BOR: - Immigration Reform

Ted Cruz's Amendment 3 Gutting Citizenship Now in Markup

americasvoice — Tue, 21 May 2013 20:11:39 GMT

Update: Cruz 3 has just been rejected on a 5-13 vote. Senators supporting a permanent, second-class status: Sessions, Lee, Grassley, Cruz, Cornyn.

Right now the Senate Judiciary Committee (#CIRmarkup) is considering Sen. Ted Cruz's amendment 3, one of the worst amendments that has been proposed to the Senate Gang of 8 immigration bill. Cruz seems to think that citizenship is a "poison pill" and that the only way the bill can pass through the House is without the pathway to citizenship.

We ask Ted Cruz: what does he want to do with Eric?

Find out below the jump.
Eric Balderas is a current undergraduate at Harvard College. Like Ted Cruz, he wasn't born in this country. Like Ted Cruz, he came to the US at a young age and settled in Texas, where he grew up, went to school, and eventually became his high school valedictorian. Like Ted Cruz, he attends an Ivy League university. Like Ted Cruz, Eric wants to pursue a career in public service. Watch a moving video about Eric here.

But unlike Ted Cruz, Eric does not have papers and is concerned about how much he will be allowed to contribute to this country, if he is not allowed to someday earn citizenship. If Sen. Cruz does not want immigrants like Eric to ever be able to attain citizenship, what is his proposed alternative? Does he want Eric to self-deport? Or to live forever as a second-class resident in the only country he's ever called home? What kind of vision for the country is either option, for a potential 2016 presidential candidate?

Cruz' speech in favor of Amendment 3 will haunt him in 2016 #cirmarkup @mittromeny
- David Leopold (@DavidLeopold) May 21, 2013

If Cruz runs in 2016, his failed amendment against path to citizenship could be a heavy albatross around his neck when comes to Latino vote
- Ana Navarro (@ananavarro) May 21, 2013

Here's Sen. Chuck Schumer pushing back against Cruz's damaging idea, which flies against the US' entire history of immigration policy:

If there is no path to citizenship, there is no immigration reform. You cannot have an America where people come to work and never achieve citizenship.
To go to a European type citizenship, which has clearly not worked over there...creates a sense of disparity, a sense of alienation. [Citizenship] is the heart of the bill.
This won't pass in the Senate. Won't have my vote, you won't have the vote of a lot of people.

John Cornyn: Up to His Old Tricks on Immigration

americasvoice — Tue, 14 May 2013 23:19:11 GMT

Below is a post that Frank Sharry, the Executive Director of America's Voice, wrote for Huffington Post about Sen. John Cornyn and his stances on immigration:

As a group of eight senators, four Republicans and four Democrats, work together to make progress on immigration reform, there's one senator not in the group to keep an eye on. His name is John Cornyn.

In fact, Cornyn is famous for posing as reformer even as he works to derail reform.

From 2005 through 2007, the group I headed worked closely with Senators McCain and Kennedy to pass bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform. In 2005 and 2006 Senator Cornyn teamed up with Senator Kyl of Arizona to propose an alternative bill. He made eloquent speeches about the need for reform. He issued positive press releases on his hopes for reform. He held meetings with advocates for reform. We believed -- and hoped -- he was positioning himself to be the deal maker on a bill that would fix our immigration system once and for all.

Unfortunately, Cornyn turned out to be typical politician. All hat and no cattle. As the immigration bill moved to the Senate floor in 2006, he proposed poison pill amendments to weaken support for it. He voted against it, even though 23 other Republicans voted for it. It turned out all that posturing was aimed at undermining, not enacting, reform.

Read more about how Cornyn's up to his same old tricks in 2013.
In 2007, Senator Cornyn's hardline friend, Jon Kyl, decided to fight for reform rather than against it. Kyl engaged in bipartisan negotiations. The bill that emerged was similar to the earlier Cornyn-Kyl bill. President Bush and Senator Kyl fought for it. Senator Cornyn proposed poison pill amendments to weaken support for the bill. He then voted against it.

It was June 28, 2007. The bill negotiated by Kyl to win over Republicans such as Senator Cornyn had just gone down to defeat. And then, none other than Senator Cornyn stood up to give a speech on the Senate floor -- about the need to pass immigration reform!

