Republican to Lead Immigration Revolt Against Bush

Reuters ^ | Jan 12, 2005 | Alan Elsner

[GOPXtreme20]

Republican to Lead Immigration Revolt Against Bush

By Alan Elsner

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Republican member of the House of Representatives vowed on Wednesday to lead a revolt against President Bush (news - web sites)'s immigration reform proposals and predicted that up to 180 party members would support him.

Bush in an interview with the Washington Times published on Wednesday said he plans to force a debate in Congress this year on his proposal that would allow some illegal immigrants to obtain legal work permits in the United States.

Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo, who heads the House Immigration Reform Caucus, said he was determined to block the legislation. The caucus, which had 71 members in the last Congress, argues for stronger action to stop illegal immigration and a reduction of legal migration.

"Why is this so important to the president?" Tancredo said. "Is it just the corporate interests who benefit from cheap labor? Do they have such a strong grip on our president so that he is actually willing to put our nation at risk, because open borders do put our nation at risk?

"Is it petulance, because we were able to stop it in the last Congress? Why is it so important to give amnesty to people who have broken the law?" Tancredo said.

"I'm willing to lead a fight against this and I would say there are at least 180 members of our Republican caucus who are willing at least to stop amnesty for illegal immigrants," he told Reuters in a telephone interview.

Bush has repeatedly said he views immigration reform as an important issue for his second term. In the Washington Times interview, he said it was near the top of his agenda.

"Look, whether or not you agree with the solution or not, we have a problem in America when you've got 8 million undocumented workers here," he said.

BUSH CONFIDENCE

Bush expressed confidence he could win over opponents, as he did in passing tax reform during his first term. "Initially out of the box, some people said, over my dead body would they pass tax relief ... If I listened to all that, I'd just quit, you know. But that's not the way I think."

But analysts agree that immigration reform could be much more divisive for Republicans since growing numbers of rank-and-file voters are becoming concerned at the continued influx of illegal immigrants across the Mexican border.

"No issue, not one, threatens to do more damage to the Republican coalition than immigration," said David Frum, a former White House speech writer in Bush's first term.

"There's no issue where the beliefs and interests of the party rank-and-file diverge more radically from the beliefs and interests of the party's leaders," he wrote in the National Review last month.

Bush insists he is not offering amnesty to illegal immigrants but Tancredo said that was a "manipulation of language, the kind of thing (former President) Bill Clinton would have done. There is an issue of integrity here and an issue of honesty," he said.

[investigateworld]

Don't let them beat up you on this issue. I personally investigated 10 rapes involving foreign national suspects in approitmately 18 months. That was in one small station in Southern Cali.
Interesting thing though, other subjects from that "nation involved" told me rape is almost unknown in their homeland.
It seems their culture always allows a family member to "slice, dice, cut, continuously and deep" anyone who would do such a thing there. (Unless the prep was very rich or connected) And I did receive cooperation from that particular community.

[ClintonBeGone]

Atta's Gang and Mexico's gangs are working together. Get it through your obtuse brain. It's documented.

Show me the document that Mexico had anything to do with Attas work on 911. Just one.

[Southack]

"But I am 100 percent convinced that we would experience a massive influx of immigrants across our border if we were to suddenly promise visas or residency to anyone who can get an employer in the US to sign a simple piece of paper saying they HAD NO CHOICE to hire an immigrant cause they couldn't find an American to do the job."

Tancredo's and Bush's immigration plans change the incentive for employers to hire illegals.

Once registered, those employers are going to have to show that they've started paying minimum wage or union scale, whichever is required in that area, that they are paying workman's comp, taxes, etc.

Moreover, it only takes 1 illegal who wants a blue card to rat out the entire company...so employing *new* illegals instead of any old ones who register isn't an option.

Thus, both proposed immigration plans change the dynamics of hiring illegal workers. This will change the incentive and behavior of employers.

[dirtboy]

I don't understand your question. What illegal? An illegal who has received their worker visa under the Bush plan?

The problem is, you are assuming that illegal immigration will stop as a result of the Bush plan. It won't. So how do you tell apart a legal from an illegal worker?

[ClintonBeGone]

Your view is the minority, perhaps there is a reason behind that?

If my view was the minority, your 'non-profit' would be taking in a hell of a lot more in contributions.

[not-a-neocon]

"Tancredo's and Bush's immigration plans reduce the number of illegal crossers by millions by giving 8+ million currently illegal workers a way to cross legally."

First off those 8 millions you mention is a way understated figure - more like 20-25 millions. The only otion available to these 20-25 millions illegal criminal alien is to cross southward. And they need no permission to do it legally to get back to the county they came from -- they can leave at any time and need not do it legally!!!

Tom Tancredo for President.

[Torie]

Tancredo's and Bush's immigration plans reduce the number of illegal crossers by millions by giving 8+ million currently illegal workers a way to cross legally.

One by the wave of the wand making the existing illegals, or those that work, legal, the other not, and with the numbers subject to whether the jobs when the prevailing wage is offered, will really remain unfilled, and with a rather Draconian regime that the guest workers will not get a real shot of bootstrapping guest worker status into a green year. Yep, rounding error. Nothing there folks, let's move on.

As I said, I find the chasm so great, that I was moved to suggest a compromise, of which you are aware, and the bulk of adherents on both sides will probably find the distance from their side to the compromise itself a chasm.

