McCain Faces Backlash At Home for Amnesty Support



McCain Faces Backlash At Home for Amnesty Support

“Fuming Arizona constituents fired criticism at Sen. John McCain over illegal immigration at town halls Tuesday. ‘You said ‘build the dang fence’ – where’s the fence?’ one constituent named Keith Smith demanded of McCain. ‘He doesn’t want the American people to stand up and ask him the tough questions and hold his feet to the fire,’ Smith told NBC affiliate KPNX,” NBC News reports.

“McCain told the crowd that Americans would not support a move to arrest all illegal immigrants in the United States and deport them. He also said he wouldn’t support an effort to make people who had been in the United States illegally for decades to become guest workers because ‘we’re a Judeo-Christian principled nation,’ drawing an angry response from some in the crowd.”

Poll Shows Majority Favor Deportation

“More than half of U.S. citizens believe that most or all of the country’s 11 million illegal immigrants should be deported, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Wednesday that highlights the difficulties facing lawmakers trying to reform the U.S. immigration system. The online survey shows resistance to easing immigration laws despite the biggest push for reform in Congress since 2007,” Reuters reports.

“These results are in line with other polls in recent years, suggesting that people’s views on immigration have not changed dramatically since the immigration debate reignited in Congress last month, according to Ipsos pollster Julia Clark.”

Federal ID May Be Part of Amnesty Plan

“Key senators are exploring an immigration bill that would force every U.S. worker–citizen or not–to carry a high-tech identity card that could use fingerprints or other personal markers to prove a person’s legal eligibility to work,” the Wall Street Journal writes.

“The idea, signaled only in vaguely worded language from senators crafting a bipartisan immigration bill, has privacy advocates and others concerned that the law would create a national identity card that, in time, could track Americans at airports, hospitals and through other facets of their lives.”

Turnover Means Many In Congress Has Not Debated Immigration

“More than half of Congress has turned over since the last time the House and Senate tried to move legislation to overhaul the nation’s immigration laws. The high turnover rate bolsters the argument of Republican leaders, who say Congress must move methodically on immigration. President Obama, meanwhile, has pushed for swift passage of a bill, saying lawmakers have long debated the issue,” The Hill reports. “Only 54 current senators were in the Senate in June of 2007, when the upper chamber last voted on comprehensive immigration and border-security legislation.”

About Author

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Dan is the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR)'s President after joining the organization in 1982. He has testified more than 50 times before Congress, and been cited in the media as "America's best-known immigration reformer." Dan has appeared on virtually every significant TV and radio news/talk program in America and, in addition to being a contributing editor to ImmigrationReform.com, has contributed commentaries to a vast number of print media outlets.

33 Comments

  1. avatar

    Haha, that’d what McCain gets. Of course his constituents are irate–this proposed legislation doesn’t serve their needs nor is it benefit them in any way shape or form . It benefits 11mil. And if congressman answer is going to be well, these people have been here a decade, that’s a poor excuse as to why they should stay. We have laws, enforce them . Anyone in Congress who cannot must resign. There is no room for religion in this argument-a felony s a felony.

  2. avatar

    Good definitions.

    Like the definition for “Diversity.” (An enriching infusion of cultural and ethnic groups until the influx reaches a threshold point, after which the result is debilitation, deconstruction, and chaos.)

  3. avatar

    Leland, it is true that they make it possible for people to work construction jobs without English. Many other jobs too. But without help from others who do speak it they could not function in those jobs. Language blackout would terminate their abilities. It would be chaos.

