Bush Faces Early Test on Immigration Policy

Reuters via The New York Times ^ | November 14, 2004 | Reuters

[primeval patriot]

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November 14, 2004

Bush Faces Early Test on Immigration Policy

By REUTERS

Filed at 10:28 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush faces an early test on immigration policy this week as Congress considers legislation denounced by Latino groups as anti-Hispanic and anti-immigrant.

Several provisions that would affect the lives of immigrants and asylum seekers found their way into a bill passed by the House of Representatives to reform the nation's intelligence services.

The bill stems directly from recommendations by the bipartisan commission which investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington. The Senate version of the bill does not contain these immigration clauses.

House and Senate conferees will try once again to reconcile their differing bills when Congress reconvenes for a lame duck session this week. The White House is on record as strongly opposing some of the House provisions but it remains to be seen whether Bush is willing to expend any political capital by putting pressure on Republican legislators to drop them.

``The House Republicans think they have a strong hand on this and seem ready to go to the mat. They seem to want to paint immigrants as the bad guys in the war on terror,'' said Angela Kelley of the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigration group.

Opponents of the House bill say it would make it more difficult for refugees to obtain political asylum in the United States by raising the standards of proof required. It would also make it easier for the authorities to deport non-citizens, including legal residents.

``The bill is the biggest assault we have ever seen on political asylum. If passed, it would make it incredibly difficult for anyone to be granted asylum in this country,'' said Erin Corcoran of Human Rights First.

The bill also seeks to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining drivers' licenses and would withdraw recognition of ID cards issued by Latin American embassies that many immigrants carry that now allow them to open bank accounts, obtain drivers licenses and even board aircraft.

Mexico has issued over 2 million of the cards, known as the ``matricula consular'' to its nationals, whether they are in the United States legally or illegally, and several other Latin American countries also issue ID cards.

LATINOS DENOUNCE BILL

Four major Latino organizations issued a joint statement last month denouncing the provisions as ``anti-Latino and anti-immigrant.''

``These provisions will have a profound, negative impact on Latinos and other immigrants communities. They will not make us safer and, in fact, may make us less safe by driving a wedge between American communities and law enforcement,'' they said.

Wisconsin Republican Rep. James Sensenbrenner, a leading advocate of the bill, said all its provisions stemmed directly from the report of the 9/11 Commission.

``The legislation enhances security around our borders, and reduces opportunities for terrorists to enter and stay in the United States,'' he said. ``Every provision in this bill that is within the Judiciary Committee's jurisdiction, is tied directly to a specific recommendation made by the 9/11 Commission.''

Dan Stein of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which favors reducing immigration, said the provisions would close loopholes in the nation's defenses by making it easier to identify, track and deport illegal immigrants.

But the 9/11 Commission itself said the immigration clauses were not part of its report.

``We believe strongly that this bill is not the right occasion for tackling controversial immigration and law enforcement issues that go well beyond the Commission's recommendations,'' Commission chair Thomas Kean and vice chair Lee Hamilton said in a letter last month.

Bush won 44 percent of the fast-growing Hispanic vote in the Nov. 2 presidential election, up from 35 percent in 2000 according to exit polls. His administration has said it wants to make immigration reform a major focus of his second term.

However, there is a strong element in the Republican Party that opposes any concessions to illegal immigrants and would like to see restrictions placed on legal immigration as well.

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[janetgreen]

It's the welfare and other government handouts that makes this country so appealing to the majority of them.

I agree, FITZ. If we would stop dangling the carrot, it would solve a good chunk of the problem, as many of them would go home. As long as they think they can collect every social service imaginable, housing, medical care, etc. etc., the invasion will continue.

[bayourod]

"It's not clear why you think that some guilt-by-association ad hominem against Tancredo via Buchanan is pertinent. "

It's not a case of "guilt by association". Tancredo is a creation of Buchanan. Buchanan established his Team America PAC and set up his website with his own webmaster running it. Buchanan put his sister Bay Buchanan in as chairman of Tancredo's organization.

Tancredo's website is an "attack Bush" orgy of anti-Mexican hate pieces.

Tancredo's website links to some of the most racist and white supremacists sites on the internet.

Anyone can say they voted for President Bush, but the Buchanan/Tancredo devotees did everything they could to discourage people from voting for President Bush and they lost because most people are not opposed to President Bush's immigration reforms.

Most of the Buchanan/Tancredo crowd are third party losers who have always been in denial of the fact that their opinions are only held by a very small minority of malcontents, misfits, and troubled individuals.

[usadave]

Bush won. Get over it.

You need some new material, bub.

[ChildofReagan]

Bush must get tough on immigration, and sell it to the American people as it ought to be--a matter of national security.

He needs to present the hard evidence of how many Muslims are in this country and the harm they intend to cause us before something happens.

[FITZ]

Maybe --- anyhow I don't believe in shooting them --- at least not the ones who are on the more harmless side -- the drug and human traffickers would be a different matter -- the smugglers should be shot --- not one of them is worth saving.

I just always think it's funny when some say round-ups or deportation of any illegals would evoke some national outrage --- no one is going to care about deportations -- they don't care now and they're done everyday. Here on the fun border, you can watch Mexicans being chased down on your way to work -- and you can go downtown and see deportations take place all the time -- no one pays any attention at all.

I don't think too many people really care about the deaths in the semi trailers or train cars or the slow painful dehydration deaths in the hot deserts or the canal drownings --- or there would be some big outrage over Vicente Fox and his corrupt government which pushes this kind of thing. Maybe outrage only happens if it's our government.

