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Friday, November 30, 2007
Richardson “disgusted” with Republicans “demonizing immigrants”
New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democratic candidate for president, said he was “disgusted” that Republican White House hopefuls were “demonizing” immigrants in a debate earlier this week.
Richardson made the comments in an interview to be aired later Friday on “Political Capital with Al Hunt,” a program on Bloomberg Television.
“I was almost not just disgusted, I was depressed because everyone is trying to outdo each other on demonizing immigrants. And that is not only wrong, it’s bad for the economy,” Richardson said, according to a transcript provided by the program.
Richardson said his comments were addressed to all the GOP candidates except for Sen. John McCain of Arizona.
Immigration was a hot topic at the Republican presidential debate hosted by CNN and YouTube. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney traded barbs on the issue, both trying to appear tough on illegal immigration.
Giuliani defended his policy in New York where police and local officials did not check the immigration status of residents using city services.
“If we didn’t allow the children of illegal immigrants to go to school, we would have had 70,000 children on the streets at a time in which New York City was going through a massive crime wave,” he said.
Giuliani, in turn, accused Romney of having a “sanctuary mansion.” Romney used a landscaping firm at his home for years that employed illegal immigrants. Romney has said he did not know the workers were illegal.
At the debate, Romney said it would “not be American” to question the legal status of workers just because they “have a funny accent.”
Tancredo to reveal another ad titled “Consequences”
GOP presidential candidate Rep. Tom Tancredo, whose ad linking immigration and terrorism caused a stir earlier this month, is planning to release another ad on Tuesday in Des Moines, Iowa.
In a press release, Tancredo’s campaign offers no information about the content of the new television spot. The only hint is the ad’s provocative title, “Consequences.”
The earlier Tancredo ad featured a hooded terrorist blowing up a shopping mall. It condemned “spineless politicians” who “refuse” to protect the borders.
Many groups decried the ad as anti-immigrant and an attempt at fear-mongering, but Tancredo stood by the spot.
To read about Tancredo’s previous ad, click here.
Alaska plan to ask drivers for citizenship papers fails
A plan in Anchorage, Alaska for police to routinely ask stopped drivers for proof they’re American - or are legally visiting the U.S. - died this week, the Anchorage Daily News reported.
The city assembly took a surprise 8-3 vote to kill the proposal.
Anchorage Assemblyman Paul Bauer had pitched the idea, which he said would pull Anchorage from a list of so-called “sanctuary cities” that tolerate or welcome illegal immigrants, the paper said.
Critics said the plan would foster racism and wasn’t needed.
To read more, click here.
Pro-immigration enforcement groups scared of Huckabee
Groups that support a crackdown on illegal immigrants are scared of former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, the Washington Times reported Friday.
Roy Beck, president of NumbersUSA, a group that supports reduced immigration, told the paper that Huckabee was “an absolute disaster on immigration as governor.” “Every time there was any enforcement in his state, he took the side of the illegal aliens,” Beck said.
To read more, click here.