Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration

CNSNews.com ^ | 1/26/2004 | Susan Jones

[yoe]

Republican lawmakers who generally back President Bush are not backing him on immigration. In fact, they want their leaders to know they have "serious concerns" about President Bush's proposed immigration policy.

In a letter addressed to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and several other members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus said they won't go along with the president's plan because it "does not address the problem appropriately."

"In fact, in our view, it will further exacerbate the problem and create discontent amongst the Republican Party," the letter said.

Jones, in a press release, said he and other lawmakers would consider alternative guest-worker legislation, as long as it does not reward lawbreakers with amnesty.

Although President Bush insists his proposal does not include amnesty, Jones said he thinks it does - because it would make illegal aliens who work in the U.S. for a number of years eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty, Jones and the other lawmakers said in their letter.

"Since the President's speech, our offices have been inundated with calls from dismayed constituents expressing vehement opposition to the Administration's proposal," the "Dear Mr. Speaker" letter said.

"If we do not listen to our constituents on this matter, our influence and effectiveness in Congress could be jeopardized. Simply put, we cannot continue to allow our immigration laws to be violated and ignored -- and illegal aliens are by definition criminals."

According to the letter, President Bush's immigration proposal has left many conservatives "dismayed, angry and confused."

"Mr. Speaker, it is our hope that you will recognize the problems the Administration's proposal has created for our constituents," the letter says.

It notes that "respect for the rule of law is a core conservative value," and it urges the Republican leadership in the House to find a solution to America's immigration problem "that is more in line with the principles of our Party and our national traditions."

Earlier this month, President Bush proposed a new "temporary worker program" that would offer temporary legal status to millions of undocumented workers who have jobs in the U.S.

Bush said his program would "match willing foreign workers with willing American employers when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs."

Temporary workers would be expected to return permanently to their countries after their work stint in the United States has expired. Temporary workers wishing to seek American citizenship would be allowed to apply in the normal way, according to the president's plan.

"They will not be given unfair advantage over people who have followed legal procedures from the start. I oppose amnesty, placing undocumented workers on the automatic path to citizenship," Bush said.

"America is a welcoming country, but citizenship must not be the automatic reward for violating the laws of America," Bush added.

Bush's proposal drew immediate criticism from conservatives, who see it as a threat to national security and an affront to the rule of law.

[Plutarch]

....it would make illegal aliens ...eligible for legal status and citizenship. That is de facto amnesty...

De facto Amnesty? Not even. That is what they have now. President Bush wants to make it de jure.

de fac·to: Exercising power or serving a function without being legally or officially established: a de facto government; a de facto nuclear storage facility.

de ju·re: According to law; by right.

[mykdsmom]

I wish I had Walter as my congressman. I have the RAT Brad Miller.

MKM

[mykdsmom]

Walter Jones of NC Bump!!!!

MKM

[Michael Barnes]

And the 3 people who back Tom "Harder Vincente Harder" Ridge will also not be pleased...

That's the funniest damn thing I have read all day....

gracias ;)

[sarasmom]

President Bush is not going to repudiate his amnesty proposal.He campaigned, quietly, on his vast compassion for illegal aliens.
I believe President Bush to be a man of his word, and I do not expect him to back down on this issue.
He is wrong, and will not be re-elected.
He misunderestimated the tipping point, and as much as I admire his actions after 91101, he has made far too many fatal errors in domestic policy to be retained as POTUS.
Pity, but there it is.

[BluH2o]

Speaking as a former Canadian, now U.S. citizen, who went thru the process of becoming a citizen of this country legally (including a tour in the Marine Corps) I find this Bush's stand on illegal immigration reprehensible. What is it about the term illegal the Washington elite will not, or can't grasp? I'm a conservative republican and I can tell you with great certainty, if this administration embraces illegal aliens in order to curry favor with Hispanics ... I'll be sitting on my hands when it comes to voting for Bush in November. Guaranteed ...

[MJY1288]

Well, I think a lot of President Bush, I think he is a good man and a great leader, but it takes votes to win elections and Politics play a major role to make that happen. I think the NYT's started playing politics with this issue very early in his administration.

