Posted on 08/11/2005 9:28:48 PM PDT by Happy2BMe
House Majority Leader and U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay last week called for the use of all available technology to secure the U.S. borders before implementing a guest worker program.
DeLay was a featured speaker at a panel discussion on illegal immigration, hosted by the Fort Bend Republican Club at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce in Sugar Land on Aug. 4.
DeLay's remarks were received with repeated applause by an appreciative audience and the meeting hall was overflowing.
"Before any legislation on guest worker program, we must secure our borders," DeLay said.
"I am totally opposed to amnesty, which rewards criminality," he said.
Increased funding for immigration law enforcement personnel, and guidelines for a comprehensive strategy for national detention of illegal immigrants are in the works, DeLay said.
To secure the borders, "we need to use all technologies including satellites and unmanned aircraft along our borders... we will put up a virtual wall on our borders with technology," DeLay said.
Also, there is a slight change in the philosophy of detaining immigrants. Unlike the excuses in the past that there are no beds available to detain illegal immigrants, the new attitude is, "go pick them up; we will find the beds," DeLay said. the National Guard could be used to put up tents and detain the illegal immigrants, he said.
"But we should treat them humanely. And ask general counsels to have video interviews with the detainees, instead of waiting for a long time for the counsel to come for a personal interview," DeLay said.
Strengthening deportation laws and tightening the amnesty laws are among the other steps proposed.
"Controlling illegal immigration is not merely an economic or social policy, but a vital component of a broader national agenda," DeLay said.
Legal immigrants share the American values and visions. "We are stronger and prosperous due to our diverse cultures. But, illegal immigration poses a clear danger to the security of the U.S. It is a matter of public safety and necessity. (At the same time) we ought not to seek to close, but secure the border," DeLay said.
Limiting legal immigration won't curb illegal immigration, he said. "This country was built on immigration...we should never shut down legal immigration," DeLay said.
DeLay was critical of the "sanctuary policy" of the city of Houston and said that needs to be changed.
In this context, DeLay alluded to a bill introduced by U.S. Rep. John Culberson that would enable the Texas governor to deputize individuals in Texas to enforce immigration laws.
DeLay said he is opposed to any national ID program. Also, sanctions against employers who hire illegals didn't work, he said.
DeLay said President George W. Bush has been misrepresented in that he does not support amnesty for illegal immigrants, but favors a real guest worker program.
Under the program, the immigrants should not be allowed to bring their families and their permit should be for a specific period, DeLay said.
Now we'll have to hear incessant whining that Delay stabbed himself in the back... Sheesh ;)
Once easy, illegally entering the U.S. here now a risky passage
(You want on my ping list, bud?)
Well it sure worked for Bush. He said he is against abortion and millions of us fools voted for him.
DeLay is about 10 years too late. As the Mexicans told our newspaper today, "We're here and we are going to stay so get used to it!"
DeLay has to show me before I believe.
Same here. I'll believe it when I see it.
This might be a news flash for DeLay but he and his fellow Congressmen have been "rewarding criminality" for many years by showering lawbreakers with numerous welfare style benefits, very little welfare fraud oversight, total disregard for many employers breaking federal immigration and tax laws, etc. This is just more empty political rhetoric for a problem that has spiraled out of control.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.