He said, "This is a big issue, one that is worthy of the greatest deliberative body in the world -- the U.S. Senate -- and it is an issue on which I assure each of my colleagues that I intend to do my part to try to solve." But we all knew reform would be derailed for years after this defeat, and when Cornyn had his chance to resolve it just moments earlier, he voted no.

Cornyn did the same thing again in 2010. The DREAM Act passed the House and won 55 votes in the Senate in December 2010. But Cornyn was one of the Republicans who opposed it, keeping the bill from the 60 votes needed to end a Republican filibuster and dashing the DREAMs of millions of young people. One month later, at the Hispanic Leadership Network conference, he had the audacity to portray himself as a dedicated supporter of immigration reform.

But what about this year? Isn't this the year that conservative Republicans are working hard to enact immigration reform that combines border security, employment verification, new family and employment immigration lines, and a way for those here illegally to earn citizenship? Yes it is. Senators such as Marco Rubio and Rand Paul are using their political capital to fight for common sense reform.

And John Cornyn? Up to his old tricks. Despite the bipartisan effort to craft an immigration reform bill, Cornyn is grandstanding with a new, so-called "border security" bill despite the numerous reports showing that the border is more secure than it's ever been. Another enforcement-only measure that does nothing to actually fix our broken immigration system clearly signals that Cornyn's ready to derail progress once again.

But, just a couple weeks, ago, while accepting the "Small Business Advocate of the Year" award from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in March, Cornyn talked about the need to fix our broken immigration system. That same afternoon, Cornyn sent a letter to Patrick Leahy, Chair of the Judiciary Committee, asking him to slow down the bipartisan process for immigration reform so that he could "study" it more. Cornyn joined anti-immigrant hardliners Jeff Sessions and Chuck Grassley on the letter, as well as Texas' own Ted Cruz.

Study the issue? Yeah, right. I predict that Cornyn will once again pretend to be for reform as he works with opponents to derail it.

So here's the thing, Senator: you can try to hold immigration reform hostage until you are blue in the face -- or until Texas turns blue. But you can't have it both ways. It's your actions that matter, not your words. You either vote for reform or you don't. And millions of voters who want reform are watching.

May Day Rally For Immigration Reform Draws Thousands Of Supports & Some Critics

Joe Deshotel — Mon, 06 May 2013 18:55:13 GMT

The SEIU, a labor organization representing the service industry, participated in a immigration reform rally with thousands of supporters in Houston in conjunction with May Day. The event, in advance of this week's discussion over a Senate immigration bill, was part of a nationwide push for reforming immigration policies that includes a path to citizenship.

"The drumbeat for common sense immigration reform is only getting louder," said Eliseo Medina, SEIU Secretary-Treasurer. "Today, as we raise our voices and our American flags in honor of all working families, we march and rally throughout the country to make sure we mark 2013 as the year our government passed an immigration bill worthy of our highest national values."

Not everyone rolled out the welcome matt. Houston blogger for Big Jolly Politics called it a, "rally for illegal immigration" and said, "I'd suggest that instead of arrogantly flaunting our laws, perhaps your organizers could set up a day to clean the park...You'd be amazed at what that would do for your reputation." He blame them for our closing schools and even connected them to cartel violence, "...it is but a short jump to attributing the violence of drug cartels to all illegal immigrants - after all, if you are arrogant enough to flaunt the fact that you are breaking one law, it is easy to conclude that you have no respect for any authority."
Just weeks ago another rally was held in Houston to urge our US Senators John Cornyn and especially Ted Cruz, who is the son on a Cuban Immigrant, to "take action in the best interest of our state's economy, security and values." According to the SEIU protesters sent more than 7,6oo letters sent to Cruz' office in support of a path to citizenship.

The call for reform has been heard by the Texas Congressional delegation and especially Pete Gallego, who representing the longest stretch of Texas-Mexico borders understands the social and national security implications of passing immigration reform. Make sure to send your support for a bill that honors family and dignity for everyone who lives and works within our borders.

Brent Budowsky to Senators Cruz, Cornyn: Kill Immigration Reform and Texas Goes Blue

americasvoice — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:54:41 GMT

If there's such a thing as a GOP demographic doomsday clock, it's ticking down to the day when Latino voters turn Texas blue and the Republicans cease winning national elections. A new post at The Hill from columnist Brent Budowksy argues that that day will come much, much sooner if Republicans kill immigration reform. Here's an excerpt of his post:

Texas is indeed going blue. The only question is when. If Republicans sabotage immigration reform, Texas Democrats may not have to wait for a Hillary Clinton presidential campaign in 2016. Some leaders of the conservative movement and talk radio are mounting a campaign to defeat or destroy the immigration bill, acting in a way that suggests what some Republicans have called "the party of stupid."

