Thread: Immigration Should Be Top Priority by Rep Luis Gutierrez

#1May. 15, 2007 - 3:45 PM EST updated


By: Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez


U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill.
Photo by AP


As a Chicago politician, I relish the opportunity to be in a good legislative fight.

And that is exactly where we find ourselves today in our quest for comprehensive immigration reform. However, unlike many of the issues that we face in politics, this one certainly does not break down neatly across traditional lines.

And, to be honest, some days it is hard to tell who is in your corner and who is truly committed to this important cause.

I was recently called "brave" by the conservative Wall Street Journal and a sellout by a fringe activist because of a bipartisan immigration reform bill I introduced with Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.).

That is certainly a first for me. But I think I am neither. I am simply listening to the will and the desire of my constituents and the people I meet around the country who are suffering at the hands of our broken bureaucracy.


'Comprehensive' shouldn't mean amnesty
But the strange alliances do warrant further analysis. Particularly when everyone agrees that the current system is both badly broken and the worst one possible.

So why is there such apprehension from Democrats and Republicans to do anything about this issue? And why, when proposals are discussed, do they seem more fit for a direct mail piece than for a serious legislative initiative?

It is truly mind-boggling. Why is it that conservatives would be willing to spend tens of billions of dollars on a failed fence and forsake family values, while some on the other side ignore daily human suffering as they push for a plan that can never pass Congress?

These are questions that I hope historians will answer one day, but today we grapple with these complexities as Congress begins what is a crucial, but closing, window of opportunity to actually achieve real reform.

And what is so interesting is that you can already hear the two extreme sides of the debate trying to grind the wheels of progress to a halt. They are simply trying to run out the clock.

It would almost be humorous, if this issue did not have such serious security implications, ranging from homeland security to family security to economic security.




Many on the far right are already throwing the word "amnesty" around as red meat to their hungry base when no legislative proposal offered even comes close to its definition.

And you know Lou Dobbs, fresh off his "60 Minutes" appearance, is practically salivating over new material for his Broken Record -- I mean, Broken Borders -- segments.

So what does this all mean for those of us -- on both sides of the aisle -- who are committed to real reform? What does it mean for the employers who struggle to run their businesses without immigrant labor? What does it mean for those of us who want to secure our borders?

What does it mean for the 12 million people in the U.S. who face routine discrimination and exploitation because of their status? What does it mean for the families who are being ripped apart because of the hypocrisy of our immigration laws?

It means that the challenge we face is that much harder, but it is no less important.

The immigration issue is complicated and emotional. I respect -- and work with -- people on all sides of this debate every day. Who I don't respect are people who stoke the fear and trepidation of the American public by fueling this complex debate with inaccuracies and distortions.

Who I don't respect are people -- in both parties -- who sacrifice needed reform for political expediency. Who I don't respect are people who talk publicly about the need for immigration reform and then try to stifle progress behind closed doors in an effort to protect their political agendas.

But that doesn't mean we can throw in the towel, so here is what we need to do: I think if we dial down the rhetoric, stop spending tens of millions of dollars on political ads that scapegoat our immigrant community, and get serious people around the table, we can get this done, but Congress needs to stop stalling and we need to make this a top legislative priority.

Immigration reform will take courage. It will take the true commitment of Congress, our respective leadership and the president. And it will even take some compromise.

But, in the end, I am confident we can get a good bill signed into law. Because immigration reform is one of the issues that will certainly define the 110th Congress, and I believe history will not be kind to those who fall on the wrong side of this fight.

Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez, a Democrat, represents the 4th District of Illinois




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get_involved





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#2May. 15, 2007 - 11:20 PM EST


Luis Gutierrez is a lier. He is proposing AMNESTY. Pure and simple. He's also a racist. If most of the illegals were from Sweden you wouldn't hear from him.



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KrisW





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#3May. 15, 2007 - 11:38 PM EST


The 'martians' http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0507/3871.html have landed here, too!


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greenlake





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#4May. 15, 2007 - 11:48 PM EST


LUIS GUTIERREZ SHOULD BE VOTED OUT OF OFFICE FOR SUPPORTING AMNESTY FOR CRIMINAL ILLEGALS! THEN HE BLAMES AMERICANS FOR "RIPPING ILLEGAL FAMILIES APART!" HE IS BRAINLESS IN SAYING THIS, ILLEGALS ABANDONED THEIR FAIMILIES WHEN THEY LEFT MEXICO AND BROKE OUR LAWS! IF HE DOES'T SUPPORT ENFORCING OUR IMMIGRATIONS LAWS, HE SUPPORTS ANARCHY! LET CONGRESS KNOW YOU WILL VOTE THEM OUT OF OFFICE IF THEY SUPPORT AMNESTY!!!
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Illegal is Illegal





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#5May. 16, 2007 - 12:20 AM EST


Yes Mr. Gutierrez, illegal immigration should be priority #1 in the 2008 presidential election, because it is distroying this country. This is not immigration, this is an INVASION.




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Illegal is Illegal





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#6May. 16, 2007 - 12:21 AM EST updated


What these politicians pro-illegal are proposing is AMNESTY. Pro-illegal organizations as La Raza, and others talk about family values, what family values? Some illegals have been deported and they have left their children behind in the hands of strangers, are those family values? A child does not know what it means to be rich or poor, all any child asks fore is for the parent's love, a child is happy anywhere in the world as long as he/she is receiving love. These illegals have a choice, they can take the children with them if they are deported, no one is taking their children away from them. How about US citizen women who go to prison pregnant and right away after they give birth the baby is taken away from them, they are not given any other choice, and this babies grow up not knowing what to have parents means, they don't know from parental love, these babies are punished for their parents mistakes, but their parents have to abide by the law. The illegals come here to have babies so they can become welfare recipients. No one should feel sorry for these people, do they feel sorry for us who have to pay higher taxes to support children we have not conceived? No, they don't.






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Illegal is Illegal





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#7May. 16, 2007 - 12:27 AM EST

http://dyn.politico.com/members/forums/ ... 5087#15467



Correction Mr. Gutierrez, It is not 12 million illegals, it is more than 20 million. And YES, it is AMNESTY you are talking about.

This guy is so freaking creepy...he makes my skin crawl

Deportation should be our top priority.

Originally Posted by redbadger

This guy is so freaking creepy...he makes my skin crawl

Uh huh. They should have posted a warning sign saying, "Do not look at this picture before bedtime. Will cause nightmares!" Urgh.

Like some evil clown or icecream man by day and a serial killer at night...
Shivers, goose bumps

The eyes are the windows into the soul. Luis V. Gutierrez appears to have no soul.

I suspect if you look up the word "slimeball" in the dictionary it will show his picture.