Thread: Ariz. immigration debate pressures McCain

Ariz. immigration debate pressures McCain
By JONATHAN J. COOPER and PAUL DAVENPORT

Updated: April 22, 2010, 4:10 am / 0 comments
Published: April 22, 2010, 3:30 am

Republican Sen. John McCain, who once championed a path to citizenship for the nation's roughly 12 million undocumented immigrants, is now pushing for a crackdown on illegals amid the toughest re-election fight of his career.

McCain's hardline stance on immigration comes in the face of a credible GOP primary challenger, former Rep. J.D. Hayworth, and the possibility that the party's 2008 presidential nominee could lose his Senate seat because many conservatives don't consider him one of their own.

Engaged in a fierce contest with the tea party-backed Hayworth, McCain has moved to the right on numerous issues, including gay rights and climate change, and disavowed his long-standing maverick label.

The killing of an Arizona rancher last month stoked conservatives' emphasis on fighting illegal immigration. The state Legislature on Monday sent Republican Gov. Jan Brewer one of the toughest immigration laws in the country; Brewer hasn't said what she will do. The turn of events has moved immigration to the forefront for voters - and Hayworth has used the issue as a cudgel against McCain.

On March 27, rancher Rob Krentz, 58, was found dead on his all-terrain vehicle after making a garbled call about encountering someone apparently needing help. Authorities say they believe Krentz was shot by an illegal border-crosser, possibly someone working for a smuggling cartel, although they haven't made arrests in the case.

Hayworth has assailed McCain's work on a 2005 bill that included providing a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, a provision Hayworth calls amnesty. McCain co-sponsored the bill with the late Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass., and argued in 2007 when the effort failed that he wouldn't give up because "the American people will not settle for the status quo - de facto amnesty and broken borders."

Facing pressure from conservatives in his own party, he began backing off his support of an immigration overhaul during his presidential primary campaign. Early in 2008, McCain privately told congressional Republicans that he had been hurt politically by his push for immigration reform and had learned that sealing the border should be a top priority.

In his bid for a fifth term, the 73-year-old lawmaker has made clear that he understands the political reality.

McCain was on the air this week to pitch a tough crackdown on illegal immigration, renewing a call to deploy 3,000 National Guard troops to the Arizona border, the busiest stretch for illegal border crossings. He also wants 3,000 additional Customs and Border Protection agents, new fences and increased aerial surveillance.

The plan was released with fellow Arizona Republican Sen. Jon Kyl, but it was McCain who went on Fox News Channel to sell it.

The plan was similar to a proposal released a week earlier by Arizona ranchers who went to the state Capitol after Krentz's death.

Hayworth called the senators' plan an "election-year gimmick." McCain's campaign spokesman, Brian Rogers, accused Hayworth of using the rancher's death "to exploit a family's tragedy to score cheap political points."

Hayworth also said McCain's actions are too little, too late.

"Had McCain supported my efforts in 2005 to secure the U.S. border, rather than stubbornly supporting amnesty, we would not be trying to apply quick fixes today," Hayworth said.

McCain argued that he's been working for years on securing the border and says he's worked directly with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the issue.

"I have a long record of legislative efforts as well as other efforts to try and get the border secured," he said.

Hayworth has pressured McCain to support the bill passed by the Legislature. It makes it a crime to be in the state illegally, requires police to question people about their immigration status if there's reason to suspect they're in the country illegally and makes it illegal to hire undocumented immigrants for day labor or knowingly transport them.

Arizona has an estimated 460,000 illegal immigrants.

Many argue the bill promotes racial profiling and will lead to civil rights abuses. The head of the nation's largest Roman Catholic archdiocese, Los Angeles Cardinal Roger Mahony, condemned the legislation, calling it mean-spirited and wondering whether Arizonans would revert to "German Nazi and Russian Communist techniques" of turning people into authorities based on suspicions.

McCain on Monday called the bill "a good tool" for law enforcement that "needs to be used." But his office later clarified that his statements didn't amount to an endorsement.

