Posted on 12/02/2004 3:10:03 PM PST by Ed Current
An immigration reform organization is concerned that the man President Bush has tapped to be the next U.S. attorney general has been involved with an organization that opposes the enforcement of immigration laws.
The pro-life community has already expressed its concerns about White House counsel Alberto Gonzales, noting that while a Texas Supreme Court justice he chose not to rule against abortion, in any situation. Now the Washington, DC-based Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) is calling Gonzales to task for his reported involvement with the National Council of La Raza, which has endorsed his nomination for attorney general.
FAIR spokeswoman Susan Tully says La Raza unabashedly supports rights for illegal aliens. "When you're talking about the attorney general of the United States, he would be considered the 'top cop' [for the country]," Tully explains. "And if his leanings and bias are sympathetic to illegal alien lawbreakers, that should be a huge concern to those of us who believe in law and order -- and that those laws are there for a reason."
And Tully points out that the phrase "la raza" means "the race" for a reason. "To take it in context, would you be concerned if there a white nominee who had been involved with the Ku Klux Klan or some other white supremacist-type of group?" she asks.
Tully says if a former Klansman had been nominated to the nation's highest law-enforcement position, there would be no end to the media outrage, demanding that such an individual could not possibly be the attorney general. "Yet there is no outrage at all that [Gonzales] has belonged in the past and been involved in that organization [La Raza]," she notes.
In 2001, Gonzales was asked if his own personal feelings about abortion would play a role in his decisions. He responded: "The question is, what is the law, what is the precedent, what is binding in rendering your decision. Sometimes, interpreting a statute, you may have to uphold a statute that you may find personally offensive."
If confirmed as the new AG, Gonzales would have an opportunity to apply that same philosophy to the issue of illegal immigration.
National Council of La Raza: News: NCLR WELCOMES NOMINATION OF ...
Murguia also noted Gonzales’ ties to the Hispanic community throughout his career. "Alberto Gonzales served with distinction on the board of directors of one of NCLR’s oldest and most respected affiliates, the Association for the Advancement of Mexican Americans (AAMA) in Houston, Texas. Moreover, during his tenure as White House Counsel, he has been one of the most accessible members of the White House staff to NCLR and other Hispanic organizations," added Murguia.
NCLR: News: NCLR To Hold 2002 Annual Conference in Miami Beach
Washington, D.C. - The National Council of La Raza (NCLR), the largest national Hispanic civil rights organization in the U.S., will hold its 2002 Annual Conference July 20-24 at the Miami Beach Convention Center in Miami Beach, Florida. House Minority Leader Richard Gephardt, Senator Christopher Dodd (D-CT), California Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante…. are among those who will speak at this year's event.
WorldNetDaily: AG nominee member of La Raza
La Raza supports legislation such as the Civil Liberties Restoration Act, which would roll back policies adopted after Sept. 11 designed to protect national security. It supports the "DREAM Act," which would mandate states to offer in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens – thus providing them with benefits not available to U.S. citizens from other states.
The group opposes the "Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2003" and the "Homeland Security Enhancement Act" would give state and local police officers the authority to enforce federal immigration laws.
"While the safety and security of our communities and our country are of the utmost importance, new policies that would allow local police departments to enforce federal civil immigration law will hinder terrorist and other criminal investigations, and have a serious negative impact on Latino communities," La Raza explains.
The group also supports legislation to ensure illegal immigrants' ability to obtain driver's licenses.
Liberalism Implemented By Activist Judges
Arizona Republic) "A federal judge blocked the state of Arizona yesterday from implementing Proposition 200 at least for the next three weeks." Prop 187 all over again. "California judge David Bury granted a temporary restraining order after lawyers hired by The Mexican-American Legal Defense and Education Fund argued that people will be harmed if the voter approved initiative is allowed to take effect. Attorney Hector Villagra said, 'Individuals are likely to be denied benefits to which they are legally entitled." This denies benefits to illegal immigrants just like Prop 187, exactly 187, an activist judge rolls in there and says, "The people don't know what they're talking about. They don't know what to do. Their vote was stupid." He didn't say it that way but that was the impending conclusion of his result, and so he threw it out. This has only been thrown out for three weeks. The state of Arizona responded that the will of the voters is entitled to be obeyed, but the judge, in his four-page ruling said the challenges have raised serious questions about the legality of the initiative.
