Posted on 05/23/2006 3:37:01 PM PDT by KyleM
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO), Chairman of the 97-member House Immigration Reform Caucus, expressed disappointment at Rep. Mike Pence’s policy shift on immigration reform. At a Heritage Foundation speech this afternoon, Pence presented what he called “a rational middle ground… between amnesty and mass deportation” that turns its back on a enforcement-first strategy, grants rogue employers amnesty, and would in effect reward illegal aliens for breaking the law.
“Mike Pence is making the same mistakes that the President has, using the straw man of mass deportations and redefining amnesty to suit his interests. Unfortunately, like the President, Pence is breaking from House conservatives who remain steadfast in their support of a security-first approach to immigration,” said Tancredo.
Pence’s plan would require illegal aliens to return to their home countries to apply for a new ‘W’ worker visa. Employers could hire as many foreign workers as they want under the W visa, and, in practice, they would likely hire the same workers who they employed illegally before. Pence wants to start the new foreign worker program before border security is even proved effective, which is the same strategy that was used in the 1986 amnesty. Twenty years later, the U.S. got amnesty as promised but no border security.
“Pence’s W visa is aptly named. It gives the Administration exactly what it wants: unlimited foreign workers first, enforcement later or never,” said Tancredo. “Pence’s plan is just the 1986 amnesty with a trip home tacked on.”
The Pence plan includes no prevailing wage standard for foreign workers—it simply relies on the good will of employers to “try to hire American workers” before offering jobs under the new foreign worker visa. In fact, almost all current visas require employers to offer the job to American workers before seeking foreign labor, but with no enforcement mechanism, the requirement is laughable.
“The House’s strategy in H.R. 4437 was to fix the illegal alien problem by enforcing the law. Over time, as illegal workers cannot obtain jobs, they go home because they have no other option open to them. Pence takes a much different approach: fix illegal behavior by legalizing it,” said Tancredo. “As a conservative and a friend of Mike Pence, I am baffled by his shift on immigration. I hope he reconsiders his position and returns to an enforcement-first position.”
"Pence is the crack in the wall. HR 4437, by itself, is dead. He's a practical politician, and knows the GOP House members will suffer if there is no immigration bill."
You contradict yourself.
There *is* an immigration bill, HR4437!
The border fence provisions got 83 votes in the Senate.
If Frist had the stone to put HR4437 up for a vote, and the GOP had the sense to quit toying with that Kennedy-written monstrosity, the GOP Congress would almost be homefree.
"Really, S, you think Democrats ranting to their base about "comprehensive" reform is going to help them? That only flies in upper class circles."
LOL... what cocktail circuit came up with this nutty idea that the GOP just *had* to enact a giveaway to illegals?
What mental midget came up with that doofus plan as a political strategy? The same team that was on top of Dubai Ports and Miers, per chance?
Now I can understand the elites trying to fool the rest of us on this because they really need their immigrant nannies and gardeners, and I can understand the illegals themselves getting out their mexican flags and marching to 'demand' citizenship ... but where the nutty idea that ordinary voters want it to the point where they will toss out the GOP for not giving us amnesty?
http://freedomstruth.blogspot.com/2006/05/response-to-barnes.html
"HR4437 is a conservative position and one that is in keeping with the law of the land. How is that silly? I happen to believe that enforcement only is the only way to go and pointing out that 83% of FReepers agree with HR4437 is a factual statement. Secure the borders and enforce employer sanctions first. Then it'll be time for talk of temporary worker programs and paths to citizenship."
Dittos on this.
"Every week our rural Georgia sheriff's office arrests a minimum of six illegals for DUI and driving without a license. Some weeks another half dozen are arrested for fighting in a trailer park. It would take a matter of years, I suppose, but eventually it would be successful."
Okay... so ... why arent they in Mexico after conviction/arrest? ... We need local law enforcement to help.
An astute observation wrt histocial parallels ...
a conclusion of your astute observation is that most of the millions of illegals are here stay.
Good points on Pence v Tancredo.
I think that it is clear that *any* proposal that legalizes 12 million illegal immigrants can ONLY BE DONE AFTER THE BORDERS ARE SECURE *AND* WE HAVE 100% CERTAINTY OF WORKPLACE ENFORCEMENT.
Only then can we be sure the system will work again.
If the crisis is people coming across our border and being here illegally, then the immediate solution is the bill the House passed, plus perhaps an additional visa category for employer sponsored immigration. If illegals arent going anwhere now, why not do the basic steps now and deal with the whole enchilada next Congress? This point has been made by many Republican Senators and Congressmen, and it's foolish not to listen to them. Most of the country prefers the 'enforcement-first' solution.
