Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration

CNSNews.com ^ | 1/26/2004 | Susan Jones

[yoe]

Republican lawmakers who generally back President Bush are not backing him on immigration. In fact, they want their leaders to know they have "serious concerns" about President Bush's proposed immigration policy.

In a letter addressed to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and several other members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus said they won't go along with the president's plan because it "does not address the problem appropriately."

"In fact, in our view, it will further exacerbate the problem and create discontent amongst the Republican Party," the letter said.

Jones, in a press release, said he and other lawmakers would consider alternative guest-worker legislation, as long as it does not reward lawbreakers with amnesty.

Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty, Jones and the other lawmakers said in their letter.

"Since the President's speech, our offices have been inundated with calls from dismayed constituents expressing vehement opposition to the Administration's proposal," the "Dear Mr. Speaker" letter said.

"If we do not listen to our constituents on this matter, our influence and effectiveness in Congress could be jeopardized. Simply put, we cannot continue to allow our immigration laws to be violated and ignored -- and illegal aliens are by definition criminals."

According to the letter, President Bush's immigration proposal has left many conservatives "dismayed, angry and confused."

"Mr. Speaker, it is our hope that you will recognize the problems the Administration's proposal has created for our constituents," the letter says.

It notes that "respect for the rule of law is a core conservative value," and it urges the Republican leadership in the House to find a solution to America's immigration problem "that is more in line with the principles of our Party and our national traditions."

Earlier this month, President Bush proposed a new "temporary worker program" that would offer temporary legal status to millions of undocumented workers who have jobs in the U.S.

Bush said his program would "match willing foreign workers with willing American employers when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs."

Temporary workers would be expected to return permanently to their countries after their work stint in the United States has expired. Temporary workers wishing to seek American citizenship would be allowed to apply in the normal way, according to the president's plan.

"They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start. I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship," Bush said.

"America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America," Bush added.

Bush's proposal drew immediate criticism from conservatives, who see it as a threat to national security and an affront to the rule of law.

[FITZ]

Once when I was at O'Hare airport and they had a large group of deportees, the INS was taking them back home, no one gave them a second look. No one started crying, no shouting for INS to let them stay. The deportees themselves didn't look especially disturbed, maybe some were more scared by the thought of getting on a plane than they were by the thought of going back to their hometowns. You can go to any border town and watch the INS send them back through a gate in the fence --- there is never outrage. You can see border patrol agents chasing down a border crosser sometimes along I-10 or some of the other freeways and no one even turns to look or slow down like they do for an accident.

[TLI]

OK, lets deport 1 million and cut off all bennies . . .

I bet fifty bucks THAT's a damn job an American would want.

[AnimalLover]

Ping

[JustPiper]

"Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty," President Bush has kissed his credibility goodbye, where Illegal Aliens are concerned.

BTTT my friend!!!

[wgeorge2001]

"Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty, Jones and the other lawmakers said in their letter."

Mr.Jones is right on this one. As a Christian conservative, I know the President does not always do what is good for the welfare of our republic and the congress must protect us sometimes.
Who will protect us from the renegade judges gone mad?

[evad]

Are you saying President Bush promised amnesty for illegals..

Basically I'm saying that W uses the good cop bad cop scenario in a few select situations as he deems necessary. For example, I've seen him use it with Sharon and the Palis.

Since you were posing 3 possibilities in your original response and asked if there were any others, I thought I'd throw this one in as a possibility #4. I'm sure there are many others.

In this case I think W made certain 'accomodations or committments' with Fox concerning Mexican immigrants. To fulfill that committment he (or Rove) came up with this idea. I think he/they knew it would go over like a fart in church with the congress. As a matter of fact, I think they are counting on it to fail.

JMO of course.

[Polly]

First, I see your point. But at least Bush is attempting to put a dent in identifying most of the people already here.

As far as solving the terrorism problem, that issue needs to be addressed separately. As far as I know, none of the 911 hijackers were illegal Mexican migrant workers. They were here legally, thanks to the lack of the attention of immigration.

As far as stopping the illegal immigration, that would have to be another step. Making one move will never solve ALL of our problems...ever. But at least it is something....so far, nobody has done anything. An amnesty several years ago? Now there are more illegals, and THEY want an amnesty as well.

I agree with you...the plan doesn't solve every problem, but it isn't meant to. There has to be additional legislation on many points. In an election year, I think Bush is doing the best he can to help a serious problem for both sides without making more enemies internationally. I was shocked at his defense of immigrants, and admired his intent on making an important, albeit controversial situation where any decision will cause an uproar within even his own party. If anything, he has gotten people talking about what realistically be done. I don't see anything that he has mentioned being put into action for several years, after several changes, but this is a starting point to open dialogue. I would like to just kick everyone out and put up a wall like you, but that would cause other problems.

I would also like to hear how you would propose we remedy this problem. I don't believe it is easy, but starting conversation about it is the best thing.

