Complexity of Immigration Reform Finally Hits the Campaign Trail

Photo by Lukas Thoms









Hillary Clinton has at least taken the immigration issue past the one-liners. She also noted that if all undocumented people were rounded up and deported, we would turn into a police state. This is something candidates rarely say, probably because it sounds so extreme.

The truth is, we are already a police state. We have ICE raiding elementary schools, malls, McDonalds. ICE is entering homes without warrants. Some local governments are encouraging people to report undocumented immigrants. Visitors to the U.S. are more frequently detained and interrogated at airports - even when they have all the documentation needed - those from Latin American and African nations are targeted more often.

Clinton is not my favorite candidate. Perhaps the recent debate where she was blasted for changing her one liners from one side to another - has made her be more cautious.

I can't decide if the one liners are there because the American people have such a short attention span that they/we won't listen to a real explanation of policy - or if the candidates can more easily slip through things if they respond with the minimum words to make a sentence.

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Dan Balz's Take
Clinton's Answers on Immigration Grant License to Criticize
Washington Post
November 7, 2007


...During a town hall meeting in Iowa on Tuesday, Clinton got a question about the issue from who woman who wanted to know what she would do about the problem as president. Clinton spent more than six minutes outlining her views in support of comprehensive immigration reform and at one point said, "We've turned it into a great political football and people are scoring all kinds of political points."

At that point she appeared to be critical of conservatives who have fought against comprehensive reform, which she argued is the only practical way to solve the problem of porous borders and deal with the 12 million undocumented workers here in the country. She said those who have advocated rounding everybody up and deporting them would effectively turn the United States into a "police state" that would be intolerable.

Clinton's long answer to the immigration question during Tuesday's town hall meeting underscored why she does not want to deal with the issue in 30-second ads, debate lightning rounds or yes-or-no answers. The issue is complex, as those who have tried to craft a legislative solution have learned painfully, and politically charged. But there is no sanctuary on immigration for candidates along the campaign trail this year. John McCain learned that last spring and Clinton is coming to terms with that reality now.

--Dan Balz

for complete article: http://blog.washingtonpost.com/the-trail/2007/11/07/post_185.html