Thread: Immigration talk fills airwaves

Immigration talk fills airwaves
By ERIN CRAWFORD • REGISTER STAFF WRITER • December 28, 2007
52 comments

The air was hot with immigration talk Thursday in Des Moines.

The Federation for American Immigration Reform Congressional Task Force, a controversial anti-illegal-immigration group, staged the first of a two-day event featuring more than 20 radio talk show hosts, several presidential candidates and politicians and drawing a denouncement from local civil rights, human rights and religious groups.

Many of the hosts were big names from big markets, including San Diego, Dallas, St. Louis and Minneapolis. The group held a similar event in Washington, D.C., in April.

Even without a room full of talk radio commentators, FAIR has much to say on the issue, including a seven-point plan for immigration reform that starts with cutting immigrant numbers, denying amnesty programs, and protecting wages.

And other groups have a lot to say about FAIR - starting with challenging whether group's characterizations about immigration are fair and accurate.

Let the debate over immigration policy begin.

"If you look at why the comprehensive (immigration) bill failed, everyone's interests were in it but (the American public's)," said Ira Mehlman, a spokesman for FAIR. "All the American public was getting was another set of promises. We shouldn't have to make deals with the people who break our laws."

FAIR asserts the annual cost of illegal immigration to Iowans amounts to $241 million in education, health care and prison costs.

The Iowa Policy Project challenges that figure with a report saying immigrants in the country illegally pay $40 million in taxes and receive fewer services than families at similar income levels.

Connie Ryan Terrell, executive director of the Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, said she and some others who disagreed with FAIR's stance on immigration had been invited to speak on radio shows at the forum but decided not to attend.

"We know when we're on those shows, we will not be allowed to present a differing point of view in a way that is helpful," she said. "We'd call for a real conversation, to find solutions to this very, very complex issue."

That conversation, Terrell said, could not be hosted by FAIR. "(FAIR) has been named a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, which is well-respected," she said. "It'd be the same thing if the radio talk show hosts had agreed to a radio event hosted by the KKK."

FAIR paid for the space at the Des Moines Marriott and the equipment for broadcasting, but didn't dictate the subject matter of the radio hosts in Des Moines to broadcast their usual shows in their usual time slots. Some talked immigration, but the caucuses and the assassination of former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto were also hot topics on Wednesday.

WHO radio's Jan Mickelson seemed to benefit from the event's appeal to candidates who wanted to reach potential Iowa caucusgoers. As other hosts talked to callers, FAIR-provided speakers or their own call-in guests, Mickelson nabbed the only morning interview with Fred Thompson, then chatted up Alan Keyes, followed by Ron Paul. Network cameras surrounded the interviews.

"This is our only time we have an advantage," Mickelson said. "I can get access to candidates these big states can't and pretend to be important."

Mickelson said that judging by the calls from his listeners, immigration is one of the top three issues for voters. The others are education and the war. "We see the cost-shifting going on. Now, we have some objective numbers about the cost of illegal immigration in the state, and it's even more alarming."

"Open Line" host Randy Renshaw of Sioux City station KSCJ said the callers he spoke with Thursday identified immigration their top issue.

Others who attended the event in hopes of discussing immigration included Chris Burgard, director of an award-winning documentary on immigration called "Border"; Iowa Republican Congressman Steve King; Jim Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, a group of citizens who volunteer to watch the border for immigrants; and Joe Arpaio, sheriff in Maricopa County, Ariz., and a supporter of presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The men wandered from table to table, being interviewed by radio hosts from across the United States.

The talk continues at the Des Moines Marriott today.

Reporter Erin Crawford can be reached at (515) 284-8438 or ecrawford@dmreg.com
http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/p ... 1/SPORTS01

Originally Posted by zeezil

". . . to find solutions to this very, very complex issue."

There's nothing complex at all about this issue!

C'mon, this 'aint rocket science, folks!!

Originally Posted by patbrunz

Originally Posted by zeezil

". . . to find solutions to this very, very complex issue."

There's nothing complex at all about this issue!

C'mon, this 'aint rocket science, folks!!

The only ones trying to make it complex are the illegal aliens, the illegal alien lobby, big business, the administration and the libidiot/bleeding hearts. There ain't nothing more simple than this:

Enforcing the law will cause attrition through enforcement. To supplement the departure of the millions that will leave since they'll have no jobs and their gravy train of government benefits has dried up; you simply ID everyone arrested for a crime and establish their citizenship. Those here illegally are deported immediately after dispensation of their case and/or jail term.

Not much more simple than that.