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Border reform not a priority for Democrats
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| Contributor | particleman |
| Last Edited | particleman Jul 27, 2007 12:52am |
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| Category | General |
| News Date | Friday, July 27, 2007 06:00:00 AM UTC0:0 |
| Description | Rep. Rahm Emanuel of Illinois, an architect of the Democratic campaign that regained control of the House last year, says his party will not attempt comprehensive immigration reform until at least the second term of a prospective Democratic president.
The congressman's statement was reported by a Hispanic activist and confirmed by Mr. Emanuel. "Congressman Rahm Emanuel said to me two weeks ago, there is no way this legislation is happening in the Democratic House, in the Democratic Senate, in the Democratic presidency, in the first term," Juan Salgado, board chairman of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, told the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) at its annual convention last weekend.
Through a spokesman, Mr. Emanuel, chairman of the House Democratic Caucus, blamed Republicans for botching this year's debate and said that makes it tougher for Democrats to return to the issue.
"Congressman Emanuel has worked hard to make comprehensive immigration reform a reality and that work continues," said Nick Papas, Mr. Emanuel's spokesman. "However, President Bush and congressional Republicans' failure on this critical matter has set back efforts to enact real reform."
Mr. Emanuel's assessment of the political realities discouraged Hispanics working for immigration reform now.
"I was caught off-guard by the statement," Mr. Salgado said in an interview. "I interpret his comments as a lack of courage on what they know is right. Listen, we're here at the NCLR conference, and what it's going to take is not the attitude of Rahm Emanuel, if this is a second-term issue. What it's going to take is boldness by the president." |
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