Stop Amnesty (2004)

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Stop Amnesty was a 2004 project of Colorado Alliance News - an Aspen, Colorado-based immigration news service, in cooperation with the Colorado Alliance for Immigration Reform. The Stop Amnesty project chronicled the efforts by Tom Tancredo (R-CO) to have three immigration-related planks, including a plank that would condemn amnesties of any kind for illegal aliens, inserted into the Republican Party platform at the Republican National Convention in New York City (August 30 - September 2, 2004). The project included an August 30, 2006 New York City press conference with Tom Tancredo, and was solely organized and managed by Mike McGarry.

Congressman Tom Tancredo (R-CO) and others appeared at the news conference to discuss the congressman's efforts to have immigration planks, including a plank condemning amnesty for illegal aliens, inserted into the Republican Party's convention platform.

News Release

Aug. 23, 2004

Congressman wants to "stop amnesty" at GOP convention
Vows to "raise hell" if thwarted

(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."

New York City press conference

Congressman Tom Tancredo and others appeared at an August 30, 2004 press conference in New York City sponsored by Colorado Alliance News to discuss the congressman's efforts to have immigration planks, including a plank condemning amnesty for illegal aliens, inserted into the Republican Party's convention platform.

U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo: Republican congressman who represented Colorado's Sixth District. Congressman Tancredo was chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.

Michael Cutler: former INS Senior Special Agent. Mr. Cutler's 30-year INS career included criminal investigations of fraud, alien smuggling, drug trafficing and organized crime. Mr. Cutler has provide expert-witness testimony on immigration law enforcement at several congressional hearings, and he testified before the Presidential Commission on the Terrorist Attacks of September 11.

Bruce De Cell: member of the board 9-11 Families For A Secure America (911fsa.org) Mr. De Cell is a retired former NYPD officer who lost his 28-year-old son-in-law, Mark Petrocelli, in the 9-11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Matthew Reindl: owner/operator a Great Neck, family-owned business, Stylecraft Interiors. Mr. Reindl has given sworn congressional testimony on the unfair competition placed on lawful employers because of the absence of immigration law enforcement by the federal government.