The judge said, "It seems likely that if Proposition 200 were to become law it would have a dramatic chilling effect upon undocumented aliens who would otherwise be eligible for public benefits under federal law, even though the language of the initiative specifically exempts those programs mandated by federal law." This is the left for you, folks. This is judicial activism. This is how it happens. The people vote. It goes against the will of some liberal judge and the liberal judge throws it out saying, "It's unconstitutional," saying, "It will deny somebody benefits," as though the sole role of the federal government is to provide benefits to illegal immigrants in the country! Speaking of illegal immigrants, by the way, the new label has been coined by the people who hate labels. The left in this country who can't stand to be called "liberals" have come up with a new label: Anti-Immigrant.
The Key Concepts of Transnational Progressivism
ping
I really don't know quite what to make of all of this (unusual for one so opinionted as I). I'll follow along on this one.
A 29-year veteran assistant chief with the Border Patrol characterized the problem of illegal immigration to me as "worse than epidemic." He said the practice of the Immigration Service has changed – but for the worse, now actually aiding and abetting more and more illegal immigration. This agent said the Immigration and Naturalization Service practice when he started out was to detain all illegal aliens; the only aliens INS released before deportation had extraordinary extenuating circumstances. But now, aliens are routinely released; the only ones held in custody are those with unusual circumstances.
These "let them go" policies and practices have real-world consequences. "Let them go" policies apparently contributed to the year-long rape rampage of Reynaldo Elias Rapalo, the recently apprehended illegal criminal alien from Honduras who is suspected in seven rapes in Miami. Local law enforcement arrested him for "lewd and lascivious" molestation in October 2002, after his visa had expired. But he wasn’t removed from the country.
"Let them go" contributed to the rape of two nuns and the murder of one nun last year in Oregon. El Salvadoran illegal alien Maximiliano Silerio Esparza, who has been indicted in these crimes, had been caught and let go by the Border Patrol, despite his prior criminal record and an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
"Let them go" put Jamaican illegal alien Lee Malvo back on America’s streets after police captured him in Washington State. This occurred just months before the Washington, D.C., sniper shootings of 2002, in which Malvo is a suspect.
The Multicultural Theocracy: An Interview With Paul Gottfried
Guess this reinforces the fact that GW is NOT serious about making any significant changes or improvements to our illegal immigration problem.
Before I get attacked for badmouthing GW, let me say that I am a big GW fan, but just can't understand the administration's policy on immigration. Our next 9/11 attack will be a direct result of unwillingness to secure our borders.
Just so I'm not misunderstood, the illegal alien/INS situation has me tearing my hair out. I'm not sure what to think about the proposed AG and his connections to these groups. I guess I'd like to hear his explanation, because this is not a group of nice folk from all I can tell.
2. ACTION........Phone Rep. Hyde and urge him to stand firm for strong ban on illegal-alien licenses
Here are his office numbers:
Addison (603) 832-5950
DC (202) 225-4561
Mr. Hyde is under immense pressure from the White House and top congressional leaders to change his stance.
The media report that Mr. Hyde is being threatened with political retribution if he continues to insist on immigration safeguards in this 9/11 security bill.
Mr. Hyde needs to hear from hundreds of you immediately that his constituents and neighbors back him in what he is doing.
Guess this reinforces the fact that GW is NOT serious about making any significant changes or improvements to our illegal immigration problem.
the executive branch has chosen not to enforce the law."
"For whatever reason, the federal government hasn't enforced the laws on the books,"
Exactly!!!!! And, we as a nation, will regret the fact that we didn't enforce these laws. There are several fronts that illegal immigration will hurt us from; economic, social and most of all security.
It's a travesty that in a post 9/11 environment that we would make ourselves so much more vulnerable.
Can't be true, the reason we voted for Bush was so he would stack D.C. to the top with Conservatives. Conservative federal judges, and Supreme Court Justices.
Get over it.
Alberto Josef Mengele Gonzales - what a piece of work.
Perhaps that was "your" reason, but think you'll find most of the rest of us had vastly different reasons.
Great article (as usual).That is exactly how I feel. I just do not get what I perceive as the insanity of our approach, or lack thereof, to this problem.
*la raza ping*
I do not foresee this AG -- if confirmed -- leading the charge in prosecuting ILLEGAL EMPLOYERS of ILLEGAL ALIENS, e.g., Tyson Chicken. And that is something that NEEDS to happen!
"the federal government hasn't enforced the laws on the books,"
Maybe we taxpayers will get a little wiggle-room on the whole April 15th thing...............
Bush is asking for massive trouble with his handling of immigration. The Dems could split our party down the middle by running on a phony tough-on-immigration platform.
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.