CPAC 2007 - "On the Border"

March 1, 2007, to March 3, 2007, the annual Conservative Political Action Conference was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, D.C. I was in attendance and saw various speakers in the large ballrooms. I had gone out to lunch and heard a motorcade pass by, sirens flaring loudly. Who was it? Former mayor of New York City, Rudy Giuliani. I had missed his surprise visit by 10 minutes!

The events at CPAC and Giuliani’s visit were all pertinent to the arising Republican presidential prospects 2008. This conference was where conservative political activists had the opportunity to debate and express their ideas about current issues facing our nation and our world. These are the people who will influence the candidates for president and will have a major impact on politics in the future.

One of the topics hotly debated during the conference was the issue of immigration. Some of these exhibitors included:

• American Foreign Policy Council
• National Center for Public Policy
• National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation
• Partnership for America
• ConservativesBetrayed.com
• Cato Institute
• American Civil Rights Institute
• National Legal and Policy Center
• Center for Equal Opportunity
• Hudson Institute
• Center for Immigration Studies

These organizations only represent the few in attendance who play some kind of role with regards to the issue of immigration.

The panel I attended at CPAC on immigration was called, “On the Border: A Report Card on Immigration Reform in the States.” The speakers on the panel included: Chris Simcox, Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.; Senator Nancy Schaeffer from Georgia; Representative Steve King from Iowa; and Helen Krieble, Vernon K. Krieble Foundation. Helen Krieble began the panel discussion by identifying that the current crisis the nation is facing is border security and the temporary worker situation. She addressed a concept of a worker program that would only permit a certain number of visas based upon the number of jobs available. This would be a market-based response to the immigration problem. Krieble also proposed that there would be a use of private enterprises to help pay for migrant workers, not federal employee appropriations.

The next panelist was Steve King. He argued that the federal government must maintain some accountability. King also argued that the reason there are problems with migrant worker programs because of powerful business interests, companies have been taking advantage of lack of enforcement, and there are people who will always break the law. He states that 4.7% of the working force is consisted of illegal immigrants. He believes America is “sacrificing the rule of law for cheap labor.” He claims that the price for illegal immigrants are American lives as a result of recent violent actions along the U.S. and Mexican border.

Senator Schaeffer from Georgia stated in her time at the panel that there are not jobs in the United States Americans do not want. She does not support the idea of a guest worker plan. She claims there are large numbers of illegal immigrants in public schools. They are draining public annual funds.

The last panelist was Chris Simcox who gave a report from the border on the front lines. He referred to the drug cartels that are swarming the borders. Simcox emphasized that many of the murders and other crimes committed along the borders are from actions of illegal aliens. 17 murders in Phoenix, Arizona, were a result from drug trafficking by illegal immigrants, according to Simcox. He strongly believes that in order to stop these crimes, there needs to be a strong enforcement of immigration laws.

It’s clear that the issue many of these speakers have addressed is the issue of illegal immigration versus immigration as a whole. They have highlighted that the problems of illegal immigration affects the economy and the public school system. Additionally, the problem of illegal immigration occurs at the borders between the U.S. and Mexico, which needs better enforcement. In other words the primary issue the conservative side is grappling with is the problems of illegal immigration and what function of government should handle it. What should the states do to enforce illegal immigration? Is this a problem to be solved by only the federal government? What is the best way to act?