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Published Friday, Aug. 6, 2010 | 1:47 p.m.
Updated Friday, Aug. 6, 2010 | 1:47 p.m.
Democratic Rep. Luis Gutierrez (Ill.), one of President Barack Obama's earliest campaign supporters, today accused Obama of poor leadership and failing in his commitment to legislate immigration reform.
"Barack Obama has got to lead," Gutierrez lamented to a group of reporters in Las Vegas, after giving a speech to members of the Culinary Workers Union.
Gutierrez, the son of Puerto Rican immigrants, is livid that immigration reform has stalled in Congress. He blames Democratic leadership, specifically the president, for the inaction.
"I wish the president could be a little more supportive and make it a priority," Gutierrez said. "I haven't given up that this president can do the right thing, but we have to pressure him to do better. I don't think he understands the gravity."
Gutierrez is pushing for adoption of a comprehensive immigration reform bill that would secure U.S. borders and deport people convicted of crimes, but also create visa programs for undocumented workers and protect children of illegal immigrants from family separation. Gutierrez hopes such a bill can be passed when Congress reconvenes next month. He points to health care reform as a prime example that major initiatives can get greenlighted.
If immigration reform costs Democrats races in November elections, Gutierrez said he can live with the cost.
"I'm ready for my party to get beat up," he said. "Because sometimes with what is right...somebody has to take leadership on the issue and move it forward."
Gutierrez, who was first elected to Congress in 1992, is being challenged in the 4th District of Illinois by Republican Israel C. Vasquez and Green Party candidate Robert J. Burns.
Why would union workers want more competition for their jobs? Or are the union workers the very illegals that many want to deport? I know harry Reid says Nevada doesn't have illegals working in construction, but what about the other unions?
How about E verify for union membership? Now that would be a real twist. Unions can guarantee employers their workers are legal.
30 YEARS AGO construction in the U.S. paid $25 per hr. and workers in meat packing plants made $20 per hr. NOW AFTER 3 decades of progress where the Americans were
pushed out the front door and ILLEGALS brought in the back door, LOOK at the great
achievement; construction pays $12.5 per hr and meat packers pay $8 per hr. This is how illegals destroy our country one job at a time.
Then after they get amnesty they will want to bring in mamma and papa who will cost American citizens another halve million dollars for their end of life expenses. Many don't pay taxes because of working under the table but citizens pay $40,000 a year to educate their 5 kids. Oh ya we need more of this!
The only kind of card-check that SEIU and Culinary need is one for green cards.
I'm willing to bet that the AFL-CIO leadership cusses SEIU every time they see stories like this.
Even Obama is not stupid enough (right now before the mid-terms) to touch the poison pill of "Comprehension Immigration Reform" - the codeword for granting amnesty to 20 million illegals and plunging this country even further down the toilet.
These latino congressmen clamoring for 'immigrants rights' are pandering to the people who elected them: illegal aliens and their families.
"I haven't given up that this president can do the right thing" he says.
After almost two years? He's still campaigning. He's even too coward to admit he's a Socialist. Look at his self proclaimed Socialist and Communist Czars! Wake up people!
The unions are only concerned about obtaining more dues money...
How about this, comprise the entire southern border with military bases, and then enable all states to adopt Arizona's original illegal immigration law. And then we'll find out how quickly the illegal immigration and drug trafficking issues get dealt with. I doubt that will happen with the current president in office.
Representative Gutierrez and other Democrat members of Congress need to start demanding Mexico take care of its own people and stop exporting it's poverty here. Amnesty will only lower wages for citizens and legal resident workers.
The only reform that should be pursued is to arrest all you law breaking scumbags and send you and your offspring back to where you came from!!!!!
It's hard to blame folks for trying to improve their lives by resettling here. However, it is equally as hard to blame Americans for wanting to protect their quality of life.
It seems that if the laws against hiring illegals was enforced against the employers it would go a long way to resolving the situation.
Maybe we should start enforcing the laws on the books before putting even more laws on the books that won't be enforced. Just maybe.
(Then Americans can spend their time finding something else to blame their problems on.)
How much more can Pres Obama ignore the Rule of Law?
He has already told Arizona not to enforce the law and now his supporters want him to tell everyone that immigaration laws do not mean anything.
Has anyone taken the time to outline just how destructive this massive invasion is? Obama calls them undocumented workers...what about the other "undocumented" aspects. For example:
Do we know how many illegal aliens are bringing communicable disease into this country? Many don't even know they're infected.
Do we know how many are felons, rapists, child molesters? Many are fleeing from the law in their home country.
Do we know how many are already hopelessly addicted to the drugs they're carrying into this country?
Do we know if any are on the known terrorist list?
Immigration law establishes quotas and procedures for LEGAL immigration..and this nation has always encouraged LEGAL immigration. For the protection of our nation and its citizens, immigrants are screened before being allowed to come in.
This illegal invasion is producing many bad consequences. For instance, in states with high illegal alien population, prisons are already reporting over 70% of the inmates are illegals. Why don't we just deport them?
Lead what ?
He is a marxist and is the enemy of the citizens of the United States.
No respect for this POS
Take the lead ? Take the highway.
Can you believe how Senator Reid Voted on Illegal Immigration: doe's this sound like a Man who cares about his country?
Voted NO on declaring English as the official language of the US government. (Jun 2007)
Voted NO on protecting middle-income taxpayers from a national energy tax. (Apr 2009)
Voted YES on eliminating the "Y" nonimmigrant guestworker program. (May 2007)
Voted NO on building a fence along the Mexican border. (Sep 2006)
Voted YES on continuing federal funds for declared "sanctuary cities". (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on Bush Administration Energy Policy. (Jul 2003)
Voted NO on tax incentives for energy production and conservation. (Jun 2008)
Voted NO on requiring full Senate debate and vote on cap-and-trade. (Apr 2009)
Voted YES on $2 billion more for Cash for Clunkers program. (Aug 2009)
Voted YES on enlarging NATO to include Eastern Europe. (May 2002)
Voted YES on Congressional pay raise. (Jul 2009)
Voted NO on requiring photo ID to vote in federal elections. (Jul 2007)
Voted YES on allowing some lobbyist gifts to Congress. (Mar 2006)
Voted NO on establishing the Senate Office of Public Integrity. (Mar 2006)
Voted NO on banning more types of Congressional gifts. (Jul 1995)
Reject photo ID requirements for voting. (Sep 2005)
Voted NO on more penalties for gun & drug violations. (May 1999)
Voted YES on maintaining current law: guns sold without trigger locks. (Jul 1998)
Voted NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare. (Feb 2008)
Voted YES on blocking medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996)
Walked into work the other day- noone was there. Found out later someone called immagration. What a productive day... adios amigos!!
Is Rep. Gutierrez an anchor baby? If his parents were immigrants from Puerto Rico, did they become citizens before he was concieved? Or did he get his false citizenship being born here?
Obama will lead allright.
By letting them all stay here and getting benefits which YOU pay for.
But hey, i didnt vote for the guy.
My mistake people, Rep. Gutierrez was born in Chicago, Ill. by parents from Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the U.S. So he is a citizen of the U.S.
He does not impress me at all though. Maybe if I was an illegal...