"
That's why enforcement FIRST is the only acceptable option. Anything less WE Lose. And, yeah, if no bill is passed we still don't get enforcement...but at least they aren't off the hook politically. If you give into the "perception they'll do something, we not only get screwed with the massive influx of millions of poor uneducated benficieries of socialist governments but they'll get to claim the lie they "enforced the border"."
Yup. It seems so.
"One simple question: and what are they, the government, going to do if all the illegal aliens say "no" to jumping through all those hoops? Arrest them? Deport them? Put up a fence? Pressure Mexico? Go after employers?"
"Great question. The answer is we do this all over again. We have the same debates, we have the same flame wars. We have the same race baiting. We do all the same things over again. Kinda like we did this in 1986 and we are doing it again now."
The OTHER answer is to face the truth...
"You cannot reform immigration until you control immigration"
And you cannot control immigration without enforcing immigration law.
And you cannot enforce immigration law without punishing those who violate it, through deportation.
SO NO SOLUTION TO IMMIGRATION IS "COMPREHENSIVE" WITHOUT HAVING A COMPONENT THAT DEPORTS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.
Despite what others may say on these threads, HR4437 is too radical for the Senate. "
Well, let's at least get a straight up or down vote.
HR4437 is very middle-of-the-road wrt what AMERICAN VOTERS WANT...
http://www.cis.org/articles/2006/2006poll.html
"BuLL read the speech then look at the plan.That is not AMNESTY"
I've read the Pence speech (or whatever it was), and generally I think that's probably the last possible way...if we HAD to; but perhaps the devils in the details, and if I knew the exacts of it, mmmmaybe I would come-on board. I kind of doubt it, though.
It's funny how 'bend'you got-over Tom's view on Pence's idea. You must not regard our founders much, because many of them were the best smear tacticians in America. Jefferson spend a great deal of time trying to destroy the Federalist party and their political leader Hamilton.
I liken to believe had Thomas Jefferson not been a perfect manipulator of public thought, he may have lost a chance at the presidency and our country would have been gravely different. It's his remarkable ability to paint someone badly without getting any dirt on his shirt that makes him a signficant leader in our history, regardless of his cultural influence on the next 50 years of America.
So personally, I trust people in all different degrees, but even the honest man has a demon on his shoulder...it's the veracity of his ideas/actions that count, not necessarily the words.
Let the magician guide your attention to the very last wor... ; )
"The border fence provisions got 83 votes in the Senate.
If Frist had the stone to put HR4437 up for a vote, and the GOP had the sense to quit toying with that Kennedy-written monstrosity, the GOP Congress would almost be homefree."
I wish they just built the wall and enforced the border first...then we could move on to internal enforcement.
In the mean time we could do the best thing ever,...put endless pressure on Mexico to reform. Ten times more than we put on Iraq, because hell they're right next to us.
But maybe I'm dreaming...
Thank you for your excellent post, I agree with you 100%
I agree that you must build the fence ASAP and redo the entrance ID Cards first. THEN you deport 1 or 2 million a year.
Outsource the cost to China, that will knock it down to about 25 dollars.
What parent worth his or her salt would leave behind their children if ordered to leave?
Another red herring.
My suspicion is that the elites are using the enforcement part of the "comprehensive" legislation in order to get conservatives to sign on to the amnesty part. Then they will fund the amnesty part while the enforcement part is ignored. I would much rather start with strict enforcement only and see where it takes us. Then if we need/want more workers, and we probably will, there are already people waiting in line all over the world who would jump at the chance to come.
"The more I think about this immigration problem, the more I think that a 'guest worker program' will be a big mistake. It was guest workers programs that got many of the European countries into the mess they are in."
Hey, now, hold on a sec, guest worker programs have worked wonders for South Africa and Rhodesia!
[/sarc]
"Why is that? He just accurately described Pence's plan. I personally couldn't care less if illegal aliens go home and then come back to work. The end result is the same."
Agreed 100%. I wanted Pence to have a good plan, but this isn't one. I still don't see why the enforcement isn't coming FIRST. First enforce the current law, then build the wall, then you can invite in guest workers. It's that simple.
Local law enforcement doesn't have the authority to detain them for being here illegally, nor do they have the authority to deport them. That's why I'm recommending this as a viable solution rather than complaining because laws aren't being enforced.
If you like my idea, call your Congresscriminal and lobby to get local law enforcement the authority to deal with criminals.
It does seem kind of odd that Pence waited right up to the time the Senate was voting on their amnesty to release his "plan". It's almost as if he intentionally threw this monkey wrench out there for the sole purpose of gumming up the works in the enforcment first strategy of the House. This is very disappointing.
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