VCT Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sen. Mike Crapo Contact: Glenn Spencer, 1-800-600-8642 January 24, 2001 VOICE OF CITIZENS TOGETHER CHALLENGES CRAPO ON MEXICAN LABOR DEAL GROUP SAYS TEMPORARY LABORERS WILL BE PERMANENT TWIN FALLS -- Glenn Spencer, president of Voice of Citizens Together (VCT), challenged Idaho Senator Mike Crapo's plan for a massive Why does Gramm want to legalize Mexicans? Mexican guest worker plan. Appearing with Crapo on "Idaho Today" (KLIX AM 1310, Twin Falls) Spencer warned that granting work permits to 7 million Mexicans would eventually lead to full amnesty and citizenship. "Once these people are here legally with driver's licenses, health insurance, regular paychecks and union membership, there is no way you are going keep them from staying permanently," Spencer said. "Last year, in Congress, president Clinton proposed giving amnesty to seven million illegal aliens which Senator Gramm and I opposed." Crapo said, "Anybody who tries to say that Senator Gramm or I or any of us are working on an amnesty program is not only wrong, they are totally wrong." Crapo said that he and four other Senators, including Phil Gramm (R-Tx) met with Mexican President Fox to discuss a limited guest worker program that would "stop the illegal entrance into the United States but allow workers to come into the United States, work here if they can find work, and then return back to Mexico." Spencer said that Senator Gramm had promised that NAFTA would put an end to illegal immigration. "All NAFTA did was to draw millions of Mexicans to our border making it easier for them to cross," Spencer said, "Phil Gramm was wrong about NAFTA and he and Crapo are wrong about a guest worker program." Gramm is married to Dr. Wendy Lee Gramm, a member of the board of Iowa Beef Packers (IBP). "IBP has been cited numerous times for hiring illegal aliens," Spencer said, "It doesn't take a genius to figure out that they would benefit immensely from a supply of cheap, legal labor." During the radio interview, Spencer played an audio clip of Los Angeles labor leader Juan Jose Gutierrez threatening to shut down Los Angeles if amnesty was not granted to all illegal aliens. Spencer said that the AFL/CIO was already calling for blanket amnesty and that a massive guest worker program would only add to their clout. "Anyone familiar with what is going on in California knows that a new amnesty program would mean the end of our national sovereignty," Spencer said.