our borders has continued to increase for more than 20 years. It is time our government stand up and tell the American people our borders have been erased, or step up to the plate and make some difficult choices on a volatile issue.

Don't expect to find any gold mine of information on immigration issues at the MAM web site. If you have arrived at the MAM site, we believe you are probably already well informed about our insane immigration policies. If you are seeking in depth reports, you will find a wealth of links to information rich sites on our Links page.

There is a crisis at hand and the future of our country hangs in the balance like a loose tooth.
If you never do anything else for your country, please support the Million American March.

[StonyBurk]

"making "illegal immigrants "legal" as Tom Ridge and
apparantly this Administration wants to do seems NO
different than it was when the Congress made "legal" the
illegal deployment of American combat troops to Macedonia.
I guess it was easier for our bloated beast to dishonorably
discharge Michael New -and sweep the filth under cover.
Than it would have been to do the right thing. I thought things would be different under Bush?

[Tymesup]

Why should I pay federal income tax?

Illegal aliens have shown that if enough people break the law, there are no consequences.

[Dante3]

If amnesty is given I have to vote for a third party candidate.

Does anyone know if Lieberman or Nader oppose amnesty? IF Nader is an honest environmentalist, then it sure would make sense to oppose it for a number of reasons.

[Jimbaugh]

Bush will lose on this issue alone. Karl Rove better not get cute with this issue.

[justrepublican]

If nobody will will do a job because the pay is to low and the work too hard, won't the pay increase to get the job done?

If you want to get rich do the job no one wants to do, and charge what you want .

Uncle sugar must be messing with supply and demand again.

[Dr Warmoose]

What! Does GW think these illegal rat voters are going to jump ship and vote for him?

Finally realizing that George "FDR" Bush is a Trojan horse of the anti-American faction?

Why are billions of American dollars and the blood of American soldiers being given to Muslims? Why have the Fe'ral Government scrutinize and suspect natural born Americans of terrorism while keeping the borders wide open to America haters and those who wish ill-will towards us?

Why does George "FDR" Bush simultaneously institute the greatest expansion in welfare benefits to US citizens while also provide unlimited entitlements to illegals from Mexico in the form of social-security benefits? Because the Fe'ral Government is seeking to destroy this country.

Just as China has diluted the culture of Tibet by flooding the area with Red Chinese, so does the New GOP in trying to destroy - not the Democrat party (for Clinton has been successful at that) but by destroying and forever marginalizing the conservative patriots by flooding us with cultures who have no history, allegiance or love for this Country.

Rememver, this president signed into Law the elimination of the First Amendment.