Bush team strikes back against Tancredo

Denver Post ^

[KantianBurke]

Tuesday, April 23, 2002 - WASHINGTON - Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., renewed his fight with President Bush over immigration laws Monday, mixing his pointed criticisms of the president's policies with lavish praise for Bush's leadership. It wasn't enough, however, to win over the president's aides. Tancredo said he got a second call in four days from the White House, this one complaining about the tone of a letter he sent the president offering "some political advice."

"I want to be polite. I really like the president. I really like him a lot," the Colorado lawmaker said shortly after he was berated by Ken Mehlman, White House director of political affairs.

The president's senior political adviser, Karl Rove, upbraided the two-term conservative Friday over statements he made attacking Bush in a Washington Times interview.

"The president is not on our side," Tancredo told the paper, complaining that Bush supports an "open door" border policy that could lead to another terrorist attack. "Then the blood of the people killed will be on this administration and this Congress."

Tancredo didn't dispute any of the quotations. He was just surprised, he said, that the White House took so much offense at them.

Tancredo, who heads the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, long has been an outspoken critic of Bush's immigration policies. Earlier this year, he came within one vote of blocking House passage of a Bush-supported bill to allow individuals who are in the country illegally to become legal residents.

None of Tancredo's previous comments stirred the White House to action as much as his interview with the Times, a conservative newspaper with a strong following among the president's senior advisers. In a luncheon meeting with the paper's editors and reporters Thursday, Tancredo argued that the president's policies are a threat to national security.

Hoping he could open discussions between the president and members of his caucus over the issues, Tancredo on Monday sent the president a letter restating his "strong opposition" to open borders. It didn't mention the flap over his Times comments.

"I, like most Americans, am immensely thankful that our nation has the great fortune of having you at the helm of the ship of state to guide us through this difficult time in history," Tancredo wrote. "Your courage and determination have been inspirational, and I will do all I can to support your efforts to destroy every vestige of those organizations that pose a threat to our way of life."

That was neither a retreat nor an apology, Tancredo said. "What I hoped was we could have some sort of dialogue on this."

At the very least, Tancredo said, he hoped it would prompt Bush to issue a statement backing the reorganization of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. In the letter, Tancredo also noted that Rove had not met with him or the caucus over the issue despite repeated invitations.

Tancredo said he has never been involved in so public a dispute with someone he admires.

"This is not pleasant for me. If the issue didn't demand it, I wouldn't do it. This one happens to be enormously important."

[FreeReign]

Exactly!!! Bush strikes at republicans but not democrats. Now we are seeing the true nature of this administration

Show me the quote in this article of Bush striking at Republicans. BTW, I can show you the quote of -- you -- striking at Republicans.

[healey22]

If this illegal alien bill is signed into law, I hope that the next illegal alien wave goes straight for Wash DC.

They already have, we are infested with them as well. We do seem to have a larger number of the Islamic terrorist types around these parts though. They swim in the big ocean of Mexican illegal aliens here. Everybody is happy. Diversity is our strength. /sarcasm.

Read the lastest details below of how disturbing this problem is in the Nations capital, especially post #8 and 17.

INS Agents Arrest Individuals For Manufacture and Sale Of Counterfeit Identification Documents

[Sabertooth]

Right! And the President's hated "Amnesty" is for a few people (not the thousands implied by the haters), who have become illegal because of Government red tape, after being here legally, so that they can be reunited with their families.

No, this is not true.

The Bush Adminstration was the source of the 200,000 number for the Section 245(i) Amnesty... Others had it somewhat higher.

Second, that's not the bulk of the Illegals who'd have qualified for the Amnesty. Most involved in red tape snafus are covered by other subsections of Section 245 of the Immigration and Naturalization Code. 245(i) applies almost exclusively to those who were Illegals from the start...

INS Memo: Sec. 245(i) filings

Section 245 of the Act allows an alien to apply for adjustment of status to that of a lawful permanent resident (LPR) while in the United States if certain conditions are met. The alien must have been inspected and admitted or paroled, be eligible for an immigrant visa and admissible for permanent residence, and, with some exceptions, have maintained lawful nonimmigrant status. The alien must also not have engaged in unauthorized employment.
Section 245(i) of the Act allows an alien to apply to adjust status under section 245 notwithstanding the fact that he or she entered without inspection, overstayed, or worked without authorization.
LINK.

President Bush's 245(i) extension was specifically about illegals. .

How Do I Benefit From Section 245(i)?
(from INS website)

Our immigration laws allow qualified individuals to enter the United States as lawful permanent residents ("green card" holders) after they obtain immigrant visas from a consulate or embassy outside the United States or, for many immigrants already lawfully in the United States, through a process called "adjustment of status." If you entered the United States unlawfully, if you entered with permission but did not stay in lawful status, or if you worked without permission, you normally would have to leave the United States in order to apply for an immigrant visa. Special rules under section 245(i) may allow you to apply to adjust status without leaving the United States.

You might need section 245(i) if you:

• Entered the U.S. without being inspected by an INS official.
  
• Stayed in the U.S. longer than allowed by INS.
  
• Entered the U.S. as a worker on an aircraft or ship (crewman).
  
• Entered the U.S. as a "Transit Without Visa."
  
• Failed to continuously maintain a lawful status since your entry into the US.
  
• Worked in the U.S. without INS permission.
  
• Entered as an "S" nonimmigrant (relates to witnesses about criminal or terrorism matters).
  
• Are seeking a work-related visa and are out of status at the time of filing the application to adjust status (Form I-485).
  
