What are the DEM PREZ candidates' stance on the IMMIGRATION BILL in Congress?

[FrenchieCat]

Has any of the candidates made any public statements regarding the specific bill currently in front of congress.

I realize that the candidates have been doing a lot of talking about Iraq as of late....and of course, we know where the public stand on this issue pretty clearly......

BUT, what about the immigration bill? As we know, unlike the Iraq War, the public stance on this issue is not quite as clear.

So in reference to our "Leaders" who are running for the Presidential Office, are there any candidate giving "advise" as to what congress should do about this one?

My point, who is taking a "leadership" role on this issue, and what are they saying?

[FrenchieCat]

1. Ok, here's what I am finding thus far......since various supporters have yet to respond!

Richardson:

Bush “Retreated” on Immigration
By Eunice Moscoso | Tuesday, May 1, 2007, 02:09 PM


New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, called on President Bush “to renew his previous commitment to passing comprehensive immigration reform and reject the divisive laws favored by extremists.”

The challenge came in a Tuesday press release from Richardson’s presidential exploratory committee which criticized some details that leaked from White House negotiations with senators on immigration, including a requirement that illegal immigrants return to their home country and pay a $10,000 fine before re-entering the U.S.

“The majority of illegal immigrants in the United States are hardworking, law-abiding people trying to improve the lives of their families. They don’t have that kind of money,” Richardson said.

In addition, he said Bush has “retreated from his previous position favoring realistic reform to a position that virtually guarantees nothing will be accomplished.”

In addition, he said Bush has “retreated from his previous position favoring realistic reform to a position that virtually guarantees nothing will be accomplished.”
http://www.statesman.com/blogs/content/shared-blogs/washington/washington/entries/2007/05/01/richardson_bush.html

[FrenchieCat]

2. Last statement I am finding by Hillary Clinton, circa March 2006....

"It is hard to believe that a Republican leadership that is constantly talking about values and about faith would put forth such a mean-spirited piece of legislation," she said of the measure, which was passed by the House of Representatives in December and mirrored a companion Senate bill introduced last week by Senator Bill Frist, a Tennessee Republican and the majority leader.

"It is certainly not in keeping with my understanding of the Scripture because this bill would literally criminalize the Good Samaritan and probably even Jesus himself," she said. "We need to sound the alarm about what is being done in the Congress."

Mrs. Clinton, who is running for re-election this year and is leading in polls for the Democratic presidential nomination, spoke at a news conference in Manhattan with more than 30 immigrant leaders after meeting with them privately.

The meeting took place in an atmosphere of mounting urgency, as the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops called on its flock to oppose the measure, and tens of thousands of immigrants around the country stepped up a series of protest rallies in anticipation of a Senate vote on competing immigration bills next week.
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/23/nyregion/23hillary.html?ex=1180065600&en=2eb1af3ba530600e&ei=5070

[unlawflcombatnt]

19. Clinton supports giving Amnesty to all Illegal Immigrants

She blurted her position out in one of the Democratic debates. Can't remember the exact words, but she's definitely pro-Amnesty.

[FrenchieCat]

3. John Edwards on immigration.......

I didn't find anything on a google that is relatively recent. :shrug:

[FrenchieCat]

4. Biden.....most recent statement in November 2006.....

Biden, who favors tightening the U.S.-Mexico border with fences, said immigration is driven by money in low-wage Mexico.

"Mexico is a country that is an erstwhile democracy where they have the greatest disparity of wealth," Biden said. "It is one of the wealthiest countries in the hemisphere and because of a corrupt system that exists in Mexico, there is the 1 percent of the population at the top, a very small middle class and the rest is abject poverty."

