Thread: Hatch attacks Napolitano's immigration comments

Hatch attacks Napolitano's immigration comments

Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
November 22, 2009
By Lee Davidson

Sen. Orrin Hatch joined 11 other GOP senators in a letter Friday criticizing Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano for saying legalizing millions of undocumented immigrants would be a boon to the economy.

However, Hatch himself has previously called for ways to legalize aliens short of giving them amnesty, and has pushed bills to repeal sanctions against employers who hire illegal workers, as well as bills to allow illegal immigrants to receive federal loans and work-study assistance for college.

However, Hatch and Sen. Bob Bennett, R-Utah, more recently have been under attack by Utah conservatives who say they sometimes are too liberal.

The critics include several conservatives who are challenging Bennett in his re-election bid next year, and have said he is not tough enough on illegal immigration.

Amid that, Hatch joined the group of GOP senators in their letter to Napolitano that criticized a speech where she said, "Requiring illegal immigrants to register to earn legal status will strengthen our economy as these immigrants become full-paying taxpayers."

She also said it would be a "boon to American workers" by bringing many illegal immigrants out of a shadow economy.

The 12 senators wrote, "With all due respect, legalizing those who have no legal right to be in the United States will not be a 'boon' to American workers.

Rather, it would only exacerbate the unfair competition American workers currently face as they struggle to find jobs."

The senators added, "We strongly encourage you to cease any discussion about enacting a legalization program that will only hurt U.S. workers and make it harder for law-abiding citizens to weather this economic downturn."

Despite that stand now, Hatch had praised earlier efforts by then-President George W. Bush to develop a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, as long as it did not offer a blanket amnesty, but involved some sort of fine or civic service.

As Hatch told the Deseret News in October 2005, "We are sincere in finding a solution that will work, that will involve less than amnesty."

The senators' letter criticized the Obama administration for rescinding a rule requiring employers to conduct due diligence when confronted with evidence that a significant number of employees may have used false or stolen Social Security numbers.

However, in 1990 and again in 1991, Hatch himself ran a bill to repeal sanctions on employers who hire undocumented workers, saying it led many employers to illegally discriminate against Americans who appear foreign or have foreign-sounding names, to avoid sanctions.

The American Civil Liberties Union and Sen. Ted Kennedy, R-Mass, praised Hatch and that legislation, and supported it with him.

The new letter from the 12 senators also called for Napolitano to send a message that "enforcement of our laws is being aggressively pursued in the interior and at the border."

Hatch was once challenged by upset members of his party to do the same, when they feared more illegal immigration might result from a bill he was pushing as Senate Judiciary Committee chairman in 2003 to allow illegal immigrants then in the country but not those arriving later to receive federal loans and work-study assistance in college.

At that time, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., said Hatch's bill "will be seen as a statement by us that we will do this again and again." Sessions added, "The first step to end abuse of immigration laws is to end benefits for those who enter illegally."

In response to the senators' letter, Matt Chandler, spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, said, "Congress needs to create the legal framework to bring people out of the shadows and increase the number of productive taxpayers, otherwise all we have is amnesty by inaction."

Chandler added, "By disrupting the shadow economy that draws millions of illegal immigrants to this country, American workers will benefit."

Other GOP senators who signed the letter Friday were Sessions, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Crapo and James Risch of Idaho, Charles Grassley of Iowa, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Thune of South Dakota, David Vitter of Louisiana, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.

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"Congress needs to create the legal framework to bring people out of the shadows and increase the number of productive taxpayers, otherwise all we have is amnesty by inaction."

Talking out of both sides of mouth again, are we? The pathetic actions of auditing employers' paperwork with advance notice, and not detaining illegals in surprise raids, is basically amnesty by inaction.

Other GOP senators who signed the letter Friday were Sessions, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Mike Crapo and James Risch of Idaho, Charles Grassley of Iowa, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Thune of South Dakota, David Vitter of Louisiana, and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.

Let's get all of these Senators to support and enact legislation in their states that will nullify this health care bill as well as over turn legislation that is un-constitutional.

Hatch and Bennett were all behind Bush and his pro amnesty sham. Now that a Democrat is in office and they are facing reelection they think the people are too stupid to remember. We the people will not be fooled.

"Congress needs to create the legal framework to bring people out of the shadows and increase the number of productive taxpayers, otherwise all we have is amnesty by inaction."

People with this kind of common sense should not be anywhere in government in any position.

You would not have "amnesty by inaction" if you would do your job and enforce the laws you damn fool! That is what your job is all about, maybe you forgot to read your job description, and while you are at it please read the constitution, particularly the part about protecting Americans and America from an invasion. IT IS YOUR JOB!!

Congress makes the Laws and you enforce them.....get it!!

You know what pisses me off the most? the fact they think we are all so stupid!

dman1200 your point is well-taken. It is tricky because since obama got into office very few Dems have been voting in favor of the American people. And we have to make sure that there there is more of a balance of power in our states and in Washington. I don't think either party should be able to push through un-constitutional legislation just because they are the dominate party. And I'm not sure if a third party would be strong enough to protect our democracy.

At this point I would be very careful about voting for anyone especially a Dem. And too, the American people are going to have to form groups to ensure that obama thugs don't interfere with the voting process and/or results.