Why Won't The White House Condemn Anti-Immigrant Vigilantism? (DNC)

[MaineDem]

For Immediate Release
August 12, 2005

Contact: Luis Miranda - 202-863-8148

Why Won't The White House Condemn Anti-Immigrant Vigilantism?

Another Example of the GOP's "Say One Thing, Do Another" Minority
Outreach Effort

Washington, DC - Even as Republican National Committee Chairman Ken
Mehlman travels the nation promoting his party's renewed outreach to
minority communities, Republicans in Texas are following the RNC's
national strategy of using divisive, anti-immigrant rhetoric for
electoral gain. The latest is legislation introduced by Republican
Representative John Culberson of Houston that would "deputize armed
civilians and deploy them as a militia to serve alongside the Border
Patrol." According to the Associated Press, Representative Henry
Bonilla, the Republican co-chairman of the Congressional Border Caucus,
and San Antonio Republican Representative Lamar Smith are supporting the
plan, which Governor Rick Perry has yet to reject.

Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today urged
President Bush to end his party's anti-immigrant electoral strategies,
force vigilante border patrols to cease and desist, and condemn members
of his party who support these outlaw groups.

"Throughout his term President Bush has failed to stand up to
extremist forces in his party who stand in the way of real immigration
reform. Now, he refuses to stand up to dangerous vigilantism," said
Dean. "When armed civilians, egged on by irresponsible Republican
politicians, take immigration enforcement into their own hands, they
endanger not only immigrants but the public at large.

"President Bush's failure to condemn this vigilantism is part of
the Republican Party's national 'say one thing, do another'
approach to minority outreach. Ken Mehlman makes a great show of
reaching out to minority audiences, but endorses Colorado Representative
Tom Tancredo's outlandish anti-immigrant rhetoric. Even so-called
'moderate' Republican leaders like Governor Schwarzenegger
embrace the Minutemen Militia.

"While the Republican Party seeks ways to exploit anti-immigrant
sentiments for electoral gain, the Democrats have always valued this
nation's diversity and the contributions that immigrants have made in
Texas and across the country. President Bush should join us in embracing
America's diversity, first by demanding that vigilante border patrol
groups be disbanded, then by strongly condemning any politicians who
endorse them."

###

**********

Paid for and authorized by the Democratic National Committee,
www.democrats.org. This communication is not authorized by any
candidate or candidate's committee.

[AwareOne]

1. Dean and the DNC are way off the mark on this one.

Does he have any idea how many Dems support the minutemen? I am not inclined to stand idly by while ILLEGAL immigrants waltz into my country and steal my standard of living. The government won't stop it. The big businesses won't stop it. The small businesses who exploit these immigrants won't stop it. It is up to the people to stop it and I for one support their effort.