Ridge Flips Out on Illegal Aliens
Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge told a Miami audience Tuesday that the country should legalize millions of undocumented immigrants living in the country.
"The bottom line is, as a country we have to come to grips with the presence of 8 to 12 million illegals, afford them some kind of legal status some way, but also as a country decide what our immigration policy is and then enforce it," Ridge said at a town hall meeting at Miami-Dade Community College.
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Ridge said he thinks the body politic is about ready to address the issue of the illegal immigrants, who he said contribute to communities and Social Security and pay taxes. He referred to a growing number of bills that would grant residency to some of those living here illegally. He said one of these, which would require all illegal immigrants to leave the country before applying for residency, is "not workable."
"I'm not saying make them citizens, because they violated the law to get here," he said. "So you don't reward that type of conduct by turning over a citizenship certificate. You determine how you can legalize their presence, then, as a country, you make a decision that from this day forward, from this day forward, this is the process of entry, and if you violate that process of entry we have the resources to cope with it."
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Matt's Chat
Illegal aliens should NOT get a free pass to citizenship. They should NOT get any "legal status" because they in fact are not here legally. What is so hard to understand about this? We have an immigration policy. We need to enforce it. I thought that was part of what Homeland Security was supposed to be doing for us. You can't "legalize their presence" and enforce the law. Those concepts can not coexist.Why is Ridge talking like this? My fear is that the President thinks he needs the hispanic vote in order to win and that he is pandering to a constituency. Mr. President and Mr. Secretary, our national security and homeland defense are too important to be used as a political pawn in the Great Re-Election Game. I can't help but think we are missing something here...
Mark's Remarks
I just don't know....maybe someone left hamster koolaid for Ridge to drink, and he was momentarily out of his gourd. I do not think illegals should get free passes. However, I do not know about not having drivers permits. If they can provide insurance, maybe we can issue them a special card or something. I just do not know. However, I agree with the basic premise that illegals should not get a free right of citizenship, especially when there are millions beating down the doors legally trying to get into America, still the land of opportunity.