[Blood of Tyrants]

It seems that Bush has underestiamated how many times he cans screw us over in order to gain favor with the pro-illegal immigration crowd.

[chatham]

Bush has seriously destroyed his own credibility and I am extremely happy to see republican congressmen standing up to him.
No Illegal Alien breaking the laws of the U.S.A. should ever be allowed to become a citizen.

[txdoda]

Things are not comfy cozy down there. When we hear about mexicans living 10 to an apartment up here, they are happy to live that way. They are sending their money down to Mexico to provide for their families.>>>>>>

Too bad you *fail* to find *any* fault with the decades corrupt mexican gov't, as to the living conditions of nearly HALF the country's population, even tho mexico is the 9th economy in the world. Heaven forbid, mexico's rich PAY TAXES, & the gov't invest those taxes to better the country FOR ALL it's citizens.


I don't like to see money going to other countries, but most of that money they send IS earned by them. We wouldn't want the government to control where we put OUR money, would we? >>>>>>>>

ROTFLMAO.......The gov't CONTROLS much of my money thru TAXES, 'FEES', & INSURANCE, which by 'our laws' I have to PAY or BUY..........Have the 'remittances' to mexico SLOWED the invasion of the USA at all?? Vicente's making plans to ship 25 MILLION more north, under GWB's 'proposal', maybe you have room for them in Kansas ??


Last, I would like to appeal to the people who say that Mexicans should wait for a "visa". At this time, it can take YEARS for a Mexican national to make it up here through normal INS protocol. It costs LOTS of money and time, which almost all impoverished Mexicans don't have.>>>>>>>>>

Any reason you & Vicente seem to agree that mexicans are some how *ENTITLED* to fill at least HALF of USA's immigration openings ?? They clearly refuse to assimilate, since you have a translators job, & I have to press one, NUMEROUS times daily, to conduct business in ENGLISH.


If we want them to come here legally, we need to at least help them do it. The 3 year guest worker program sounds reasonable...>>>>>>>>>

Oh yeah, it *sounds* reasonable, but is it workable ?? Even you in your own post question just HOW we could track any 'guest workers'.

("It is impossible to monitor these people. How can we monitor 11 million illegals when California can't keep track of 30,000 sex offenders?")

[RiflemanSharpe]

Finally some reps show some backbone, maybe there is hope for this party.

[ought-six]

There was a big bust in Chicago the other day of a group of illegal Mexicans who were counterfeiting ID cards, SS cards, drivers licenses, etc. The Little Village section of Chicago is completely dominated by Mexican gangs. They own it lock, stock and barrel. That was where the bust was. But they only do the jobs Americans won't do, doncha' know.

[ought-six]

Bush is beatable in 2004. And that very well may happen.

[ought-six]

"This way, the Dems can't call him on it to shore up their hispanic votes, though."

Come on, the Dems already have the hispanic vote.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Bush is beatable in 2004. And that very well may happen.

It may very well happen. They are indeed the stupid party with short memories. Remember the great conservative "awakening" of 1994? Those were the days. I had alot of hope for the country back then, and they screwed that up too. We got a crappy Dole campaign and 4 more years of Clinton. And its not the Republican's electorate's fault, its the fault of the party for not fielding a conservative candidate. They serve us not the opposite. Instead of moving more right, we're pandering to the center...and even worse...to the left. The stupid party is just begging for another 1992 election scenario. The party is creating the environment that will produce 4-8 years of a 60's hippie liberal to sit in the WH IMHO. With all the push button, win-win-win, party loyal Republicrat's out there, I say there getting just what they deserve for abandoning their principles. God help us all.

[steve8714]

Remember that we are not talking only about Mexicans when we say illegals, although they provide the volume. Nice cover for Cuban agents and terrorists to come in. This is why we need BOTH borders secured.
I would support a guest program of small scale after current illegals are all deported. This includes to Ireland, Poland, Vietnam, China, Haiti, Pakistan et al...

[LurkedLongEnough]

Landslide Bush 2004.

[bushfamfan]

That proposal is one of the most mindless, politicized. It was a horrid mistake and one that has angered many of his supporters. He's had some horrible political miscalculations with this amnesty plan and the Mars mission. With the Mars proposal, people are inevitably asking 'where are we going to get the money with this tremendous deficit?'. Two bad missteps from the administration. Let's hope they don't continue on this path.

[Polly]

Unfortunately, I have used all of your arguments before. I was known on this site as one of the loudest opponents to Mexican immigration, but have since realized that waving my fist does NOTHING. Your comments do not solve any problems. They just generate more hate. Kicking out all the illegals is not only impossible but will open a few other cans of worms. If you have some credible solutions, let's hear them instead of just throwing insults.

Not until SOMEONE thinks of some reasonable ideas, will anything get done. I thank president Bush for opening the dialogue, and can't wait to see where this debate goes. It can only help. Solutions won't come about until we can really find a feasible solution. Nothing important is ever easy; it just comes down to getting a PERMANENT solution to what we want without destroying everything around us, and not spending all our money on it.