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Subscribe to RSSOSKALOOSA, Iowa—Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann waded into a sensitive area of immigration policy Saturday during a somewhat charged exchange at a campaign stop in southeast Iowa.
Bachmann entered an extended exchange with a college student (and Democrat) over how to handle the immigrants who are brought to the U.S. illegally as children.
After finishing a speech that focused in part on repealing the federal health care law and overhauling the tax code, Bachmann opened the floor to questions from the 100 or so people gathered at Smokey Row restaurant.
A 19 year-old college student, identifying himself as Latino, asked what Bachmann would “do to” the children of illegal immigrants.
Bachmann responded that she is “not doing anything to them,” and described why she is against the federal government rewarding citizenship to the children of illegal immigrants.
“Their parents are the ones who brought them here,” Bachmann said.
"They did not have the legal right to come to the United States," Bachmann added, of the parents. "We do not owe people who broke our laws to come into the country. We don’t owe them anything.”
Bachmann went on to draw a parallel to her own family’s journey to the United States more than 150 years ago.
"I dare say that probably every single person in this room descends from immigrants,” Bachmann said.
“I did—my immigrant family came here in the 1850s, and they came into the United States legally. They received zero benefits.”
The exchange was somewhat charged, because the student, Roy Aguillon, cast the question in personal terms.
“These guys were my friends," Aguillon said. "They are the guys who sit next to me in class, who I see in Walmart.”
Aguillon, who is from San Antonio and is a student at nearby William Penn University, is a second-generation American citizen and is active in local politics—serving as the vice president of the College & Young Democrats of Iowa.
In an interview with NBC News, Aguillon said he didn't intend to draw Bachmann into a discussion about the DREAM Act—legislation which would offer benefits, including citizenship, to the children of illegal immigrants.
Instead, he says, he was looking for a practical answer for young illegals, given Bachmann's hard line position.
“These guys don’t know anything else," Aguillon said during his interview with NBC. "What are you going to do, send them back to Mexico? The place is basically in the middle of a drug war.”
Aguillon says he didn’t attend the event to raise trouble, and despite his leadership role in the Iowa College Democrats, he would consider voting Republican in 2012.
He complains that President Obama abandoned the DREAM Act, and hasn’t been hard enough on Wall Street. He says, of Obama: “He’s not enough of a fighter to be my president right now.”
Despite the personal tone of their exchange, Aguillon and Bachmann chatted following the event, and they posed for pictures together afterward, along with Aguillon's girlfriend.
As the campaign team left the restaurant, Iowa state co-chair Brad Zaun, a state senator from Urbandale, pulled him aside.
“Thanks for your honesty,” Zaun said.
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the question in personal terms.
“These guys were my friends," Aguillon said. "They are the guys who sit next to me in class, who I see in Walmart.”
Kid, you are hanging out with the wrong people.
The NUMBER ONE issue to tackle which incidentally will solve five major
national financial problems at once is ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. The best way to
CREATE JOBS is to deport all illegal immigrants NOW. First that will create
thousands and thousands of seriously needed immigration and border patrol agent
jobs right off the bat. Second, as the illegal immigrants are removed and
deported the jobs they leave will be available for TRUE AMERICANS. Third, by
having TRUE AMERICANS employed then the TAXES WILL BE PAID to the government
(instead of the employers of illegal immigrants keeping that money to avoid
being detected for employing illegal immigrants). Fourth, by deporting illegal
immigrants we SAVE OVER A TRILLION DOLLARS A YEAR as a nation since hard
working TRUE AMERICANS currently pay taxes to support THE HEALTH, EDUCATION AND
WELFARE BEING USED BY THE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO WILL NO LONGER BE HERE. (NOT
COINCIDENTALLY THIS IS ALMOST EXACTLY EQUAL TO OUR ANNUAL NATIONAL BUDGET
DEFICIET) Fifth, we won't be spending real taxpayer dollars on health
(including anchor babies) education and welfare on multiple fraudulent/fake
identifications for each of these individuals. And finally, as a BIG BONUS it
will prove to America and the rest of the world that we are serious about
getting our country back on our feet which is the biggest inducement (GLOBAL
CONSUMER CONFIDENCE) that will be immediately affected. America and the world
need to witness this confidence. Finally, we will show everyone we are serious
about protecting our country and our borders from terrorists.
