Both Obama, McCain avoid immigration policy discussion

Both Obama, McCain avoid immigration policy discussion

12:07 AM CDT on Tuesday, July 8, 2008
By TODD J. GILLMAN / The Dallas Morning News
tgillman@dallasnews.com

WASHINGTON – John McCain and Barack Obama will happily engage on Iraq, taxes or health policy. The economy? Anytime, anywhere.

But when it comes to immigration, neither is enthusiastic to talk, even though they largely agree on the solutions.

Both candidates view Hispanics as a vital target audience. But immigration policy is fraught with political risk.

On the right, hardliners remain suspicious of Mr. McCain, even after he pledged to focus on border security and suspended his push for a guest worker program and other elements of a comprehensive reform. In the Democratic camp, most labor unions also resist policies that would bring in more foreign workers.

"There is no benefit. They've said as much as they can safely say about it," said Demetrios Papademetriou, president of the nonpartisan Migration Policy Institute. "There's no reason to agitate any part of their constituencies."

That's one reason activists on both sides of the immigration fight are watching closely as the candidates navigate a three-week gantlet of appearances before Hispanic groups – wooing those voters without alienating others.

"I do not feel they've addressed it directly. We need a lot more from them," said Rosa Rosales of San Antonio, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "They have not been very specific on the plan of action."


3 gatherings

Today's audience is the LULAC convention in Washington. Next Monday, they'll be in San Diego at the National Council of La Raza. They spoke 10 days ago to Latino officials.

The presumptive nominees support so-called comprehensive reform, as do most Hispanics. Both back tighter borders, a crackdown on workers and employers who break the law, and a new guest worker program to match demand for labor with job-seekers. Both voted to build 700 miles of fence along the southern border. Both would let most illegal workers stay and apply for citizenship, with some penalties – a policy denounced as amnesty by critics.

The issue never rose to the top tier in the Democratic primaries. On the GOP side, Mr. McCain survived by denouncing his own years-long push for a reform package. At a January debate, he even said he wouldn't vote for his own 2006 package, co-authored with Sen. Edward Kennedy.

Still, many conservatives remain skeptical, and he may face a fight this summer when the GOP platform is rewritten. The current plank supports comprehensive reform, in keeping with President Bush's views, and Mr. McCain's from 2004.

As president of the Texas Vegetable Association, J Carnes keeps close tabs on the issue. He favors a guest worker program and predicts both candidates will be forced to offer details soon.

"If it wasn't for the Hispanic vote, I don't think either candidate would bring it up at all," said Mr. Carnes, president of Winter Garden Produce in Uvalde, which grows onions, cabbage, broccoli and melons.

Business leaders are frustrated at the logjam in Washington, which has pinched industries such as agriculture, construction and hospitality that depend on immigrant labor.

"We need the workers. That's the deal. And we need them in a way that's legal," said Bill Hammond, president of the Texas Association of Business. "There are labor shortages right now."

But analysts and advocates don't expect either candidate to buy ads highlighting the issue, nor to spend precious time visiting border crossings, lettuce farms or meatpacking plants. High gas prices, a housing crisis and the Iraq war have eclipsed immigration as campaign issues.

"There's as much frustration and resentment as there ever was," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation of American Immigration Reform, which pushes for tighter borders and an end to illegal immigration. "They haven't approached this issue with nearly the same rigor and detail that they have health care or Middle East policy. It's all platitudes."


'Poison pill' vote

The latest round began with back-to-back speeches to the National Association of Latino Elected Officials. Mr. Obama emphasized support for a "pathway to citizenship" for the 12 million people here illegally. Republicans tweaked him for helping torpedo a bill last year by pushing "poison pill" provisions.

Mr. McCain sent mixed signals, reiterating his security-first pledge while calling comprehensive reform his "top priority yesterday, today, and tomorrow."

Illegal-immigration foes weren't impressed. "He speak with forked tongue," Mr. Stein said. "We've all tangled with McCain for years. We know where his heart lies."

Adrian Rodriguez of Plano, LULAC's vice president for Texas and nearby states, called it understandable for candidates to be cautious.

"If they take one side, they alienate the other side. People know right now they have to kind of tiptoe through the middle," he said. "But at some point they're going to have to come out and say, 'This is what I believe.' "
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AT A GLANCE: Hispanics' choice:

Barack Obama, 59 percent

John McCain, 29 percent

SOURCE: Gallup Poll, telephone interviews from March to June with 4,604 Hispanic registered voters, age 18 and older. Margin of error plus or minus 3 percentage points.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/news/politics/national/stories/070808dnpolimmig.33b40be2.html
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Both Obama, McCain avoid immigration policy discussion

Of course they BOTH did.  Any questions those who insist on voting for McCain would like to ask?