Unless the political dynamics change in Mexico and U.S. employers who hire illegal immigrants are punished, illegal immigration won't stop. "All the rest is window dressing," he said.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15932967/

[democrat2thecore]

9. Thanks for that -nt

[FrenchieCat]

5. Dennis Kucinich.....May 2007 YouTubes presentation on Immigration....

I liked this a lot! Very detailed......very pointed. Talks about "Slave Labor"! :thumbsup:

Thus far, most specific and direct (as ususal)!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIDs5Vjbj7w

[unlawflcombatnt]

20. Excellent

I really like the idea of "canceling NAFTA" and getting out of the WTO.

I agree with him that it's Corporate America's quest for cheap labor that is the source of the problem. But I don't agree with him about giving all illegal immigrants currently here legal status.

[FrenchieCat]

6. Barack Obama.......

most recent I found is April, 2006.

"I know that this debate evokes strong passions on all sides," Obama said in a statement to BlackAmericaWeb.com. "The recent peaceful but passionate protests of hundreds of thousands around the country are a testament to this fact, as are the concerns of millions of Americans about the security of our borders."

"But I believe we can work together to pass immigration reform in a way that unites the people in this country," he said, "not in a way that divides us by playing on our worst instincts and fears."
Obama said the Judiciary Committee’s bill would strengthen enforcement, "but while security might start at our borders, it doesn't end there."

He said millions of undocumented immigrants live and work in America.

"We need to strike a workable bargain with them," Obama said. "They have to acknowledge that breaking our immigration laws was wrong. They must pay a penalty, and abide by all of our laws going forward.

"But in exchange for accepting those penalties," he added, "we must allow undocumented immigrants to come out of the shadows and step on a path toward full participation in our society. In fact, I will not support any bill that does not provide this earned path to citizenship for the undocumented population."
http://www.blackamericaweb.com/site.aspx/bawnews/immigration404

[seasat]

7. Here's Richardson's press release on the bill.

From his website:

"As a border Governor, I believe this bipartisan bill includes the necessary measures to secure our border, not just against illegal immigration, but also against gangs and violent crime," stated Governor Richardson. "This legislation makes a good start toward re-securing our southern border, including 18,000 new Border Patrol agents, new technology to aid interdiction, and a system for employers to verify job applicants are here legally, and penalties for those employers who don't."

...

"I have concerns about certain provisions: the requirement for the head of household to leave the country and reenter legally is bureaucratic and problematic. While I support fines for those who broke the law, we must be sure that the fines are not so unrealistic that immigrants simply stay in the shadows rather than earn legal status."

"Some other measures, I cannot support. While our country should always look to make our workforce globally competitive, we should be careful not to tear apart America's families. The stability that a family provides to a new citizen is a strong guarantor of long-term success--success that often comes in the form of the next generation--(just ask Senator Bob Menendez or Senator Mel Martinez.)"

"I also remain concerned about the proposed guest worker program, which cannot be designed to only meet the needs of employers, and forget to protect the basic dignity and rights of these low-skilled workers. But I remain optimistic that these concerns can and will be addressed through vigorous debate and serious legislative deliberation."

Here's the link to his position on immigration reform.

I edited it down to four paragraphs but read the whole thing to get his full stand. Does anyone know if candidate's press releases can be posted in full on DU or should they be edited down like pastes from copyrighted sources?

[FrenchieCat]

8. Thanks!

I don't have a clue on that copyright issue in reference to politicians. Seems like they would be unlikely to "sue", since they want to information to get out to the public. Seems like a press release is put out specifically to get printed up by other sources......right? :shrug:

[seasat]

10. I wasn't sure how the copyright protection works with press releases.

I couldn't find anything in the FAQs about it. I figured that it would probably be okay to post the full thing but then decided to play it safe.

[FrenchieCat]

11. dodd......busy dogging out McCain and calling him a "Coward" on Immigration......LOL!

Dodd criticized McCain for "backing away" from being a lead Republican co-sponsor of immigration reform because of "demagogues" who are railing against amnesty for illegal immigrants, according to Iowa Radio's O. Kay Henderson.

