Posted on 05/25/2007 5:14:56 PM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
Conservative Republicans working to block a compromise immigration bill risk endorsing a "silent amnesty" by insisting on unfeasible mass deportations, U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff said in an interview published on Thursday.
In remarks to USA Today, Chertoff also criticized liberal immigrant rights advocates, saying they could prolong the anguish of immigrant families by withholding support for legislation that could give them legal status.
Chertoff spoke to the newspaper's editorial board in a preview of a Bush administration media campaign to build support of broad immigration legislation being debated by the U.S. Senate, USA Today said.
The compromise bill brokered between the White House and a bipartisan group of senators ties tough border security and work place enforcement measures to the guest worker program and a plan to legalize an estimated 12 million illegal immigrants.
The measure has drawn criticism from many quarters and its fate in the Senate is uncertain.
The bill has been criticized for placing new limits on family-based immigration and conservative Republicans oppose the legalization program saying it would reward people who broke U.S. laws.
Chertoff acknowledged there is "a fundamental unfairness" in legislation that permits illegal immigrants to remain in the United States but said trying to force them to leave would be impossible, USA Today reported.
"We are bowing to reality," Chertoff said.
He dismissed the position of some opponents who argue that illegal immigrants will leave if strict enforcement of U.S. laws makes it impossible for them to find a job.
"You're not going to replace 12 million people who are doing the work they're currently doing," Chertoff said. "If they don't leave, then you are going to give them silent amnesty. You're either going to let them stay or you're going to be hypocritical."
Chertoff warned there would be more mass roundups of illegal workers if the workers do not get a chance to become legal.
"We're going to enforce the law," he said. "People all around the country will be seeing teary-eyed children whose parents are going to be deported."
© Reuters 2007.
We’re the ones who deal with the reality of these horrible pieces of legislation every day.
Call it what you want, it is amnesty. Not only is a crime being forgiven, it is being rewarded.
When Dad or (PC correct insertion follows) Mom gets transferred to a job on the opposite end of the country the kids do not get teary-eyed and left behind. They pack their stuff and go with. What’s the problem with illegals kids doing the same?
““mass roundups?” Bet you $100 Chertoff, it’ll never happen. In fact, it doesn’t even have to happen. Start prosecuting those who HIRE illegals, and guess what, they’ll self-deport,””
electrocuting those who HIRE illegals might work a little faster.
What this sorry sack of shiitte is threatening is to refuse to give even the pretense of enforcing the law. He should be fired and then drawn and quartered.
Chertoff should be fired. He doesn't represent the interests of the American people.
Uh, isn’t the current situation akin to silent amnesty? Enforce the law Chertoff or go hang yerself for incompetance.
The Dems win if they legalize the status of the 12 to 20 million illegals when Bush signs the bill. They can undo the provisions they don't like in subsequent Congresses. The Reps are fools if they believe that they have achieved any real concessions from the Dems. Once the bill is signed, it is game over. Dems win, country finished.
The Reps should distance themselves from this legislation as much as possible. Let Bush sign it and make sure the public knows it is a Dem bill. The results will become self-evident to the public. It will become whom do you believe, the politicians's spin or your own lyin' eyes? The Dems want the Reps as cover. We shouldn't oblige them.
Philip Marlowe is dead?
My God. When? How?
Happily you are his ghost.
Congrats on your NEW TV show, due this fall.
(Philip Marlowe NEVER dies!)
>>Well,...I’ll tell you Ding (not having seen you do your stuff)I enclosed my State & National party membership cards and loooooong and comprehensive letters, in more specific detail that any bill produced by those assclowns on the Hill have produced,telling them EXACTLY why they are not getting anymore dollars or grass roots participation from me.<<
Good for you! I have trouble getting someone besides a clueless receptionist to answer at Texas GOP HQ. I think I know why they it would not be a pleasant experience to try to explain the GOP’s “official position.”
My Dad used to play that song on his valve trombone.
Brown Derby hat and yellow spats with matching suspenders.
My God how we would laugh. And form a Strut line thru our Bronx cold water flat.
Our neighbors, Czech, Austrian(later Nazi Bund supporters)Italians and Jews from Poland and the Pale would bring in wine, something to nibble and join in the singing and dancing. The Estonian building janitor; the very grave Mr.Kaminecz would bang on our door and join in with his violin; murdering the English.
“Om ah Dink Donk Dadee frahm Doomassss. You see I do my stuff”.
We were poor and miserable. Suffering badly from poverty and social injustice. We just did not know it. We thought we were having fun. At least I was. Party on Daddy!
If the laws that were already on the books were enforced, we wouldn't have this problem, now would we?
Chertoff is part of the problem.
Your idea makes a lot of sense. Mexico can deal with their own criminals and pay for their incarceration.
This whole charade of “can’t do” is insultingly stupid.
Let’s get real, no jobs, no welfare, no largesse - they go home. If employers are fined bigtime the first time, jailed the second time, executed the third time - there will be no problem. That’s hyperbole, yes but the essential point is absolutely true. But Chertoff and bossman are giving us hyperbolic bullsquat, for their own surreptitious reasons.
This is a serious challenge to the concept of rule by the people, and these lying imperial f***s are a true threat to the republic. If we don’t make a stand here - we’re done.
I merely affirmed that it's already been started up in Virginia as another faction within the Democrat party.
Not at all surprising.
Thanks for the dose of reality & complete understanding!!!!
It is scary....
Prosecute employers harshly and illegals will DEPORT THEMSELVES... They will slip back across the border exactly like they came here..
Ok chair face chippendale do you take us for F#*$&*@ morons???
Absolutely. It is not a matter of can’t but won’t. As you suggest cut off the cash flow from ALL sources, secure the border and deport those who don’t leave of their own volition as they are caught for whatever reason. Traffic stops, Employer raids, background checks, etc etc. Nobody expects it to be done overnight but just to be done. It will take time, Years perhaps but it can and must be done. Once the illegals know we are serious and it is hard to get any type of job many/most will leave.
You’re too good to me.
For some reason, my hat no longer fits my head.......
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