Posted on 11/28/2006 8:05:55 AM PST by meg88
IMMIGRATION Colorado congressman calls Miami a 'Third World country' A critic of citizenship opportunities for illegal immigrants says 'Third World' Miami shows America's future if immigration isn't checked. BY LESLEY CLARK lclark@MiamiHerald.com
WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo, the leader of the anti-illegal immigration faction in the U.S. House, spent a recent weekend at The Breakers in Palm Beach.
Ninety miles to the south, he found a symbol to bolster his belief that unfettered immigration is endangering the United States: Miami, he told a conservative online news site, ``has become a Third World country.''
In South Florida to attend Restoration Weekend, a gathering of conservative activists, the Colorado Republican, whose district includes suburbs of Denver, pointed to Miami as an example of how ''the nature of America can be changed by uncontrolled immigration,'' the story says.
''Look at what has happened to Miami,'' the WorldNetDaily quotes Tancredo as saying in an interview. ``It has become a Third World country. You just pick it up and take it and move it someplace. You would never know you're in the United States of America. You would certainly say you're in a Third World country.''
The remarks drew an instant rebuke from Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, who called Tancredo ''flat out wrong'' and extended an invitation for him to come and judge the city for himself.
''I invite my friend, Tom, to visit beautiful Miami, my hometown, and experience firsthand our hospitality,'' Ros-Lehtinen said. ``Come on down, Tom, the water's fine!''
Miami, Ros-Lehtinen said, is a ``world-class city where diversity is celebrated. Here people have the opportunity to meet folks from across the globe and honor different cultures. Miami-Dade County is home to many outstanding universities, is headquarters to international businesses and has a vibrant economy.''
Tancredo, who chairs the bipartisan House Immigration Reform Caucus and championed a fence along the border with Mexico, said Monday in an e-mail sent by his office that his comparison was based on crime statistics he believes ``are deeply rooted in the immigration debate.
''While a recent documentary comparison of Miami-Dade County to Baghdad was a bit of an overstatement,'' he wrote, referring to an Australian documentary, ``no one can argue that it is not one of America's most dangerous areas.''
He noted in the e-mail that the number of homicides in the county recently reached 200 for the year. The number is actually a decrease from the 1980s.
''Moreover, the sheer size and number of ethnic enclaves devoid of any English and dominated by foreign cultures is widespread,'' Tancredo said in the statement. ``Frankly, many of these areas could have been located in another country. And until America gets serious about demanding assimilation, this problem will continue to spread.''
Tancredo didn't visit Miami on the Nov. 18-19 trip, but has visited before, a spokesman said. And, if Ros-Lehtinen's invitation includes ''a stay at a five-star beachfront resort, he may be willing to look beyond the inherent dangers that he had cited and visit Miami again,'' his spokesman said.
Tancredo, who has been mentioned as a potential presidential contender, criticized President Bush in the interview for Bush's push for comprehensive immigration reform.
''He is going to do what he can to create a place where the idea of America is just that -- it's an idea,'' Tancredo said. ``It's not an actual place defined by borders. I mean this is where this guy is really going.''
Yet. And if it's not so bad, why don't you live there? Sorry, but I have a BIG problem with any group of people legal or otherwise, who move into a town, trash it and move on to the next. Being poor is NO excuse.
Sure will, if you goal is to lay down and die. Think Neville Chamberlain.
Actually I'm glad this nutcase is saying things like this. This way we will get his non-starting Presidential campaign out of the way before the end of 2007....
Can't agree with you more...Tancredo should talk about his own state and take the heat where it is deserved.
I'm sure all of the GOP emigres in Miami really appreciate his doofus-ness!!
Agreed. Ropa viejo, Midnight sandwiches, etc...
I wonder how people in New York, Chicago and Miami felt about Bush comparing them to third world cities? That's the point. In either case it's the same comparison.
Because you choose not to see that they are the same thing.
I don't know. Ask Bush. He's the one that compared third world cities to American cities.
What on Earth are you talking about?
Move in and trash the town?
Who did that to Miami?
What or whom are you speaking of?
Reality seems to have fled.
You post like an extremist nut.
I don't know if it's true about Haitians (most I've met, however, do techie kind of stuff, not manual labor). However, the majority of non English speakers I've met down here in the 2.5 years I've been here are NOT FROM CUBA. They are from Guatamala and other South and Central American countries. I know very few Cubans. I have not seen any demographics, but if I had to place a bet on it, I would bet that Cubans (and probably even Haitians) are vastly outnumbered.
I stay away from Miami, altho there are some fun areas down there.
susie
Tancredo may be a loud mouth but he is a 100% ACU conservative.
Last time I was at the Miami Airport (and I hope I never have to go there again!) one of the security workers was hollering at me IN SPANISH. I heard very little English spoken there.
susie
midnight's cuban's fried pork fingers,black eyed peas
plantain chips.....stop me...oh EXPRESSO
Yes, because of the spanish language used. He didn't call any American cities "third world".
To our ruling elite, multiculturalism and diversity are for the chumps who cannot afford to live in gated communities. Their attitude is like that of the old style social elitists toward sexual purity: worth paying lip service but not to be practiced in their circles. The lower income whites in the Bronx, Oak Cliff, and South Boston get to enjoy the fruits of diversity while the elite hangs out in lily white suburbs and exurbs.
All I ask is that politicians vote right. He does. The rest is up to the voters that choose to elect him. As for your suggestion that the ACU include personality traits in its rating system that is just silly.
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