Illegal immigration issue gets push from Tancredo

By TRENT SPINER
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx ... 99bea8f555
Union Leader Correspondent
3 hours, 56 minutes ago

LONDONDERRY, NH – U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo of Colorado sees the debate on illegal immigration as a dividing issue among the other Republican presidential candidates, now that his campaign has forced the issue, he said in an interview yesterday.

"(Rudy Giuliani and Mitt Romney) never used the word "illegal" before the word "immigration" before we forced them into it," he said before holding a town hall-style meeting with about 40 people in the Lions Club hall.

"Do you think either one of them would have been talking about illegal immigration on their own?"

During the meeting, Tancredo said the 12 to 20 million illegal immigrants currently in the United States cause other problems, such as paying for education or health care, to become more difficult.

He also said that if elected President, he would deport those who have broken laws and shut off illegal border crossings.

"A lot of Republican candidates are talking about how they don't want socialized health care," said Katherine Prudhomme-O'Brien, a Derry mother who garnered national attention last month by asking Giuliani about his relationship with his family.

"But what about education -- would you be in favor of the separation of school and state?"

In response, he said if his entire campaign could be fit onto a bumper sticker it would say: "Individual responsibility, that's it." That would include schools, health care and aid to victims of natural disasters. He said the federal government is not as effective as communities are when they come together to solve issues.

Some in the mostly Republican crowd said it was still too early to decide on who they're supporting.

"I am impressed by him," said Bill Mahan of Londonderry. "It's about time somebody stands up for our country. We need a leader, not a politician, in the White House."

Prudhomme-O'Brien, who hosted a coffee discussion with Tancredo earlier this year, also said she sees him as a candidate she could support.