FAIR Legislative Update January 25, 2010
Scott Brown’s Victory in Massachusetts Demonstrates the American People Support Immigration Enforcement
All eyes were on Massachusetts last week as the highly publicized special election for the U.S. Senate seat came to an end. Scott Brown, the little-known Republican State Senator, defeated Democrat Martha Coakley, Massachusetts Attorney General, in an upset described as the second “shot heard ‘round the world.” (The Hill, January 19, 2010).
Although most consider health care to be the issue that nationalized this election, immigration was another reason 52% of voters in the Bay State supported Brown. Brown’s stance on immigration clearly set him apart from his opponent. Brown summarized his position as follows:
I recognize that our strength as a nation is built on the immigrant experience in America. I welcome legal immigration to this country. However, we are also a nation of laws and government should not adopt policies that encourage illegal immigration. Providing driver’s licenses and in-state tuition to illegal immigrant families will act as a magnet in drawing more people here in violation of the law and it will impose new costs on taxpayers. I oppose amnesty, and I believe we ought to strengthen our border enforcement and institute an employment verification system with penalties for companies that hire illegal immigrants.
(Brown's Campaign Website). In contrast, Ms. Coakley supported amnesty for illegal aliens and, during an interview with WGBH-FM, stated “we will always have open borders.” (New York Post, January 20, 2010).
Brown’s win will make it harder for amnesty proponents to move their agenda forward, if for no other reason than Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), a key amnesty proponent, no longer commands 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. Still, pro-amnesty forces claim that the Brown victory does not necessarily derail the President’s agenda, including “comprehensive” immigration reform. (Immigration Impact, Jan. 20, 2010). In fact, the Immigration Policy Center, a pro-amnesty advocacy group, claims that because Mr. Brown will face re-election in 2012 he will need to vote for amnesty in order to maintain support from Massachusetts voters. Meanwhile, FAIR president Dan Stein observed, "Tuesday's election was the political 'shot heard around the world,' and any politician, anywhere in the country, who ignores the public's unmistakable opposition to amnesty for illegal aliens, does so at his or her own peril." (FAIR Press Release, January 21, 2010).
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