AG Nominee Gonzales on Illegal Immigration (Confirmation Hearing Excerpts)

New York Times ^ | 01-06-2005 | Federal News Service

[NewRomeTacitus]

Sen. Spector (in opening statements): "The department will have a major role in implementing President Bush's proposals to revise our nation's immigration laws and to deal with the 10 million aliens who are in this country illegally."

"The attorney general has exercised the authority to overrule conclusions by the immigration judge and a board of immigration appeals. And this is an issue that lingers after considerable questioning of Attorney General Ashcroft as to what standards ought to be used. And the attorney general, John Ashcroft, conceded before this committee that it's not sufficient to simply cite national security. And that will be a question which we will want to inquire into."

(Way later after Sen. Leahy dredged up the torture allegations every chance possible.)

Sen. Kennedy: "One is the -- which we talked about -- the state and local law enforcement of immigration laws. You’re familiar with this. In 2002 the Department of Justice reversed long-standing policies -- supported the inherent authority of states to enforce federal immigration laws, and this -- that reversal was based on an Office of Legal Counsel opinion that’s not been made public. And I’ve asked for a copy of the opinions; so have others of the Congress; interested parties have asked for it too. The refusal to -- it’s been the subject of a lawsuit. The department’s response failed to provide the opinion but simply offered its conclusion without any discussion.

I have difficulty finding a good reason why the department continues to keep the opinion and its legal analysis secret, especially since it reverses a long-standing policy that scores of police chiefs, police departments around the country, including many in your home state of Texas, have denounced the idea of involving state and local police in federal immigration enforcement. Last month the International Association of Chiefs of Police issued a report expressing concern. They and others believe it will destroy the remarkable progress they’ve made with community policing in which police have worked closely with the public, including immigrant communities, and developed productive bonds of trust -- concerns raised by law enforcement shared by many conservative and security experts. I can’t believe I’m quoting Grover Norquist -- Bob Barr, the Heritage Foundation all say this could be an unmanageable burden on the law enforcement officials."

So could you tell us why -- quickly as you could -- the secrecy, and can you tell us whether you’d support them releasing the OLC opinion on the authority to --"

MR. GONZALES: "Senator, thank you for that question. You and I did talk about that in your office. This matter is in litigation, as you indicated; there is FOIA litigation about the release of the memo. The conclusions are known. It’s the analysis, the deliberations that went into the opinion that I think the department is seeking to protect.

Let me just emphasize, though, or try to provide reassurance about this.

There is no requirement, of course, upon state and locals to enforce federal immigration laws. This is purely voluntary. In fact, of course, some states have prohibitions; they couldn’t do it even if they wanted to. In some cases the department, as I understand it, has entered into with state or local departments, in terms of memorandums of understanding in order to enforce this. We’re certainly -- I certainly am sensitive to the notion that some local law enforcement people don’t want to exercise this authority. Well, we’re not saying that they have to. But if they want to and they can assist in fighting the war on terror, that’s what this opinion allows us to do.

Personally, I would worry about a policy that permits someone, a local law enforcement official, to use this authority somehow as a club to harass -- they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens. That would be troubling. That would be troubling to the president who, as a governor of a -- former governor of a border state understands and appreciates the roles that immigrants and undocumented aliens play in our society.

But it is in litigation, and it would probably be better if I didn’t speak more about that."

[kingu]

Big Business Republicans want illegals for cheap labor

Maybe your milage is different than mine, but I don't know of a lot of big companies that want illegals. Immigrants they want, but illegals are too much of a long term liability. I'd wager that small business employs illegals at a rate of at least twenty times as much as big business.

Democrats want new voters.

But Hispanics aren't flocking to the Democrats in numbers they want, and each generation seems to drift farther from them. If they're really interested in new voters, I'd target reducing abortions among blacks, since that's an ethnic group that really seems to stick with them. Heck, ten years from now, I'm not sure who else is going to be in the party anymore.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

Now why are you bashing President Bush, other than that's your primary agenda?

And WHY do you hire illegal aliens? You're a lawbreaker. You're hurting American workers. You're costing us taxpayers thousands to subsidize your labor.

Answer me, and I'll answer you.

[bayourod]

When you are in a better mental state reread the article. You will see that Bush has changed the official policy in order to give local police authority to arrest illegal immigrants.

Kennedy doesn't like that. Many local police chiefs don't want to arrest illegal immigrants.

What is your opinion? Did Bush do the right thing by giving local police the authority to arrest illegal immigrants? Now you can demand that your local police arrest the illegal immigrants in your town.

[ETERNAL WARMING]

"but I don't know of a lot of big companies that want illegals."

WalMart does. So does Tyson Foods. So do the multinational Casinos in Las Vegas. They're large corporations.

[cartman90210]

On the plane back from the Detroit convention he started in on the passenger sitting next to him.

After about thirty minutes of listening to his crap, the man turned to him and said "Do you know who I am? I'm George W. Bush".

