Tancredo takes Salazar to task over immigration
http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,141 ... 32,00.html
Article Published: Thursday, April 14, 2005
Tancredo takes Salazar to task over stance on immigration act
The congressman blasts the senator for trying to keep the issue separate from troop funds. Salazar takes offense at the attack.
By Mike Soraghan
Denver Post Staff Writer
Washington - Colorado Rep. Tom Tancredo picked a fight with Sen. Ken Salazar on Wednesday because of Salazar's attempts to keep immigration issues separate from a spending bill funding the war in Iraq and tsunami relief.
In an unusually direct attack on a fellow member of the Colorado delegation, Tancredo, a Republican, sent out a news release Wednesday saying, "Maybe (Salazar) has already been in Washington too long," because of his stance that immigration measures should not be attached to the spending bill.
Salazar, a Democrat, was among 12 Democratic and Republican senators who signed a letter saying those measures should be considered first by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Salazar called Tancredo's office personally and left a message with an intern that he was "surprised and offended."
Tancredo was out of the office at a committee meeting at the time. Salazar followed up with a letter saying that he simply wanted to speed money to troops in Iraq.
"Surely you know the (spending bill) is an emergency appropriation to provide urgent funding for our troops and their families," Salazar wrote.
He added that he has not seen Tancredo at recent delegation meetings that are an "effort to create a collegiality" among Colorado members.
The immigration measures were previously embodied in a bill called the "Real ID Act," which would make states verify that they're not giving driver's licenses to illegal immigrants and would allow the completion of a fence along the U.S.-Mexico border south of San Diego by waiving environmental hurdles.
Salazar's brother, Rep. John Salazar, also a Democrat, voted for the bill in the House.
The letter, also signed by Sens. Sam Brownback, R-Kan., Chuck Hagel, R-Neb., and John McCain, R-Ariz., did not oppose the measures but said they could delay money for troops and tsunami victims.
"The Real ID Act would make major shifts in immigration and asylum policy, and therefore should be considered carefully and deliberately," said the letter to Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn.
Tancredo remained unconvinced.
"I'm not sure why Salazar would favor driver's licenses for illegal aliens, or why he would oppose efforts to make the release of foreign terrorists and criminals into American communities less likely," he said.
Staff writer Mike Soraghan can be reached at 202-662-8730 or msoraghan@denverpost.com.
Re: Tancredo takes Salazar to task over immigration
The congressman blasts the senator for trying to keep the issue separate from troop funds. Salazar takes offense at the attack.
Salazar takes offense..........
How about he helps build a DEFENSE of our border. He could start by helping to build an actual FENCE.
What a smuck. What a sell out.
Go Tom T, Go!