[bayourod]

"people that want to defend our legal citizens from gang rapists. "

That's how you view yourself? That's funny. Do you have a colorful costume and magical powers? Maybe you should change your name to ALIWACJOB.

[JackelopeBreeder]

Oh sure, they offer different time limits (1 year instead of 3) and such things, but nothing substantial outside of those two options above.

That is actually a very substantial difference. The 3 year limit in the Bush plan just happens to coincide with the requirements for petitioning for permanent status. The 3 year renewal allows time for the paperwork to wend its merry way through the bureaucracy.

In politics at this level, damn little is coincidental.

Until our politicians can conclusively demonstrate that they can control the border and engage in meaningful interior enforcement there should be no discussion of legalizing anybody. We have plenty of laws already on the books that we could enforce if our leaders could just remember where they misplaced their testicles.

But, hey, what the hell. Let's just hastily push through a "comprehensive" immigration reform bill. With a little luck it will only be as messed up as the Campaign Finance Reforms and the Intel Reforms.

[FastCoyote]

"For one thing, what Congressman wants to tell his constituents that they have to go down to the Department of Motor Vehicles and stand in line for 4 hours to get a new National ID card before they can go interview for a new job?!"

Well, you'll need a national ID card under a blue card program to sperate citizens from non-citizens. Only, since Mexicans (alone) are not in fact required to present valid documents (matricula is not valid documentation), that means where we are headed is a National ID for citizens and a Monopoly get-out-of-jail card for Mexicans. Once you've destroyed immigration law with an amnesty system. all hell breaks loose.

What comes next? A pink card? Amnesty for those who fail the blue card test but aren't totally illegal but don't have papers but lived here a long time while commuting from Mexico and have a cousin born here, etc. etc? What a nightmare!

[Edit35]

Maybe these so called "conservatives" should switch to the Democrat party and get it over with

The reason many "conservatives" (like myself) are so obsessed with illegal (and some legal) immigration is because unbridled third world immigration is the biggest threat to this great nation.

I truly believe that once our country devolves into a citizenry dominated by non-Eurocentrics then we will be well on our way to balkanized civil strife the likes of which we have never seen.

Certainly our Judeo-Christian society has done well for itself. If we make major changes solely for economic reasons, and without thinking them through, we will be signing our country's death warrant.

[ClintonBeGone]

Also I find it disturbing that you don't give a damn about citizens that are devastated by illegal alien criminals, and they are all criminals.

This logic strikes me as similar to the NAACP taking issue with President Bush for not signing a hate crime law after James Byrd was dragged to death. Bush went so far as to have the killers executed, yet the liberals seemed to think another law would have made the victims family feel better.

I feel bad for anyone who is a victim of crime, regardless of where the criminal was born.

[Torie]

It does, if you really want to have any control over who lives and works in the United States, and pays what they should pay, and only receives what they should receive, according to law. And when the law enforcement breaks down, there are consequences, of varying severity, or somethings benefit. That is where the judgment comes in.

[Barlowmaker]

So how do you tell apart a legal from an illegal worker?

The legal worker will have legal guest worker visa or proof of citizenship. I would assume that the newly issued "Green Cards" will be virtually impossible to counterfit.

This isn't going to be a slipshod program, I guarantee you. This is serious shat.

[janetgreen]

Part of the Constitution Party platform is as follows:

Immigration

We affirm the integrity of the international borders of the United States and the Constitutional authority and duty of the federal government to guard and to protect those borders, including the regulation of the numbers and of the qualifications of immigrants into the country.

Each year approximately one million legal immigrants and almost as many illegal aliens enter the United States. These immigrants - including illegal aliens - have been made eligible for various kinds of public assistance, including housing, education, Social Security, and legal services. This unconstitutional drain on the federal Treasury is having a severe and adverse impact on our economy, increasing the cost of government at federal, state, and local levels, adding to the tax burden, and stressing the fabric of society. The mass importation of people with low standards of living threatens the wage structure of the American worker and the labor balance in our country.

We oppose the abuse of the H-1B and L-1 visa provisions of the immigration act which are displacing American workers with foreign.

We favor a moratorium on immigration to the United States, except in extreme hardship cases or in other individual special circumstances, until the availability of all federal subsidies and assistance be discontinued, and proper security procedures have been instituted to protect against terrorist infiltration.

There's more, but this part has to do with protection of our borders, part of the oath of office of the President of the United States. He must have forgotten that part.

[A. Pole]

The other "immigrants" you mentioned were brought into the empire as slaves and subjects.

Some were brought as slaves, many came looking for jobs, better life or just to be on welfare.

[gubamyster]

For me to hire you, I am required to check that you have two of scores of acceptable documents that show that you have the right to work here.

For me to hire you now, you have to check SS #'s. If that were being done now, there wouldn't be any illegals. If "acceptable documents" couldn't be forged on Pico & Union Blvds. on any given day, there wouldn't be any illegals. If the Feds were enforcing compliance now, there would be no illegals.

These systems are supposedly in place now & they are being subverted, ignored & unenforced. How is a guest worker program going to magically clear all this up?

[jamaly]

Rep. Tom Tancredo, I am a staunch broken glass republican and you have my belssing. I love our president but he is plain wrong on this one. This illegal alien stuff and our pourous borders will be our undoing as a nation.

Hang tough, full speed ahead, we are on YOUR SIDE of this issue Rep. Tancredo.

I agree completely. They need to forget about the immigrant and/or hispanic vote and just do the right thing before it is too late.