Very well said!!!!!
JCJ-3905343- He is not from Mexico. He is just standing up for what he believes in so go stick your finger in your arse and stfu
Well he dont know much and probably should SHUT UP!!!!!!
They were born here you rasist piece of sh!t. They are US Citizens. Get out of the country I defended
It is not hate, it is the law; a law that has been being
abused by too many, for too long. It is
time to stop the abuse. We hate being
abused. We want it stopped. This is the
way to stop it.
We have immigration laws to prevent many abuses-criminals,
health concerns, overcrowding and others.
Right now there just too many illegal immigrants in our country. We have long passed the man who sank the
lifeboat using the lifeboat paradox in which everyone wants in the lifeboat but
too many will sink the lifeboat.
We have an unemployment rate of 9.1%, 18 million Americans
unemployed while we carry 18 million illegal immigrants. We have $2.2 trillion annual budget deficit
while illegal immigrants cost Americans
$2.2 trillion a year in welfare, health care and education benefits. Have you
no sense of logic?
You might think, "Well, just this one." But there
are 50 states and Washington DC, and if they all have the same attitude then we
will still be violating the spirit and function of the law thus alienating all
those who have followed the rule of law and those who are now following the
rule of law by submitting to the proper application process. Also those in
mexsicko who might in the future immigrate illegally.
The law needs to be applied equally in all situations to be fair
to all and effective. Believe me we are
all understanding and sympathetic but we can't allow the law to be abused. That is what is happening when people come here illegally whether they did it yesterday or 50 years ago. If you let people get away with this then every other illegal immigrant and the potential immigrants still in mexico will
think they can also break the law and be forgiven later like these people.
Send them ALL back to be fair to all of them here, legally and illegally, and the ones still in mexico who want toi be here legally and illegally.
I ABSOLUTELY agree with what you say. Unfortunately Illegal Immigration/ Anchor Babies is no longer about the law it's about politics and pulling on the heartstrings of ignorant, uninformed, apathetic people. People that can't see the big picture and what these illegals are doing to our country. Blame only the POLITICIANS who over the years have been affraid to tackle this problem do to pure political suicide. They were and are more concerned about their own positions, families and personal wealth to ever attempt to PROTECT our NATION.
"Illegal Immigration/ Anchor Babies is no longer about the law"
It's about the Constitution, the foundation of all US laws. The principle of American citizenship for those who were born in the US in in the Constitution and it has been tested in the US Supreme court. It is as solid as a rock and not even the addled GOP wants to beat its hard head against it. So yet, it is about the law. The rest of your blithering ravings can be safely ignored because they are completely irrelevant.
Mexico should draft all the illegals in America.
Put them into border control and drug lord eradication. solve everybodys
problems. Google: MEXICO CONSCRIPTION
wikipedia (disclaimer-yada, yada, yada…)
Maybe we should just mail US Passports and citizenship papers to anybody in the world who wants them. We could also send applications (in their native language) for food stamps, subsidized housing, Medicaid, etc. This would save all those people the trouble of having to sneak across the border or take an "anchor baby" flight into the country.
God that is funny! Sad but true. The Anchor baby law needs to be rewritten! It's clearly being abused as a "loophole" for benefit rights they don't deserve! If the Parents are Illegal or not citizens; they shouldn't be "entitled" for U.S. citizenship. They should be citizens of what ever country their parents have citizenship in. Not rocket Science...Just Common Sense!!
