A Review of GOP Platforms on Illegal Immigration

TEXAS

Illegal Immigration –– The Party believes that security of our borders is an urgent national interest. The Party opposes illegal immigration and all forms of amnesty, or legal status for illegal immigrants irrespective of program name or race.
We support:
1. expeditious hearings on deporting non-violent illegal immigrants held in prisons or jails;
2. suspending automatic U.S. citizenship to children born to illegal immigrant parents;
3. elimination of federal funding to cities that have "sanctuary" laws prohibiting local police from identifying and reporting illegal immigrants to federal authorities;
4. empowering state and local law enforcement agencies with the authority, responsibility and resources needed to detain illegal immigrants within the course of their regular duties;
5. the rejection of non-verifiable foreign-issued cards, such as matricula consular as valid identification for official documentation purposes;
6. investigation and strict prosecution of agencies, businesses or persons involved in the production, distribution or acceptance of phony identification documents;
7. elimination of day labor work centers;
8. elimination of all laws requiring hospitals to give non-emergency medical care to illegal immigrants;
9. elimination of government funding to illegal immigrants for education, housing and business loans;
10. pass legislation which prevents China, Chinese citizens, and any other foreign country and/or its citizens from using the judicial system and courts of the United States to file and try lawsuits that grant entrance of the foreign people to the U.S. or become missing persons; and
11. strong document verification prior to the issuance of a Texas drivers license to anyone.

IOWA

• We believe that Congress should establish an immigration policy that furthers the cultural, social and economic interests of the United States. A sound immigration policy and vigorous enforcement of immigration law is essential to securing our homeland.
• We believe that current immigration laws should be enforced and strengthened.
• We believe that one of the government’’s primary roles is to maintain an adequate force to secure the borders of the United States
• We believe in a strong national defense.
• We oppose welfare, medical, and educational support and issuance of drivers licenses for illegal aliens and their dependents.
• We support and encourage the imposition of severe penalties on individuals and industries that are found employing illegal aliens.
• We support a physical barrier along the entire Mexican/American border.
• We oppose all forms of amnesty for illegal aliens in this country.
• We call for the government to devote increased resources to seal the borders against illegal goods and people entering the U.S.
• We call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would prevent the automatic granting of (““anchor baby””) citizenship to children born in the United States whose parents are illegally in this country.
• We support modernizing the Department of Immigration's database systems.
• We believe the government should not reimburse families for the loss of a loved one due to an act of God, natural disaster, or terrorist attacks unless the individual was a member of the armed services or in the employ of the United States Government.
• We support the use of domestic surveillance to monitor contacts between foreign terrorists and their accomplices in the U.S. U.S. Immigration should end the “catch and release” system of deportation.
  We oppose any immigration reform that includes a ‘‘path to citizenship’’ for illegal aliens.

California
Our history is a story of immigrants. The California Republican Party welcomes and values each and every legal immigrant. We are proud that after 400 years, America continues to symbolize hope and promise to people from around the world. Immigrants have helped to make our great nation greater still.

• We affirm our country's absolute right to control its borders.
• We support legal immigration and the immigration laws that are already in place, and call on the government to enforce all laws on the issue. To take any other position would be a great unfairness to those who have complied with the legal system, and would expose California's citizens to national security risks. Once one enters the United States as a legal immigrant and desires to become a citizen, one should work actively to become an American - we should grant citizenship only to those who embrace American values and culture. New immigrants should be required to learn English, and businesses should be able to require employees to speak the English language while on the job.English should be the official language of government.
• All election ballots and other government documents should be printed in English only. Government should offer intensive English language instruction to all who need it, including stipends to help immigrants attend the programs.
• We call for the cross-deputization of state and county law enforcement personnel so that illegal aliens who are also criminals can be deported immediately upon completion of their sentences. We call on the Federal Government to reimburse California for the costs of federally mandated immigration programs and federally mandated benefits to illegal aliens.
• Finally, we call for the termination of all federal and state benefits to illegal aliens other than emergency medical care.

