My turn...
Flippers, Floppers & Frauds vs. Duncan Hunter
Alexander J. Madison - August 31, 2007
Mitt Romney
** “I think an amnesty program which is that all the illegal immigrants here are now citizens and walk up and get your citizenship. What the President has proposed and what Senator McCain and Cornyn have proposed are quite different from that. They require people signing up for, well, registering and receiving a, if you will, a number or a registration number, then working here for six years, paying taxes and not taking benefits – health, Medicaid, food stamps and so forth – not taking benefits. Then at the end of that period, registering to become a citizen, or applying to become a citizen, then paying a fee. And those are the things being considered and I think that those are reasonable proposals. - Mitt Romney, November 2005, Boston Globe.
** “I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country. With these 11 million people, let's have them registered, know who they are. Those who've been arrested or convicted of crimes shouldn't be here; those that are here paying taxes and not taking government benefits should begin a process toward application for citizenship, as they would from their home country." – Mitt Romney, March 2006, Lowell Sun
** “the first thing I'd like them (illegals) to do is to register, so I know how many there are, and what their circumstances are. And on that basis, we can see who would receive temporary employment visas and who would instead be required to return home," – Mitt Romney, March 2007 – SF Chronicle
** “Legal immigration is great. But illegal immigration, that we've got to end. And amnesty is not the way to do it.” – Mitt Romney, Radio ad, August 2007
**Sanctuary Cities Under Romney
While governor of Massachusetts from 2003 until 2007, three cities in Romney's home state -- Somerville, Cambridge, and Orleans -- either declared or reissued declarations stating that they are in essence sanctuary cities.
Curtatone, president of the Massachusetts Mayors Association, adds that his May 2006 declaration of Somerville as a "city of hope" committed to providing services to illegal immigrants was just official recognition of what exists everywhere in his state.
** “I don't know of any community in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- whether by official declaration or by their action -- who has not adopted the same policy," he said. "I never heard Gov. Romney bring it up one way or another." – ABC News, August 2007
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Rudy Giuliani
** "Some groups staunchly oppose legalizing any undocumented aliens. There is no other choice but to legalize these people. To hunt them down, apprehend them and expel them from the country is impractical, a waste of limited resources, inhumane and ultimately destructive to the continuing tradition of America." – Rudy Giuliani, October 1981, Bar Association of the City of New York
**Immigrants Safe Haven
Last Wednesday, the council passed a resolution declaring Jersey City a "safe haven" for all immigrants, legal or otherwise. It declared that "no municipal resources will be used to identify, persecute, apprehend, or deport any non-citizen resident, and called on the federal government "to address this problem with more humanity."
Two days later, as if not to be left behind, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, who has upheld Koch's executive order, took it one step further. He filed a lawsuit against the federal government, challenging provisions of the new welfare and immigration laws that call for city employees to blow the whistle on illegal immigrants who seek police protection, health care, or other services. He called the provisions unconstitutional, a violation of the 10th Amendment, which gives states those powers not expressly delegated to the federal government. – The Record, October 1996
** "There isn't a mayor or a public official in this country that's more strongly pro-immigrant than I am, including disagreeing with President Clinton when he signed an anti-immigration legislation about two or three years ago, which we got some amendments of to protect the rights of (illegal) immigrants." – Rudy Giuliani, 1999, Meet the Press
**So we have to find a way, and I think the compromise the Senate was looking at, something along those lines, makes sense. Give people a way to earn citizenship, give them a way to earn citizenship in which they have to demonstrate facility with English, and they, uh, have jobs, and they are paying taxes, and they put themselves in an entirely legal status. – Rudy Giulaini, April 2006, Manhattan Institute.
** “Mayor Giuliani was convinced that immigrants (mostly illegal) played an essential role in his city’s economy. He advocated for $12 million to start a city agency that would assist those already here in the process of becoming citizens. He rejected calls for a change in city policy that would allow police and hospital workers to check a person’s immigration status. He even publicly condemned new anti-immigration movements, comparing them in 1996 to past discriminatory movements like the Chinese Exclusionary Act and the Know Nothing Movement. ‘These were movements that encouraged Americans to fear foreigners, to fear something that is different, and to stop immigration.’” – Father Jonathan Morris, April 2007, Fox News
** “I will end illegal immigration, secure our borders, and identify every non-citizen in our nation. – Rudy Giuliani, June 2007, joinrudy2008.com
** “If for some reason I made a decision not to run, McCain would be my candidate.” – Rudy Giuliani, August 2007, townhall meeting
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Fred Thompson
**Voted against the Exon Amendment No. 2525 to the 1995 Welfare Reform Bill; “To prohibit the payment of certain Federal benefits to any person not lawfully present within the United States, and for other purposes”. Fred Thompson was one of six Nays. The others included open borders republicans Judd Gregg, Lisa Murkowski, Rod Grams and democrat Paul Simon (who received an F- grade from Americans for Better Immigration) – Congressional Record, September 1995.
