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Republican Lawmakers Won’t Back Bush on Immigration
CNSNews.com ^ | 1/26/2004 | Susan Jones

Posted on 01/26/2004 3:57:19 PM PST by 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.


TOPICS: Breaking News; Business/Economy; Canada; Constitution/Conservatism; Cuba; Culture/Society; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Government; Mexico; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: abusers; aliens; badadvice; illegal; illegalaliens; immigrationplan; lawbreakers; terrorists
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To: yoe
Meanwhile continue the round up of aliens and visa abusers and deport them.

That's way too difficult. It would be better to crack down hard on the employers and cause the jobs to dry up. Without a job, they'll go home, and other won't be encouraged to come here in the first place.

I was talking to a Border Patrol agent a couple of days ago and he told me that with the Bush announcement, the flood gates are open. They're apprehending children, women, and old people, which they seldom saw earlier, and many of them are asking for amnesty as soon as they're caught. Many of the people in Mexico think amnesty is already here or just about to be granted. The smugglers, who make lots of money bringing these people across, aren't discouraging that thinking either.

41 posted on 01/26/2004 4:33:56 PM PST by John Jorsett
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To: Map Kernow
Here's a short sample from Tancredo's House web page on immigration (press releases). Emphasis is mine. http://www.house.gov/tancredo/newsroom/press/2004/2004_01_07.html "The President says he opposes amnesty but his plan is exactly that," noted Tancredo. "He tries to redefine amnesty as meaning a grant of citizenship, but that has never been the case. His plan will allow people already here illegally to gain access to legal status, and that is amnesty." "This proposal is disingenuous and misleading," Tancredo said. "Any genuine temporary worker program must require workers to apply for jobs from their home country and then return home at the end of employment." "The President's praise for the values brought to America by many generations of legal immigrants is a sentiment shared by all Americans," said Tancredo. “But this sentiment cannot justify allowing a continued flow of illegal aliens across our porous borders. The president’s proposals give only lip service to border control. Genuine border control must be achieved before any guest worker program can be given serious consideration."
42 posted on 01/26/2004 4:34:06 PM PST by RKV (He who has the guns makes the rules.)
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To: dagnabbit
While illegal aliens now in the USA could conceivably leave the USA and apply for guest worker visas, they would be unlikely to get them because existing immigration law would penalize them for their illegal stays with exclusions of 3 to 10 years.

America has no stomach to deport 10 million illegals, no matter what those with blinders on on this website think. Therefore, a compromise is obviously to allow those in this country NOW to apply for guest worker visas.

And, the one year could become two, as a compromise.

The basics of Tancredo's and Bush's plans are the same, it seems to me.

43 posted on 01/26/2004 4:34:38 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a shelter dog or cat! You'll save one life, and maybe two!)
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To: Sabertooth
I don't know if he doesn't care if he loses votes,

Consider this:

Bush's proposal will have the greatest effect on California, even in proportion to Texas.

Bush has only an outside chance to win in California, even in light of Schwarzeneggers victory which spoke more to a focused, personalized hatred for Davis rather than a consuming love affair with conservative philosophies. A victory would be welcomed but his present strategy doesn't depend on California. Bush does however need the Hispanic vote in other key states.

It would not be wild speculation to assume that Rove doesn't, in fact, care if he losses conservative votes in California as long as he can swing the Hispanic votes in these key states.

44 posted on 01/26/2004 4:35:39 PM PST by Amerigomag
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To: P.O.E.
It has created discontent within the Republican Party!
45 posted on 01/26/2004 4:35:52 PM PST by luvbach1 (In the know on the border)
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To: ilgipper
maybe, just maybe this was his plan. Make the proposal, knowing full well it would never happen.

George B. doesn't back off the agenda the trouble will be more immediate than we think.

Consider this... Bush announces plan.

The flood has already started at the border, the illegals are pouring in EVEN FASTER.

Bush's scamnesty does not make it through Congress.

The single apparent benefit of the Damnesty (IDing the illegals) does not occur.

The number of illegals has doubled in about a year, the border is STILL open, the illegals are NOT documented in any way.

I find it difficult to believe that the advisers to the President of the United States have not thought this through and told him there is a STRONG possibility that the scamnesty will not pass.

Yet GWB is still, in the face of overwhelming opposition, pushing the amnesty.

So, what's up with that?

46 posted on 01/26/2004 4:35:59 PM PST by TLI (...........ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA..........)
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To: yoe
That's an interesting thought since Bush was governor of Texas. One would think he would know something of what is going on. Are you saying his eyes are closed to what goes on around him?
47 posted on 01/26/2004 4:36:19 PM PST by chouli
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To: yoe
"I honestly believe our President was badly misled by his advisors on this issue."

Oh, give it a rest, he's from Texas, think he never saw an illegal before?

For the last 3 years every f* up on Bush's watch was blamed on Clinton and Clinton holdovers,

Now we move on to Bush knows what he is doing, it's just "he was misled by his advisors."

It is about time to recognize the fact that "Bush" and "screw up" are terms that, sadly, too often go together, as do cause and effect.