Budowsky targets Texas' two Senators, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, who are being hesitant (to say the least) on immigration reform. John Cornyn, as DREAMer Cesar Vargas today pointed out in the post below, has historically made noises about supporting immigration--and then failed to walk the walk when the time came. Ted Cruz has said that he's open to supporting immigration--provided that it doesn't create a pathway to citizenship. Both of them signed Gang of Hate leader Jeff Sessions' recent letter to slow down (read: kill) immigration legislation. In terms of doing the right thing by immigration and attracting Latino voters, these tactics just aren't going to fly. Budowsky continues:

Cruz increasingly resembles Rush Limbaugh, whose extremism hurts Republicans, which does not matter to Limbaugh, so long as it increases his ratings, which it does. Cruz's opposition to just immigration reform is bad for Texas and bad for Hispanics.
Here is the scenario if Cruz and other rightists succeed in destroying immigration reform: First, Democrats would win a huge and high-turnout majority of Hispanic voters for a generation. There would be talk of a GOP "war on Hispanics" similar to the talk of a GOP "war on women." Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) understands this. Cruz does not.
The retrograde right does not. The talk radio right, which leads the kamikaze faction of Republicans, increases its ratings in ways that increase the votes for Democrats. Second, I have long argued, and polls have suggested I am right, that Hillary Clinton would have at least a 50-50 chance of carrying Texas's electoral votes in 2016.
I have also suggested that if Democrats mount strong candidates for governor or senator in 2014, the odds of their winning are approximately 40 percent today.
However, if Republicans sabotage immigration reform, the powerful reaction among Hispanic voters would be so substantial that this alone increases the odds that Democrats carry Texas in 2014 and would make Hillary Clinton a favorite to carry Texas in 2016.
Third, the anti-GOP explosion among Hispanics would dramatically increase the chances that top-tier Texas Democratic candidates run for senator and governor in 2014 because they will know they have a stronger chance of winning.
The future of Texas are leaders like state Sen. Wendy Davis (D), San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro (D), and Rep. Joaquín Castro (D-Texas). It is not Republican governor-for-life Rick Perry (most recently seen attacking nationally respected educators at the University of Texas), Cruz (most recently seen attacking immigration reform), or Cornyn (most recently seen worrying about a GOP primary opponent from friends of Cruz).
The Cruz-promoted, rightist attack on immigration reform puts the squeeze on Cornyn. Does Cornyn support immigration reform, making him vulnerable on the right, or oppose immigration reform, making him anathema to Hispanic voters?
Fourth, all of these patterns are reflected in electorally important states beyond Texas. Florida creates deep jeopardy for the GOP. Hillary Clinton already clobbers Jeb Bush and Rubio in 2016 polling. GOP Gov. Rick Scott is almost as unpopular among Florida voters as the bird flu. Voters in New Mexico, Colorado, Arizona, Nevada and other states are watching the immigration debate closely.
Fifth, would you want to be an incumbent GOP House member representing a large Hispanic population running for reelection as the candidate of the party that destroyed immigration reform? Immigration alone could turn three to eight House seats blue in 2014.
Texas Democrats benefit from high-octane, future statewide Democratic candidates such as Davis and the Castro brothers. These are very dynamic and successful leaders with brilliant political futures. They and other Democrats like them are the future of Texas.
If the GOP sabotages immigration reform, that future begins now.

DREAMer Cesar Vargas to John Cornyn: You Won't Get Away with Blocking Immigration Reform This Time

americasvoice — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:50:56 GMT

Last week, The Houston Chronicle published a searing op-ed from Cesar Vargas of the DREAM Action Coalition, which targeted Texas Senator John Cornyn on immigration. At America's Voice, we consider Cornyn to a big hypocrite on immigration, so big of a hypocrite that we even gave him an award for it.

You'll like this article, but Cornyn hated it. He (@JohnCornyn) actually tweeted "complete bs" to the DRM crew about it:

@drmaction complete bs
- JohnCornyn (@JohnCornyn) April 26, 2013

Seriously, that was the response of the senior Senator from Texas.

