New Report Analyzes the Immigration Reform Caucus' Role in Derailing True Immigration Reform

Why has immigration reform failed so miserably in Congress?

Why has the term "immigrant" evolved into such a piranha that Congressional representatives will distance themselves from it?

Why does there exist a fanaticism against the immigration issue, not outside the halls of Congress but within its very corridors?

Though the extreme right-wing bloggers would love to take all the credit, come to find out it's not them who are purposely setting up the roadblocks and getting the 11th hour changes of heart from Congressional members who previously were supportive of immigration reform measures.

And as much credit is given to the "American People" as some Congressional representatives repeatedly like to cite, it's common knowledge that the American People don't have and never had anywhere near the kind of influence that is responsible for derailing action on immigration reform.

So who is it that has this kind of influence and unprecedented access to our Congress and system of government?

It's our Congress, or to be more exact, 110 members of the House of Representatives who make up the largest ideological caucus in our government known as the Immigration Reform Caucus.

In a new report released today by the Building Democracy Initiative titled Nativism in the House, the existence of the Immigration Reform Caucus is revealed with an in-depth analysis of this all-white, highly influential group which coincidentally (written sarcastically) was the brainchild of Rep. Tom Tancredo -- the subject of Latina Lista's post yesterday.

While it would be easy to dismiss this report since it comes from a group obviously sympathetic to the resolution of the immigration issue, it must be acknowledged that the report deals with facts that were easily obtainable through public records kept on voting practices, precinct demographics, bill sponsorships, and of course, information on the Caucus' own web site.

In looking at this documentation, the report's researchers uncovered some very disturbing points:

* Despite Caucus members' focus on strict border control and harsh anti-immigrant legislation, the median Hispanic population is only 4% in caucus members' districts. Although it is assumed that nativist and anti-immigrant politics are driven by economic resentment, most HIRC members are not elected from districts that share a common demographic or economic character.

* While vocally supportive of American workers, 86 out of the Caucus's 110 members scored zero in support of workers' rights, as measured by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees.

* The overwhelming majority of HIRC members are from the furthest, hardest edge of the Republican Party's rightwing, only eight are Democrats, and the Caucus claims no African-American or Hispanic members. Many also regularly vote against civil rights and civil liberties concerns.

* Notwithstanding the Caucus' political character, its members have received campaign contributions from a surprisingly wide range of sources, including ones not typically associated with anti-immigrant policies such as AT&T, the American Medical Association, and Home Depot. In addition, Caucus members receive funding from nativist sources such as the Minuteman PAC as well as from ultra-conservative sources such as the Eagle Forum and the Club for Growth.

* The election of Rep. Brian Bilbray as the HIRC chairman is likely to cement the already symbiotic relationship between fringe anti-immigrant advocacy groups and caucus members. Rep. Bilbray is himself a former lobbyist for the Federation for American Immigration Reform, a controversial anti-immigrant organization that holds questionable ties to white nationalist and nativist groups. Likewise, the former HIRC director is now working at FAIR as a Government Relations Associate.

* Most recently, HIRC members have begun to actively promote legislation aimed at gutting the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which is the amendment that granted African-Americans full suffrage following the civil war. As of the time of the report's printing, 90 members of the House of Representatives signed on as co-sponsors to legislation aimed at nullifying the Fourteenth Amendment's "birthright" provision.

From all outward appearances: bills sponsored, political rhetoric, voting patterns, organizational affiliations, this group has more in common with the Ku Klux Klan than a mere caucus promoting a benign political cause.

In fact, by calling themselves the Immigration Reform Caucus (IRC), they deflect any hint that their agenda relies heavily on extremism, racism and ethnic oppression rather than actively working to find a true solution that benefits all Americans.

By hiding behind the IRC name, they don't alarm anyone -- voters or their fellow Congressional representatives -- that such an extremist group has infiltrated the very halls of our government. They are merely seen as another special interest group that feels strongly about their cause.

Yet, what is different about this group is that they are not outsiders looking in -- they are insiders, passing bad information under the guise of doing it for the American people.

Comments

[realitytrumpsbull]

Immigration reform? Cesar must be turning over
in his grave. I say 'build the border fence',
because we're primarily talking about Mexico,
here, and take issue with a lot of these
companies that've voted their version of 'reform' by paying huge donations to people's
campaigns. Cut off the cheap labor, and
see how many of these outfits 'globalize'...LOL

[TUCANOFULANO]

True "Immigration Reform" is simply enforcing current laws and deporting Illegal Aliens ar not less than 100,000 daily till they are all gone, never to return, with an effective triple fence from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific (a sea-level canal for the US Navy to use would be preferable) backed up by live-ammunition equipped US troops who will ensure USA law is enforced with extreme prejudice.

