Segment
Transcript
LOU DOBBS TONIGHT
Aired January 13, 2005 - 18:00 ET
[...]
Segment: Resistance to Bush's ridiculous
amnesty scheme growing
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DOBBS: As we reported, President Bush is boldly predicting that his plan to give millions of illegal aliens in this country legal status will win in Congress. The controversial plan, however, is running into rising strong resistance from members of the president's own party.
Casey Wian reports from Los Angeles.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
CASEY WIAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): President Bush this week reaffirmed his desire to give legal status to millions of illegal aliens in this country, a likely signal his year-old immigration reform proposal could be presented to Congress soon. He says the nation's immigration system has broken down and that, by legalizing work, we take a lot of pressure off our borders.
But to legalize the work the president's talking about requires forgiving people who have broken the law, often multiple times. A growing number of lawmakers in the president's own party say they'll fight that idea.
REP. ELTON GALLEGLY (R), CALIFORNIA: The president claims that it is not amnesty, but I believe if you reward someone for an illegal act by giving them legal status and allowing them to stay in the country and have a job, that is amnesty.
The election cycle is over. Those of us that aggressively supported President Bush's reelection, many of us, are now saying we still support you, Mr. President, but, on this issue, we're lightyears apart.
WIAN: So many that Colorado Congressman Tom Tancredo says at least 180 Republican lawmakers now oppose the president's guest worker program.
REP. TOM TANCREDO (R), COLORADO: I'm not going to tell you that we're going to be able to win this. I can only guarantee you there's going to be one hell of a battle. The American people don't want open borders. They don't want amnesty. It's a message that is beginning to get through to the Congress. We've just got to get it through the president.
WIAN: The message has apparently reached some leading Democrats. Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, who opposed a state ballot initiative limiting welfare benefits for illegal aliens, is now talking tough on border security.
GOV. JANET NAPOLITANO (D), ARIZONA: It is time for the national government to step in, devote the resources and do its job of protecting the border. It is time for real immigration reform.
WIAN: Real reform, many lawmakers, believe could be as simple as enforcing existing immigration laws.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
WIAN: Yesterday, San Diego-area Congressman Duncan Hunter hosted a group of congressional staffers on the tour of the border, part of his effort to convince even more lawmakers to oppose amnesty for illegal aliens -- Lou.
DOBBS: Thank you very much.
Casey Wian from Los Angeles.
We'll have much more on this issue in the moments ahead here Congressman David Dreier will be here to talk about our nation's border crisis and tell us how two new bills that he's introduced will help stop illegal aliens from crossing the border. That's still ahead here. That brings us to the subject of our poll tonight. The question: Do you believe legalizing illegal workers will take pressure off our nation's borders, as President Bush suggests? Yes or no. Please cast your vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results coming up.
[...]
Segment: Dreier teams up with Silvestre Reyes - Social
Security Card Scheme
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related feature with video
My guest tonight says immigration reform and border security are top priorities. He's introduced two new pieces of legislation, one aimed at stopping the flow of illegal aliens into this country and stopping employers from hiring them. The other proposed legislation deals with criminal aliens clogging our court system.
Joining me now is Congressman David Dreier of California. Congressman Dreier is the chairman of the House Rules Committee, a member of the House Select Committee on Homeland Security.
Congressman, good to have you with us.
REP. DAVID DREIER (R), CALIFORNIA: Well, Lou, it's always good to be with you. Happy new year. And let me thank you for your coverage that you all have been providing into the tragic circumstance with Mother Nature out here and to say that you and I still have very important and major disagreements, even though I'm going to try to get you to agree with me on this one issue, and that is the fact that we have obviously seen a tremendous flow of people across the border.
And we know why it is that they come to the United States. They come here seeking economic opportunity. And so I join with my Democratic colleague, Congressman Sylvester Reyes of Texas, who was the chairman of the Hispanic Caucus and a longtime Border Patrol agent, and the legislation calls for the establishment of a counterfeitproof Social Security card which will be necessary for people when they are applying for a new job.