**Voted against the Simpson Amendment No. 3671 to the 1996 Immigration Bill. The amendment stated “Any alien who falsely represents, or has falsely represented, himself to be a citizen of the United States is deportable.” – Congressional Record, April 1996.
**In 1996, removed higher fines for businesses which hire illegal aliens
Sen. Thompson, in committee consideration of S.1664 protected businesses from having to pay higher fines when they are caught hiring illegal aliens. Under the idea that current fines were not enough of a deterrent against businesses cutting their labor costs by hiring illegal aliens, the Senate immigration subcommittee approved higher fines. Various study commissions have found that the willingness of U.S. businesses to hire illegal aliens is the No. 1 incentive for foreign workers to become illegal aliens here. But Sen. Thompson voted with a 10-8 majority in the Judiciary Committee to remove the higher fines from the 1996 legislation against illegal immigration. – Numbers USA
** “When it comes to personal courage and integrity, and the courage to do what he thinks is right, regardless whether or not it is particularly popular at the moment, John McCain has shown the characteristics of leadership like no one else I’ve ever seen.” – Fred Thompson, August 1999
** “Because we allowed ourselves to wait until we woke up one day and found 12 million illegals here, there’s no easy solution. And I think that you have to realize that you’re either going to drive 12 million people underground permanently, which is not a good solution. You’re going to get them all together and get them out of the country, which is not going to happen. Or you’re going to have to, in some way, work out a deal where they can have some aspirations of citizenship, but not make it so easy that it’s unfair to the people waiting in line and abiding by the law.” - Fred Thompson, April 2006, Fox News
** “We are all very well aware of the fact that we have an illegal-immigration problem in this country. As usual, we avoided the problem for as long as we could and when we couldn't avoid it any longer we were told that, indeed, somewhere between 12 and 20 million people had somehow come into this country unnoticed. It's like we went overnight from "no problem" to a problem so big that it now defies a good solution. It's become one of those "there are no good choices only less bad choices" that Americans are becoming all too familiar with.” – Fred Thompson, March 2007, ABC radio.
** “The 12 million [illegal immigrants] here aren’t as much as a concern as the next 12 million after that.” – Fred Thompson, May 2007, Lincoln Club of O.C.
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Mike Huckabee
**Huckabee promotes 'open door' policy at LULAC convention Thursday, Jun 30, 2005
In a impassioned speech before hundreds of influential Hispanic civil rights leaders from across the nation, Gov. Mike Huckabee told a captive audience Wednesday that America is great because it has always opened it doors up to people seeking a better way of life.
"Do unto others as you would have others do unto you," Huckabee said, citing the Golden Rule. "I have tried to govern that way and it stands to reason that I really do believe that what made this great country so great and so unique is that it has always been a place for people to run to - and not run from.
"I would hope that no matter who we are, or where we are from, that America should always be a place that opens its arms, opens it heart, opens its spirit to people who come because they want the best for their families ...," Huckabee said as the largely Hispanic audience gave him a standing ovation.
In his opening remarks, he said the nation will need to address the concerns of the Hispanic community because of its growing influence and population base.
"Pretty soon, Southern white guys like me may be in the minority," Huckabee said jokingly as the crowd roared in laughter.
He told the LULAC delegates that their presence in the state's capital city was very important because Arkansas has one of the fastest growing Hispanic populations in the nation.
"Your gathering is so very significant for our state," Huckabee said. "We are delighted to have you."
"This is an issue that is going to require extraordinary efforts on both sides of the border, particularly those coming from Mexico," Huckabee said of verifying the status of illegal aliens. "But I am confident that our government will recognize that we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunities for their families (and) employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force."
During the legislation session, Huckabee criticized an immigration bill by Republican senators Jim Holt of Springdale and Denny Altes of Fort Smith as un-Christian, un-American, irresponsible and anti-life. – Arkansas News Bureau, June 2005
**When people say illegal immigrants take jobs from Americans, Huckabee said he asks them to name someone "who cannot get a job because a Mexican illegally here has taken the job they want."
"If that's the case, if you can get me their name and phone number by five this afternoon, I can have them making a bed, plucking a chicken, tarring a roof or picking a tomato by the morning at 8 o' clock," he said.
