Thread: Cannon tough on immigration ?

Cannon tough on immigration?
New ad says yes, but Chaffetz calls him soft

By Lee Davidson and Deborah Bulkeley
Deseret News
Published: Tuesday, June 17, 2008 12:14 a.m. MDT
Groups opposing undocumented workers have long portrayed Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, as an arch enemy sympathetic to illegals. But Cannon is now depicting himself in a mail ad as just the opposite, as a tough enforcer seeking deportation.
"Come to America, but come here legally," says the ad that includes a picture of a fence and the Mexican border. While listing numerous enforcement actions Cannon supports, it adds, "Cannon wants to replace catch and release' with catch and deport."'

Has Cannon undergone an election-year conversion amid attacks from GOP primary election challenger Jason Chaffetz that Cannon is too soft on immigration?

"No. I have been consistent," Cannon said. "I have always been hard-core (on enforcement). My voting record is perfect on enforcement. ... I am in favor of protecting our borders." He says Chaffetz is actually the one who is changing and has moderated his earlier stands.

Chaffetz, in turn, said he's kept the same "reasonable but tough" approach throughout his campaign. It's Cannon, he says, who's flip-flopped.

"There is nothing in the record to reflect that (Cannon's) been consistently tough on immigration," Chaffetz said. "He gets tough on immigration about two weeks before an election. That's it."


Story continues below
Regardless, Cannon's new ad sent to voters in his district does not mention the one stand that has brought opposition from groups opposing undocumented workers: support for a "temporary guest worker" program.
In fact, when President Bush gave a 2004 speech to propose allowing illegal aliens to achieve renewable, temporary legal status as a possible pathway to citizenship, Cannon was among a few whom the White House invited to cheer on the president in person. Since then, Cannon has been seen as a leader in Congress for that proposal.

"I still support that," Cannon said, and he has been pushing it in an agricultural bill. But he says he also believes immigration laws must be enforced — and says he surprised some in Congress by taking tough stands on that while still favoring a guest worker program. He adds that those here illegally must pay a price.

"I have always believed there should be some kind of penalty for people who break the law," and said illegals who participate in a guest worker program would need to pay a fine or meet other penalties — with no true amnesty allowed for them.

He said he has been "agnostic" about whether America should require such people to return to their home countries before they can apply for U.S. citizenship.

However, Chaffetz says his "crystal clear" view is that the only pathway to citizenship is for those here illegally to return to their home country. That is a contrast to Cannon's plan



http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,700235325,00.html

Cannon's idea of being tough on immigration lines up with McCain-Kennedy.

Moved from Other Topics to News.

I hope no one is fooled by Chris Cannon's claptrap. He has a career grade of F- from Numbers on amnesties, and an overall career grade of C. He is big amnesty guy.


Support Jason Chaffetz. Here is his platform on illegal immigration:

http://www.jasonforcongress.com/page/page/5678465.htm

Cannon will say whatever it takes to get re-elected. Make no mistake though, Cannon will not enforce immigration laws if he is re-elected. He is a liar and a traitor.

Squaring off over immigration
3rd District rivals Chaffetz, Cannon mostly agree - except on status of those here illegally
By Robert Gehrke
The Salt Lake Tribune
Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated:06/21/2008 12:31:24 AM MDT

In 1996, when Chris Cannon was first elected to Congress, the federal government estimated about 5.8 million undocumented immigrants were living in the United States. Today, by most estimates, the number has doubled.
In each of Cannon's recent re-election campaigns, he has been turned into a human piñata for anti-illegal immigration groups who claim he hasn't been tough enough. His opponents in the 2004 and 2006 primaries made immigration their central issue but fell short.
This year, his opponent, Jason Chaffetz, says immigration is behind only energy in the list of issues he gets asked the most about, heading into the Tuesday primary.
Chaffetz is again making the case that Cannon is soft on border enforcement, part of a broader assault on Cannon's record, which Cannon says is misunderstood or willfully distorted.
The candidates share many similarities on the issue: Both say legal immigration needs to be easier and faster, businesses need to be able to make sure they're hiring legal workers and the border needs to be secure. They advocate building the border fence, expanding resources for the Border Patrol, and deploying the National Guard to help with enforcement.
It is the question of what to do with the millions of immigrants already in the country where the two differ.
"I don't want to create a police state by hiring enough cops to go door to door and roust these people out and . . . move them out of the country," said Cannon.
Cannon said he supports a program where undocumented immigrants with no serious criminal record and a good work record could come forward, pay a fine of a few thousand dollars and get a temporary work permit.
Immigrants with a more serious criminal record would be disqualified. Document fraud or identity theft might require a higher penalty, but would not be disqualifying crimes.
The temporary permit would have to be renewed every three to five years for an indefinite period of time, during which the immigrants could apply for a visa.
"I think you need a compassionate program that works in America. I don't want to kneecap the economy by trying to kick everybody out," Cannon said.
Chaffetz has delivered tough talk on illegal immigration - at the state Republican convention he advocated pitching tents and putting up barbed wire. In practice, Chaffetz would be less harsh.
He says removing the incentives to remain in the country, such as jobs, medical care or welfare, would drive many undocumented immigrants back home.
Those remaining could sign up for a temporary permit that would allow them to stay in the country legally for a period of time - he suggests a year to 18 months - to avoid separating families and uprooting lives. Ultimately, they would be sent home and could apply for citizenship.
Those who don't choose to go home would be locked up, in a jail or potentially a prison-style camp, then deported.
Cannon says Chaffetz's proposal is unworkable. He says nobody would volunteer to be deported in exchange for a few months in the country. What you're left with is giving immigrants a pass to stay in the country permanently with no penalties.
He says the Chaffetz position is in line with the House Hispanic Caucus' stance. "What they want is amnesty, and because they can't get a full amnesty what they want is a temporary amnesty, and that is what Jason Chaffetz is proposing," he said.
Chaffetz says that is absurd, and his plan is actually similar to one put forward by the bipartisan Western Governors Association. He would not support a path to citizenship, like Cannon proposes.
"I don't think paying a token fine is adequate. Being an American citizen means something. It's not for sale," he said. "There are too many people like Chris Cannon who like the status quo because it's been good for business."

Where they agree, disagree
* Border Security
Both candidates support building the border fence, hiring more border patrol and using the National Guard to help patrol the border.
* Legal Immigration
Both say more needs to be done to allow those who want to come to the United States to do it legally and quickly.
* Undocumented Immigrants
Cannon supports allowing immigrants with no criminal record to pay a fine and get a work permit, allowing them to stay in the country while they apply for citizenship. Chaffetz would give immigrants a permit, allowing a period of time to tie up their affairs and then return home or face deportation.
* Hiring Undocumented Immigrants
Both candidates believe businesses need to easily and accurately check the legal status of workers. Cannon has also supported special work permits for agricultural laborers sponsored by a business that need workers. Chaffetz does not.
* Birthright Citizenship
Chaffetz supports either a law or constitutional amendment ending the practice of automatically making children born in the United States to undocumented immigrants U.S. citizens. Cannon has said an amendment would be needed, but has not seen language for one he is willing to support.
* Official English
Chaffetz supports making English the official language. Cannon believes immigrants should be required to learn English, but says that making English the official language does not help immigrants learn the language.

http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_9655226