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Group rates lawmakers on immigration
Posted by the Asbury Park Press on 10/19/06
BY TOM BALDWIN
GANNETT STATE BUREAU

TRENTON — A new and relatively small advocacy group taking up illegal immigration issued report cards on New Jersey's federal lawmakers Wednesday, flunking Democrats but giving stars to most Republicans.

The group, which claims about 100 members, said that it started in the spring and that it lacks a headquarters.

It is called New Jersey Citizens for Immigration Control, espousing legal immigration and a tougher federal stand on enforcing immigration laws.

Gayle Kesselman of Carlstadt, co-chairwoman of the group, said they took 10 legislative measures that came up in the House and Senate and examined the lawmakers' votes, with an eye toward wanting to keep illegal immigrants out.

They said the state's two U.S. senators, Democrats Robert Menendez and Frank R. Lautenberg, failed, as did Democratic congressmen: Reps. Robert E. Andrews, Rush D. Holt, Frank J. Pallone Jr., William J. Pascrell Jr., Donald M. Payne and Steven R. Rothman. All but Andrews and Lautenberg were listed with an F-minus.

Among congressional Republicans, Rep. Scott Garrett received an A-plus, and Rep. Frank A. LoBiondo an A. A grade of B went to Reps. Michael Ferguson, Rodney P. Frelinghuysen and H. James Saxton. Rep. Christopher Smith received a C-plus.

Kesselman said the group provided its own interpretation as to whether a vote helped or hurt the effort to block illegal immigrants.

Representatives for both Menendez and state Sen. Thomas H. Kean Jr., R-Union, Menendez's challenger in the November election, said they had never heard of the group, which said it had written Kean a letter with questions on immigration but received no reply.