No one has been able to give him a name, he said. Illegal immigrants have jobs Americans don't want, he said – August 2006, The State (SC)
**Q: When it comes to illegal immigration, do you think we should allow illegal aliens currently in the country to become citizens or at least give them the opportunity to or the opportunity to stay as guest workers, or do you think they should have to leave the United States?
A: “Well, I'm not as sure that leaving and then coming back is as important as it is to acknowledge that what they've done is illegal, pay a fine, and then get in line behind the people that are going through the process of being here legally. It's important that we have a legal process.” – Mike Huckabee, 2006, Right Wing News interview.
** "I didn't sign the 'No Amnesty' pledge because it was a silly piece of campaign propaganda cooked up by Tancredo. Candidates don't make pledges for each other to sign, and he knows that." – Mike Huckabee, August 2007
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John McCain
**"My name is John McCain, and I have had the pleasure of serving my country all of my life" – John McCain, April 2007 Campaign ad.
** Kennedy-McCain partnership falters – Headline Boston Globe, March 2007
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Duncan Hunter
**Cosponsored H.R. 4449 - The Social Security Alien and Foreign Resident Limitations Act of 1981, which sought to “amend title II of the Social Security Act to limit benefits in the case of individuals who are not citizens or nationals of the United States or who are residing abroad.” – Congressional Record, September, 1981
**Sponsored H.R. 2534 - A bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize the Attorney General to accept donated horses for use in patrolling the borders of the United States. – Congressional Record, April, 1983
**Voted against S.1200, The Immigration and Control Act of 1986, which included TITLE II -"ADJUSTMENT OF STATUS OF CERTAIN ENTRANTS BEFORE JANUARY 1, 1982, TO THAT OF PERSON ADMITTED FOR LAWFUL RESIDENCE (Amnesty). – Congressional Record, October 1986.
**Cosponsored H.R. 2964, The Comprehensive Border Control Act of 1991 - Directs the Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service to make specified improvements in border enforcement and security. – Congressional Record, July, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3438, The Immigration Document Fraud Prevention Act of 1991 To prevent immigration document fraud, and for other purposes. - Congressional Record, October, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3439, the Improved Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 1991 – Increases FY 1993 personnel levels and funding for the Border Patrol, Increases for FY 1993 the number of Assistant United States Attorney positions, and assigns such additional personnel to prosecute persons who harbor or bring into the United States illegal aliens. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to increase penalties for harboring or bringing into the United States aliens for profit. – Congressional Record, October, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3440, the Employer Sanctions Improvements Act of 1991 – Directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to provide for the issuance of new counterfeit-resistant social security cards to employable aliens solely for the purpose of providing employment eligibility. – Congressional Record, October, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3441, To prohibit direct Federal financial benefits and unemployment benefits for illegal aliens. – Congressional record, October, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3442, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit transportation of illegal aliens for purposes of employment. – Congressional Record, October, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 4134, The California-Mexico Border Drug Trafficking Reduction Act - Directs the Attorney General, to prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States, to take action to: (1) acquire a permanent easement for the United States extending 50 feet outwards along the length of the U.S.-Mexican border in California for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a security fence and access road; and (2) establish a 500-feet setback along the length of such border for the purpose of restricting any development within such setback. – Congressional Record, June, 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 4754, To provide for 2,000 additional border patrol agents from military personnel displaced by defense cutbacks. – Congressional Record, April 1991.
**Cosponsored H.R. 709, The California-Mexico Border Drug Trafficking Reduction Act - Directs the Attorney General, to prevent the illegal entry of aliens into the United States, to take action to: (1) acquire a permanent easement for the United States extending 50 feet outwards along the length of the U.S.-Mexican border in California for the purpose of erecting and maintaining a security fence and access road; and (2) establish a 500-feet setback along the length of such border for the purpose of restricting any development within such setback. – Congressional Record, February 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 852, To authorize additional appropriations to increase border patrol personnel to 6,800 by the end of fiscal year 1995 and to make available amounts in the Department of Justice Assets Forfeiture Fund for the additional border patrol personnel. – Congressional Record, February 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 985, To include infection with the agent for acquired immune deficiency syndrome as a communicable disease of public health significance for which an alien is excludable under the Immigration and Nationality Act. – Congressional Record, February 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R., the Improved Immigration Law Enforcement Act of 1993- Amends the Act to increase penalties for harboring or bringing into the United States aliens for profit and expresses the sense of the Senate that the Attorney General and the Secretary of State should initiate programs with Mexico and Canada to prevent and prosecute the smuggling of aliens into the United States. – Congressional Record, February 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 1080, To prohibit direct Federal financial benefits and unemployment benefits for aliens who are not lawful permanent residents. – Congressional Record, March 1993
**Cosponsored H.R. 1082, To provide for 2,500 additional border patrol agents from military personnel displaced by defense cutbacks. – Congressional Record, March 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 1191, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit citizenship at birth, merely by virtue of birth in the United States, to persons with citizen or legal resident mothers. – Congressional Record, March 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 1355, The Exclusion and Asylum Reform Amendments of 1993 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to create grounds for exclusion of an alien who: (1) uses or attempts to use a fraudulent document to enter the United States, or to board a common carrier for such purpose; or (2) uses a document to board a common carrier and then fails to present such document to an immigration official upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry. – Congressional Record, April 1993.