Interesting anecdote. Did this take place during George W. Bush's presidency? If so, either:

1) Your friend was allowed to ride on Air Force One, yet had no idea what the President looks like

or:

2) The President just happened to be riding on United Airlines (or whatever) without Secret Service agents - perhaps to show that he identifies with the "little people"?

George said every head on my friends head stood straight up, he turned to face forward and never said another word.

"George said"? Did the President tell you this story personally? Well, in that case, I guess it's true. Did he also explain why he tolerated your friend's criticism for a full thirty minutes, or why no one else on the airplane thought to point out to him that he was speaking to the President?

[bayourod]

"And WHY do you hire illegal aliens? You're a lawbreaker."

No I don't. You are falsely accusing me of committing criminal acts. I don't appreciate it.

[bayourod]

Most Republicans know what year the convention was in Detroit.

[lainde]

bump for later!

[Colorado Buckeye]

"they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens. "

This guy thinks that an illegal alien is a lawful citizen, and he wants to be Attorney General? He needs to be thrown out.

[cartman90210]

Most Republicans know what year the convention was in Detroit.

...or anyone who spends about eight seconds doing a Google search, so it's not quite the litmus test you imagine it to be. But the question remains: did "George" tell you this story personally? Also, how did your friend get to be such an expert on the Bush family, even before Bush41 was Vice-President? No Internet back then, so did he go to the library or something?

[Carry_Okie]

I'd wager that small business employs illegals at a rate of at least twenty times as much as big business.

It depends upon the industry. Food processing, such as meat packers, use illegals on a massive scale as do the hotel industry, restaurant chains, and corporate ag.

[NewRomeTacitus]

When you are in a better mental state reread the article. You will see that Bush has changed the official policy in order to give local police authority to arrest illegal immigrants.

I researched, edited, found a source FR didn't object to and posted the article. I felt it was important enough to spend that much time on.

Kennedy doesn't like that. Many local police chiefs don't want to arrest illegal immigrants.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THEY LIKE!

They're servants of the public and are charged with upholding the law.

What is your opinion? Did Bush do the right thing by giving local police the authority to arrest illegal immigrants? Now you can demand that your local police arrest the illegal immigrants in your town.

As I said, local police have every authority (and the responsibility) to arrest and prosecute lawbreakers in their territories. State or Federal agencies can take over cases from the locals when the crimes involved are plainly above local levels or the local governments readily defer to the higher levels.

I'm promoting the CLEAR Act because it further clarifies these legal principles and will minimize the pissing contests that ultimately wastes our money and lets really bad criminals slip away on technicalities. When you get down to the basics our founders said our freedoms are given to us by God and efforts to take them away always come from men not in tune with that.

So Bayou, why do you expend so much effort defending wrong?

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"......... they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens. "

They are CRIMINAL INVADERS.

[TomGuy]

Gonzales: ...they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens...

They might be mass murderers, but otherwise lawful citizens. [That should work too, then.]
They might be terrorists, but otherwise lawful citizens. [That should work too, then.]

This is no less than aiding and abetting the illegal invasion by foreigners into our country.

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

"He's a one world socialist, born in a family that believes that, and was so raised! "
That tells us everything we need to know about you.

I had a friend who believed like you. We was obsessed with telling everyone he met about the Bushes being one world socialist traitors. People would hide when they saw him coming just to avoid his Trilateral Commission/CFR anti-Bush tirades.

On the plane back from the Detroit convention he started in on the passenger sitting next to him.

After about thirty minutes of listening to his crap, the man turned to him and said "Do you know who I am? I'm George W. Bush". George said every head on my friends head stood straight up, he turned to face forward and never said another word.

---

You or your friend is a bald face liar.
Since the time, President Bush's father was VP.
George W. Bush flew with a bodyguard who sit next to him on all flights.
Of course now he doesn't fly on commercial flights.

[varon]

"......... they might be undocumented aliens, but otherwise lawful citizens. "

agitator: "Huh? An illegal alien is by default NOT A CITIZEN. What kind of BS answer is that?"

You just pealed away the onion skin and revealed the true nature of the beast which accepts the fact that illegals that have made it across will be "unofficially" accorded rights of citizenship. It matters not what phrases or definitions are used for federally sanctioned "rights" of illegals, they all in essence bestow citizenship to these people. I find Bush no less arrogant than Vincente Fox in that both are promoting government sanctions that are against the wishes of the American people.

It is becoming more and more evident that our federal government is establishing precedent where the people work for them (provide income through taxes)instead of them working for the people by carrying out the wishes of those who elected them! The Congress and President are our hired help and we as their employers should should DEMAND they do their job or fire all their a**es in the next election!!!

[Smartaleck]

Nice summary.

[Smartaleck]

"they might be undocumented aliens, but OTHERWISE lawful citizens. "

Otherwise.......key word in the reading process. Try again.

[raybbr]

Huh? An illegal alien is by default NOT A CITIZEN. What kind of B(ush) S(ycophantic) answer is that?

That's kind of how I see it.

[Missouri]

roles that immigrants and undocumented aliens play in our society.

Why not call them what they are. Illegal aliens !

I feel that we have no dog in this fight for Attorney General.