Thread: Tancredo a hit at Calif. rally!

rockymountainnews.com

Tancredo a hit at Calif. rally!
Colo. congressman pokes fun at Bush on immigration issue

By Paula Story, Special to the News
August 12, 2005

CARLSBAD, Calif. - U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Colo., has spent much of the summer traveling the country to promote his message of immigration reform and to test the waters for a possible presidential bid in 2008.

On Thursday evening, he attended a town hall-style forum in the northern San Diego County town of Carlsbad, where he poked fun at President Bush and derided plans for what he called "disguised amnesty" for the millions of people who have entered the United States illegally.

"Let's just turn the ports of entry into toll booths," Tancredo said. "Here's my credit card. Here's your green card."

Tancredo was the star of the night in a lineup of speakers that included California state Sen. Bill Morrow and James W. Gilchrist, founder of the Minuteman Project.

Tancredo said that while he was calling those who participated in the Minuteman Project "American heroes," Bush was calling them vigilantes.

That comment, among others, earned applause and laughter from the crowd of about 400 people who packed the Carlsbad Community Arts Center. Many held up bumper stickers that read "Tancredo for President," and he received a standing ovation before, during and after speaking.

Tancredo, the grandson of Italian immigrants, said his message was not an issue of race or country of origin, but one of hope.

While other speakers listed volumes of facts about how illegal immigrants are crushing the U.S. health system and economy, Tancredo said his message was simple: Those who come to the U.S. should do so legally, and once they are here, they need to assimilate.

"Disconnect from the old, commit to the new, become an American," he said.

The problem, he said, is the "Big W."

"W is 'Why is this happening?' " he said. "Follow the money. A lot of people make a lot of money because of illegal immigrants."

Banks are eager for the business of illegal immigrants, he said, because they make money from them and earn fees when those immigrants send money back home. Countries like Mexico have no incentive to stop the flow of illegal migrants into the U.S., because their economy relies on the dollars those immigrants send back home.

Tancredo has been making headlines since July, when he suggested that the United States could target Muslim holy sites if Islamic terrorists were to strike multiple U.S. cities with nuclear weapons.

Tancredo made the comments during an interview with WFLA radio in Florida. He later said he was "just throwing out some ideas," and when a firestorm of criticism erupted, said that he had only spoken hypothetically.

He said he did not mean to offend moderate Muslims, calling them the "best hope" of bringing radical terrorists to justice.

Outside, organizers said that 500 to 600 people - including supporters and protesters - gathered where 300 police officers in riot gear lined the streets.

Carlsbad officials said no arrests had been made by 9 p.m.

Earlier this summer, Tancredo proposed immigration reform legislation that would boost the number of U.S. Border Patrol agents, crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants and make it a felony - punishable by fines, prison and forfeit of assets - to be in the U.S. illegally.

The legislation also proposes that a guest-worker plan would be approved by the president only after border security goals were met.

That plan would allow non-citizens to be in the country 365 days out of every two years, and they could not bring family members.

Children born to those in the U.S. on guest-worker status would not be citizens unless one parent was a U.S. citizen.

Tancredo's legislation is intended as an alternative to other reform legislation the U.S. House could review this fall.

Related Article

http://www.alipac.us/ftopict-8030.html

and Pics:

http://www.alipac.us/forum-11.html

They need to come to every major City in the Nation. I wish somewhere close to here too.