Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration

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.

"C'mon, I said ""Killed in committee" until next year will not be sufficient."

You're implying the only reason the House Republicans will bury this thing is because it is an election year.

But 2004 being an election year is only part of the reason.

The main reason the House GOP won't pass it is because many House Republicans are opposed to it because they truly do not believe in giving Amnesty to Illegal Aliens - especially the GOPers that sit on the Judiciary Committee.

That Committee is LOADED with Hardcore Conservatives like Elton Gallegly, Lamar Smith, Bob Goodlate, John Hostettler; Jim Sensenbrenner, Steve King, Tom Feeney, Ric Keller, William Jenkins, and Marc Green, who do not support amnesty in ANY year - not just during elections.

http://www.house.gov/judiciary/members.htmd

These guys are going to be opposed to Amnesty in ANY year.

If it can't pass this year then it probably won't pass in 2005 either because the same hardcore Conservatives will be sitting on the Judiciary Committee.

And if it can't pass in 2004-5 it won't pass in 2006 because it's a midterm election year.

And it certainly won't pass in 2007-2008 because everyone is going to be gearing up for the Presidential election.

Sinkspur post#43: America has no stomach to deport 10 million illegals, no matter what those with blinders on on this website think.

Sinkspur post#61: The vast majority of Americans care about illegal immigration, but not that much.

Your usual misinformed spin.

78% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
69% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Americans Talk About Illegal Immigration

Americans Talk About Illegal Immigration

RoperASW Poll, March 2003
Prepared for Negative Population Growth
Following are the highlights of the findings of a nationally representative survey of 1,012 American adults (18+) who live in the continental United States. All sample was drawn randomly from an RDD (random digit dialing) list. For more details or to read the full report, click here.
Legal Immigration
Three Americans in Four Would Reduce Number of Immigrants Allowed Annually Into the U.S.

76% of those polled prefer legal immigration less than current levels of almost one million a year.
58% of those polled prefer legal immigration levels of less than 300,000 a year.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Illegal Immigration
Virtually All Americans Believe Illegal Immigration Is a “Serious” Problem; Majority Believes It Is “Very Serious”

85% of those polled believe illegal immigration is a "serious" problem.
55% of those polled believe illegal immigration is a "very serious" problem.
68% of those polled agree with halting illegal immigration as a goal.
67% of those polled agree with reducing the number of illegal aliens now present in the United States to near zero as a goal.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Methods to Deal with Illegal Immigration
87% of those polled support sanctions against employers who hire illegal aliens.
To Halt Illegal Immigration, Policy of Mandatory Detention of Illegals Is Preferred Over Prison, but Both Have Strong Support

83% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
70% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

To Reduce Number of Illegal Immigrants to “Near Zero,” Policy of Mandatory Detention of Illegals Is Preferred Over Prison, but Both Have Strong Support

78% of those polled support mandatory detention and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation for anyone here illegally.
69% of those polled support a mandatory prison term and forfeiture of property, followed by deportation, for anyone here illegally.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Employers and Illegal Immigration
Majority of Americans Support Verification and Sanctions Against Employers Who Hire Illegal Aliens

87% of those polled agree and 69% strongly agree that the Federal government should strictly enforce present laws calling for criminal penalties for employers who, after having been repeatedly fined, continue to knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
79% agree and 67% strongly agree that the Federal government should strictly enforce present laws calling for heavy fines for employers who knowingly hire illegal immigrants.
79% agree and 58% strongly agree that the Federal government should require all employers to verify U.S. citizenship or lawful presence for each job applicant by a telephone or online check to a central data base maintained by the U.S. government.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Role of State and Local Governments
Majority of Americans Agree Congress Should Require State/Local Government Agencies to Notify Both Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and Local Law-Enforcement Agencies When They Determine a Person is Here Illegally or Has Presented a False ID

88% agree and 68% strongly agree that Congress should pass a law requiring state and local government agencies to notify both the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) and their local law-enforcement agency when they determine that a person is here illegally, or has presented a false identification document.
85% agree and 62% strongly agree that Congress should pass a law requiring state and local governments, and law enforcement agencies, to apprehend and turn over to the INS illegal immigrants with whom they come in contact.
RoperASW Poll, March 2003

Return to Public Opinion page
Poll categories

- Legal Immigration

- Illegal Immigration

- Methods to Deal with Illegal Immigration

- Employers and Illegal Immigration

- Role of State and Local Governments

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