"Old" McCain Called For Documenting Illegal Immigrants And Providing Them A Path To Citizenship. McCain, through his Kennedy-McCain immigration reforms, “want[s] to allow undocumented workers who participate in a guest worker program to be able to stay in America and apply for permanent residency or citizenship after paying fines and satisfying other requirements.” [1]
Kennedy-McCain Immigration Reforms Would Create Earned Legalization Program Following Entrance Into A Guest Worker Program. “The McCain-Kennedy guest worker program would require applicants to undergo security checks and medical exams in their home countries and pay a $500 fee to get a new, tamper-proof visa. The number of these visas would be capped at 400,000, at least initially. The visa, which could be renewed once, would be valid for three years. Then the immigrant would have to return to his home country or be in the process of getting legal residency status, in what Kennedy called an ‘earned legalization program,’ not an amnesty program.” [2]
"New" McCain Abandoning Immigration Reform With Ted Kennedy Because Of Conservative Pressure. "McCain's hesitancy about joining [Senator] Kennedy on the same issue they worked together on in the previous Congress," the Boston Globe reported, "speaks to an emerging dynamic in the Republican presidential race. McCain has encountered anger from hard-line immigration foes on the campaign trail, particularly over an aspect in last year's bill that would have allowed most undocumented immigrants to work toward citizenship." [3]
"New" McCain Said He Would Reconsider Position on Immigration. "As he left Iowa, Mr. McCain said he was reconsidering his views on how the immigration law might be changed. He said he was open to legislation that would require people who came to the United States illegally to return home before applying for citizenship, a measure proposed by Representative Mike Pence, Republican of Indiana. Mr. McCain has previously favored legislation that would allow most illegal immigrants to become citizens without leaving the country." [4]
"New" McCain Distancing Himself From Kennedy On Immigration. "Mr. McCain, for example, appeared to distance himself from Senator Edward M. Kennedy, the Massachusetts Democrat with whom he formed an alliance last year on an immigration bill that stalled in Congress." [5]
Recent immigration stories
McCain versus McCain on the DREAM Act
John McCain spoke at the National Council of La Raza (NCLR) Annual Conference this afternoon in San Diego. In the Q&A session following his prepared remarks, a young woman from the group One Dream 2009, asked John McCain, if he...
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AUDIO OF CONFERENCE CALL REMARKS: BECERRA (D-CA) AND MEDINA RESPOND MCCAIN'S SPEECH AT NCLR
Congressman Xavier Becerra (D-CA) and Eliseo Medina held a conference call today to respond to John McCain's speech at NCLR, and call for straight talk from the GOP candidate on his promise of a third Bush term and contradictions on immigration reform.
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MCCAIN WATCH: IMMIGRATION: JOHN MCCAIN WILL SAY ANYTHING TO WIN
John McCain may be trying to turn the page on the disastrous week he just had, but this week is shaping up to be no better. Today, Senator McCain will walk a tightrope at the National Council of La Raza's annual conference in San Diego. McCain's recent double talk on immigration is proof he will say anything to get elected. That dissonance was on display yesterday on a campaign conference call where one of McCain's advisors touted border security measures in a bill McCain is co-sponsoring with Senator Lindsey Graham. According to the AP, that bill also includes making undocumented status a criminal misdemeanor, something very different from the comprehensive approach the candidate is likely to emphasize at La Raza today.
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MCCAIN WATCH: ON THE ECONOMY OR IMMIGRATION, YOU JUST CAN'T TRUST JOHN MCCAIN
It's only Tuesday, but already the week isn't going so well for John McCain. Yesterday, Senator McCain rolled out his "Bush on Steroids" economic plan which the Wall Street Journal called a "repackage proposals he has already outlined." But rather than strengthen the economy and provide tax relief for hard-working families, Senator McCain's plan is more of the same tax cuts for corporations and the wealthy that will take our country further into debt and not do anything to help the Middle Class. And McCain's claim that he can balance the budget by 2013 is just plain wrong--as one reporter wrote, it's "unclear how Mr. McCain plans" to do so. [Wall Street Journal, 7/5/08, New York Times' The Caucus Blog, 7/7/08] With senior economic advisor Carly Fiorina's fuzzy math, no wonder McCain's math doesn't add up, something the DNC illustrates on its new website "McCain Math:" http://mccainmath.com.