**Sponsored H.R. 2018, to Prohibit an eligible State from receiving State Legalization Impact Assistance Grants until the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Border Patrol certify that the State is cooperating in the apprehension, detention, and transfer of illegal immigrants. – Congressional Record, May 1993
**Sponsored H.R. 2646, To direct that certain Federal financial benefits be provided only to citizens and nationals of the United States. – Congressional Record, August 1993
**Cosponsored H.R. 2859, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide that public ceremonies for the admission of new citizens shall be conducted solely in English. – Congressional Record, August 1993.
**Cosponsored H.R. 3105, To restructure the enforcement components of the Immigration and Naturalization Service. – Congressional Record, September 1993
**Cosponsored H.R. 3284, Entitled the "Asylum Abuse Prevention Act of 1993". Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to prohibit the United States from granting asylum to an alien who prior to U.S. arrival passes through another country which provides asylum or safe haven. – Congressional Record, October 1993
**Cosponsored H.R. 3320, the Immigration Stabilization Act of 1993: To curb criminal activity by aliens, to defend against acts of international terrorism, to protect American workers from unfair labor competition, and to relieve pressure on public services by strengthening border security and stabilizing immigration into the United States. – Congressional Record, October 1993
**Cosponsored H.R. 3869, the Illegal Immigration Control Act of 1994: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and other laws of the United States relating to border security, illegal immigration, alien eligibility for Federal financial benefits and services, criminal activity by aliens, alien smuggling, fraudulent document use by aliens, asylum, terrorist aliens, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, May 1994
**Sponsored H.AMDT 191 to H.R. 2519, an Amendment to increase by $60 million the funds appropriated in the bill for salaries and expenses within the Immigration and Naturalization Service. – Congressional Record, July 1993
**Sponsored H.AMDT to H.R. 4092. The Amendment authorizes the hiring of an additional 6,000 Border Patrol Agents and support staff over the next five fiscal years. – Congressional Record, April 1994
**Cosponsored H.R. 372, the Immigrant Financial Responsibility and Sponsorship Act of 1995 - Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act to: (1) revise the public charge grounds for excludability; and (2) set forth sponsor financial responsibility requirements. - Congressional Record, January 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 375, To provide for asylum reform, prohibition of Federal benefits to certain aliens, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, January 1995.
**Cosponsored H.R. 387, To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to assign Department of Defense personnel to assist the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service perform their border protection functions. – Congressional Record, June 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 592, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to repeal the provision allowing adjustment of status of unlawful aliens in the United States. – Congressional Record, January 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 739, Declaration of Official Language Act of 1995 - Declares English to be the official language of the U.S. Government. States that English is the preferred language of communication among U.S. citizens. Requires the U.S. Government to promote and support the use of English for communications among U.S. citizens. Requires communications by officers and employees of the U.S. Government with U.S. citizens to be in English. – Congressional Record, February 1995
**Sponsored H.R. 756 and H.R. 1018, the Illegal Immigration Control Acts of 1995: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act and other laws of the United States relating to border security, illegal immigration, alien eligibility for Federal financial benefits and services, criminal activity by aliens, alien smuggling, fraudulent document use by aliens, asylum, terrorist aliens, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, January and February 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 1363, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens. – Congressional Record, March 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 1377, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize States to deny public education benefits to aliens not lawfully present in the United States. – Congressional Record, April 1995
**Sponsored H.R. 1658, To enhance border security in the vicinity of San Diego, California through the construction and improvement of physical barriers at the United States border and through the forward deployment of Border Patrol agents to the border. (San Diego Border Fence Bill) – Congressional Record, May 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 1915 and H.R. 2202, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to improve deterrence of illegal immigration to the United States by increasing border patrol and investigative personnel, by increasing penalties for alien smuggling and for document fraud, by reforming exclusion and deportation law and procedures, by improving the verification system for eligibility for employment, and through other measures, to reform the legal immigration system and facilitate legal entries into the United States, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, August and September 1995
**Cosponsored H.R. 3724, To improve the integrity of the Social Security card and to provide for criminal penalties for fraud and related activity involving work authorization documents for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act. – Congressional