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Either follow the laws we already have on the books, or change the law. How hard is that to understand. These "@!$%#s" blatantly break our laws and then the bleeding hard liberals want our tax dollars to support their kids. How many of these give-a-away programs do you think we can fund? And on top of that no one else had to have everything written in English and their native tongue, that alone costs millions $. Learn and speak English you morons. And you liberal @!$%#s wonder why things are screwed up in this country. Look in a mirror.
I don't really care too much for Bachmann but in this case she is 100% right. Good for her in saying it like it is!
I feel sorry for the children whose parents brought them here illegally they didn't have a choice then I think the children not the parents should be given a chance to become a citizen if they don't want to become a citizen fine deport them at least then they would've had a choice.
Only when a Republican gives a Demon-crat there own way does the Demon-crat think that there is compromise. The new type Demon-crat are not the Democrat of old. These new Demon-crat are Socialist/Communist inside ans out. Just look at the occupy Wall street protesters and the signs and people that are there they continue to try to hide. SEND EVERY ILLEGAL ALIEN AND THE CHILDREN THEY BROUGHT HERE BACK TO THE COUNTRY THEY CAME FROM. For those who want to appeal set up the courts at our embassy in the country they are from. DO NOT LET THEM SIT AROUND AMERICA and wait for their appeal process. Let them wait in their own damned country. I love the way liberals care about others as long as it is paid for by others, they could care less if it comes out of their own pockets.
Yeah, I hate those f*ckin Canadians too.
Ah, the milk of human understanding and compassion is alive and well here. And, for the record, I think the outsourcing of jobs to China has a little more to do with unemployment than illegal immigrants. But hey, please go on with your hate fest. You all do seem to enjoy it so and it is Saturday night. Have a blast.
Thank you for proving a point. You are obviously are democrat and left of center, because all you people do is just change the subject when you don't want to face the facts of a situation. It is not hate and has nothing to do with not caring, the reality of the situation is that we cannot support all of these give away programs. Period and end.
I like what you said right on brother
Duane -
". . . because all you people do is just change the subject when you don't want to face the facts of a situation."
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. . . The GOP has been criticized as the party of no. I usually think of them as the party of non sequitur. C'mon call someone a socialist or a libby - you know you want to. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha . . .
I believe her. as a matter of fact I believe that she would not do anything for anybody! Imagine that, a politician that doesn't want to do anything for you! Isn't that unusual?
Bachmann is the poster girl for the failed Tea Party movement. It began with the hope they would lead the charge to reform the government but it rapidly collapsed under the dead weight of such luminaries as O'Donnell, Palin, Bachmann, Perry, and Boehner, just to name a few. It is now just another shrill voice of the right wing lunatic fringe and a severe embarrassment to the GOP. When the pundits analyze Obama's landslide win in next year's presidential election, they will be pointing their fingers at the anchor the TP became for the Republican Party and how it sank its chances for a win in that election. Political extremism at the expense of America's large moderate voter base in both parties is an iron-clad recipe for disaster.
Read 'em and weep.
This Mestizo isn't voting for Bachmann.
Gosh...I'm shocked! Probably vote for Obummer, right?
Is very simple...this presidential election for the GOPbaggers is driven by hate!!...not by policy, platform ideals et al....nobody needs to waste any time trailing any news on the GOPbaggers...Cain is not ...I said...is not going to be the nominee simply because he's Black!!....Perry blew his chance lousy speaker and worst debater...flip flop / clueless artist / eternal square shirted Rommey will be the nominee by default...regardless of his religion ..... unless Christie decides at the last minute to join the race...(the rest is not worth even a mention)....."Hate" is what's going to drive the baggers....they don't give a damn if that means bringing the United States of America down.....the world knows this very well....on the other hand the American electorate...they simply don't have a clue....
It depends on what you call hate! I hate it that we take care of illegal aliens on the tax payer dole. I hate what Obama stands for not because he's black. If Cain is the Republican nominee I would vote for him in a minute. I dont understand how the Republicans are bringing the country down when the left dont want to balance the budget!