McCain on Immigration

• Other aspects only after consensus that borders are secure. (Feb 2008)
• Deport 2 million illegal immigrants who committed crimes. (Jan 2008)
• Would no longer push his own 2006 immigration proposal. (Jan 2008)
• Certify border is secure; only then allow guest workers. (Jan 2008)
• 2003 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior. (Jan 2008)
• Round up and deport two million aliens who committed crimes. (Jan 2008)
• FactCheck: Yes, he has used the word "amnesty" in the past. (Jan 2008)
• Do everything I can to help all immigrants learn English. (Dec 2007)
• Illegal immigrants are God's children as well. (Nov 2007)
• Absences from negotiations hurt reform bill's chances. (Oct 2007)
• 12 million illegals in country now is de facto amnesty. (Sep 2007)
• Amnesty is forgiveness; we offer fines; lines; & long waits. (Sep 2007)
• No official English; Native Americans use own languages. (Jun 2007)
• Immigration reform needed for national security. (Jun 2007)
• Hispanics serve our country, like every wave of immigrants. (Jun 2007)
• America expects us to work on immigration together. (May 2007)
• Bipartisanship shows preparedness for presidency. (May 2007)
• Change rule barring immigrants from running for president. (May 2007)
• Comprehensive reform requires temporary worker program. (May 2007)
• Comprehensive reform must include border security first. (Apr 2007)
• I've never supported amnesty. (Jan 2006)
• We have to secure the borders first. (Jan 2006)
• Make possible for immigrants to do a job Americans won't do. (Oct 2004)
• Give everyone in the world an opportunity to come to America. (Oct 2004)
• 1988: Honored by La Raza for opposing official English. (Jan 2004)
• More help for legal immigrants when immigrating & once here. (Jul 1998)

  Voting Record

• No more ballot initiatives against immigration. (Mar 1999)
• Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
• Voted YES on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
• Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on allowing more foreign workers into the US for farm work. (Jul 1998)
• Voted YES on visas for skilled workers. (May 1998)
• Voted YES on limit welfare for immigrants. (Jun 1997)
• English immersion over bilingual education. (Jul 2001)
• Sponsored comprehensive immigration reform, without amnesty. (May 2005)
• Rated 18% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance. (Dec 2006)

Barack Obama on Immigration

• Encourage every student to learn a second language. (Feb 2008)
• Need to look at different aspects of immigration reform. (Feb 2008)
• Have border patrolled, surveillance, and deploy technology. (Feb 2008)
• Increasing the legal fees on immigrants is not helping. (Feb 2008)
• Deporting 12 million people is ridiculous and impractical. (Feb 2008)
• Immigration raids are ineffective. (Feb 2008)
• Solve the driver's license issue with immigration reform. (Jan 2008)
• Immigrants are scapegoats for high unemployment rates. (Jan 2008)
• Support the DREAM Act for the children of illegal immigrants. (Jan 2008)
• Health plan: not enough resources for illegal immigrants. (Jan 2008)
• Illegals shouldn't work; but should have path to citizenship. (Dec 2007)
• Don't deputize Americans to turn in illegal immigrants. (Dec 2007)
• OK to provide government services in Spanish. (Dec 2007)
• Comprehensive solution includes employers & borders. (Nov 2007)
• Undocumented workers come here to work, not to drive. (Nov 2007)
• Support granting driver's licenses to illegal immigrants. (Nov 2007)
• FactCheck: Lightning IS likelier than employer prosecution. (Nov 2007)
• Illegal immigrants' lack of ID is a public safety concern. (Oct 2007)
• Immigration system is broken for legal immigrants. (Sep 2007)
• Reform must include more border security, and border wall. (Sep 2007)
• Sanctuary cities show that feds are not enforcing law. (Sep 2007)
• Pathway to citizenship, but people have to earn it. (Aug 2007)
• Let's be a nation of laws AND a nation of immigrants. (Aug 2007)
• Do a better job patrolling the Canadian and Mexican borders. (Jun 2007)
• Give immigrants who are here a rigorous path to citizenship. (Jun 2007)
• Extend welfare and Medicaid to immigrants. (Jul 1998)
• Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities". (Mar 2008)
• Voted YES on comprehensive immigration reform. (Jun 2007)
• Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
• Voted YES on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
• Voted YES on establishing a Guest Worker program. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on allowing illegal aliens to participate in Social Security. (May 2006)
• Voted YES on giving Guest Workers a path to citizenship. (May 2006)
• Comprehensive immigration reform without amnesty. (May 2005)
• Sponsored bill paying fair prevailing wage to guest workers. (May 2006)
• Provide funding for social services for noncitizens. (May 2006)
• Rated 8% by USBC, indicating an open-border stance. (Dec 2006)