[NABNYC]

Before you can have an intelligent discussion, you need to define your terms. What is meant by "Immigration Reform?" Different people mean different things, so we're like Babel - everyone talks, making no sense.

"Immigration Reform" Defined:
1. Corporate view: allow businesses to import slave labor in unlimited numbers. Slave labor to work for slave wages without any benefits or any safeguards.

2. Illegal immigrants view: amnesty for every person who is here illegally. And let all their friends and family come here too, as many as want to, forever.

3. Citizen view: enforce the laws we have on the books. Stop allowing illegal immigrants to work in the U.S. Throw the owners of businesses who hire illegal immigrants into prison, after fining them $1,000/day for each illegal immigrant hired, and using that money to fund unemployment for all the Americans who have been thrown out of work.

4. Mexican government view: let all the young poor people from Mexico move to the U.S. by the millions so they can work and send money home to their poor families, while the government of Mexico works only to protect the multi-millionaires and drug dealers and refuses to provide its own people with education, sanitation, healthcare, and employment.

[knowhelpnow]

It's our laws illegals are not immigrants in any way. They are criminals by our laws and to give them any benefits or amnesty is just plain wrong. They have broken our laws and they need to go home and stand behind those who are in line to come into the USA legally.
The employers who hire them for cheap labor should also paid big fines and if needed jail time, they also are breaking our laws.

[Norski]

There is no doubt that there are Racists on this planet. All one has to do is watch Jerry Springer. But one must be careful not to allow oneself to become so obsessed with them that you can see no else. That a bunch of law and order House Members - 102 Republicans and 8 Democrats - might band together to encourage enforcement of our Immigration Law that has been so completely ignored reminds me of the phrase Well Dah! To focus on this group and try to ascribe racist motives to them because you see racism everywhere you look misses the more important point. If Republicans and Conservative Democrats are known for their stance on law and order then why have so many NOT joined the HIRC? Every time in our history we have allowed excessive numbers of immigrants into this country the result has been high unemployment and falling wages for U.S. Citizens in the labor markets the immigrants enter. So today we control immigration. But a lot of money can be made violating immigration laws. Per the Social Security Administration, the Pew Center, and Per U.S. Government Statistics we have 5 to 7 million working Illegal Immigrants. Somebody is making a lot of money exploiting them. And somebody is working very hard to keep this gravy train rolling. Obviously it is not the 110 members of the HIRC. So who is it? And does the track taken by this article only serve to further their agenda at the cost of the American Worker?

[sd63guy]

Immigration Reform Caucus serves one guy in the coutry John Tanton (he seems to be very influencial and many politicians are in his pocket),he founded FAIR, numbersUSA, Center for Immigration Studies and many other hate groups which justify racism and neo-natzim by population growth control. Check it up

[CLR]

Thank God for groups like the Immigration Reform Caucus. They are working for the American people. I know many people who called and emailed the elected officials from their areas to tell them not to vote for amnesty. I was one. I think you underestimate the will of the Citizens of the United States. We are fed up with paying BILLIONS to educate and provide health care for ILLEGALS. All ILLEGALS should be deported and sponge off their own governments for awhile. We also need to heavily fine those who hire ILLEGALS and return to the original intent of th 14th amendment and do away with anchor babies.

[Kansas Evans]

Great article. Keep us informed. I'm sure there are those who disagree, that's there perogative.

[hjo4]

We have no Immigration problem.We have people who refuse to obey our current immigration laws.They are illgeal aliens, they're cries fall on deaf ears.Try obeying current immigration laws,they work.

[Norski]

The comment "From all outward appearances: bills sponsored, political rhetoric, voting patterns, organizational affiliations, this group has more in common with the Ku Klux Klan than a mere caucus promoting a benign political cause" is political bombast at it's worst. I would love to have someone explain to me how law and order Conservatives have anything in common with the Ku Klux Klan, who at their very core, represent a violation of our laws on equality and fairness. Or that demonizing people that you do not agree with accomplishes anything other showing how you can dehumanize people you do not agree with. And that is at the heart of discrimination. I guess the old saying "you cannot understand a person until you walk a mile in their shoes" is out the window.

What most people forget is that whether it is violating laws to stop pollution, violating laws to protect wildlife, violating laws on discrimination, or violating any other body of law, by saying that it is okay to break one law is in effect saying it is okay to break all laws. Saying I don"t agree with that law so I am going to break it just does not cut it. And saying that a law is bad without learning why is exists is equally bad. If it is okay to break immigration law and commit document fraud and identity theft to by coming to the U.S. illegally is it not also okay hunt endangered species, pollute the countryside with dangerous chemicals, or treat people differently based on their skin color or sex? You loose all credibility in expecting law enforcement to anything about enforcing laws you actually like if you refuse to obey laws you do not agree with.

