Posted on 12/01/2004 3:09:17 PM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection
Republicans who want to slow immigration to the United States and crack down on illegal immigrants believe they are gaining political strength and public backing, which may pose a problem next year for President Bush.
Bush has already signaled his intention to push a major proposal to allow some of the estimated 8 million to 10 million illegal immigrants in the country to gain legal work visas for up to six years as part of a "guest worker" program.
But he may face growing anti-immigrant sentiment, not only his own party but in the country at large, several opponents claimed.
"Public opinion is unquestionably on our side," said Paul Egan of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a Washington group that seeks to limit legal migration and strengthen U.S. borders.
"Americans are saying 'no' to Bush's guest worker program and 'no' to amnesty for illegal immigrants. Legislators are beginning to get the message that people are fed up of illegal immigration," Egan added.
Led by powerful Wisconsin Rep. James Sensenbrenner, the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, anti-immigration conservatives recently defied the White House by insisting that a bill to reform the nation's intelligence services include anti-illegal alien provisions.
They want to prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining drivers licenses and withdraw recognition of ID cards issued by Latin American embassies.
These legislators also intend to try to block implementation of a recent U.S. agreement with Mexico to allow workers who have divided their working lives between the two countries to gain retirement benefits based on the combined credits earned from both countries.
The United States has similar agreements with 20 other countries. Bush must submit the agreement to the U.S. Congress, which has 60 days to block it, otherwise it takes effect.
POWERFUL CAUCUS
A congressional immigration reform caucus led by Colorado Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo had 72 members in the outgoing House committed to a program of cracking down on illegal aliens and restricting immigration.
"Sentiment has shifted dramatically in our favor over the past several years and even more in the past few months," Tancredo told Reuters. "We have a significant majority in our (Republican) conference and upward of 175 to 180 members of the House pretty much committed."
Angela Kelley of the National Immigration Forum, a pro-immigrant group, said Tancredo was exaggerating his support but conceded probably one third of the House was behind him.
Tancredo predicted "very rough sledding" for Bush's guest worker proposal, but said it was possible to get it enacted if the president expended a lot of political capital.
Immigration law expert Victor Romero of Penn State University believed the United States may be entering one of its periodic anti-immigration phases.
"History tells us this is cyclical and we may be seeing the front end of a cycle that suggests a more anti-immigration mood," he said.
Romero and others are concerned about some reports from around the country, including New York's Long Island, California and Virginia, of citizens expressing hostility to Hispanic day laborers, many in the country illegally.
Some public opinion polls in the past year show many Americans would like to see slower immigration. Only 16 percent in a CBS/New York Times poll last January said legal immigration to the United States should be increased; 45 percent said it should be lowered, and another third said it should stay at its current level.
I want Tancredo to run as a Dean style candidate (who tells the truth and makes sense) and pull the other candidates to the right on this issue.
It's not just leftists. Ever read the Wall Street Journal editorial page's weekly attack on "anti-immigrant right wing knuckle-draggers"?
You'd think you were reading the Nation.
You have to ask?
It doesn't take a political committee to figure this out. It should have been the main issue 8 years ago, but the elites in the two beltway parties have been doing their damn best to ignore it, while their rank and file party members have marched in lockstep cadence behind these corrupt political hacks.
It's now the 5000 pound gorilla standing right in the middle of their platforms, and many of these hacks are still trying to ignore it.
This epic lawlessness and their cheap labor before law and country is costing Americans *billions*.
You make too much sense, so stop it before you scare the soccer-moms (Ophrons).
bttt
bttt
Wonder no more. It will.
Also, nuclear radiation fallout from recent WMD attacks will be an issue.
Bioweapon defense projects and ABM projects will be an issue.
Recovering from a WMD attack on America that sent the world economy into a depression will be an issue.
I saved this post to hard disk and will republish it in 2008.
And they'd lose. Again.
This country has seen higher levels of legal and illegal immigration recently than it has in a very long time.
Most of those immigrants will slowly become citizens (even many of the illegal ones... eventually). Many of those citizens will vote. They will be a crucial vote constituent and the Democrats would only be hurting themselves if they put up an anti-immigration nativist candidate for President. Also, they'd end up identifying their party as anti-immigrant - that would put them in the political wilderness for a very long time.
And no candidate can win based on being anti-immigrant and rallying the native-born anti-immigrant constituency. If they could, Pat Buchanan would have been elected President.
"Immigration law expert Victor Romero of Penn State University believed the United States may be entering one of its periodic anti-immigration phases. "
That should be anti illegal immigrant. And the period should have started 9/ll/2001.
New Poll UP:
http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/lou.dobbs.tonight/
Do you believe illegal aliens have the constitutional right to enjoy the benefits of U.S. citizenship?
Yes 5% 101 votes
No 94% 2129 votes
Total: 2230 votes
"Stop this insanity now."
The situation is completely out of control. We need at least a five year moritorium on ALL immigration to allow us to get this whole mess sorted out.
And nuts to this guest worker foolishness. People who come into your home uninvited are not "guests", they're intruders. No other nation on earth permits the sort of thing that's happening here.
"Pro-Law Forces demand adherence to existing federal immigration laws."
Hear, hear!
Oh yeah. The WSJ is despicable on this issue in the way in which they don't hesitate to libel and demonize people who agree with them on most other issues but who dare disagree on immigration; people who actually vote for the Republicans who give them the tax and trade policies they so love.
For that reason, they are worse than Leftists because they are engaging in a text-book liberal smear tactic.
bttt
I guess "we are a nation of laws" means nothing to your political party.
So how many more million illegals are you willing to have pour into America? 20 million more? 60 million more? 135 million more?
Immigration policy was not Pat's downfall. You don't really believe that do you?
I didn't say it was his downfall. I said, if conditions in the US electorate existed that would catapult a candidate to the Presidency based on being anti-immigration, then Pat would be President.
ping
Even Hillary! is jumping on the bandwagon, but you wouldn't like her set of "solutions": National ID being just one of them.
Our website at www.usapac.us is gaining recognition. We need to ask all of you and your friends to make even a nominal contribution of $15, $20, to help us become a national force. The PAC is registered as a political action committee in Pennsylvania and will be required to file annual statements of accounting with the state.
Your $$$ will be used to fund candidates regardless of party, who believe in enforcing our law .
Please continue to email our web address to all your friends and e mail lists and ask them to join our cause.
Thank You Again !
Sincerely
John Morganelli
District Attorney , Northampton County Pennsylvania
DA Morganelli To Appear on "The O'Reilly Factor" DA John Morganelli will appear on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" on Wednesday December 1, 2004 to discuss his efforts of arresting illegal aliens on state crimes. The program airs at 8:00 PM and again at 11:00PM EST.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.