And I call it the Bonner plan, because T.J. Bonner, who has been a guest, he told me, on your program, many times, is the president of the National Border Patrol Council. He believes that we can, Lou, reduce by 98 percent the number of illegal border crossings so that the Border Patrol will be able to focus on what you and I and the other most -- all Americans want them to focus on, and that is our national security.
DOBBS: So in effect, what will happen, Congressman, is that a new identification card, the Social Security card, that will not be capable of being counterfeited, will not only be identification, but it will be required for employers who hire illegal aliens or legal immigrants to check those social security cards with a national data bank.
DREIER: The short answer to your question is no. You've used the term identification twice. I got -- we made one up out of an old Vaughn's card here, and basically the card will consist of the Social Security card. Which, this is what it's been for 1937 years, for 68 years, nothing but a piece of paper. And now what we have is it will be a photo embedded card, with social security on it, an algorithm strip on the back, which simply states whether you're an American citizen exactly, if you're here under a work permit, information that the government already has.
But Lou, it has something else at the bottom. It says this is not a national identification card. I was just with my friend...
DOBBS: Well Congressman, in the interest of time, let's be as succinct as we can. You may call it not an identification card, a national identification card, for political purposes, but in point of fact, it is designed not to be counterfeited, correct?
DREIER: Correct.
DOBBS: It would identify the holder?
DREIER: It identifies the holder when they're applying for a new job, go ahead.
DOBBS: Well, I mean, it identifies them period.
DREIER: Lou...
DOBBS: Wait, Congressman, if I may. There's no reason for contravention or argument here. I'm trying to just get the facts out for all of us. The fact is this would give employers a clear channel to a data bank that would say whether that person was legal or illegal and there would be a direct connection, correct?
DREIER: That is correct.
But let me tell you why this is not a national identification card. It's not going to be utilized for getting on an airplane. You are gainfully employed. I know Dick parsons told me you're going to be there for a long period of time, you won't need one, because you're not going to be applying for a new job for a long period of time.
The fact is, any senior citizen will not have to have one of these cards. Only individuals applying for a new job will need to have this Social Security card. So, that's why it's not a national I.D. card. DOBBS: The way in which it's used is helpful for identification. Let's go to the second part of this. You're coming straight out the White House here. This isn't in their plan. Have you talked to them? Are they going to support you with this?
DREIER: Yes, I have. I have. I've -- we had a meeting with the president last -- bicameral meeting with him last week focusing on Social Security. I've talked to Karl Rove at length about this issue.
And frankly, I listened to a clip from some of my colleagues earlier. We're still in the process of putting together the president's reform proposal, he is, and the Congress will be. I will tell you that a guest worker program must go hand in hand with having this counterfeit proof Social Security card because of the economic demand that exists here. So I think we can come together, Lou. You know, I like to find areas of agreement, that's one of the reasons why I introduced this, so I can finally find an area of agreement with you. And so...
DOBBS: It's a good start, Congressman.
DREIER: Well, we've got a ways to go, but my colleague John Kyl, in the Senate is going will be introducing this next week when the Senate convenes. And I think that we can get support all the way across the board for it.
DOBBS: Well we wish you well with this. It's an important beginning. And hopefully it will find considerable support.
DREIER: And we need to pass the Free Trade are of the Americas...
DOBBS: Oh, congressman, congressman. It's like baseball. Your average can be good, but nonetheless, it is an average -- you're making it slide just a bit with me now.
DREIER: I know. It's key to this whole effort of keeping people fleeing from across the border, Lou.
DOBBS: There are a lot of keys here, you know, Congressman. We're going to talk about them in the weeks ahead when you come back and we'll discuss them further. Thank you.
DREIER: Thanks, Lou. See you.
DOBBS: A reminder now to vote on our poll tonight. The question is, "Do you believe legalizing illegal workers will take pressure off our nation's borders as President Bush suggests. Yes or No." Please cast you vote at loudobbs.com. We'll have the results coming up.
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