Immigration Laws exist for some very good economic reasons that have nothing to do with racism or nativism. Yet those who want to change them will not discuss the laws on their own merit. Instead they attack supporters based on their politics. That is not good.

[scooperss]

Influence? How about the influence of La Raza on Congress?

In case you haven't noticed, this isn't a partisan issue where you can divide the people into dems and repubs. This is an issue that has brought us all together so yes I hope Congress is listening.

[TuffPosh]

Of course, the issue doesn't concern "immigrants"; it concerns massive illegal immigration.

And, I'm pretty sure that blacks and Latinos aren't forbidden from joining the HIRC. In fact, I'm sure they'd be welcomed as long as they subscribed to the group's support of our laws. The problem, of course, is that all Latino Congresspeople that I'm aware of don't support our laws when it concerns others of their race. In fact, many of them are outright racial demagogues, such as Luis Gutierrez.

And, some of them are even willing to stand with Mexican politicians in Washington DC and push for "reform", such as Hilda Solis.

Refuting the claims of the BD group is as easy as it is worthless, but as for workers rights, let me suggest a way for you to help: stop supporting lowering wages through massive illegal immigration.

[FoundersFan]

Why has the term "immigrant" evolved into such a piranha that Congressional representatives will distance themselves from it?
-----------------------

It is really hard to take seriously anyone who insists on continually using "immigrant" when talking about "illegal immigrant" (or I give you your false political correctness "undocumented immigrant").

Either way its is a direct insult to every immigrant in this country to cavalierly lump them together with trespassers. Any one who does this, does not deserve to be taken seriously on the subject.

It is the same for those who insist that amnesty is true "immigration" reform.

And, wonders of wonders, we are told what nefarious group has unprecedented access and influence in congress. Why it is members of congress.

Amazing. Who would have thought that? Congresspeople are suppose to just sit there--certainly not influence any of their colleagues--and vote but only if their vote agrees with the author. This has to be a parody.

[AOGutierrez]

Why do you continue to use the term "illegal immigrant" when you really mean "illegal Mexican immigrant"?

Before you go off on my name, I'm not Mexican I'm Cuban and a native born American citizen, even though I was born in Cuba. That said I don't see any agitation to rescind the law allowing any Cuban who makes it to US soil the automatic right to remain here. Since the dispute with Cuba is over the choice of economic systems maybe we should just declare Mexico an economic tyranny and then all the "illegal immigrants" will be economic refugees and we can feel good about letting them stay while they pay into a Social Security system they can never collect from (not being citizens) thus ensuring your comfortable old age and assuaging whatever you have that might pass for a conscience.

[EspressoAtNoon]

An illegal immigrant can't be paying into social security unless they've stolen an American citizen's social security number - which is a felony.

[sparkandy]

How can you be a native born American if you were born in Cuba?

[FoundersFan]

As bad as Mexico's government is--and boy is it corrupt--it doesn't equate to the slavery under which the Cuban people have been forced to live.

To try to equate it in any way is sheer ignorance.

[NABNYC]

I oppose allowing any Cuban who arrives the automatic right to stay. Cubans are mostly right-wing Republicans. Why are they allowed to stay, while the Haitians are sent back to brutal conditions?

If it were up to me, I'd tell all the Cuban-Americans: pick a team. You want to stay here, fine. You want to go back to Cuba, go. Just stop sucking up my tax dollars for these corrupt anti-Castro organizations they have that receive hundreds of thousands of my tax dollars every year to fund some old lazy Cubans to sit around in Miami pissing and moaning about how much they hate Castro. Enough.

And I think the reason there is a focus on Mexican illegal immigrants is clear: out of the 12 million estimated illegal immigrants in the U.S., about 99.9% of them are from Mexico. I guess if we started seeing millions fleeing across the Canadian border, we'd start hearing more about that.

But every time I hear someone say "Oh, it's just an anti-Mexican focus," I think, come on folks. Let's be honest. It's Bush's good friend Vincent Fox, with Bush, who have pushed this unacceptable level of millions of uneducated non-English-speaking desperately poor people across the border into the U.S. to take American jobs and exhaust the resources of local communities.

If this keeps up, for example, we will not have any emergency rooms left because they will all shut down because of the over-use by millions of illegal immigrants who have no ability to pay. Maybe Vincent Fox should be sued, and see if he wants to pay the bill.