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Comments from CIRC Members on Minutemen
April 27, 2005
Contact: Carlos Espinosa 202-225-7882 
[Note: Wall? What wall? This LEO (law enforcement officer) is Clearly
Outnumbered. Why? Where are the American Troops who should be
stationed on our sovereign borders en masse? Ask your senators and
congressmen!]
Washington, D.C. - From today’s Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus (CIRC) meeting with the Minutemen:
“I would like to thank the Minutemen on behalf of the millions of
Americans who can't be here with you today. You have the courage to
say to the government of the United States, ‘Do your duty! Protect
our borders! Protect our communities! Protect our families! Protect
our jobs!’ You are good citizens who ask only that our laws be
enforced. When did that become such a radical idea?” said Congressman
Tom Tancredo (CO-06),
Chairman of Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.
“Our outdated immigration laws are no longer enough to secure our
homeland in a post 9-11 world. In order to protect Americans, Congress
must immediately secure our borders by passing tough, updated
immigration legislation. Congress has already taken an important step
forward by tightening asylum loopholes and increasing drivers license
standards but more is clearly needed,” said Conference Secretary John
T. Doolittle (CA-04).
“I applaud the law-abiding Minutemen Project volunteers for
exercising their rights as they seek to draw attention to our
nation’s porous Mexican border.”
Congressman Lamar Smith
(TX-21) said, “When
the federal government fails to do its job, we should not be surprised
when law abiding citizens want to protect their property and our
borders.”
Congressman Scott Garrett
(NJ-05) said, “We have
taken many steps to tighten border security and immigration procedures
in the last three years, but there is still much work to be done to
keep America safe. This project is helping to keep national attention
focused on the need for effective border security and immigration
reforms.”
“What the Minutemen proved to the American people was this: the
federal government can do something about illegal immigration other
than to raise a white flag and surrender to the invasion. Now it is up
to every American to get involved in this critical struggle to
preserve our security and our sovereignty by demanding that this
administration and this Congress stop thinking about amnesty and start
enforcing our immigration laws,” said Congressman
J.D. Hayworth (AZ-05).
Congressman Phil Gingrey
(GA-11) said, “The
Minuteman Project is a shining example of how community initiative and
involvement can help make America a safer, better place to live. These
brave men and women are standing up for our security, defending
America from the illegal immigrants who are crossing our borders by
the millions. As a proud member of the Immigration Reform Caucus, I
encourage other citizens to support this cause and defend our
nation.”
Congressman Virgil Goode
(VA-05) said, “I
salute the Minutemen for assisting in a task which the government
should be doing. They recognize the necessity of stopping illegal
immigration. I hope that the President and a majority of the House and
Senate will recognize that border security should be a top priority. I
hope that they will support the legislation to authorize the use of
U.S. troops on our border in peacetime to help with border security as
needed.”
“The federal government has not done its job in securing and
protecting our borders. There are over 10 million illegal immigrants
in this country, most of whom cross the Mexican border at a rate of
about 16,000 per week,” said Congressman
Walter Jones (NC-03).
“My home state of North Carolina ranks 8th in the nation for its
illegal immigrant population of over 300,000. These kinds of numbers
do not come without a price to the American people. It is estimated
that illegal immigrants account for annual costs of $4 billion in
healthcare, $7 Ѕ billion in education, and almost another
billion for federal prisons. It is true that we are a nation of
immigrants, and that is what makes America great. But for the security
and protection of all our citizens, we have to demand that those
wanting to come here do so through proper, legal channels. It is time
the federal government steps up to the plate to defend our borders so
that private citizens like those here today don't have to.”
Congressman Tom Price (GA-06)
said, “The Minutemen truly are the nation's most successful
neighborhood watch program. America is fortunate that so many citizens
are willing to dedicate their time and energy to this effort. Their
work should serve as a wake-up call to all those in Washington who've
opposed our effort to strengthen our immigration and border policies
and enforcement.”
“I hope the Minutemen Project has raised awareness around the
country for the need to reform our seriously flawed immigration
system. Illegal immigration adversely impacts our job market, our
education system and health care costs. Hardworking American taxpayers
are being forced to shoulder that burden placed on society. There is a
right way to enter our country and a wrong way,” said Congressman
J. Gresham Barrett (SC-03).
“The Minutemen Project volunteers understand that we can no longer
stick our head in the sand. We cannot go back to a pre-9/11 mentality
that immigration concerns are not a matter of national security. And
let’s be clear: illegal immigration exposes us on a daily basis to
an increased risk of another terrorist attack. The times in which we
live today demand that matters of national security deserve more than
political correctness.”
Additional highly recommended reading:
Congressman Tom Tancredo Blasts Mexican Presidential Candidate Jorge
Castenada for Threatening the US with non-cooperation if we don’t
offer illegal aliens amnesty
July 14, 2005
Castenada’s astonishing statement -- said in testimony before
the Senate Judiciary Committee -- has been picked up by few
national press outlets.
SCRIPT:
Watching Mexican presidential candidate Jorge Castenada shake down
Congress this week was a lot like watching an episode of “the
Sopranos.”
Mexican President Vicente Fox’s former Foreign Minister calmly told
a Senate Committee in Washington this week that Mexico’s future
cooperation with the United States would be on a quid-pro-quo basis.
He didn’t parce words, telling the panel, “There can be no future
cooperation … without some form of immigration package.” But
Castenada didn’t just demand amnesty for the more than 6 million
illegal Mexican aliens living in the United States -- he even had
the gall to ask that U.S. taxpayers cough up millions in economic aid
for his country.
He bluntly told the panel that America must serve up “the whole
enchilada” -- or we can more or less forget about their help in
the fight against al Qaeda.
In the wake of the September 11th attacks and at a time when potential
terrorists view Mexico as “welcome mat” to enter our country
illegally -- Mexico has apparently decided to “make us an offer
we can’t refuse.”
Some neighbor!
….maybe it's time for Congress to send Mr. Castenada packing and
build a bigger fence!
Listen to Congressman Tancredo's Comments: http://tancredo.house.gov/pressers/071405Cast192.mp3
Tom Tancredo's Web Blog
Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus (CIRC) Photo Galleries:
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