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McCain vs. McCain
I suppose the upside to McCain's non-stop flip-flopping on immigration is that it makes for good web videos. He almost makes it too easy:
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DNC Releases New Web Video: McCain vs. McCain on Immigration Reform
Following the debate on immigration reform that John McCain had with himself at today's meeting of the National Association of Latino Elected Officials, the Democratic National Committee released a new web video called "McCain vs. McCain: Immigration Reform." During this campaign, McCain has abandoned his support for comprehensive immigration reform to pander to the right wing of his Party. After adopting an enforcement-first approach that he previously said wouldn't work, McCain even promised to vote against the bipartisan bill that bears his name if came up for a vote.
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McCain Myth Buster: John McCain and Immigration Reform
Today's McCain Myth: John McCain can be trusted on immigration reform.
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Sen. Menendez Rips McCain on Immigration
Senator Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey) ripped John McCain on the presumptive GOP nominee's evolved (read: pander to the right-wing) position on immigration. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Sen. Robert Menendez offered a scathing rebuke of McCain, painting him...
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McCain's Border Dance Continues
After announcing the new Spanish-language page of his website during a press conference in Arizona this morning, John McCain once again tried to have it both ways on the immigration reform debate, demonstrating yet again that he's not able to lead his own Party, much less the country.
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Oppenheimer's Straight Talk on John McCain
Columnist Andrés Oppenheimer ripped John McCain over his embrace of the right-wing on immigration in Sunday's Miami Herald. Oppenheimer, an award-winning journalist, writes that following an interview with the presumptive GOP nominee that McCain is "moving steadily backward" on immigration.
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DNC Announces Hispanic Leadership Council
This week, the Democratic National Committee announced the Hispanic Leadership Council that will be led by long-time activists Gilberto Ocañas and Ingrid Duran. Arizona Republic: "We believe this is a key for us to be able to go on the...
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Dean Calls on McCain to Apologize For Campaign Surrogate's Attack on the Pope
As John McCain attends the National Catholic Prayer Breakfast in Washington today, Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean called on the Republican nominee to denounce insulting comments made by one of his campaign surrogates, Rep. Tom Tancredo. Tancredo issued a press release yesterday attacking the "Pope's comments regarding U.S. immigration policy" and accusing his position of stemming from an interest in "recruiting new members."
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McCain Running Ads on Anti-Immigrant Website
Early in the primary process, John McCain backed away from his efforts on comprehensive immigration reform by telling Republican crowds that he "got the message." Just a few weeks ago, McCain traveled to Illinois' 14th Congressional District to endorse and...
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DNC Caucus Chairs Call on McCain to Stop Advertising on Hate Site
"John McCain can't apologize for one mistake while making another of the same ilk. As recently as 1994 John McCain voted to cut off funding for the Commission promoting Dr. King's holiday, but today says he made 'a mistake.' If McCain is truly regretful of those past actions, how can he justify advertising on a website that promotes the same type of hate and division Dr. King gave his life to end?"
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John McCain Doesn't Know Who He Endorses
John McCain appeared on the NPR program, Morning Edition today. In the radio appearance, McCain cited Jim Oberweis' anti-immigrant rhetoric for the Republicans' loss of former Speaker Denny Hastert's seat to Democratic Rep. Bill Foster. Despite traveling to the district...
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McCain Skips Votes on Immigration Bills His Campaign Approved
John McCain's silence last night while his Republican colleagues in the Senate forced votes on mean-spirited enforcement-only immigration amendments speaks volumes about how far he is willing to go to pander to the far right.
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McCain Backs Criminalization... Again
John McCain's efforts to pander to the far right by betraying the Hispanic community went to a new level this week.
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MUST READ: On Signature Issues, McCain Has Shown Some Inconsistencies in the Senate
Though he claims to be a "maverick" who stands up for what he believes in no matter the cost, The New York Times this morning shows how John McCain has "meandered over the years from position to position on some topics, particularly as he has tried to court the conservatives who have long distrusted him."
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Stuck Between An Immigrant And A Border Fence?
McCain’s sharp right turn on immigration may cost him Hispanic support:
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Activist Ayensa Millan Delivers the Democratic Hispanic Radio Address
Ayensa Millan, a 24 year old community activist and DNC State Party Partnership staffer in Arizona, will deliver the Democratic Hispanic Radio Address this Saturday. Millan will discuss her impressions from meeting with Hispanic voters in Arizona and their disappointment with Senator John McCain's betrayal on the issue of immigration and his promise of a third term of George W. Bush's failed policies.