Thread: Immigration Is Poised to Become a Hot Topic for 2006 Races

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Immigration Is Poised to Become a Hot Topic for 2006 Races
November 16, 2005
By Louis Jacobson,
Roll Call Staff


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There’s a growing feeling that the battle over illegal immigration will influence the 2006 election cycle. That’s why we’re making it the inaugural topic in a new recurring feature, “Hot Topics.�
The idea is to highlight an issue that’s likely to shape many competitive races across the country. Each Hot Topic column will discuss up to a dozen or so races that could be shaped by the issue in question.

The debate over immigration is both evolving and volatile, but fundamentally, the tension is within the Republican Party. A pro-business camp, generally in tune with President Bush, emphasizes the value of immigrants to the national economy. Countering them is an aggressive grass-roots movement that decries the cost of providing state and local services to new arrivals.

Democrats and liberal groups often line up alongside business on this issue, but fissures â€â€

Instead of doing something about it now, they dangle it like a carrot and use it as a piece of candy to anit-illegal people. Then the wolfs will be in the sheep clothing.