From ABC News and Lou Dobbs:
More Bills Seek Crackdown on Immigration
Despite Hope to Appeal to Hispanic Voters, Conservatives Pass New Bills That Put a Strain on Immigration
By Alan Gomez, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2011
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Watch: State Reps. Target Birthright Citizenship
Watch: Activists Disrupt Immigration Press Conference
Watch: Marine Widow Steps Toward CitizenshipAt a recent meeting of conservative leaders in Miami to discuss how they must appeal to Hispanic voters for the 2012 election, former Florida governor Jeb Bush spoke of softening the tone some have used against Hispanics. He pointed to the inflamed rhetoric used throughout the immigration debate.
Despite that plea, most of the bills that have been filed in the new Congress are aimed at cracking down on immigrants — both legal and illegal.
There's a proposal by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas to add 1,500 federal agents, 100 helicopters and 250 power boats to patrol the Southwest border. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California wants to eliminate the 55,000 visas awarded through a lottery and grant them to foreigners who graduated from American colleges.
GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee proposed building 20 federal prisons to house illegal immigrants, and Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa wants to alter how the 14th Amendment is interpreted so the children of illegal immigrants born in the USA are no longer granted citizenship.
The fact that most of the roughly dozen immigration-related bills filed so far clamp down on immigrants shows that even moderate Republicans will have a hard time courting Hispanic voters, says Clarissa Martinez, director of immigration and national campaigns for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights group.
"It is these very extreme voices that are so much more visible on the issue," Martinez says. "That begs the question of Republican leadership in the House of what role they are going to play."
Rep. Joe Baca, a Democrat from California who has filed a bill that would help illegal immigrants brought to the USA as children become citizens, said he expects Republicans to soften their tone as the 2012 elections draw closer. He said GOP leaders will start hammering that point to legislators who have taken hard stances on immigration.
"They realize the importance of those dynamics," Baca said.
More Video
Watch: State Reps. Target Birthright Citizenship
Watch: Activists Disrupt Immigration Press Conference
Watch: Marine Widow Steps Toward CitizenshipBush made the point succinctly while addressing the Hispanic Leadership Network in Miami. "It will be incredibly stupid to ignore the burgeoning Hispanic vote," he said.
Some in Congress see a middle road.
Blackburn said he believes the border must be secured first. Blackburn spokesman Claude Chafin said a "serious and thoughtful" approach to comprehensive immigration legislation would then be possible.
But some Republicans feel that cracking down on all forms of illegal immigration remains the best way to continue the wave of Republican gains that started in November.
King said he believes most Americans support his calls to limit immigration and end the practice known as birthright citizenship.
He acknowledges there's little chance his revision of the 14th Amendment would pass the Democratic-controlled Senate or be signed into law by President Obama. King said, however, that getting the legislation passed in the House of Representatives would go a long way toward helping Republicans in the 2012 elections.
"It has strong public support. If (Democrats) don't shift, there's a statement on Harry Reid's desk that weighs on (Senate) Democrats up for re-election," King said. "And there's a statement ... that weighs on the presidential election."
More Bills Seek Crackdown on Immigration
Despite Hope to Appeal to Hispanic Voters, Conservatives Pass New Bills That Put a Strain on Immigration
By Alan Gomez, USA TODAY
WASHINGTON, Jan. 22, 2011
PrintRSSFont Size: Share:EmailTwitterFacebookMoreFarkTechnoratiGoogleLiveMy SpaceNewsvineRedditDeliciousMixxYahoo
More Video
Watch: State Reps. Target Birthright Citizenship
Watch: Activists Disrupt Immigration Press Conference
Watch: Marine Widow Steps Toward CitizenshipAt a recent meeting of conservative leaders in Miami to discuss how they must appeal to Hispanic voters for the 2012 election, former Florida governor Jeb Bush spoke of softening the tone some have used against Hispanics. He pointed to the inflamed rhetoric used throughout the immigration debate.
Despite that plea, most of the bills that have been filed in the new Congress are aimed at cracking down on immigrants — both legal and illegal.
There's a proposal by Democratic Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas to add 1,500 federal agents, 100 helicopters and 250 power boats to patrol the Southwest border. Republican Rep. Darrell Issa of California wants to eliminate the 55,000 visas awarded through a lottery and grant them to foreigners who graduated from American colleges.
GOP Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee proposed building 20 federal prisons to house illegal immigrants, and Republican Rep. Steve King of Iowa wants to alter how the 14th Amendment is interpreted so the children of illegal immigrants born in the USA are no longer granted citizenship.
The fact that most of the roughly dozen immigration-related bills filed so far clamp down on immigrants shows that even moderate Republicans will have a hard time courting Hispanic voters, says Clarissa Martinez, director of immigration and national campaigns for the National Council of La Raza, a Hispanic civil rights group.
"It is these very extreme voices that are so much more visible on the issue," Martinez says. "That begs the question of Republican leadership in the House of what role they are going to play."
Rep. Joe Baca, a Democrat from California who has filed a bill that would help illegal immigrants brought to the USA as children become citizens, said he expects Republicans to soften their tone as the 2012 elections draw closer. He said GOP leaders will start hammering that point to legislators who have taken hard stances on immigration.
"They realize the importance of those dynamics," Baca said.
More Video
Watch: State Reps. Target Birthright Citizenship
Watch: Activists Disrupt Immigration Press Conference
Watch: Marine Widow Steps Toward CitizenshipBush made the point succinctly while addressing the Hispanic Leadership Network in Miami. "It will be incredibly stupid to ignore the burgeoning Hispanic vote," he said.
Some in Congress see a middle road.
Blackburn said he believes the border must be secured first. Blackburn spokesman Claude Chafin said a "serious and thoughtful" approach to comprehensive immigration legislation would then be possible.
But some Republicans feel that cracking down on all forms of illegal immigration remains the best way to continue the wave of Republican gains that started in November.
King said he believes most Americans support his calls to limit immigration and end the practice known as birthright citizenship.
He acknowledges there's little chance his revision of the 14th Amendment would pass the Democratic-controlled Senate or be signed into law by President Obama. King said, however, that getting the legislation passed in the House of Representatives would go a long way toward helping Republicans in the 2012 elections.
"It has strong public support. If (Democrats) don't shift, there's a statement on Harry Reid's desk that weighs on (Senate) Democrats up for re-election," King said. "And there's a statement ... that weighs on the presidential election."
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