  4. avatar

    Well, McCain is known through-out the States as a Maverick. He says one thing, and does another. I guess that’s what we call a U.S. Senator. Recall the S.O.B., and put someone Who really has Balls!! When some one comes over the Border Dodging the Laws are all by means, “ILLEGALS”. Do you hear that LA RAZA? I haven’t heard any reports from the Media that “ILLEGALS” are growing Marijuana in remote areas (e.g., National Parks, State Parks) and doing it ILLEGALLY. The reasons why WE want people to go through the proper channels (meaning the LAWS of the UNITED STATES of AMERICA, for all of those who don’t know what proper channels means) to get into this Country is
    1) To protect us from CRIMINALS. I worked in the Prisons System as well as being a Police Officer, and there are a lot of Mexican and Central American criminals. They hurt, kill, Steal, Rob, commit Fraud to gain benefits, and commit Identity Theft against YOU & ME.
    2) To protect us from Diseases. In 2009, A Sacramento High School had to close down for a few weeks because an ILLEGAL ALIEN Student had T.B.. Every Student, Teacher, Worker, and any Visitors to the school had to be tested. This disease was “almost” eradicated from this country, and yet, These people don’t care if they pass it it on to us. There has been DEATHS because some ILLEGALS don’t tell the truth when applying for jobs (e.g. dishwashers) and because of their POOR Grooming habits, they passed on Hepatitis. Check out that story in the 1980’s in Kansas City, MO. I was there!! Just a few years ago in Salt Lake City, an Illegal employee pass on hepatitis at a “TACO BELL” Restaurant on 18th West & North Temple. Do you hear about these things La Raza?

    DEPORT ALL ILLEGALS and their Anchor Babies. Stop the back door citizenship for these people.

  5. avatar
    Michael Mahoney on

    McCaine, Hagel, Kerry and the worst traitor of all, Obama. They are all politicians and all the same, greedy, selfish individuals who care only about their political and financial gain. Obama’s strategy is brilliant; grant amnesty to another 11-30 million illegals and then he can run for a third term, unhindered and unchallenged. Obama has been aiding the middle east with weapons and finances courtesy of the American taxpayers and forging full speed ahead to abolish our constitutional rights and tax us with his health care plan. I’m sure most of you heard that Homeland security purchased 1.6 billion rounds of ammunition and I’m sure they also purchased or confiscated the weapons to be used with the ammunition. This government is very, very corrupt and unless “we the people” take action, I fear that this once great country will become a country like Hitler’s rein.

    • avatar

      obama wants to be King of the USA and they only way that can happen is if he gets the constitution changed, or if he can arrange for some disaster to happen in 2016 just shy of the election, then he will continue to be in office for lack of an election. We can not change White House occupants during a time of war or turmoil.

    • avatar

      Great analysis. Unfortunately most Americans are squandering their time watching TV and movies and will miss the opportunity to save this nation for themselves and their children. Also, most the news media being controlled by four major conglomerates, keeps the citizenry uninformed. So only the diligent have any idea how seriouosly close we are about to losing this nation to foreign invasions and about to go into persecution for religious beliefs and governmental parties.

  6. avatar
    Berta González on

    Everyone keeps talking about deporting millions. IF you terminate all taxpayer provided benefits, mandatory E-verify with SEVERE penalties for employers hiring illegals, and end automatic birthright citizenship to children born to parents ILLEGALY in this country, most will of necessity return to their native country where they do indeed hold citizenship. Let their own country provide whatever benefits they may be entitled to, they would deport me, a US citizen, in a second if I went to México and demanded benefits. Just ask the thousands of Cubans recently deported back to Cuba by the Mexican government or the Guatemalans shot at the border trying to enter Mexico without permission.
    Anyone in the USA without legal permission to be here is an Illegal Alien, that IS their LEGAL status according to OUR immigration laws, not “undocumented or out of status” as Jose Vargas and these other idiots want us to call them.
    And before you start calling me a “racist” or some other name, I am a proud 1st generation American the child of LEGAL immigrant Hispanic parents who were proud to have CONTRIBUTED to this great nation and eventually been accepted as Naturalized Citizens, after meeting every requirement asked of them. If they could enter legally, so can everyone else or they are not welcome in OUR country and need to leave. Our legislators have sold us out and I am mad as hell!

    • avatar
      Mary A. Noriega on

      I agree with you. I am a third generation Mexican born in Tucson, Az. They produce one child after another for all the
      entitlements they get. I stand behind them at the store you should see the high end meat and seafood and all the
      junk food. They are not in the shadows as we are expected to believe, they have good paying jobs and own their own home. If you come to this country illegally don’t expect entitlements for your many children. Support them and yourselves. Our Government is responsible for allowing this to happen.