Here's an excerpt from Cesar's op-ed, but you should read the whole thing -- just to make John Cornyn mad:

Since 2005, Sen. Cornyn has had a record of defeating reform efforts while portraying himself as a fighter to fix the country's outdated immigration system. At the 2011 Hispanic Leadership Network conference, Cornyn said, "They (Democrats) have controlled Congress for four years, have occupied the White House for two years, and yet they've broken every promise to lead on immigration reform." And last month, while accepting the "Small Business Advocate of the Year" award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Cornyn talked about the need to fix our broken immigration system. And yet, Cornyn in 2010 voted against the DREAM Act - a bill that would provide a path to legal status for certain undocumented students - and recently introduced a "border security only" bill despite the country's overwhelming support for a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.
Indeed, the "Gang of 8" legislation addresses many, if not all, of Cornyn's demands for border security. Under the proposed legislation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security must create, fund and begin a border security plan within six months. DHS will receive billions of dollars to fund border security enhancements. For interior enforcement, the bill requires U.S. employers to implement E-Verify; government officials will have to set up an exit/entry system to track foreign visitors or workers who overstay their visas. Further, Republican Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake, both from the border state of Arizona, have pressed for heightened security measures in the compromise. There is minimal excuse for Cornyn to join anti-immigrant voices to halt progress.

This time, we're all watching to see if Cornyn tries to play the same old games. And, that's not BS.

Shifting Immigration Scapegoat From Hispanics to "Radical Islamists"

Joe Deshotel — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 21:30:00 GMT

Rep. Louie Gohmert may have a solution to the Republican Party's struggle with Hispanic voters -- shift his Party's rhetoric from the fear and mistrust of Hispanic immigrants, whom they will need to win future elections, onto "radical Islamists". It's a craft he has been honing since we first heard of "terror babies" anchoring Muslim extremists onto US soil.

Before authorities could apprehend the second Boston bombing suspect, Gohmert theorized their connections to, "what Osama Bin Laden charged Chechens to do many years ago", and said that our first response should be to, "secure the border." It seems he is trying to play the line of anti-terrorist and not anti-immigrant. Gohmert told C-SPAN, "We owe it to the immigrants who have come in legally to keep them safe as well. We know Al Qaeda has camps over with the drug cartels on the other side of the Mexican border."

At first blush it may sound like what the Hispanic Leadership Group called a, "blatant attempt to disingenuously twist public sentiment at a vulnerable time", but Louie asserts his frustration that terrorists are being "trained to act Hispanic" and cross our border when, "they are really radical Islamists." It's not completely surprising with the two major issues of the day being Immigration Reform, and a national tragedy perpetrated by foreign born individuals, that the lowest common denominator would be to connect the two using fear of an international terrorist plot. But the prudent thing to do is wait for more facts to surface before jumping to conclusions that could insight fear or intolerance unnecessarily.

Officials are now saying that the two men were motivated by what they saw as US aggression in the Muslim world and did not have connections to international terrorist groups. Philip Mudd, a former FBI and CIA counterterrorism official, said the Boston attacks more closely resemble, "Columbine than any connection to Al-Qaeda." New ideas, not new targets, is what the national Republican Party should be looking for, because sweeping generalizations about a major religion and pitting Americans against other Americans, no matter if they are naturalized or natural born, is never the answer.

Follow me on Twitter at: @joethepeb

Rep. Gallego: Single Biggest Threat to Border Security Is Sequestration

Joe Deshotel — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 20:18:51 GMT

For weeks Congressional Republicans, including Texas' own Senator John Cornyn criticized the President's comprehensive immigration reform proposal because they thought border security should be the top priority. On Tuesday Rep. Pete Gallego who represents the longest stretch of Texas-Mexico in Congress made it clear that the single biggest threat to border security is actually sequestration. In his first floor speech he admonished Congress for its finger pointing on the issue and challenged members to work together to solve the nation's problems.

"In small town West Texas when there's a fire everyone works together to put the fire out and no one focuses on how the fire started or who started the fire until after the fire is out. Here and now in Washington many folks are more focused on who is to blame for the sequester than trying to do something about it." - Rep. Gallego

The Congressman characterized the across the board cuts as having both economic and national security implications, saying, "Not having a vote this week is a decision by some in Congress for decreased border security, job loss and furloughs, and it devastates local communities and the state of Texas." His district contains a number of strategic military bases including Ft. Bliss in El Paso and Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio that could face furloughs in the tens of thousands.

