Thread: Bilbray to chair immigration reform caucus

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02 ... 2_6_07.txt

Last modified Tuesday, February 6, 2007 8:36 PM PST

Bilbray to chair immigration reform caucus

By: North County Times -

NORTH COUNTY -- U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray has been named chairman of the Immigration Reform Caucus, a group that is dominated by Republican members of Congress.

The 91-member organization lobbies Congress for changes to the nation's immigration policies and was formed in 1999 by a conservative congressman and illegal immigration opponent, Tom Tancredo, R-Colo.

Congressional caucuses are made up of members of Congress who share common legislative objectives. The rules of the U.S. House of Representatives govern their actions.

Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, who is succeeding Tancredo as chairman, said in a Tuesday news release: "I hope to expand the Immigration Reform Caucus to include lawmakers from both parties who share our commitment to address illegal immigration in America," Bilbray stated.

http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2007/02 ... 2_7_07.txt

Wednesday, February 7, 2007
Last modified Wednesday, February 7, 2007 7:50 PM PST




Bilbray courts Dems on immigration reform

By: WILLIAM FINN BENNETT - Staff Writer

NORTH COUNTY -- In his new role as chairman of the Republican-dominated Immigration Reform Caucus, U.S. Rep. Brian Bilbray said Wednesday that he plans to reach across the aisle to Democratic lawmakers to address the issue of illegal immigration.

Bilbray is a strong supporter of immigration reform that focuses on enforcement and stronger borders. He has rejected proposals made by some Democrats that would see a pathway to citizenship open up for many of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S.

"This issue is too important to be partisan," Bilbray said by phone from his Washington office.

He said he believes it won't be hard to make the caucus more bipartisan because a lot of Democratic members of Congress were elected in November, in part, because they promised constituents they would do something to stop illegal immigration.

On Tuesday, Bilbray's office announced that he had been named chairman of the 91-member body that lobbies Congress for changes to the nation's immigration policies.

It was formed in 1999 by conservative Congressman and illegal immigration opponent Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., and today has only a few Democratic members.

On Tuesday, the national coordinator of the Philadelphia-based Quaker organization American Friends Services Committee, said that he expects Bilbray's appointment means more of the same conservative policy positions on immigration seen in recent years.

"Mr. Bilbray has made a career of immigrant-bashing, so it doesn't surprise me that he was appointed to this position," said Christian Ramirez, who previously served as the San Diego office director for the group, which focuses on the human rights of illegal immigrants.

Congressional caucuses are made up of members of Congress who share common legislative objectives. The rules of the U.S. House of Representatives govern their actions.

A spokesman for Tancredo said Wednesday that the main reason Tancredo decided to step down was his belief that "new blood and fresh eyes" were needed for the job.

"The best way to keep the issue going is to get other people involved," Carlos Espinosa said.

Tancredo, who could not be reached for comment Wednesday, personally chose Bilbray as his successor, Espinosa said.

In a Tuesday news release from Bilbray's office, Tancredo praised Bilbray.

"Brian has held the line against amnesty, fought for border security and will be a terrific leader of the Immigration Reform Caucus," Tancredo stated.

Tancredo, one of the most vehement congressional opponents of illegal immigration, recently announced that he was setting up an exploratory committee to look at a possible run for president of the United States.

U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Vista, said Wednesday that he believes Bilbray will have an easier time achieving bipartisan support for immigration reform than Tancredo did.

"On most other issues, Brian is a centrist Republican," Issa said.

Not being seen as an ideologue gives Bilbray greater access to both sides of the aisle, Issa said.

"Tancredo was willing to leave the party and endorse other candidates on that one issue," Issa said.

At the time that Tancredo formed the caucus, he was one of the only people in Washington actively objecting to illegal immigration, Bilbray said.

"He was like the boy who said 'the emperor has no clothes' -- he said what everybody was thinking," Bilbray said.

Bilbray, R-Solana Beach, said he expects the caucus to play an important role in helping to get reform legislation passed.

"Anything that can swing 91 names around this town is pretty good," he said. "You are almost halfway to getting a bill through the House of Representatives."

Bilbray said that he plans to hold weekly briefings on the work of the caucus that will be aired Wednesday nights on the CSPAN television network.

In June, Bilbray was elected to temporarily fill the 50th District seat vacated by the now-imprisoned Randy "Duke" Cunningham, who was sentenced to serve eight years, four months in federal prison for his role in a $2.4 million bribery scam in exchange for government contracts.

In November, Bilbray was elected to serve a full two-year term as the representative for the congressional district that covers much of North County, including Escondido, San Marcos, Carlsbad, Encinitas and Solana Beach, as well as portions of northern San Diego.

Given Bilbray's staunch positions on illegal immigration -- positions that are similar in many ways to Tancredo's -- a UC San Diego professor of immigration studies, Wayne Cornelius, said Tuesday that he expects little will change under Bilbray's leadership.

Like Tancredo, Bilbray has long opposed the legalization of any of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. Last year, Bilbray was a strong supporter of a bill that ended up dying, a bill heavy on enforcement that excluded a guest-worker provision and a pathway to legalization for immigrants.

This is good! Bilbray is a strong force for border enforcement out here.

Given Bilbray's staunch positions on illegal immigration -- positions that are similar in many ways to Tancredo's -- a UC San Diego professor of immigration studies, Wayne Cornelius, said Tuesday that he expects little will change under Bilbray's leadership.

Like Tancredo, Bilbray has long opposed the legalization of any of the estimated 12 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States.

Glad to hear it! Bilbray looks he will do very well !

When I saw that Bilbray will take over, my first thought was that he will be able to bring in more Dems. He is an excellent choice! Congratulations Rep. Bilbray.

http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=7324

Congressman Bilbray Pushing for Tough Immigration Reform

Feb 09, 2007
Charles Davis


San Diego Republican, Congressman Brian Bilbray is a longtime critic of illegal immigration. Now he plans to push the issue even harder in his new role as Chairman of the House Immigration Reform Caucus. He will be replacing the founder of the Caucus, Colorado Republican Tom Tancredo, who specifically chose Bilbray as his successor. From Washington, Charles Davis reports.

Tancredo is stepping down from the post to explore a presidential bid. Bilbray wants to use his new position to lobby for stronger border security and for a crackdown on employers who hire illegal immigrants. He says the problem is more widespread than some believe.

Bilbray:

You don’t have to go down to the border to see the problems of immigration. All you have to do is drive Encinitas Boulevard, Rancho Santa Fe, go down to the Home Depot in Encinitas, or drive in Ogger Road where I live in Carlsbad. You can see the illegal immigration problem in the neighborhoods and that’s where we need the enforcement.

As Chairman, Bilbray plans to address immigration issues he says are a threat to national security

From Capitol Hill, Charles Davis, KPBS News.