[Fatalis]

Tancredo is a creation of Buchanan, you say? When was the website set up, and when was Tancredo first elected to Congress?

If Tancredo hates Mexico, why is he proposing a guest-worker program for which Mexicans would be eligible?

Are you aware that Congressman Tancredo was unwavering in his support for the reelection of President Bush?

If Tancredo were truly on the margins in third party limbo (has he ever supported one?), why does his House Immigration Caucus wield so much clout? Why will they be able to see to it that President Bush's proposal to legalize illegal aliens never passes?

[Fatalis]

Maybe outrage only happens if it's our government.

There you go.

I think you make a fair distinction between armed smugglers, coyotes, and drug runners. They invite the use of lethal force.

Garden variety illegal aliens should be treated humanely, but should sent be packing.

[Dat Mon]

"they lost because most people are not opposed to President Bush's immigration reforms."

Does Bush currently have the majority of Republican votes to get his guest worker / immigration bill through Congress?

When is Tom Delay planning on pushing through this legislation.

[bayourod]

"Bush must get tough on immigration, and sell it to the American people as it ought to be--a matter of national security. "

Immigration policy is not a matter of national security. Keeping terrorists out is a matter of national security and President Bush is doing a good job of that.

Unfortunately the people who have always opposed Mexican immigration are now trying to disguise their anti-Mexican feelings behind a concern for national security.(Before 9/11 it was choking on meatballs and assimilation and whites losing jobs to browns...)

Strange that they are fixated only on Mexican workers jumping the border and are oblivious to all the other, more important, issues of national security such as port security, control of nuclear waste, the Patriot Act, sleeper cells, Mosque recruitment of terrorists, airline security, etc...

In fact the front line battle against terrorists is the Iraqi war, but most Buchanan devotees oppose that war

Terrorism is a phony issue in immigration reform.

[usadave]

Tancredo's website is an "attack Bush" orgy of anti-Mexican hate pieces.

You are a lying SOB. I just checked Tancredo's Team America website and the first ten articles that I saw that made ANY reference to Mexicans all dealt with illegal immigration. Quite a contrast to your claim of an "orgy of anti-Mexican hate pieces". By the way, just in case you didn't realize it, all illegal aliens, regardless of their country of origin, are lawbreakers.

bayourod, you have absolutely NO credibility on these illegal immigration threads. Your comments are usually so ridiculous and unfounded that you've made a laughingstock of yourself on these threads.

Tancredo's website links to some of the most racist and white supremacists sites on the internet.

Really? Name them. Anyway, the most ardent supporters of Latino illegal alien lawbreakers and illegal immigration are racist, brown supremacist organizations such as La Raza, LULAC, MALDEF, and MEChA. Many of the comments that you post on illegal immigration threads sound just like La Raza's very own talking points on this subject.

Anyone can say they voted for President Bush, but the Buchanan/Tancredo devotees did everything they could to discourage people from voting for President Bush and they lost because most people are not opposed to President Bush's immigration reforms.

You are truly delusional if you believe this.

[usadave]

Unfortunately the people who have always opposed Mexican immigration are now trying to disguise their anti-Mexican feelings behind a concern for national security.

There you go again, waving your La Raza-issued Race Card around. I'll say it once again: Mexican illegal aliens, along with all other illegal aliens, are LAWBREAKERS. Most Americans don't like having millions of foreign lawbreakers in our country, regardless of their nationality or ethnicity.

You are truly pathetic, bayourod.

[bayourod]

"Does Bush currently have the majority of Republican votes to get his guest worker / immigration bill through Congress? "

I don't know, but President Bush has consistently announced in advance what he believes is best for the nation and then assumed the role of a leader in convincing the nation that he is right.

Tom DeLay is supposedly good at counting Republican votes so I would expect that President Bush will present his case to the nation until Tom tells him they have the votes.

[1_Inch_Group]

poke

poke

[dennisw]

Free plane ticket home for this Egyptian.

[viaveritasvita]

>>>What about this law that automatically lets a person become a citizen when they marry a US citizen.....I see wo many guys down here in florida who marry much younger non-US girls.....<<<


You're right; this is also part of the problem. Happened all the time in Kalifornicate, too. I'd like to see that law rescinded as well!!!

<><

[moehoward]

In addition to denial of services, add to that a NST (or whatever they're calling it this week), and the flood would turn to a trickle.

[ChildofReagan]

Well, open borders that allow terrorists to come in basically unchallenged, as has been reported by the Arizona news media, makes this a national security issue.

Immigration policy that allows this to continue is flawed, and should be refuted.

Trying to divert attention to pander to Mexicans to, in turn, garner votes from the Hispanic community is very short-sighted and puts America at risk.

Immigration policy is a matter of national security, whether you agree or not...and should fall under homeland security (which I believe it does now).

[GarySpFc]

"The barrier would not be on an even line. You would also need to build secondary barriers & multiple barriers. Also, think about repair & maintenance of barrier."

40,000 miles of interstate in this country.

A 35 foot wall will still be there when and if the Democrats ever get back in power. Layers of technology will not be near as effective as the wall, but they should be an added feature.

[bayourod]

"open borders that allow terrorists to come in basically unchallenged"

We don't have open borders. You have been brainwashed by the anti-Mexican hate organizations if you can't see the vast resources we have allocated to border security. Do you think those long lines at border crossings are caused by toll booths? Why do hundreds of Mexicans die each year trying to walk for days across the desert if we have open borders?

Homeland security has already effectively sealed the Southern border to terrorists by making it too risky for them to attempt border jumping.

[ChildofReagan]

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041013-121643-5028r.htm