His office also released this handy infographic of the impact of sequestration on the US-Mexico border. You can follow him on twitter at @RepPeteGallego and see his house floor speech below the jump.

Texas Democrats Have Chance At National Spotlight WIth Immigration Reform

Joe Deshotel — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 18:11:30 GMT

Immigration reform presents Texas Democrats with a rare but golden opportunity to create a narrative. From Governor Perry's State Of The State to the bills filed so far this session, Texas Republicans have been interestingly mum on the issue of immigration compared to recent sessions. They have either had a change of heart on issues like "Voter ID", and "Sanctuary Cities" (which Perry classified as "emergency legislation" in 2011, but it did not reach his desk) or demographic realities have forced a different strategy. I assume the latter, but if not talking about immigration is the new strategy, that should be low hanging fruit for Democrats at the state and federal level.

The costs of our antiquated system gives Texas Democrats the ability to approach reform from an economic perspective. Not only has the State Comptroller's report indicated that undocumented workers were an actual net value to taxpayers, but the federal expenditures for immigration enforcement were significantly more than that of all other federal law enforcement agencies combined.

President Obama has already stated that Immigration Reform will be a top priority of his 2nd term agenda. It's also clear by their courting of Texans behind the scenes and at the national convention that Texas is part of that equation. Look for a strong statement on Immigration in the State of the Union tomorrow. With headlines like "On immigration, Texas surprisingly quiet" in Politico and "A Texas-sized silence as immigration talks ramp up" in the Dallas Morning News, it sure seems like a great time to say something.

The Collateral Damage of Deportations

David Mauro — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 23:00:57 GMT

The Obama Administration's decision earlier this month to allow some undocumented immigrants to avoid deportation may eventually be seen as a turning point in federal immigration policy, but a recent New York Times article by Damien Cave shows the great extent to which deportations have affected Texas families.

Cave's article tells the story of Jeffrey Isidor, a 10-year old American born to Mexican parents. Jeffrey was attending Gleason Elementary School in Texas when his father, a 39-year old carpenter, was deported. Jeffrey's story is not an abberation; nearly 50,000 people deported reported having American children.

Mr. Isidoro, wearing a Dallas Cowboys hat in his parents’ kitchen, said he was still angry that his 25 years of work in the United States meant nothing; that being caught with a broken taillight on his vehicle and without immigration papers meant more than having two American sons — Jeffrey, 10, and his brother, Tommy Jefferson, 2, who was named after the family’s favorite president.
As for President Obama, Mr. Isidoro uttered an expletive. “There are all these drug addicts, drug dealers, people who do nothing in the United States, and you’re going to kick people like me out,” he said. “Why?”

The Isidro family are a prime example of the kind of people President Obama referenced in his speach announcing the change in policy: those who "are Americans in their hearts, in their minds, in every single way but one: on paper."

After his father was deported, Jeffrey struggled in school and longed for his missing parent. He eventually joined his father in the Mexican state of Puebla, but adjusting to life in a foreign country has not been easy.

There has to be a better way. Jeffrey and the tens of thousands of children like him are not - as Texas State Rep. Debbie Riddle said in 2010 - "little terrorists" or an "anchor babies." They are Americans.

President Obama's announcement is a step in the right direction, but it is tragic that so many young Americans must decide between living and receiving an education in their home country or staying with their families.

Lamar Smith: #2 in the Immigration "Hall of Shame"

Immigrants' List — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 17:24:57 GMT

This week, it's the 104th anniversary of Ellis Island's one-day peak - the day when more immigrants were welcomed than any other in American history. On April 17, 1907, 11,747 immigrants became Americans - and that was just at Ellis Island.

Today, 104 years later, America is stuck in the mud with a broken immigration system. Americans want reform that unites families, promotes fair employment practices, and restores America's place as a nation that welcomes those seeking freedom from persecution and a better way of life.