"If you ask me who's on the other side today, I couldn't name anybody at this point. Maybe there is, but not of the stature that McCain brought to the debate, so it's been dealt a blow in that regard," said Dodd. "While the issue I think is going to be brought up in the Senate in the next couple of weeks, there's some real concern about whether or not you can actually get it done."
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2007/05/mccain_camp_dis.html

[NCarolinawoman]

12. I remember Edwards being asked about this on George Stephanoupolis's show.

Gee, did I spell that right.? Probably not.

Anyway, it was not his most recent appearance. Maybe last sumer or fall. His answer as I remember it was: "There's the Princeton study and the Harvard study, and they both contradict each other." Then he kind os smiled and George didn't press him any further.

My guess is he is currently "positioning" himself like most of the Pols do.

[FrenchieCat]

13. Guess some of these so called "leaders" are "waiting" to see

which way the wing blows....at some point, after the fact--then take a real stand!

[seasat]

14. Update on Richardson, He read it and now opposes competely.

From a NY Time article interviewing Richardson:

Mr. Richardson initially said he would support the immigration compromise announced earlier this week. But on Wednesday, he said that after reading it in detail, he had decided to oppose it, saying the measure placed too great a burden on immigrants — tearing apart families that wanted to settle in the United States, creating a permanent tier of second-class immigrant workers and financing a border fence that Mr. Richardson had long opposed.

“This is fundamentally flawed in its current form, and I would oppose it,” he said. “We need bipartisanship, but we also need legislation that is compassionate. I’m not sure that this is.”

Mr. Richardson said he did not want to be pigeonholed as the immigration candidate, but the moment is forcing him to take a stand on a volatile issue that carries major risks for all the presidential candidates. In aligning himself with the view that the bill is insufficiently compassionate, he is in agreement with a key segment of his party, including many Hispanic voters, that want more focus on reuniting families.
...
He is the first major Democrat to call explicitly for defeat of the bill in its current form, a decision that he said would no doubt echo across the presidential playing field and in Washington. And his is a voice that carries particular weight: he grew up in Mexico, but went on to became a state governor who once declared a state of emergency in response to turmoil and violence on the border caused by illegal immigrants.

[AnOhioan]

15. Dennis Kucinich on immigration

Our country is a nation of immigrants. They have enriched our heritage and enlivened our culture. As millions of newcomers continue to work hard, raise families, serve in our armed forces, and study at universities, the Bush administration has waged an assault on immigrant's rights. Undocumented workers have been left in legal limbo, while local police forces have been pressured against their will to hunt down undocumented workers, which jeopardizes their relationships with immigrant communities. Thousands of immigrants have been detained in secret, denied due process, and deported.

In the economic sphere, undocumented workers have become convenient scapegoats. Yet the reality, as shown in study after study, is that they pay more in taxes than they receive in government services.

Welcoming immigrants to our shores is one of our country's vital traditions -- the heart and soul of the American dream. In Congress, I have co-sponsored a number of bills to help immigrants, including the Family Unity Legalization Act, which allows those who have been in the country for over five years to legalize their status. Among other legislation in this area, I have co-sponsored a bill supportive of refugees from Columbia and Peru and a bill helping nationals from El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti to become permanent residents.

We need to honor this welcoming legacy by legalizing the status of hard-working, tax-paying undocumented workers in the U.S. It would clear out the backlog in the naturalization process so that those who are eligible to become citizens can do so without endless delays. It would offer immigrants a clear road map to citizenship, so that they can become fully participating members of our communities. And it would work with our partners in Mexico to normalize the flow of immigrants by forging an agreement on migration.

I am a strong supporter of the USA Family Act (HR 440). It offers immigrants a clear road map to legal status in the United States. Among other changes, it grants legal permanent residence to immigrants who have been living in the U.S. for five or more years. It offers conditional legal status and work authorization to all law-abiding immigrants living in the United States for less than five years. And it revokes current laws that bar certain people who live abroad from re-entering the U.S. for a period of three to 10 years.