Record, June 1996
**Cosponsored H.R. 7, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens. – Congressional Record, June 1996
**Cosponsored H.R. 849, To prohibit an alien who is not lawfully present in the United States from receiving assistance under the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act of 1970. – Congressional record, February 1997
**Cosponsored H.R. 901, To preserve the sovereignty of the United States over public lands and acquired lands owned by the United States, and to preserve State sovereignty and private property rights in non-Federal lands surrounding those public lands and acquired lands. – Congressional Record, February 1997
**Cosponsored H.R. 1428, the Voter Eligibility Verification Act: To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to establish a system through which the Commissioner of Social Security and the Attorney General respond to inquiries made by election officials concerning the citizenship of voting registration applicants and to amend the Social Security Act to permit States to require individuals registering to vote in elections to provide the individual's Social Security number. – Congressional Record, April 1997
**Cosponsored H.R. 1493, To require the Attorney General to establish a program in local prisons to identify, prior to arraignment, criminal aliens and aliens who are unlawfully present in the United States, and for other purposes. – Congressional record, May, 1997
**Cosponsored H.R. 2356, To amend the Voting Rights Act of 1965 to eliminate certain provisions relating to bilingual voting requirements. – Congressional Record, July 1997
**Cosponsored H.R. 2922, To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the Armed Forces, under certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions, to assist the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service in the performance of border protection functions. – Congressional Record, November 1997
**Sponsored H.R. 3858, To assure drug-free borders by increasing penalties for certain drug-related offenses, to enhance law enforcement efforts for counter-drug activities, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, May 1998.
**Cosponsored H.R. 38, To repeal the (Clinton) National Voter Registration Act of 1993. – Congressional Record, January 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 73, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens. – Congressional Record, January 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 123, To amend title 4, United States Code, to declare English as the official language of the Government of the United States. - Congressional Record, January 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 191, To improve the integrity of the Social Security card and to provide for criminal penalties for fraud and related activity involving work authorization documents for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act. – Congressional Record, January 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 628, To amend title 10, United States Code, to authorize the Secretary of Defense to assign members of the Armed Forces, under certain circumstances and subject to certain conditions, to assist the Immigration and Naturalization Service and the United States Customs Service in the performance of border protection functions. – Congressional Record, February 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 2528, To establish the Bureau of Immigration Services and the Bureau of Immigration Enforcement within the Department of Justice. – Congressional Record, July 1999
**Cosponsored H.R. 4282, To provide Federal reimbursement for indirect costs relating to the incarceration of illegal aliens and for emergency health services furnished to undocumented aliens. – Congressional Record, April 2000
**Sponsored H.AMDT 581, an amendment to H.R. 5005, to express the sense of the Congress that completion of the San Diego Border Fence Project is a priority of the DHS. – Congressional Record, July 2002
**Cosponsored H.R. 10, To provide for reform of the intelligence community, terrorism prevention and prosecution, border security, and international cooperation and coordination, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, September 2004
**Cosponsored H.R. 502, To require identification that may be used in obtaining Federal public benefits to meet restrictions ensuring that it is secure and verifiable. – Congressional Record, January 2003
**Cosponsored H.R. 687, To prohibit the Federal Government from accepting a form of identification issued by a foreign government, except for a passport that is accepted for such a purpose on the date of enactment of this Act. – Congressional Record, February 2003
**Cosponsored H.R. 993, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to authorize appropriations for fiscal years 2004 through 2010 to carry out the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program. – Congressional Record, February 2003
**Sponsored H.R. 1392, To require inspection of all cargo on commercial trucks and vessels entering the United States. – Congressional Record, March 2003
**Cosponsored H.R. 1557, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens. – Congressional Record, April 2003
**Cosponsored H.R. 2671, the Clear Law Enforcement for Criminal Alien Removal Act of 2003 or the CLEAR Act of 2003 - States that: (1) State and local law enforcement personnel are fully authorized to investigate, apprehend, or remove aliens in the United States (including interstate transportation of such aliens to detention centers) in the enforcement of U.S. immigration laws; and (2) a State that does not have a statute permitting enforcement of Federal immigration laws within two years of enactment of this Act shall not receive certain Federal incarceration assistance. – Congressional Record, July 2003
**Sponsored H.R. 3235, To amend title 23, United States Code, to withhold highway funds from States that issue drivers' licenses