Free Republic

Republicans seeking to put more teeth in the party's immigration platform ran into opposition from delegates who largely argued they didn't want to conflict with Sen. John McCain's positions. But the divide over hot-button topics such as "anchor babies" and "amnesty" was further complicated by McCain's public shift in the wake of his failed "comprehensive immigration reform" bill, with the presumptive Republican presidential candidate now acknowledging the strong mandate to emphasize securing the borders. The platform will be put before the party's delegates for a vote on the opening day of the convention Monday in the Twin Cities. Today, the...

A new report casts doubt on the terrorist-fighting credentials of the Department of Homeland Security. The report released today by a Syracuse University-based think tank concludes that out of more than 800,000 cases filed in federal courts by the Department of Homeland Security since 2004, only 12 were related to terrorism. Another 112 cases were filed using national security charges. DHS officials say the report's conclusions are misleading, arguing that many terrorist cases are ultimately prosecuted by bringing immigration-related charges. The goal, said an agency spokesperson, is often to deport individuals that present a threat as quickly as possible. By...

Today, Detroit City Council members will consider a proposal to make the Motor City a “sanctuary city” with a “don’t ask, don’t tell” mandate to prohibit police officers from asking about immigration status without criminal cause. If Detroit acts on this proposal, it will join more than 30 other major cities that already have similar mandates. Meanwhile, Congress has yet to re-open debate on immigration reform after abandoning proposals last year after an agreement could not be reached to secure the border without creating a path to citizenship that would have given amnesty to illegal aliens. Sanctuary city policies defy...

Homeland security chief defends Bush plan, says border eventually will be impenetrable In defending President Bush's so-called "guest worker" program for illegal aliens – which critics have dubbed an amnesty program – Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says it's just not practical to deport the millions of foreigners in the country illegally. "The cost of identifying all of those people and sending them back would be stupendous. It would be billions and billions of dollars," Chertoff told Sean Hannity on the Fox News Channel program "Hannity & Colmes" last night. "One of the reasons I think that we've been focusing...

The Man Behind the Attack on Guantanamo By Rocco DiPippo FrontPageMagazine.com | June 16, 2005 The general leading the force to free the captive enemy from the U.S. detention center in Guantanamo Bay, and inflict a humiliating defeat on the United States is so-called “civil rights” and “Constitutional” attorney Michael Ratner. It was Ratner who led the way in recruiting elite lawyers to defend the enemy combatants being interrogated at Gitmo. But Ratner is a long-time leader of two pro-Communist and anti-American organizations who have for decades have lent aid and comfort to America's enemies in the Cold War and...