Tea parties take on immigration

Some have decided to take on potentially divisive issue.

April 28, 2010
Congressional Quarterly Magazine
by Ambreen Ali

Arizona's new immigration enforcement law is motivating tea party activists to introduce similar legislation in other states.

William Gheen, president of the anti-amnesty Americans for Legal Immigration Political Action Committee, said more than 50 tea parties have already signed up to work on the immigration issue.

National tea party leaders have tried to steer clear of social issues like immigration that could divide the movement. They prefer to keep the focus on taxes and small government.

But as the immigration debate heats up, some are finding it difficult to remain on the sidelines.

Gheen and his 30,000 supporters have been delivering copies of Arizona's law to state legislatures around the country in an effort to get more enforcement bills passed.

His group also helped organize several tea parties against amnesty around Tax Day, and has targeted Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) for their willingness to work on bills that could give illegal immigrants a path to citizenship.

"Americans want enforcement instead of amnesty. You can't have both," he said.

-- Ambreen Ali, Congress.org

http://www.congress.org/news/2010/04/28 ... mmigration