Hostettler Defends Hard Line on Immigration

Courier Press ^ | Langhorne | Thomas

[jebanks]

Congressional Republicans who are taking a harder line on illegal immigration than President Bush are more in touch with constituents and less willing to kowtow to interest groups, Rep. John Hostettler, R-Ind., said Thursday night.

Appearing live on WNIN-PBS9's "Shively & Shoulders," Hostettler came under fire from co-host Patrick Shoulders, a Democrat.

"The plan that the Senate has adopted is essentially President Bush's plan," Shoulders said. "Here's the former governor of a border state who, one would think, if he understand anything, would understand this problem.

"Why is the House, (which is controlled by) his own party, biting him on this?"

Hostettler, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee's Subcommittee for Immigration, Border Security and Claims, said House Republicans are "closest to the people on this."

"I've had several Town Hall meetings this year, about 15 or 16, and 80 percent of the questions ... I get are about illegal immigration," he said.

[DoughtyOne]

Congressional Republicans who are taking a harder line on illegal immigration than President Bush are more in touch with constituents... ...and with the laws in the United States as well as the U.S. Constitution.

[Clintonfatigued]

Bush is wrong on this issue and conservatives are right to point it out.

[Lurker]

But when was the last time the Constitution figured in anything the US Government does?

L

[kcar]

Bush is very wtong on this issue and he's the one that needs to be enforcing the borders, not Congress. He kicked the can to them by this "comprehensive" approach.

[WayneM]

Congressional Republicans who are taking a harder line on illegal immigration than President Bush are more in touch with constituents...

But on the other hand President Bush and the Senate are more in touch with Vincente Fox, politically active immigration lawyers, and the cheap illegal labor lobby.

Illegal aliens have rights too.

[DoughtyOne]

I know some disagree, but IMO their rights end at the border. I don't want to see illegal alien women or men abused in this nation. I do want them to return home and fight for their rights down there.

[Dialup Llama]

Comprehensive reform from the executive branch means comprehend that there is no border enforcement law which they intend to enforce. If illegals can commit the felony of id theft (at great trouble to legal residents and citizens and risking nat'l security) and get a pass even though the fed gov has the power to stop bogus SSN use, then there is no law the govt intends to enforce.

The language coming from the top is so strange. Illegals are praised for their close families and hardworkingness while taxpaying legal residents who support the whole system recieve harsh words- accused of being lazy (jobs Americans won't do) and racist (Rove's deadly remark that pro-border enforcement types don't like brown people). They whole thing seems upside down.

[VOA]

I know some disagree, but IMO their rights end at the border.

Recently on O'Reilly, he had a law-enforment officer from Pennsylvania
relate the policy that the ICE office in Philadelpia has.
The guy said he would run immediate criminal checks on detained illegals,
then call the ICE office.
ICE (Philadelphia) says "If they're Mexicans and they don't have warrants,
cut 'em loose."

Although the guest didn't explicitly say it, it sounded like
detained NON-Mexicans (with or without warrants) are out of luck and
held for deportation hearings.

Anyway, it sure sounded like in terms of "civil rights" illegal
Mexicans have "more than equal" rights compared to other illegals.

The longer the "comprehensive package" is hung up (or killed this year)
the better.
More time to find out even more of the ugly details of our immigration policies
of the past, present and maybe future.

[La Enchiladita]

"The plan that the Senate has adopted is essentially President Bush's plan,"

Ain't that the truth!

"Here's the former governor of a border state who, one would think, if he understands anything, would understand this problem.

And, Mr. Shoulders, here are two Texas senators who voted against S.2611, aka the President from Texas's plan.

"Why is the House, (which is controlled by) his own party, biting him on this?"

And why is a Republican president pushing a Democrat-authored plan, voted FOR overwhelmingly by Democrats?

[HighlyOpinionated]

The issue of Anchor Babies should be a NON-issue when it comes to deportation.

The Anchor Baby can decide when he's 21 if he wants to be an American Citizen or not. He can't decide until then. So he doesn't HAVE to LIVE in the USofA all the years until he turns 21. He can go to wherever his Mama calls "home" and live there until he's 21.

STOP GIVING ANCHOR BABIES THE RIGHTS OF TRUE U.S.CITIZENS, I.N.S. DOCUMNETED ALIEN/IMMIGRANTS, AND NATURALIZED CITIZENS.

Would someone please try to get this idea across to the President? Vincente Fox and, oh, yeah, "W" Bush, too.

[La Enchiladita]

Could you (or someone?) post the article as, when I click the link I do not get the article ... may require registration.

Hostettler obviously has an important position re the upcoming House-Senate conference.

Thanks.

[kcar]

That's a really good point I had not thought about before. Thinking on that and flipping it around a bit, I can almost forecast a 2015 "ELIAN" TV-show after Castro dies and Elian is told that since he touched ground here but before he was of the age of maturity, he's welcome back anytime now that he's grown and makes his declaration of citizenship. I'd love to see that.

[DoughtyOne]

I'm in agreement. Incidents such as this sure reveal the unbalanced policies for what they are don't they.

[bordergal]

If they're from Egypt, Syria, Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Turkey, etc. it's not such a bad idea.

Still, I would very much like to see ALL illegals put on the first plane home with a nice big parachute.

[Cobra64]

Still, I would very much like to see ALL illegals put on the first plane home with a nice big parachute.

You speak for millions of Conservatives who believe in the Constitution and the rule of law.

[FreeReign]

Bush is wrong on this issue and conservatives are right to point it out.

The President wants to allow illegal aliens already in this country to (1) jump the temporary worker line and (2) be allowed to wait in this country at the end of the green card line.

Both should never be allowed to happen without several years of strict enforcement. Even then, strict enforcement could stop at a moments notice.

The danger of course is that both one and two encourages more illegal immigration and without a guarantee of future enforcement, it just invites more illegal aliens.

[gaussia]

"Why is the House, (which is controlled by) his own party, biting him on this?"

Because, unlike most of us, he's living in a bubble!!!

[stephenjohnbanker]

BTTT