Tancredo Visits Iowa With One Aide and One Issue — Immigration Reform

Long-shot presidential hopeful Tom Tancredo said during a swing through heavily Republican northwest Iowa this weekend that the $2.5 million in matching funds  his campaign will receive will allow him to remain in the race through the Iowa caucuses  and continue to force other candidates to talk about immigration reform.

His heavy focus on illegal immigration may make him seem like  a one-issue candidate, said Tancredo,  a U.S. representative from Colorado. But he said that President Bush has been “derelict in his duty” to stem the flow of illegal immigration. Tancredo said the more he studies the issue, the more it seems that many of the nation’s problems can be blamed on Hispanics crossing into the United States from Mexico.

Health care costs? Blame the burden of paying for emergency-room care for 12 million illegal immigrants who receive free medical services, he said.

The nation’s rising addiction to methamphetamines? Mexico has become a major source of the illegal drug, he said.

Low wages? If America rids itself of illegal immigrants who take minimum-wage jobs, the country’s businesses would be forced to pay decent wages and benefits to attract a  work force, he said.

“There aren’t many problems that we can’t attribute to these lawbreakers who cross our borders to live here,” he said.He also said our weak border makes it easy for Islamic terrorists to enter the country unchecked, causing a major security problem in the United States.

Tancredo traveled through the region with just one aide, arriving at the Sibley Golf and Country Club at 9 a.m. Saturday  to a group of seven, including  two county Republican committee members, three journalists and a smiling couple wearing Tancredo for President t-shirts. He had spent the night at the local Super 8, seemed unfazed by the lack of a crowd  and answered every question thrown at him in a straightforward manner.

Tancredo told the Iowa Independent that he needs to finish in third place in the state in order to legitimize his campaign and get the attention of political donors and the national media. He praised the assistance of Bay Buchanan, his national chairman, who  encouraged him to become the first candidate in either party to accept matching funds for his presidential run.

“The great thing,” he said, seeming positively giddy when he relayed that tidbit to the Iowa Independent, is that I have the highest percent of small donors of any presidential candidate, and since the (Federal Election Commission) will match every contribution up to $250, almost all the money I’ve received qualifies for matching funds.”

Tancredo said he believes some immigrants can make positive contributions to the country. But before they do, they need to learn to speak English and stop isolating themselves among other Hispanic citizens in the country. He opposes any kind of amnesty for illegal immigrants because they broke laws by coming into this country.

He supports building a fence on the United States-Mexican border, cutting off funding to counties and municipalities that are declared “Safe Havens” for illegals  and prosecuting employers who have hired illegals.

Tancredo said if he weren’t running for president he probably would be supporting California Congressman Duncan Hunter, another candidate with unequivocal views about the problems related to illegal immigrants.