      • avatar

        Mary, You are so right. I am a pediatric health care provider in New York city area. In our state, anchor babies provide an entire living for their very ungrateful parents. Our Medicaid gives many OTC meds and supplements, which the parents sell for cash. Every day I am pressured for prescriptions for unnecessary meds. They go to the ERs at night to obtain more stuff. Families get WIC, Medicaid, food stamps, AFDC money, section 8 housing, free school meals, even utility bill help. Many apply for social security for any ill child, even ADHD and mild asthma.
        A complaint I hear daily about a child is “no eat” which means “I want vitamins and Ensure”
        Well, I now know quite a few Americans who “no eat” because they can’t afford food. 40 million Americans lack health insurance. People are dying due to lack of really needed health care.
        Why do we allow illegal families to abuse and scam our Medicaid through their children?

    • avatar

      Berta!

      Well said and glad to hear that there are some of you Hispanics

      who will stand up for what is right. And I say that it is not just Hispanics that are here illegally, what about all these

      foreigners from the middle east that are running free in our country. The very type of people that would go to a flight

      school and ask to be taught how to fly a plane but did not need to know how to take off or land. If that was not a

      red flag for that instructor then I think that instructor should have been deported or imprisoned.

  7. avatar
    Constitutuionalist on

    Also need to remove Mr. Flake or Flakey. He was solidly anti-immunity as Rep when I vetted him but is now one of the turncoat 8. Sorry I ever voted for him and McCain(although the other choices were worse).

  8. avatar

    McCain makes me sick. We have deported millions in past history. When you are here illegally regardless of the reason you should be deported. Please America vote both sides of the asile out of office when they come up for reelection. None of them are true patriots like our founders. None of them would put their lives,fourtunes or career on the line for America. They are not voting the will of the people. They and th President are the problem with America.

    • avatar

      We cannot serve every warrant for every crime. We don’t have the manpower. Do we give up then? Car theft is so prevalent in some states that it is totally beyond the enforcement community’s power to control. Do we want them to give up?
      Can we deport every illegal immigrant immediately? No. But the moment we start we start discouraging would-be illegals. Fighting crime, and not surrendering to it, is among the finest of Judeo-Christian traditions. McCain needs to save his compassion for his fellow citizens.

    • avatar

      I so agree with you. What has happened to McCain anyway, I thought he was on our side. How sad, who can we really trust to help us get the United States back in the right hands?

  9. avatar

    McCain never really explains why he would almost lose his life in battle and as a prisoner to defend this country from without , then allow us to be invaded and eventually defeated from within. It is easy to insinuate middle eastern operatives with Mexican and Central American and other invaders. i am speaking of physical appearance. Any and all get the opportunity.

    I have never heard him explain and I guess since he is a war hero he does not think he has to.

    He with his famous temper (gee where did that come from) made it impossible to vote for him in 2008 and the IMPRESSION of a Sarah Palin that we did not know and were not allowed to know because of his maneuvering of her image They say there are no accidents
    I do not trust this is an accident.

  10. avatar

    mccain presides over a state–that is the illicit drug gateway into the usa.. he is an old war hero–retire him and put someone who knows the devastation these drug runners, criminals, gang members and welfare cheats are wreaking on the usa. mexico–a rich country is only too happy to export their poverty and horrible diseases to the usa. look at the crime statistics–the murder statistics– the billions in medical costs–the hospitals they have put out of business— the costs to imprison the criminals who only come to the usa to prey on americans–the automobile deaths from drunken unlicensed, uninsured liiegal aliens.. if the bleeding heart marxists who are doing a great job of overwhelming the welfare system in the usa were forced to personally take into their homes and be responsible for all of the expenses dumped on the taxpayers backs–they would soon find something else to whine about. obama sees a goldmine in citizenship for all of the illegals including the criminal element with 5 year prison terms.. his ream is the marxist democrats in power forever at least until he breaks the bank and crushes the usa into russian type gulag. three past president deported all of the illegals in order to make sure american citizens would have work. many would self deport at the sight of a first round up and deport order with teeth in the order. mccain is a rino or a marxist–he has been drinking obama kool aid.

