Thread: FACTBOX: Leading presidential candidates on immigration

FACTBOX: Leading presidential candidates on immigration
Wed Nov 14, 2007 10:52am EST
(Reuters) - Following is a summary of the leading 2008 U.S. presidential candidates' positions on immigration reform.

DEMOCRATS:

New York Sen. Hillary Clinton

Supports a guest worker program for immigrants if it does not undermine U.S. workers' wages and favors giving undocumented workers a way to become legal workers. Backed building border wall. Urges development of an employer verification system and higher penalties for employers who exploit illegal immigrants.

Former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards

Urges doubling the number of Border Patrol agents, installing surveillance technology to police the border and increasing enforcement against employers who hire illegal immigrants. Supports allowing illegal immigrants to become U.S. citizens if they avoid a criminal record, pay a fine and learn English. Against a guest worker program that does not include workplace safeguards.

Illinois Sen. Barack Obama

Backs additional personnel, infrastructure and technology to safeguard U.S. borders and ports. Urges reducing application fees and improving speed and accuracy of FBI background checks for immigrants. Supports a program in which illegal immigrants pay fines, learn English, not violate the law and go to the end of the line to become citizens. Backs creating a program for employers to verify an applicant's immigration status.

REPUBLICANS:

Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani

Supports building the border fence and maintaining 20,000 Border Patrol agents. Urges issuing a single biometric identification card to foreigners, creating a national database and removing those immigrants who have overstayed their visas. Backs deporting illegal immigrants who commit felonies and requiring immigrants to read, write and speak English. Against providing driver's licenses or similar identification to illegal immigrants.

Arizona Sen. John McCain

Initially supported temporary guest worker program for illegal immigrants but has since shifted his position to emphasize border security first.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney

Backs securing the border with a wall, fence or electronic surveillance. Urges creating a biometric documentation program and establishing a verification system. Supports an increase in legal immigration into the United States and opposes compromise on immigration amnesty. Opposes allowing illegal immigrants to get driver's licenses.

Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson

Against providing any legal status to illegal immigrants and urges bolstering enforcement against them and their employers. Backs cutting off federal funds to cities that try to restrict communications with the Department of Homeland Security about an individual's immigration status. Urges finishing border wall by 2010, expanding Border Patrol to at least 25,000, making English the official U.S. language and improving the immigration process.

SOURCES: campaign Web sites and appearances.
http://www.reuters.com:80/article/polit ... 5020071114

There should be an extra sentance in the rudy, romney and mclamebrain sections to say, "They pulled the ole 'Romney Flip Flop' by initially supporting amnesty and then taking a stance against it."

Why didn't they put the 2nd tier in as well? All three of our 2nd tier boys are against this as well!

blah, blah, blah...they'll say anything to get in office...then what?

Fred Thompson seemed alittle more aggressive against illegal immigration than the rest of them. BUT THEY ALL STINK

what a bunch of horse do do! not one of them has in action done anything to show they are NOT globalists and anti American!!! especially mr 'i don't say the pledge of aledgience' obama!

Its the same ol' same ol ---> pushing the top tier.

look to see "who" the top donors are to the top tier.. banks, huge law offices.

I do like the ENGLISH as an official language with thompson.