Discussing the bill Tuesday with Fox News' Bill O'Reilly, McCain said he would be "very sorry" if the bill results in racial profiling. But he also argued that "homes and property are being violated" and "cars with illegals in (them) are intentionally causing accidents on the freeway."

McCain added, "Look, our border's not secured, our citizens are not safe."

The flip-flops on the thorny issue of immigration reflect McCain's struggle to take a tougher stance without alienating moderates in his party.

Illegal immigration has also reverberated in other Arizona races.

Republicans hoping to unseat Gov. Brewer swiftly endorsed the ranchers' border plan. State Treasurer Dean Martin said Brewer "has done little to secure our border, but simply point the finger at Washington." Brewer hasn't said whether she will sign the bill, veto it or just let it become law.

Like McCain, Brewer is locked in a tough GOP primary to keep her job. She assumed the office more than a year ago when Democrat Janet Napolitano resigned to become President Barack Obama's homeland security secretary.

http://www.buffalonews.com/2010/04/22/1 ... sures.html

McCain argued that he's been working for years on securing the border and says he's worked directly with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the issue.

Well, then, he's a very, very foolish man if he expects Calderon to help secure the border. The Mexican government does everything they can to encourage their poor, illiterate citizens to jump the border.

Originally Posted by ReggieMay

McCain argued that he's been working for years on securing the border and says he's worked directly with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the issue.

Well, then, he's a very, very foolish man if he expects Calderon to help secure the border. The Mexican government does everything they can to encourage their poor, illiterate citizens to jump the border.

Mexico is spinning out of control and you are right...Calderon is actively helping his citizens to illegally cross the border. Don't forget that something on the order of 90% of Mexico's economy is propped up by money coming back across the border from IA's in the U.S. Truthfully, the only solution I see is that the U.S. military will have to become involved in a big way. The Cartels have more power and money than the corrupt Mexican military and are winning. They now feel empowered to openly carry out operations and drug smuggling across the border. BTW, I was just informed yesterday that one of my good friends and business associate (Mexican) was kidnapped and killed in Juarez. I still can't believe it.

Added to Homepage:
http://www.alipac.us/article-5171--0-0.html

Who wants to bet they'll be using the violence in Mexico as an excuse to grant these criminals asylum?

These people need to be tried for treason.

McCain argued that he's been working for years on securing the border and says he's worked directly with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the issue

Yes...well this just shows how out of touch and misguided you are on this issue. Mexico actively encourages their citizens to breach our borders and steal jobs in this country in order send home billions of dollars in remittances each year. Mexico has no desire to do anything but send more of it's citizens north illegally.

So what on earth would you be working with mexico to secure OUR border? Further, if you have been so effective in your efforts to secure our border, why is it still so unsecure?

I hope to God the good people of Arizona are smart enough to kick Juan McAmnesty out and vote for Hayworth!!

The blood of Rob Krentz and everyone else who has been killed by illegals is on the hands of McCain and his Open Borders Lobby allies!! They make me sick!!!!!!

If McCain gets re-elected anyone with a brain knows he'll be back to his old RINO ways the day after the election.

C'mon Arizonans, do the right thing!!!!!

'McCain argued that he's been working for years on securing the border and says he's worked directly with Mexican President Felipe Calderon on the issue"

Isn't McCain the same idiot who championed TARP so that your children and grandchildren can spend their lives paying off debt to the chinese in order to bail out corrupt wall street banks and their hand maiden politicians?

His judgment is getting worse and worse. Who does he think he is kidding. I don't want him making any more deals for me, surely not with Calderon. He is not in any position to make any deals. He cannot even keep local police chiefs alive or take care of his own people much less honor any agreement that is in our best interest as an American citizens.

If McCain wanted to do some good during his remaining months in office he would get all those "dealmakers" he hangs out with and snarl at them and call them names and browbeat them into supporting a border security and law enforcement only immigration bill.

Or is McCain still lying about securing the border while the blood of Rancher Robert Krentz is still dripping from his hands?