We cannot continue with a system in which millions of workers and their families live in fear and are subject to economic exploitation. There is no place in our country for second-class status. It is time to restore respect for the rights and contributions of immigrants.

More at http://kucinich.us/issues/immigrant_rights.php

[FrenchieCat]

16. I was mighty impressed with Kucinich.

Too bad that the "truth" makes one considered "unelectable".......

(See my sig!)

[Mark Twain Girl]

17. Kick. n/t

[unlawflcombatnt]

18. Z visa Amenesty Provision

Every Senate Democratic Presidential candidate voted against the Vitter Amendment, which would have removed the Z visa Amnesty measure. The Z-visa provides immediate legal work status to all 12-20 million illegal immigrants currently in the country, without any fine or penalty.

Clinton, Obama, Dodd, and Biden all voted in favor of Amnesty by voting against removal of the Z-visa provision. McCain also voted against the Vitter amendment.

From this, it appears all Democratic Presidential candidates favor giving immediate Amnesty to all illegal immigrants currently in the United States.

Below is the vote on the Vitter amendment to remove the Z-visa provision.


YEAs ---29

Alexander (R-TN)
Allard (R-CO)
Baucus (D-MT)
Bond (R-MO)
Bunning (R-KY)
Byrd (D-WV)
Coburn (R-OK)
Cochran (R-MS)
Corker (R-TN)
Crapo (R-ID)
DeMint (R-SC)
Dole (R-NC)
Dorgan (D-ND)
Enzi (R-WY)
Grassley (R-IA)
Inhofe (R-OK)
Landrieu (D-LA)
McCaskill (D-MO)
McConnell (R-KY)
Nelson (D-NE)
Pryor (D-AR)
Roberts (R-KS)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Sessions (R-AL)
Shelby (R-AL)
Sununu (R-NH)
Tester (D-MT)
Thune (R-SD)
Vitter (R-LA)



NAYs ---66

Akaka (D-HI)
Bayh (D-IN)
Bennett (R-UT)
Biden (D-DE)
Bingaman (D-NM)
Boxer (D-CA)
Brown (D-OH)
Burr (R-NC)
Cantwell (D-WA)
Cardin (D-MD)
Carper (D-DE)
Casey (D-PA)
Chambliss (R-GA)
Clinton (D-NY)
Coleman (R-MN)
Collins (R-ME)
Conrad (D-ND)
Cornyn (R-TX)
Craig (R-ID)
Dodd (D-CT)
Domenici (R-NM)
Durbin (D-IL)
Ensign (R-NV)
Feingold (D-WI)
Feinstein (D-CA)
Graham (R-SC)
Gregg (R-NH)
Hagel (R-NE)
Harkin (D-IA)
Hutchison (R-TX)
Inouye (D-HI)
Isakson (R-GA)
Kennedy (D-MA)
Kerry (D-MA)
Klobuchar (D-MN)
Kohl (D-WI)
Kyl (R-AZ)
Lautenberg (D-NJ)
Leahy (D-VT)
Levin (D-MI)
Lieberman (ID-CT)
Lincoln (D-AR)
Lott (R-MS)
Lugar (R-IN)
Martinez (R-FL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Menendez (D-NJ)
Mikulski (D-MD)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Murray (D-WA)
Nelson (D-FL)
Obama (D-IL)
Reed (D-RI)
Reid (D-NV)
Salazar (D-CO)
Sanders (I-VT)
Smith (R-OR)
Snowe (R-ME)
Specter (R-PA)
Stabenow (D-MI)
Stevens (R-AK)
Voinovich (R-OH)
Warner (R-VA)
Webb (D-VA)
Whitehouse (D-RI)
Wyden (D-OR)

Not Voting - 5
Brownback (R-KS)
Hatch (R-UT)
Johnson (D-SD)
Schumer (D-NY)
Thomas (R-WY)