to illegal aliens. – Congressional record, October 2003
**Cosponsored H.R. 19, To require employers to conduct employment eligibility verification to prevent illegal aliens from working in the United States. – Congressional Record, January 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 98, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to enforce restrictions on employment in the United States of unauthorized aliens through the use of improved Social Security cards and an Employment Eligibility Database, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, January 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 698, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to deny citizenship at birth to children born in the United States of parents who are not citizens or permanent resident aliens. – Congressional Record, February 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 3171, To provide for enhanced Federal, State, and local assistance in the enforcement of the immigration laws, to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act, to authorize appropriations to carry out the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, June 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 3938, the Enforcement First Immigration Reform Act of 2005. Amends the Immigration and Nationality Act and other immigration-related provisions with respect to: (1) enforcement and detention of, and criminal penalties for, illegal aliens; (2) the institutional removal (IRP) and criminal alien assistance (SCAAP) programs; (3) alien smuggling, document fraud, gang violence, and drug trafficking; (4) border security, personnel increases, and border-related assignment of armed forces members; (5) provision of social security numbers; (6) work authorization and enforcement; (7) secure identification standards, including birth certificates; (8) reform of legal immigration, including elimination of the diversity lottery visa category and certain limitations on entrants from Mexico; (9) citizenship reform, including limitations on citizenship by birth; and (10) wages paid to unauthorized aliens. – Congressional Record, September 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 4032, To amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to remove the discretion of the Secretary of Homeland Security with respect to expedited removal under section 235(b)(1)(A)(iii)(I) of such Act and to amend the Truth in Lending Act to prohibit issuance of residential mortgages to illegal aliens. – Congressional Record, October 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 4083, the Border Security Improvement Act - Amends the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to: (1) make the Secretary of Homeland Security rather than the Attorney General responsible for border barrier improvements; and (2) direct the Secretary to provide for construction of a fence along the entire U.S. southern border. – Congressional Record, October 2005
**Sponsored H.R. 4313, the TRUE Enforcement and Border Security Act of 2005 - Sets forth border security-related provisions, including provisions respecting: (1) construction of fencing and security improvements in the the Pacific Ocean-Gulf of Mexico border area; (2) increased availability of Department of Defense (DOD) equipment on the southern border; and (3) construction of additional ports of entry. – Congressional Record, November 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 4360, To enforce law and order by establishing a program to authorize, fund, and otherwise assist local Sheriffs' offices in designated counties to provide a second line of defense alongside and in close cooperation with the United States Customs Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to conduct law enforcement operations in their counties along the southern international border of the United States, and to prevent lawlessness in border areas. – Congressional Record, November 2005
**Cosponsored H.R. 6015, To enhance border security through the use of temporary support personnel, expansion of Border Patrol agent training, increased hiring authority, support for local law enforcement agencies, and for other purposes. – Congressional Record, July 2006
**Wrote and Cosponsored H.R. 6061, Secure Fence Act of 2006 - Directs the Secretary of Homeland Security, within 18 months of enactment of this Act, to take appropriate actions to achieve operational control over U.S. international land and maritime borders, including: (1) systematic border surveillance through more effective use of personnel and technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras; and (2) physical infrastructure enhancements to prevent unlawful border entry and facilitate border access by U.S. Customs and Border Protection, such as additional checkpoints, all weather access roads, and vehicle barriers. – Congressional Record, September 2006
**Sponsored H.AMDT to amend H.R. 4437. Amendment mandates the construction of specific security fencing, including lights and cameras, along the Southwest border for the purposes of gaining operational control of the border; designates fencing in specific sectors; and includes a requirement for the Secretary of Homeland Security to conduct a study on the use of physical barriers along the northern international land and maritime border of the United States. – Congressional Record, December 2005
**Cosponsored H.CON.RES 40, Expressing the sense of Congress that the United States should not engage in the construction of a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Superhighway System or enter into a North American Union with Mexico and Canada. – Congressional Record, January 2007
**Cosponsored H.CON.RES 83, Expressing the sense of the Congress that State and local governments should be supported for taking actions to discourage illegal immigration and that legislation should be enacted to ease the burden on State and local governments for taking such actions. – Congressional