48 posted on 01/26/2004 4:37:40 PM PST by John Beresford Tipton
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To: Pubbie
"Tom "Harder Vincente Harder" Ridge"

Er, would you mind explaining what that means?
49 posted on 01/26/2004 4:37:50 PM PST by Poundstone
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To: sinkspur
America has no stomach to deport 10 million illegals, no matter what those with blinders on on this website think

Don't need to deport 10 million.

About 10 thousand, combined with shutting off the benifits to non-citizens would get the message across.

50 posted on 01/26/2004 4:39:10 PM PST by TLI (...........ITINERIS IMPENDEO VALHALLA..........)
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To: TLI
There's no stomach for 10 thousand.

Deportation will not happen. Neither party will support it!

The question is where do go, given that situation.

51 posted on 01/26/2004 4:41:11 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a shelter dog or cat! You'll save one life, and maybe two!)
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To: k2blader
Any others?

Sure..
you can call it "good cop, bad cop" or "rope a dope".

Either way, Bush has fulfilled his promise to those he made promises to and now it's on the shoulders of those wascally wepubwicans.

I think he knew it didn't have a chance and hoped it would fall flat.

52 posted on 01/26/2004 4:41:14 PM PST by evad (J F'n K Sux)
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To: luvbach1
See? they predicted it! :)
53 posted on 01/26/2004 4:42:25 PM PST by P.O.E. (Then sigh not so, But let them go, And be you blithe and bonny - Shakespeare)
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To: Mercat
Why will conservatives "beating up" on Bush in congress appeal to swing voters?

And instead of feeling sorry for the illegals, suggest you feel sorry for the Americans on the border whose property and person are being violated: pets and livestock killed; fires set; burglaries committed; human waste deposited; and owners being assaulted when confronting the interlopers. Not to mention the huge population of illegal aliens in CA jails and prisons. Guess what for? Crimes other than illegal entry. Of course not all illegals do this so I suppose we could acquiese.
54 posted on 01/26/2004 4:44:09 PM PST by luvbach1 (In the know on the border)
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To: Amerigomag
It would not be wild speculation to assume that Rove doesn't, in fact, care if he losses conservative votes in California as long as he can swing the Hispanic votes in these key states.

He's not going to make significant inroads on the Hispanic vote here in California by this amnesty idiocy---Hispanics don't vote based on who gives employers the cheapest source of labor---and certainly not enough to give him a shot at California's electoral votes.

It is going to cost him votes in crucial states where Bush is going to need the electoral votes to win, and which he carried by slim margins in 2000. Like maybe Florida.

55 posted on 01/26/2004 4:46:29 PM PST by Map Kernow ("I hold that a little rebellion now and then is a good thing" ---Thomas Jefferson)
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To: sinkspur
Therefore, a compromise is obviously to allow those in this country NOW to apply for guest worker visas.

Even at the cost of greatly increased illegal immigration that even the discussion of this plan has already prompted (as documented by the Border Patrol)?

56 posted on 01/26/2004 4:47:57 PM PST by luvbach1 (In the know on the border)
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To: JoeGar
Walter B. Jones is my representative, and he is an excellent one.

Refreshing to see an (R) who speaks his mind. Hope it doesn't bite him in the rear (i.e. party pursestrings) next election.

57 posted on 01/26/2004 4:49:03 PM PST by glock rocks (molon labe)
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To: Sabertooth
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,

No more so than an H1B visa makes one eligible for citizenship. It doesn't.

"Eligible for legal status" is a bit vague. The proposed "work visa" by definition offers "legal status", so I'm presuming he means "eligible for a permanent resident visa". But again, there's no reason that would be true, and it could be expressly written in legislation to prohibit any tie-in between this "work visa" and any other.

That said, I'm waiting for the WH to explain (a) how much it will cost to process 12 million new visas, (b) how they intend to deport the scofflaws who don't apply, (c) how they will make the INS ready to handle this 200 percent increase in workload, and (d) how they will do the above without affecting the 5 million *legal* immigrants now in the INS system.

Until they do that, assertions that these illegals won't go to the front of the line should be considered as outright lies (more properly stated, all *legal* immigrants will be forced to the back of the line).

58 posted on 01/26/2004 4:49:03 PM PST by angkor
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To: luvbach1
If you can't send them all back (and you can't), what's your alternative?
59 posted on 01/26/2004 4:51:02 PM PST by sinkspur (Adopt a shelter dog or cat! You'll save one life, and maybe two!)
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To: sinkspur; Marine Inspector; Ajnin
There's no stomach for 10 thousand.

Where'd you get that idea?

We already deport over 150,000 annually, not counting border apprehensions. MI and Ajnin can give you the exact numbers; they're in border enforcement.

Heck, we let about 60,000 Illegal Aliens abscond after they've lost their deportation hearings, annunally, simply because we don't take them into custody pending deportation.

You think the American populace would have stomach for that, if they knew?

Deportation will not happen. Neither party will support it!

Politicians don't, yet. Voters will.


60 posted on 01/26/2004 4:51:07 PM PST by Sabertooth (Take the Reagan Amnesty Pop Quiz! - http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1065553/posts)
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