Thread: IA-Immigration divides GOP trio at debate

Immigration divides GOP trio at debate

By THOMAS BEAUMONT • tbeaumont@dmreg.com • May 2, 2010

Comments 18

Cedar Rapids, Ia. - Republicans running for Iowa governor split over immigration policy during a debate Saturday: Only Sioux City business consultant Bob Vander Plaats endorsed legislation mirroring a controversial new law in Arizona.

Former Gov. Terry Branstad said it was the federal government's primary responsibility to enforce immigration law, and state Rep. Rod Roberts also stopped short of saying Iowa should pass legislation making illegal status a state crime.

The distinctions on immigration during the 90-minute debate in Cedar Rapids were among the few substantive differences among the three candidates running in the June 8 Republican primary.

"Not only do I support that, but I would promote that as Iowa's governor," Vander Plaats, the 2006 nominee for lieutenant governor, said about the Arizona law.

The law, signed by Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, makes it a state crime to violate some federal immigration statutes and mirrors federal law in requiring noncitizens to register and carry their documents with them.

Branstad said, "If the federal government refuses to enforce - and it's their responsibility to enforce the immigration laws - then we should work with local law enforcement to fashion something that meets Iowa (needs)."

"We're not Arizona," he said. "We're not a border state."

Vander Plaats, who has aggressively staked out his differences with the former governor, said Iowa should act regardless of federal action.

"I'm tired of relying on the federal government," he said.

Roberts was the most vocal of the three about making sure undocumented immigrants in Iowa do not have access to state-funded benefits, although all three candidates said they opposed such services for people who are in Iowa illegally.

Roberts said it could become costly to enact an Arizona-type law. Denying benefits to people here illegally will discourage them from locating in Iowa, he said.

"The concern that I have, if you adopted Arizona's law, just as it's written, the implication is someone who is actually convicted of being here illegally could be imprisoned to up to six months," he said. "That's where the real cost issue comes."

Gov. Chet Culver, a Democrat seeking a second term this year, has said federal officials should enact comprehensive immigration law changes. He does not intend to introduce any measures aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

There were no new policy pronouncements or attacks during the second forum of the primary campaign. And the three candidates agreed far more than they disagreed in their answers to questions that also covered education, the budget, taxes and economic development.

Branstad, who served four terms in the 1980s and 1990s, has led Culver by 20 percentage points in hypothetical matchups in The Des Moines Register's Iowa Poll. Vander Plaats has led by single digits, while Roberts has trailed the Democrat.

Branstad also had a big advantage in fundraising, starting the year with $1.3 million in his account, more than four times the total of Vander Plaats' and Roberts' money combined.

The three repeatedly criticized Culver's handling of the budget and the spending priorities of Culver and the Democrat-controlled Legislature.

The Republicans also agreed they would propose reversing Iowa's universal preschool requirement, begun under Democratic Gov. Tom Vilsack and expanded under Culver, as a way to shave costs.

That drew criticism from Culver campaign manager Donn Stanley.

"All three candidates were for cutting preschool for Iowa's children in the age when they have the most learning capacity," Stanley said.

Agreement was so frequent that Branstad noted five separate times that he agreed with Roberts, by name.

But Branstad twice became visibly irritated with Vander Plaats. Once was during a discussion of their differing approaches to a court decision legalizing gay marriage. The other was over whether each would support the Republican nominee for governor no matter who it is.

"What I will say is I've never endorsed a Democrat," Vander Plaats said. "I believe, Governor Branstad, you did endorse Ben Nelson, who helped give us socialized medicine."

Vander Plaats was referring to the Democratic senator from Nebraska, who voted for the federal health care law in March.

Nelson is a former Nebraska governor whose tenure overlapped with Branstad's four terms.

"He's a longtime friend, and I was out of office at the time," Branstad said.



http://www.desmoinesregister.com/articl ... 0341/1001/

Only those strong enough to enforce immigration laws and help maintain our sovereignty as a nation should even be considered for office now. Anything less and its a step towards the destruction of the United States of America...

Originally Posted by Tbow009

Only those strong enough to enforce immigration laws and help maintain our sovereignty as a nation should even be considered for office now. Anything less and its a step towards the destruction of the United States of America...

Right now they are quite a few steps ahead of us.