Tancredo doubts he can block amnesty-extension bill

Denver Post ^ | March 8, 2002 | Bill McAllister

[sarcasm]

Friday, March 08, 2002 - WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo takes credit for thwarting the Bush administration's last effort to offer partial amnesty to thousands of illegal residents, but Thursday the outspoken immigration foe said he may have been outmaneuvered by the White House.

President Bush has struck a deal with the House leadership to place legislation that offers an extension of amnesty on its consent calendar before Bush heads to Mexico for a state visit next week, the Colorado Republican said.

That action should ensure quick House passage of legislation that Bush has repeatedly sought from Congress. It would allow an undocumented person to receive legal standing, such as a valid green card, by filing a declaration with the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

It presumably also would require the person to have been in the United States by a certain date and have filed a declaration with the INS from an appropriate sponsor, such as a relative or employer, and pay a $1,000 penalty.

"The terms are still up in the air," said Dan Stein, executive director of the Federation for American Immigration, a group that has been allied with Tancredo. "We've heard to the effect that the president wants something to bring down to Mexico."

The initial Bush proposal, designed exclusively for Mexicans, once was high on the president's legislative wish list, but it was delayed after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. However, as the president noted Wednesday in a speech to the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, he now is pushing for the extension of the amnesty program known by the section of immigration law that covers it, Section 245I.

The president hailed it as a way to reunite family, separated by the border. "If you believe in family values, if you understand the worth of family and the importance of family, let's get 245I out of the United States Congress and give me a chance to sign it," Bush told the chamber members.

Tancredo, the head of a congressional caucus on immigration issues and proponent of halting virtually all immigration, said he had blocked a previous attempt by Bush to push an extension of the amnesty program through the House. But this time, he said House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., had agreed to place the issue on the suspension, or consent, calendar, making it difficult to defeat the proposal.

The Senate might be more favorable to the bill than the House, expanding the numbers of individuals who can apply, Tancredo said.

[Brownie74]

Thanks for the ping. My representative, Pete Session (R-TX) has a very good record on immigration. He is an A+ guy and I have already thanked him.

[rightwing2]

Thanks for the list. Now, we have identified the heroes of the conservative counter-revolution against the Left which has consolidated control of our country and usurped power in our constitutional republic. They are Congressman Virgil Goode, Ed Royce, Bob Barr, Dana Rohrbacher, John Hostettler, and Rep. Sensenbrenner. Now, we just need a similar list of Senators who we have identified as both conservatives and supporters of border security as well. As for Denny Hastert's "A" score, I'm not sure he deserves it since it is he who pushed through Bush's stealth vote to trick House members into voting for amnestying two million illegal immigrants when they voted for the border security bill. I say he get's a "D" or an "F". Actually, the fact that they gave Speaker Hastert, who is no particular friend of conservatives, an "A" casts in doubt their whole rating process. Bad call on their part.

[Dante3]

BUMP

[MissAmericanPie]

Dick Armey didn't even make the B- list?

[Dutchy]

Immigration reform bump!! The thread title is deceptive and outdated, thread contains immigration reform grades of all House members....

[conserve-it]

"Thanks for the ping. My representative, Pete Session (R-TX) has a very good record on immigration. He is an A+ guy and I have already thanked him."

HEY, YOUR GUY BEAT MINE BY 1%, YET MINE HAS BEEN FIGHTING THIS IN PUBLIC FOR 12 YEARS!! I DEMAND A RECOUNT....;-)

[janetgreen]

My "representative" Jane Harman won't even respond to letters or calls on this subject, and she represents part of invaded Los Angeles. I continue to contact her, though. Numbers USA is the best way to contact everyone!

[Protagoras]

But Americans can't own real estate in Mexico.

I was told yesterday that this has been changed. Is that possible? The person who told me just came back from there on Sunday after being the guest of a friend who has bought several homes and some other property in Mexico recently. Did he give me the wrong info?

[rightwing2]

What might be the relation between New American and ABI ratings?

ABI and New American correlate far more closely than ABI and ACU with a few exceptions. The New American rated Ashcroft at about 85% conservative as one of the top five conservatives while he was in the Senate yet he gets a "D" grade from ABI. Also, the New American ranked Speaker Hastert at about 54% conservative prior to his ascension to the speakership so ABI's award to him of an "A" grade is not in sync with his moderate score from the New American. Ashcroft is far more conservative than Hastert. Lastly, the next Senate Republican Leader, Don Nickles has gotten about 65% conservative on average which is quite good, but ABI scores him low. The problem with ABI is it only measures a Congressman or Senator on a single issue whereas the New American measures the full spectrum of their dedication to conservative principles and the Constitution.

[Jasper]

Yep, they'll probably be here after they get done panting from their 'dose' on the 'Day in the Life' thread. After all, it is far more important to be concerned about Laura's dress and Jorge's tight jeans than to be concerned about the silent foreign invasion of illegals being perpetrated by their hero.

The 'cult of personality' is alive and well with the Bush-bots.

[conserve-it]

"Congress has blown the doors off, and now the whole Third World is trying to get in. And George Bush will let them come. The man is nuts. He will only lose his office over this. We will lose our country."

Right on the money!!

[conserve-it]

"The 'cult of personality' is alive and well with the Bush-bots."

Well- intentioned good hearted........and BRAIN DEAD.