Posted on 06/04/2007 1:30:11 PM PDT by JSDude1
NORTH COUNTY ---- Rep. Darrell Issa, a Vista Republican who has been considered in some circles a relative moderate on immigration matters, has joined a caucus of anti-illegal immigration lawmakers.
Issa, R-Vista, announced last week that he had joined the Immigration Reform Caucus, a predominantly hard-line Republican group founded in 1999 by conservative members of Congress opposed to illegal immigration.
His move comes at a critical time, as the U.S. Senate continues debating a controversial immigration reform bill that would pave the way to give millions of illegal immigrants a chance to become legal residents.
Immigration analysts on both sides of the debate speculated last week that Issa may have been persuaded by angry constituents to move further to the political right on immigration.
Issa rejected that suggestion and said Thursday that he had always had a tough stance on immigration matters.
"I joined to influence the caucus from within," said Issa, who said he staunchly opposes the reform bill, which is being pushed by presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz. "I joined to say to Sen. John McCain, 'your bill is not the right bill.' "
The bill, known as the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007, was a compromise resulting from closed-door negotiations among a group of about a dozen Democratic and Republican senators and Bush administration officials.
The bill would make some of the most drastic changes to the nation's immigration policy in more than two decades. Among other changes, it would create a new guest worker program and adopt new criteria for future legal immigration.
Issa said opposition to the Senate bill was part of the reason for the growing numbers in the Immigration Reform Caucus.
The caucus was founded by conservative congressman and illegal immigration opponent Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., a leader in the hard-line movement against legalizing illegal residents.
When he stepped down as the group's leader earlier this year, Tancredo, who is also running for president, said he decided to do so because he believed "new blood and fresh eyes" were needed for the job.
He chose Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, as his successor.
Bilbray, who campaigned almost solely on an anti-immigration platform, said Issa's membership strengthens the group. Bilbray was out of the country last week and could not be reached for comment, but his office released a written statement.
"Congressman Issa understands that rewarding illegal immigrants with a path to citizenship is a recipe for disaster," Bilbray said in the statement.
Bilbray's chief of staff, Steve Danon, said that since the congressman took over the leadership position in February, the number of members in the caucus has grown from about 80 to 105, including five Democrats.
With 105 members, the group could be influential if the Senate bill is passed and moves to the House for debate, analysts said. That's because House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-San Francisco, has said that she would like at least 70 of the 201 House Republicans, to vote with Democrats to pass a bipartisan immigration reform bill.
"With these numbers, I don't see how they can get that," said John Keeley, spokesman for the Center for Immigration Studies, an organization that favors stricter immigration policies.
Nancy will take anything over 50 votes. They lie.
Good news. We’ve got to keep fighting until we win this, because the alternatives are unthinkable.
One hopes.
ping
Ping
Issa is very impressive. Wish he would knock of one of those menopausal airheads and move to the senate.
of San Diego’s 5 congressmen, our 3 Republicans have been tops on the immigration and amnesty issues,
Duncan Hunter and Brian Bilbray have been leaders for yrs
and Issa onboard and doing well.
See California is not ALL the land of “fruits and nuts”.. j/k. There are some good Californians (Our 40th President among those most highly honored..). Too bad you guys can split from LA, SF, and SD.
SD, I mean the beaurocracy/liberals in that area..K
San Diego is the largest city in the U.S. to have a Republican Mayor.
Didn’t he just take a vacation in Syria with San Fran Nan?
Oh I didn’t know (Sorry ;))!
Republicans are so damn stupid sometimes. Nancy wants this to look like a joint screw job and not one the Democrats can be nailed for. No republican should ever vote for this garbage!
Good news re Issa.
Yes, his roots are ME, but look him up. He’s a player.
Duh-Rush is right..This IS the “destroy the Republican Party..Amnesty Bill”!
Home Membership News Issues & Legislation Multimedia Contact
Good for him. We should also keep contacting Dem. Representatives.
Man, that List is like a “Who’s who” of Conservatives, great I hope it kees growing..
Thanks for posting..
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.