My family tree has been traced back to the Mayflower. Obviously they didn't enter this land legally so I guess that means that my family has been here illegally longer than Bachmann's!
Your an idiot! The United States wasnt even a country then! Why dont you compare apples with apples?
Mexicans-Latinos-Chicanos-Spanish what ever they are calling themselves now, are no different than anyone else! What part of illegal dont they understand? If the Democratic party wants to give citizenship to illegal aliens I know who I wont be voting for!
Reagan? He's the last president to do amnesty.
". . . my immigrant family came here in the 1850s, and they came into the United States legally. " Ah, so her ancestors would have been the "swarm of aliens, who, like a deluge, annually poured moral and political corruption upon us." [Native (as in born in the U.S.) American Party circa 1845]. Now she is part of the "Know-Nothings". She really should read a little bit of history. Oh yeah, the only immigration law in the U.S. at the time was the National Origins Act of 1924. Her family would have been on the preferred origins list (being Norwegians) so it really didn't take any effort to be legal other than getting off the boat. Stupid b*tch.
I guess you just dont get it! It costs the tax payer a fortune to pay for medical and schooling and numerous other things and we just dont have the money! On top of that Obama wants to give illegals our Social Security money that Ive HAD to pay into for 30 plus years. All this for votes because there are so many here, and they multiply like rabbits ( on our dime).Legal working people wake up. The Democratic party is not for the middle class(Union exceptions which are generally supported by the taxpayer). They want to bring the middle class down!
I agree.
Everyone wants a free ride and guess who pays for it, WE DO !!! Guess what, soon there will not be enough money left even to feed the legal citizens who paid taxes and followed the laws of the land. Hell why don't we just let the whole world in and then when they screw the USA and bankrupt it up they can go back home.
Of all the brilliant people in this country we cannot get a great leader to be our President. All they do is point blame instead of trying to solve the problems. If its a Democratic idea, all the Democrats think it's got to be good, the same with the Republicans. We are indeed in dire straights, and unless someone, somehow, gets a grip on this we are all in deep s**t. Same goes with all our politicians, from the city to state to congress. They have too good of benefits and perks. All they care about is being elected.
There is confusion of issues here. Yes, follow the law: do not allow uidentified people to sneak into the country and remain unidentified. However, all people have rights, not just citizens. People sould be able to come and go in this country, and everywhere for that matter. People should be able to work and earn money wherever they want, anywhere, anytime. People who pay taxes should get benefits. People who do not pay taxes should not. Babies born here are considered citizens under the law. Migrants and others who are not citizens make up a productive and motivated sector of the work force. There is no need to punish someone for comming to this country and being motivated. That is how our country became so great. We assimilate and build with willing participants. "Volunteers" are what makes this country strong. "Entitled crybabies" make this country weak. People who risk thier lives to live and work here deserve some respect. However, I feel that they also must respuct our land and laws. This is imperative. Our country is divided by the phenominon of "cultural entitlement syndrome". This is the phenominon in which it is assumed that all cultures must be accepted unconditionally under all conditions. I believe this is dangerous. An individual has rights, a culture does not have rights.
I want to know how much in US Taxpayer dollars Michelle Bachman and her fairy husband collected raising the (30) Foster children she is constantly telling us about, and how much of those Taxpayer dollars she actually spent on caring for them as opposed to how much she stuffed in her pockets using it to start her husbands chicken S-H-I-T business which included "Praying the Gay Away" in homosexuals?
The subject is illegal immigrants. Get it through your head!
G brown::: So THAT is his game. I thought it was "Pray the Gray Away"-- and I'd like that one.
Wow...The FIRST intelligent thing MB said to date! I have to agree with her this one time. Just because the border coyotes deliver a few truck load of kids across the border doesn't entitle these kids to become instant citizens once they set foot on US soil..