In the summer of 2002 I spent 3 nights going over all the immigration articles by the NYT's, WP, and the LAT's dating back to 1997, When Bush became the president, the amount of immigration articles by the liberal rags increased by 400%, at one point the NYT's was averaging 4 a day. I believe President Bush played politics right back at em by never really making any definitive remarks on the issue until we got this proposal, and for the first time he asked Congress to come up with a plan, every other plan he has presented to Congress before this proposal, was in great detail.

So, I still think he was playing politics. It might have cost him a little, but I think it would have cost him more if he did nothing.

[Pubbie]

I'm surprised the Mods haven't pulled my post yet!

:)

[Cacique]

In the beginning they opposed Reagan's plan as well. The problem is the executive branch has a high capacity of arm wringing abilities. Immigration, high deficits and welfare programs will end up making him a one termer like his daddy.

[Map Kernow]

I hate to say it, but I'm sure you're right. Bush has painted himself into a corner. He's alienated his base, and he's bound and determined to continue alienating his base.

It really does remind me of how deaf his father was to GOP base protests over his violation of his "no new taxes" pledge during the 1990 budget deal. We've been told over and over again how "sensitive" GW is about not repeating the mistakes that made his father a one-term President. And yet now we have this stupid, stupid amnesty plan.

It must be something genetic....

[Starwind]

So, I still think he was playing politics. It might have cost him a little, but I think it would have cost him more if he did nothing.

Yes, well it was likewise just 'smart politics' we were told when the President supported CFR. 'SCOTUS will strike it down' we were told. 'Eliminating another Democrat issue' we were assured.

Playing politics and strategery are no longer to be trusted.

[MJY1288]

I have to admit that I strongly believed that the SCOTUS would strike down the two major issues in CFR, I agreed with him signing it. Bad Move.

But one thing is for sure, CFR can modified by congress at a later time. And as we already have seen, the politicians are working around the law already

[k2blader]

Well, some days I think we "fringer extremists" will be blamed if President Bush loses *or* wins reelection.

[Grimes]

I happen to live in Southern California so i see the effects of illegal immigration every day. I usually back Bush 110% but this politically motivated plan is ludicrous in my opinion. I know we can't deport them all, but we have to do something else other than give in and give them citizenship.

[Map Kernow]

Well, some days I think we "fringer extremists" will be blamed if President Bush loses *or* wins reelection.

They sure know how to get us back in the fold, don't they, calling us foul names and all.

They should try it with their wife if, God forbid, she ever leaves: "Come on back, you no good bitch, it'll be your fault if the kids don't eat!" Yeah, that's the way to save a marriage...

[Map Kernow]

I happen to live in Southern California so i see the effects of illegal immigration every day.

We've known about the ills brought by illegal immigration in California for many years. We've tried to do something about it (Prop. 187) and were frustrated by the Feds.

I'm going to check and see how many of the "compassionate conservatives" supporting Bush's amnesty on this forum are from states like California inundated by illegals. I suspect there're not many of them.

[George W. Bush]

In a letter addressed to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, Rep. Walter Jones (R-N.C.) and several other members of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus said they won't go along with the president's plan because it "does not address the problem appropriately."

Liberty strikes again!

Congressman Jones is another member of The Liberty Caucus. They are 22 of the toughest pro-constitution, pro-gun, anti-illegals congressmen we've got.

Join their grassroots organization. No begging for money, just alerts when it's time to write and call and put the heat on your worthless congresscritter.

The Liberty Committee

We've got Ron Paul as leader. We've got Hostettler on gun rights. We've got Tancredo and Jones and Arizona's Flake/Shadegg/Franks on immigration. And we've got Toomey and Jack Kingston of Georgia and more.

In any Congressional fight, we start with over 20 tough congressmen standing in our corner.

We've won quite a number of fights in past years. And Liberty Caucus is now bigger than ever. Join and help us win again!

[StopGlobalWhining]

These folks are doing a terrific job in getting the message out and lobbying Congress. I encourage you to sign up for their e-mail alerts if you haven't done so already.

Federation for American Immigration Reform - www.fairus.org