This week, Immigrants' List -- a bipartisan political action committee dedicated to electing pro-immigration lawmakers - unveiled the 2011 inductees into the Immigration Hall of Shame. Texas Congressman Lamar Smith, now chair of the House Judiciary Committee, is #2 on the list.
Hall of Shame - April 2011 Inductees

1. Rep. Steve King (R-IA) - A man who cites the Bible in his opposition to immigration reform, King favors an electrified wire border fence, arguing "we do that with livestock all the time." King believes that undocumented immigrants can be detected from their clothing and "the type of grooming they might have," and labeled the DREAM Act "amnesty." Alarmingly, King vice chairs the House Immigration Subcommittee - the first stop for every immigration bill.

2. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) - According to Lamar Smith, the guaranteed 14th Amendment right to birthright citizenship is a "misinterpretation," which Smith plans to remedy with a ban on that right that can "get five votes" on the Supreme Court. Such a posture would be troubling enough from any member of Congress, but coming from the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, it's downright dangerous.

3. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) - After calling for a national version of the Arizona SB 1070, Royce has announced new legislation to give local police Arizona-style powers over immigration. An active leader in the House's leading anti-reform caucus, Royce supports forcing hospitals to gather information on possible undocumented immigrants, and opposes increasing visas for skilled workers.

4. Rep. Peter King (R-NY) - Always a lightning rod of controversy, Peter King has been in the headlines recently for scapegoating Muslim citizens. But we should remember that King has a long history of scapegoating and marginalizing all immigrants; he fought to ban the use of Spanish by government agencies and authored a bill to ban drivers' licenses for undocumented workers because they are "potential terrorists." King chairs the Homeland Security Committee, which has a major role in immigration reform legislation.

5. Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN) - The potential presidential candidate has a history of inflammatory statements which go along with her outlandish voting record. She's spread the widely-debunked rumor that Phoenix is "the kidnap[ping] capital of the United States," using that myth to justify her support for an armed presence on the border. She's advocates Arizona SB 1070, and told Bill O'Reilly that all local law enforcement should be required to ask for proof of immigration status. Bachmann chairs the House Tea Party Caucus.

6. Rep. Brian Bilbray (R-CA) - Having built a career spreading fear about our broken border, Bilbray now helms the House's anti-immigration reform caucus, where he's leading the fight for an Arizona SB 1070-style bill. Discontent with mere anti-immigrant legislation, Bilbray has spread rumors that President Obama will issue amnesty by decree, and "the human smuggling, prostitution, murder and virtual enslavement of human beings" is happening because immigrants are "drawn to this nation by... taxpayer-funded jobs."

7. Sen. John Boozman (R-AR) - While campaigning for Senate last year, Boozman wrote that "our schools, our hospitals and our jobs are being compromised by the influx of illegal immigrants." His solution? Eliminating the Constitutional right to birthright citizenship, reducing overall legal immigration, and spreading rumors that President Obama "may grant amnesty through an Executive Order."

8. Rep. Heath Shuler (D-NC) - In word and deed, Shuler is eager to prove that obstructionism is bipartisan. The top Democrat in Congress's largest anti-reform caucus, he worked with Tom Tancredo to author the SAVE Act, which would deport 12 million undocumented immigrants, was backed by NumbersUSA, and would've taken a large step towards militarizing America's border.

9. Rep. Candice Miller (R-MI) - One of the leading proponents of the baseless rumor that the Obama administration is behind a "backdoor amnesty" program, Candice Miller chairs the Homeland Security Border Subcommittee. She co-sponsored the deportation-only SAVE Act, and won the support of Lou Dobbs for her fear-mongering that undocumented workers will gain political power due to the 2010 Census counting "persons," not "citizens."

10. Rep. Ben Quayle (R-AZ) - Heralded as a "true reformer" by the notoriously anti-immigration NumbersUSA, Ben Quayle exemplified the worst political impulses when it comes to immigration, exploiting fear and misinformation to ride into office. Quayle made election promises to reduce the overall number of immigrants allowed in America, erect a Pacific-to-the-Gulf electrified fence, and send the National Guard to patrol the border. These efforts may have won him the support of Chuck Norris, but here's a fact for Chuck Norris and Ben Quayle: your scare tactics draw out the status quo - preventing meaningful reform, breaking up families, and putting America at risk.

Immigration is a fundamental part of America's heritage and is essential to the growth and prosperity of our nation. That's a fact. It's central to our American character.

And it's something these ten have forgotten.

View the Hall of Shame, share with friends, and sign-up for more information at our website.