Stop Amnesty (2004)

(Aspen, Colorado) U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-CO) will be working with delegates at the upcoming GOP convention in New York City to add an immigration plank to the party's platform condemning amnesty for illegal aliens, a direct challenge to president Bush's January-announced immigration proposal. Tancredo says the party's brass is trying to keep any controversial discussion on immigration from being considered. The congressman has scheduled a press conference for August 30, 2004, opening day of the four-day convention, where he will be discussing his efforts and "raising as much hell as possible" if he's thwarted.

Tancredo, chairman of the 70-member Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, wants to "stop amnesty," a reference to the president's immigration proposal that would extend guest-worker status and eventual citizenship to the estimated 8-13 million illegal aliens residing in the U.S. While not a delegate himself, Tancredo has additional plank proposals that call for supplementing the Border Patrol with military troops and for getting state and local police to enforce immigration laws. A website on the congressman's convention plans and details of the press conference may be found at: www.StopAmnesty.US.

No stranger to head-butting with the White House over immigration, Tancredo was one told by the President's top political advisor, Karl Rove, "Don't ever darken the doorstep of this White House" when the Congressman reportedly criticized the President as an "open-borders" proponent. Commenting on his convention plans, Tancredo said, "There will be tremendous opposition to this. Going against the President's position, I mean, that is just anathema."