Posted on 06/16/2007 5:12:18 PM PDT by kellynla
The eighth time was a charm for Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., when the House passed his amendment to the Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill yesterday to withhold federal emergency-services funding from "sanctuary cities" that protect illegal aliens.
The 234-to-189 tally included 50 Democrats voting in favor.
"The issue has come to fruition," Tancredo told the Rocky Mountain News. "The people of the country really have spoken. It's a really good indicator of just how much closer to the people the House is than the Senate is."
Tancredo has offered the similar amendments at least seven times since 2004 and all have failed, some by wide margins.
The amendment passed yesterday does not include a definition of "sanctuary city." The Homeland Security appropriations bill now goes to the Senate.
(Story continues below)
Known for his fierce opposition to illegal immigration and the failure of the federal government to secure U.S. borders, Tancredo has focused particular criticism on local governments across the country that have declared themselves sanctuary cities, refusing in varying degrees to allow law enforcement and city personnel to inquire about individuals' legal status.
As WND reported, Tancredo cited Miami, a sanctuary city, when criticizing President Bush's views on immigration.
"People have to understand what we're talking about here. The president of the United States is an internationalist," Tancredo told WND in an exclusive interview. "He is going to do what he can to create a place where the idea of America is just that – it's an idea. It's not an actual place defined by borders. I mean this is where this guy is really going."
"Look at what has happened to Miami. It has become a Third World country," he said. "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."
In the ensuing uproar following those remarks, Tancredo reiterated his position in a letter to Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida.:
"Do you not worry that Miami's 'sanctuary city' rules serve as a magnet for illegal aliens and undercut the state's otherwise sound law enforcement policies? Do you worry that a recent random community survey on 'Miami values' found that corruption was listed as the number one 'value' by residents?
In 2005, Tancredo criticized Denver's sanctuary policy after an illegal alien, who worked in a restaurant co-owned by Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, was identified as a suspect in the fatal shooting of a police detective.
Restaurant managers told police the 19-year-old illegal had presented a resident-alien card when he applied for the job. "You could see that this card was fake," a police source close to the investigation said.
The suspect had been given three traffic citations in Denver, but federal immigration officials had not been contacted, even though his legal status could not be confirmed.
"Denver's sanctuary policy prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal officials on immigration matters, despite federal law which explicitly prohibits such a policy," said Tancredo, while questioning whether the mayor's restaurant had done enough to verify the suspect's legal status when he was hired.
Last year, Tancredo and other Colorado anti-illegal activists launched a campaign in Denver criticizing the city's sanctuary policy implemented eight years before by then-Mayor Wellington Webb.
It was a label Webb disputed.
"There are no ordinances, executive orders or regulations that establish a 'sanctuary policy' in Denver," the mayor's spokesperson said at the time.
"Denver's policies comply with federal law, and Denver law enforcement officers cooperate with federal officials on immigration matters. Federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials have said Denver is not a sanctuary city, so merely erecting a misleading billboard doesn't make it true."
Courtesy: KMGH-TV, Denver
Ignoring the question of semantics, Tancredo's campaign attacked the policy through a series of billboards.
"Mr. President, Mr. Governor, Mr. Mayor – They did not die for ... ILLEGAL SANCTUARY," read one of the messages featuring three military rifles, each stuck bayonet-first into the ground and topped with a helmet.
Another declared, "Welcome to SANCTUARY CITY ... Relax, you made it! Brought to you by Executive Order 116," referring to the 1998 order barring discrimination against illegals.
Tancredo's victory in the House comes on the eve of efforts by Bush and the Senate to revive debate next week on the administration's failed immigration-reform plan. He said the sanctuary-city amendment's passage indicates the House would defeat the current immigration bill if it passes in the Senate.
"If I were Nancy Pelosi, I'd be asking if she could pass a vote on amnesty on the House side," Tancredo said. "If she lost 50 Democrats on this one, and she says she needs 70 Republicans to pass the immigration plan, this is an interesting indicator of things coming down the pike, and that the times, they are a-changing."
And of course the credibility of the story is questionable because it appears in the WND! GASP! Instead of more reputable news sources like the LAT & NYT. LOL
ping
It won’t pass the senate but it’s going to send a strong message about the chances of the amnesty bill getting past the house.
It’s a good indication that this immigration bill will have much tougher sledding in the House.
I still want to see the spineless pubbies that vote for cloture. I want their names....I will do what I can to make sure they retire.
Thank you Mr. Tancredo!
I heard recently that Trent Lott commented, with regard to amendments being introduced by conservative senators, would be voted on and then stripped out in conference. It has never been more clear to me that we are actually being governed by an elite oligarchy, and WE THE PEOPLE, are a nuisance with which they have to contend. If we would only just accept their superior plan for our existence.
I was disappointed to see Thompson touting we must “regularize” the 12-20 million already here. That is the 2.5 Trillion dollar suicide pill. He did not do well on Hannity.
Thompson won’t win with that attitude. Maybe he just doesn’t understand what it means to be a real American and see your country go down the toilet. Tancredo or Hunter will get my vote.
America learned nothing from 9/11.
Tancredo and Hunter would make a nice ticket. Except it would be hard to choose one over the other for POTUS.
Too bad. I had hopes for a 1st tier candidate I could vote for. That eliminates him from my list.
Even if it did pass the Senate, I bet Bush would veto it.
It won’t pass the senate but it’s going to send a strong message about the chances of the amnesty bill getting past the house.”
Does Bush have the authority to make the amnesty bill law with a Presidential “stroke of the pen,law of the land” directive?
I’ll second that.
Thank you Mr. Tancredo!
Meaningless, the RINOS and Dems will strip the amendment out in Committee, and now worse than nothing being done, Representatives can boast about their voting for this amendment to give them cover for their constituents, while they still take campaign contributions from the big business interests pushing for nationwide wage suppression legislation.
CALL! CALL! CALL! CALL! AND KEEP CALLING TILL THE LINES FRY!
WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! WRITE! TILL YOU RUN OUT OF INK IN YOUR PEN!
Bombard the Democrats as well, especially the ones that ran on an anti illegal immigration plank and the ones in marginal districts who could be vulnerable. keep pounding on them. This is a bipartisan issue not a Conservative or Liberal issue BUT AN AMERICAN issue.
Hooray Tom Tancredo!
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