    • avatar

      Mc Cain is not the only problem. What about Brewer turning around and taking medicaid money. What happened to Acchs?In AZ the people who get medicaid should not be entitled to any resources because they are here illegally and she knows more healthcare is a magnet just like amnesty. Enforcing immigration control is not even mentioned anymore. We moved from AZ 3 yrs ago for this reason. AZ is too dangerous for us.AZ needs younger and farther seeing reps.

      • avatar

        Any public employee or official or business employer that caters to the needs of illegals should be arrested.

        If less people catered to them, they would have not choice to go home. And if they chose to be criminals in this

        country because they could not get the free benefits then they would be subject to being shot when on someones property.

  11. avatar

    We need a 3 month visa for guest workers with a return plane ticket stapled to it. Exclude Mexico, for obvious reasons. India has incredibly talented farmers. Granting an amnesty moves all the current farm workers to higher paying jobs. Use you brain McCain.

    Elevate to a felony, illegal entry first time; overstaying a visa; illegal presence. Streamline deportation. End automatic birth citizenship; end chain migration; ban sanctuary cities.

    We passed Real ID, Secure Fence, and a dozen laws that have never been implemented.

    Fire Nepalitano.

    • avatar

      Hi Kurt,
      You are not worried about the immigration system. You are worried about your job security man. Tell me what farm grows in 3 months. Do you even know how a farm is grown. Before you make a remark know at least something about it. Why do you need to staple Air ticket for Indian farmers. I don’t even thing Indian farmers would come here. They have respect for what they do in their own villages. They don’t even like to move from place to place.

      • avatar

        Of course Kurt is worried about his job security. Why wouldn’t he be, like every other American is. Why should business have the right to an endless supply of foreign labor to undercut wages. And he’s right that legalizing current farmworkers will just mean they move to higher paying jobs. So anything less than a guestworker agricultural program where they return home will just repeat the same problems.

        • avatar

          Sorry guys. What farm workers will go to higher pay jobs. Most of them know no english or anything that would let them take your job. As a whole though be very worried because there are educated illegals and they can get your job in a heartbeat.

        • avatar

          no guest worker programs for illegals, they have proven that they cannot be trusted to follow our laws. They do not respect our laws or American citizens. I think it is a mistake to use anyone from south of the border for anything. What happens if they are pregnant when they come here, another birthright citizen? They are the only group who come here and demand amnesty and everything else and show up at political functions. Use other nationalities for guest worker programs or use low risk prisoners that can be used for agricultural work . illegals have conned our politicians and drained our welfare programs and abused our healthcare and school systems. They are nothing but leeches. Just because geographically they are accessible to our country should not mean that we use them for anything. That is their assumption, does not mean that it should be our assumption.

        • avatar

          Would the legalized illegals move to higher paying jobs? Or welfare? We have 20 million unemployed now, if the newly-non-illegals find better jobs, Americans will be displaced. This nation will not survive the Obama plan.

        • avatar

          Ok Doris, Leland and Kurt!

          You are all right in what you say but do you know why the farmers have to hire illegals to do the work?

          It is because the American worker would rather draw welfare or unemployment than stoop so low as to

          do farm work. I was raised on a farm and while I was in jr. high and high school I worked on weekends

          in the fields to earn money so I could go out on a date or just have spending money during the week.

          I also worked in the fields at times when I was unemployed to have money until I found a job. I do not think

          any American is any better than I am and they could do they same if they were not to lazy to work the fields.

          If you want to clean up the country we need to clean our own back porch first and then send the illegals and only hire to fill positions that we do not have enough of our own workers to fill them.

  12. avatar

    Hades, the “12th Man” in America [the Screaming Majority]

    Would send McCain to the penalty box “permanently” for his anarchist/fascist support of of amnesty. He’s no Real Conservative in my book.