Secretary of State Colin Powell Says Amnesty for Illegal Aliens 'Not Practical'

Talon News ^ | 08/14/03 | Bobby Eberle

[bedolido]

WASHINGTON (Talon News) -- In addressing the issue of immigration, Secretary of State Colin Powell said Wednesday that the U.S. must "make sure that we are securing our borders and that we are doing it in a way that protects our society," but added that terrorism is not a "real threat" from Mexico.

In an interview with the Univision Television Network, Secretary Powell said that people from Mexico come to the U.S. to "earn a living, in order to raise families."

"Mexicans make an important contribution to the United States economy and to the United States society and culture, and they also make an important contribution to Mexico by the money they are able to send back and the skills they are able to send back and take back to Mexico," Powell said.

Secretary Powell added that the U.S. wants to handle immigration in a way that "regularizes movement" across the border in a safe way so that "Mexicans are not put at risk in their efforts to come to the United States."

"But we have found it very difficult to find the right answers to the many issues that are out there -- regularization, ease of transit across the border, use of consulate documents," Powell said.

"And what I said last November I believe in very, very much, that we want to work on these issues," Powell continued. "The President wants to work on these issues, as he agreed he would do with President Fox two years ago at their first summit meeting. And for the last several months since I made that statement, we have been working on a number of issues that we hope we will be able to put forward and get agreement with our Mexican colleagues on that don't require legislative action, but we can do with executive action on our part."

When asked about amnesty for illegal aliens, Powell said that it is "not practical" to think that an amnesty of "some kind" could be granted for all those who are here without proper documentation.

"That would not be reasonable to assume and I would not wish to mislead anyone," Powell said.

"But a lot of the other issues with respect to movement across the border in both directions I think can be dealt with, and I look forward to continuing our discussions with the Mexican Government," Powell added.

Copyright © 2003 Talon News -- All rights reserved.

[mhking]

Works for me.

[ARCADIA]

Very interesting... it sounds like they are signalling a change in policy.

[Consort]

One party of the other will grant amnesty — the large number of potential votes will trump other considerations.

[GraniteStateConservative]

Sounds like the Gramm-Cornyn-McCain-Kolbe-Flake guest-worker proposal is what will happen.

[BureaucratusMaximus]

Very interesting... it sounds like they are signalling a change in policy.

Or someone wants to keep their job.

[scottlang]

I knew there is a reason I like Colin Powell. I agree 100%.

[Travis McGee]

"REGULARIZING" is the new Republican party code word for amnesty for illegal aliens.

Just watch. First they will be "regularized" and then the criminal invaders will be granted citizenship after a brief interval.

And millions more will flood into the USA, knowing what suckers we are.

[trebb]

Very interesting... it sounds like they are signalling a change in policy.

Fox never acted grateful for what the Prez was doing and acted as if everything was to be expected as a matter of course - Bush rewards those that work with him and isn't shy about stepping back from those whop try to abuse the situation.

[rolling_stone]

"we have been working on a number of issues that we hope we will be able to put forward and get agreement with our Mexican colleagues on that don't require legislative action, but we can do with executive action on our part."

Sounds like what they are working on won't be liked by the majority of US citizens so they will try and circumvent Congress & the people.

When asked about amnesty for illegal aliens, Powell said that it is "not practical" to think that an amnesty of "some kind" could be granted for all those who are here without proper documentation

Sounds like they are going to first "properly document " the aliens then give them amnesty.

[taxed2death]

...a few dumb-ass statements though.
"terrorism is not a real threat from Mexico".

I guess that depends on where you live. Is having swarms of illegal trespassers roving through your property at all hours of the day and night "terrorism"? Interesting point to ponder.

"people from Mexico come to earn a living to support families".

This is an overly simplistic and irresponsible statement. Not all Mexicans come over the border to pick strawberries.

Many are career criminals, rapists, robbers etc. All illegals are lawbreakers.

Mexicans make an important contribution to the US".


UMMMMM. They don't pay income taxes, they soak up social services, anyone notice what's going on in California lately? While the idiot governer spent money like an addict in a crack house, certainly the 3 million illegals in CA also played a large part in the fiscal crisis. In my state, all of the entry level positions in the trades are being taken by illegals, leaving no jobs for (American) high schoolers who spent 4 years training in a trade.

Is Powell advocating breaking laws? Tax evasion? Crossing an international border illegally?

[Reaganwuzthebest]

Sounds like the Gramm-Cornyn-McCain-Kolbe-Flake guest-worker proposal is what will happen.

Hope not, unless the GOP prefers to commit political suicide.

The bill is an amnesty for illegal aliens, no matter what euphemisms they replace the word with. And it will flood the labor market with cheap labor, ultimately displacing American workers in manufacturing, construction etc. just as H1-bs have in the tech industry. It's a scam and would be a complete corporate sellout to the nation and the citizens.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[moehoward]

Yeah, he had to through them the usual bone. But the meat is in the "no amnesty".

Now if Bush had the balls to say it too.....

[american spirit]

Sucking up billions in welfare type services paid by us is not what I call "earning a living". These current waves of illegals are here to colonize (not assimilate) certain parts of this country and to gain control of various political, educational and gov't. organizations through the advantage of having ever increasing numbers of people whose interest is only in "their community". Political and gov't types assisting these efforts are guilty of treason, pure and simple.