Posted on 06/26/2007 6:11:04 PM PDT by SwinneySwitch
SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales asked the nation's sheriffs Tuesday to give their support to the immigration bill in Congress, saying passage would make their jobs easier.
"The president recognizes, just as I do, the vital role many sheriffs, especially those of you in border areas, have been playing in dealing with crime associated with illegal immigration," Gonzales told the National Sheriffs' Association.
"But we recognize this issue is primarily a federal responsibility," he said.
Gonzales said the legislation would improve border security and give employers the tools to verify worker eligibility. He said the bill would bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows and make them more likely to report crimes in their communities.
"Bringing these men, women and children into the larger community will help us to address these crimes, catch the criminals, and keep all of our people, citizens and non-citizens, from being victimized," he said.
Gonzales' appearance at the convention came as the U.S. Senate voted, 64-35, to jump-start the stalled legislation, which would legalize millions of illegal immigrants. Conservative Republicans are opposed to the bill, and some lawmakers are trying to change key elements.
The attorney general said border security would improve with more fencing, larger border patrols, ground-based radar, camera towers and other strategies to help solve the problem of "catch and release."
"We hope the Senate will act on this important issue, and that your organization will encourage them to give us the tools that I believe will ultimately make your job easier," Gonzales said.
Following the 15-minute speech, reporters were not allowed to stay for a Q&A between Gonzales and the sheriffs. In that meeting, the conversation about immigration continued, said Nueces County Sheriff Jim Kaelin of Corpus Christi, Texas.
"I think he's sincere. I think he wants to do something about immigration," Kaelin said. "But this current legislation would not solve the problem."
Kaelin said stopping illegal immigration is not the primary purpose of the bill — and that needs to be addressed before a discussion about illegal immigrants who are already in the country.
He said the problem costs his office time and money. Each week, Kaelin's deputies arrest illegal immigrants who have broken other laws or stop carloads of people being transported into the country in dangerous ways.
"We are not immigration officers," he said.
The National Sheriffs' Association is not taking a position on the federal legislation. But the group says issues facing local law enforcers, as well as training for state and local officers, must be considered in any immigration overhaul.
BTTT
ping
I don't get what's with all the freepers falling over themselves to defend Gonzales because removing him would be a "victory for the Democrats"
If the DNC issued a press release tomorrow stating that the world is round, would freepers be insisting the world is flat because acknowledging it's roundness would be a "victory for the Democrats"?
Gonzales is an incompetent stooge and Bush yes-man. The Dems claim that of every Bush cabinet member, but in this case, they are absolutely correct. It's the "stopped clock is right twice a day" rule.
Gonzales should have resigned a long time ago and everyone from Joe Lieberman to John McCain to Tom Coburn has figured that out once they've seen this guy in action.
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