Record, March 2007
**Cosponsored H.R. 19, To require employers to conduct employment eligibility verification to prevent illegal aliens from working in the United States. – Congressional Record, January 2007
**Sponsored H.R. 1756, To prohibit Mexico-domiciled motor carriers from operating beyond United States municipalities and commercial zones on the United States-Mexico border until certain conditions are met to ensure the safety of such operations. – Congressional Record, March 2007
**Cosponsored H.R. 1940, To amend section 301 of the Immigration and Nationality Act to clarify those classes of individuals born in the United States who are nationals and citizens of the United States at birth. – Congressional Record, April 2007
**Cosponsored H.R. 2508, To require Federal contractors to participate in the basic pilot program for employment eligibility verification to prevent illegal aliens from working in the United States. - Congressional Record, May 2007
**Sponsored H.AMDT 630 to amend H.R. 3074. An amendment prohibiting the use of funds to participate in a working group pursuant to the Security and Prosperity Partnership. – Congressional Record, July 2007
** "The cornerstone of our responsibilities as elected officials is to defend and protect the American people. This was reinforced with the attacks of September 11th, which immediately made border security a national security issue. Protecting our homeland begins at our nation’s borders and it is imperative that our border enforcement agencies be provided with the necessary resources to ensure that we know both who and what are entering the country. I believe in providing Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement corps with sufficient strength to secure our borders and providing for interior enforcement throughout the country because it is imperative in our fight to protect Americans. To not do so can only be characterized as irresponsible." – Duncan Hunter, 2007 Campaign speech.
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Fellow conservatives, if you take the time to read the quotes and excerpts listed above, it will be very obvious that there is only one man who Americans can trust to stamp out illegal immigration. And do so without introducing some form of Amnesty in the process. Duncan Hunter not only believes in, and has fought for, a rock-solid, secure border, but he is the only candidate who has never wavered in his call to deport the illegals now in this country.
Fred Thompson, Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani, and Mike Huckabee have spent the last few months working with consultants on various immigration schemes to present to conservatives, in feeble attempts to make them appear tough on borders and illegal aliens. Though it is certainly refreshing to see most of the candidates climb aboard this bandwagon, it is also glaringly obvious that they still don’t quite grasp the problem. And it is even more obvious that it is strictly an election ploy. There is no reason to believe a man who is pandering for votes after an entire career ignoring or soft-pedaling the problem of illegal immigration.
John McCain was the only one of these Hunter opponents brave (and foolish) enough to remain consistent in his views. Alas, his fate was sealed with this spring’s Kennedy-McCain-Bush Amnesty bill. He went down swinging, but he has been knocked out like a cold mackerel; deservedly so. The rest of the pack was savvy enough to feign distance from McCain’s amnesty bill, despite all having supported it previously. They must have been watching the polls and peeking in on conservative websites, because they all headed for the high ground.
Mitt Romney was extolling the virtues of amnesty as recently as 2006. Naturally, he did not label it as such. Like McCain and Bush, he chose to define paying a fee and registering to stay as something other than amnesty, while tossing in the ignorant hyperbole - “I don't believe in rounding up 11 million people and forcing them at gunpoint from our country”.
Mitt has also recently attacked Rudy Giuliani for his full throated support of New York City’s ‘sanctuary’ status for illegal aliens. While certainly true and certainly preposterous, Mitt does not have any standing for such an attack. His entire state was essentially a sanctuary state. The mayor of Somerville, MA stated recently, “I don't know of any community in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts -- whether by official declaration or by their action -- who has not adopted the same policy. I never heard Gov. Romney bring it up one way or another.” Mr. Romney has never had any credibility on this or any other subject important to conservatives, and his brazen flip-flops are good only for their comedic value.
Rudy Giuliani’s record on illegal aliens, like his record on abortion, can only be described as leftwing extremism. He was Bella Abzug without the hat. Not only did Rudy vigorously defend his sanctuary city, he even had the nerve to sue the federal government when they moved to cut welfare cut benefits for illegals. Rudy did not sue to protect US citizens from welfare cuts, after all- he brags about his own reductions of welfare rolls. Rather, it was the illegals he sought to protect, suing all the way to the Supreme Court only to lose in the end. Rudy also spent his entire career conflating illegal aliens with legal immigrants as if there were no difference, insulting every law abiding immigrant who went through the pain and effort to come to our country the right way. Time and time again this charlatan made the case that illegal aliens were good for the country. One would think a former prosecutor would understand the intrinsic value of law and order, but instead he displayed grotesque disdain for our federal laws and the will of the people. Now, Rudy hilariously proclaims “he will put an end to illegal immigration”. Unfortunately for this sorry leftist, but fortunately for the country, illegal immigration is going to put an end to him.
Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee has also been attempting to reshape his image on illegal immigration to bamboozle the electorate. While he displays all the symptoms of a former fatty who recently discovered good health – sounding like a homespun version of nanny-state guru Mike Bloomberg – he has not displayed any characteristics of one who has discovered how harmful illegal aliens are to America. Speaking to the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a leftwing, open borders front group, Huckabee said, “we should accommodate people who wish to provide the best opportunities for their families (and) employers so that we can make sure our economy has the necessary work force”.
When the Huckster tells John Hawkins at Right Wing News, “I'm not as sure that leaving and then coming back is as important as it is to acknowledge that what they've done is illegal, pay a fine, and then get in line behind the people that are going through the process of being here legally. It's important that we have a legal process”, you can rest assured that there will be few deportations on the agenda. Just another hair-brained version of amnesty given a new focus-grouped title. The bottom line is Mike Huckabee’s career record on illegal immigration has been abysmal, in a state where only a few large employers backed his open borders agenda, while the population seethed. Despite trying to sound like Duncan Hunter in recent weeks, calling for the border fence, he has yet to give up on amnesty, telling a group of supporters recently (caught on Youtube):
“Secure the border. Then let’s have a realistic way to say there, uh, is a pathway for people to pay restitution, they pay back taxes, they go back home, we’ll discuss that….you don’t give people (legal) status then let them work for it, you let them work for it then you give them status”.
The only difference between this claptrap and Kennedy’s version is the missing Boston accent.
Fred Thompson has been hailed by many conservatives as the 2nd coming of Ronald Reagan. Calling him poised, camera friendly, well spoken and conservative, many are putting their hopes in the former Tennessee Senator. They are literally blinded by this hope. Fred is only camera friendly compared to a Robert Byrd or a Strom Thurmond, who has been dead for a couple of years. He looks like he’s running on fumes. And if well spoken means meandering speeches that can knock an insomniac out of his routine, then he’s the man. As for conservative credentials, Fred’s do not exactly carry over to all facets of governance, with illegal immigration being one of several Achilles’ heels. Even softball questions from Sean Hannity, with Sean running interference for him (as he does for Rudy), could not save him from promoting amnesty that’s not called amnesty. I guess “aspirations for citizenship” can mean many things, but it certainly does not mean one way tickets back to Mexico, China and Peru. Fred seems to believe that if we just take away the incentives, the illegals will self deport across the ‘high-tech’ border fence he endorses. Someone might want to let Fred know that it is already illegal for them to be here, and no matter what new ID we require or what law is passed, it will be meaningless unless the border is slammed shut. And despite Fred saying we aren’t “going to get them all together and get them out of the country”, that is exactly what Hunter plans on doing. Not overnight by any means, but methodically and consistently and thoroughly. That is the message that will get through in a hurry - and accelerate ‘self deportation’.
Not only is Fred’s rhetoric lacking on the subject today, his record was only lukewarm during his Senate career. He voted for the omnibus immigration bill in 1996. Unfortunately, he also voted against stiffer penalties for employers, which he now claims to support. In addition, a check of the congressional record reveals that Fred did not offer any tough enforcement amendments to the immigration bill in 1996. In fact, he offered no amendments whatsoever, and did not even participate in the debate. Too busy crafting Campaign Finance legislation, perhaps. Either way, his current folksy homilies such as, “As usual, we avoided the problem for as long as we could and when we couldn't avoid it any longer we were told that, indeed, somewhere between 12 and 20 million people had somehow come into this country unnoticed”, are vapid and dishonest. Fred may not have noticed, but there were a helluva lot of his more conservative colleagues in the Senate and in the House who were banging the drums loudly against the illegal invasion. Best I can tell, he’s yet to snap out of his stupor.
In closing, I wish to point out that the congressional record snippets listed for Duncan Hunter are only the ones he sponsored or cosponsored, not his entire voting record on illegal immigration. With equal vigor he opposed the ‘immigrant friendly’ nonsense that the democrats and RINOs served up as bills and amendments. Duncan Hunter is 180 degrees out of phase with the ‘earned amnesty’ – ‘aspirations for citizenship’ crowd. As Hunter has said many times over, “the idea that you don't deport people is not realistic”.
Hunter IS the leader on this issue, and has been since at least the mid 1980s. He has had to fight many in his own party just as often as he had to fend off the liberals. He warned America about the coming stampede when Reagan signed the 1986 Amnesty bill. It took 21 years, but she is finally listening.
Thank God.
