Tancredo Introduces OVERDUE Immigration Reform Bill

**Update--Tancredo press conference (video)
**Update 2--The Denver Post takes a negative view on Tancredo's proposal (shocker!)

From the press release:

Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) today unveiled his Optimizing Visa Entry Rules and Demanding Uniformed Enforcement (OVERDUE) Immigration Bill.

“Congress must take on the tough issues and follow through on what we’ve been sent out here to do and serve in the best interest of the people we represent,” said Tancredo. “For too long the special interests and political heavy weights have tried to sell us on the need for an Amnesty and justify their refusal to enforce the law, but the American people fought back and said no thanks.”

Tancredo added, “Today I am introducing a piece of legislation that will undoubtedly be unpopular among the political elites, big business and big labor, but it is legislation that this country has been calling for, and I dare to say, needs.”

Some highlights of Tancredo's proposed legislation:

ØRestoring America’s immigration system to more traditional numbers and encourages the assimilation of America’s most recent great wave in prioritizing nuclear family admissions, tightening the investor immigrant criteria, and tightening the employment-based green card category to ensure that prospective immigrants who will uniquely contribute to American society are admitted.
. . .
ØEnsures that automatic birthright citizenship accrues to children born in the U.S. only if at least one parent is a citizen or lawful permanent resident.
. . .
ØProhibits states from granting in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens on the basis of graduation from a U.S. high school (in addition to residence) unless they offer the same rate to all U.S. citizens.

ØAffirms the inherent authority of State and local law enforcement officers to enforce the immigration laws of the United States; requires Federal immigration authorities to respond to requests for assistance from State and local authorities.

Chances of passing? None, given the acrimony over the last two attempts at "Amnesty". This enforcement bolstering bill will likely receive little publicity, and what acknowledgement it does get from the MSM and amnesty proponents will be vicious, and derided as a Tancredo publicity stunt rather than an attempt at serious immigration reform.

As the second amnesty bill was going down in flames, Sen. Ted Kennedy shrieked, "what is your plan?" Well, here is a much more sound and fair proposal (fair to American citizens and legal residents, who should always be the first people considered when introducing new legislation). Why do I suspect Sen. Kennedy won't have much to say?

Thanks to Mark.