• Worked in the U.S. while being an "unauthorized alien."

LINK

These have been posted numerous times to Amnesty Deniers, but they still persist for reasons inscrutable to me.

[FreeReign]

I do also have to say this; for the most part, I would say that Mexicans are very decent, honest, hard working people. They are people who love their families. I have no hard feelings when it comes to them. They come here, do work that no other Americans will do, and then send money back to their families back in Mexico, or return back to their families.

On average, Mexicans are very decent, honest, hard working people like anybody else.

However, illegals should be sent home and legal immigration should be reduced.

[Sabertooth]

Like I said, it only involved a certain group of people. Not large. These people were going through the process, and he was just helping them out a little. It was not the millions that someone suggested, and thought some of the rest of us wouldn't dispute. Please, we have a bit more intelligence than some of you Bush-bashers give us credit for!

Maybe, but you don't have your facts straight here. The Bush number for his Amnesty is 200,000... the Administration was the source. I've used this number consistently throughout this debate.

"Case by case" is meaningless. Drivers' Licenses are issued "Case by case." So?

See post #203 for INS info on the Illegals that Bush wanted to Amnesty... I give you credit for having the intelligence to read the plain English.

[blaze]

There have been polls long before the internet. The American people have always been against massive immigration.1.2 million per year for the last 12 years is freepin overkill!!!! We need retroactive immigration,a moratorium, subtracting 200,000-300,000 per year, until we reach the traditional amount allowed since the founding of this great nation! What has been going on for the last twelve years is in Freekin sane!!!!!!This is not, and has not been the will of the American people!!

[skr]

He makes a comment like that and he can't understand why the Bush Administration is upset???

To the Washington Times, no less. I can't help but think on how the Democrats keep their squabbles amongst themselves, presenting a united front. Would that the Republicans could do a little more of the same. I do agree that we should be guarding our borders more stringently, but a little more tactful persuasion within the ranks might be more useful.

[goody2shooz]

Tancredo is no jerk. He is probably frightened because of what he knows. The briefings he is privy to, information we'll not know for years, is very worrisome, no doubt.

There was a tractor-trailer rig hijacked just north of Mexico City late Sunday. It was carrying about a hundred barrels of cyanide. Remember that stolen white van back east that was carrying acid? It was never located. Well, mix cyanide with acid and you get a bioweapon. We should be Bush critics as well.

TEXAS ON LOOKOUT FOR CHEMICAL TRUCK

Rep. Tancredo is right and Dubya, pandering to Hispanic voters, is wrong.

WAR IS NOT THE TIME TO BE PLAYING POLITICS.

[F16Fighter]

"...The anti-immigration nuts...around here."

So Americans and those of us at FR who demand the enforcement of our borders, and restricted immigration are "nuts"??

They say it usually is that way in the asylum -- the delusion and paranoia that everyone else around them is "nuts"...

Please check back into your cell. Visiting hours are over.

[F16Fighter]

"This [massive immigration] is not, and has not been the will of the American people!!"

We can only conclude that Dubya purposely chooses to ignore and supercede the "will of the people" on this major issue -- PURELY ON POLITICAL GROUNDS...

Enforcing and protecting American sovereignty and enforcing the Constitution is NOT a priority for the President, but the "feelings" and "rights" of illegal aliens is.

After Bubba Boy thumbed his nose at the law as a rule, it's been disappointing to watch Dubya selectively enforce U.S. law -- that is a fact that no one can refute.

[Be active]

Tancredo has more class in his little finger then Bush or his team.

[dougherty]

When the day comes where US citizens are more concerned with loyalty to their man instead of to their nation, it won't be day at all. The long cold night will have already begun.

I'm cold and it's dark outside.

[DoughtyOne]

Told you. lol

[dougherty]

these same people were hanging all over him, drooling.

Yes, that's how Bush-bots behave over Dubya.

[davidosborne]

As I stated.. I agree with his position.. not necessarily his methods of communicating it.. if everyone who agreed with him did so publicly and loudly he would not have to use such "harsh" language to get this matter the attention that it deserves..

David C. Osborne

[Leclair10]

ohio don't wear yourself out most of the people who bash bush never voted for him their either closet dems who want to disrupt things, neo neo conservatives(bill bennet), or as you've seen NWO conspiracists, they never voted for the man despite what they say. It is ironic though that his kidding around with ozzy osborne probably won him more votes then hes lost on this board. Just remember he doesn't have the senate and does anyone think ulta conservative Bill Simon would beat greyout davis without making larger indents in the latino vote? The man knows what has to be done and hes realizes hes already at a disadvantage having controversially lost the popular vote which had more to do with vote fraud then anything but it still would have been close and with blacks voting at 90-10 clip for dems he had to reach out to groups he could pick votes off like labor and hispanics the sad fact is and george realizes this there just isn't enough conservatives to win elections to offset the black vote, but there is enough to cost people elections despite him being an extremely conservative man he needs the senate to get anything passed.

[dougherty]

I suppose you don't have too many illegals up in Pennsylvania, do you? Obviously not.

[dougherty]

I have helped vote Bush into office three times: twice as governor and once as President. I am really disillusioned with some of the things he has done lately. He cares more about pandering for votes than our nation's laws and the huge burden illegal immigrants place upon the US taxpayer. I never thought I would say it before this year, but I will not vote for him ever again. I knew he wasn't tough on illegals while he was governor, but it was the feds responsibility to protect our borders. I thought he would toughen up after being elected President. Well, he's in the driver's seat now, and despite his tough talk after Sept. 11, he's no different regarding the illegals than the liberals.