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.
Pat had too many other reasons not to be elected than to zero in on his immigration stance.
He is protectionist.
And the big one - he never held an elected office. That shortcoming was his biggest obstacle.
In other words, perhaps a stronger candidate (like Bush was) might have won with a better stance on enforcing our borders.
I don't think anyone wants Hillary's solution of the national ID. However, she is positioning herself well in the political arena . If we should happen to be attacked within the next 4 years, she will remind us all that she told Bush and the Republicans about the need to secure our borders. The MSM will lap this up and replay her speech as our savior. This is a win, win for Hillary and you can bet she will go with it.
bttt
Why can't they call is what it is...."Anti-ILLEGAL invasion forces gain strength". If not that.....how about "PRO-LAW ENCORCEMENT.......".
Fortunately NY has the 9/11 families speaking out for us but other than that we seem to lack the kind of spirit some of these other states are exhibiting.
I think JM can scare the pants off the legislators, all of them. The last thing they want is for a rash of these PACs to spring up.
That's why I support him.
Yes and conservatives better get things together quickly. McCain is already starting his run for 2008 and he's no friend of immigration reform.
Morganelli is someone I could support as well. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy is another one.
But, here's the more important email address: editor@reuters.com
ping to check out later
"Americans are saying 'no' to Bush's guest worker program and 'no' to amnesty for illegal immigrants."
Well, it's about time people pulled their heads out of the sand.
Well, for 40 or 50 years that I know of, the major media have been fairly scrupulous not to report items that tend to awaken visceral patriotic reactions, among Americans. The reality is, that we have depended on people to keep us informed, whose hearts beat to a very different drummer than the rest of us.
Thanks for the "heads-up."
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