No Carolina

• We support the issuance of N. C. drivers licenses only to NC citizens and those legally authorized to be here.
• We support ending all entitlement to illegal aliens except for life threatening emergencies. Taxpayers should not pay for higher education for illegal aliens.
• The most important responsibility of the federal government is ““to provide a common defense”” for the states and the nation.
• Our borders must be made more secure. The federal government should actively enforce its immigration laws.
• English must be made the official language of the United States of America.

WASHINGTON

• A stronger policy of securing our borders using additional personnel, technology, and physical barriers.
• The reform of the immigration laws of our country so as to be enforceable and to meet our country’s citizens’ legitimate interests.
• The legal immigration of those individuals who wish to become US citizens with the strong enforcement of immigration laws.
• Enactment of a meaningful guest worker program which includes proper security measures, to allow those who wish to participate in our economy to do so in a legal and responsible way.
• Requiring any guest worker program to require the applicant for such program to initiate and process their application in their native land.
• An immigration policy that includes no amnesty for those persons who are here illegally already.
• The elimination of the “Safe City” program at any level of government that receives federal funds.
• The original intent of the 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution (1868) which declared, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States…” and thereby recognized the citizenship of ex-slaves and in no way granted citizenship to the babies of illegal aliens.
• A pillar of American citizenship, which is equal treatment under the law; therefore no special rights or privileges should be granted to any illegal resident alien from any county that are not granted to a legal immigrant or to a citizen of the United States of America.

Nevada

• We welcome legal immigrants from all nations, cultures and races.
• We demand strict enforcement of all immigration laws by all levels of government.
• We demand that the federal government secure our borders. We oppose granting amnesty for illegal aliens.
• We do not support citizenship for children born in the United States to illegal aliens, illegal residents or foreign visitors.

Nebraska

• We support, welcome, and encourage the assimilation of all legal immigrants and others who are here by due process and are productive, law-abiding citizens. In fairness to them, we support stringent federal efforts to stem the tide of illegal immigration.

New Mexico
Immigration: We support and welcome all legal immigrants and others who are here by due process and are productive, law-abiding persons. Further, we support vigorous enforcement of all laws dealing with immigration.

Wyoming Supports any and all actions the State of Wyoming may take under its proper jurisdiction to address and prevent illegal immigration.

Oregon
We expect that the State and Federal government to strictly enforce all immigration laws.

The National GOP Platforms on Illegal Immigration

Republican Party Platform of 1984

"We affirm our country's absolute fight to control its borders. Those desiring to enter must comply with our immigration laws. Failure to do so not only is an offense to the American people but is fundamentally unjust to those in foreign lands patiently waiting for legal entry. We will preserve the principle of family reunification.With the estimates of the number of illegal aliens in the United States ranging as high as 12 million and better than one million more entering each year, we believe it is critical that responsible reforms of our immigration laws be made to enable us to regain control of our borders."

Republican Party Platform of 1940

"We favor the strict enforcement of all laws controlling the entry of aliens. The activities of undesirable aliens should be investigated and those who seek to change by force and violence the American form of government should be deported."

Republican Party Platform of 1932

"The restriction of immigration is a Republican policy. Our party formulated and enacted into law the quota system, which for the first time has made possible an adequate control of foreign immigration.

Rigid examination of applicants in foreign countries prevented the coming of criminals and other undesirable classes, while other provisions of the law have enabled the President to suspend immigration of foreign wage-earners who otherwise, directly or indirectly, would have increased unemployment among native-born and legally resident foreign-born wage-earners in this country. As a result, immigration is now less than at any time during the past one hundred years.
We favor the continuance and strict enforcement of our present laws upon this subject."

Republican Party Platform of 1912

"We pledge the Republican party to the enactment of appropriate laws to give relief from the constantly growing evil of induced or undesirable immigration, which is inimical to the progress and welfare of the people of the United States."

Republican Party Platform of 1900

"In the further interest of American workmen we favor a more effective restriction of the immigration of cheap labor from foreign lands,"

Republican Party Platform of 1880
"Since the authority to regulate immigration and intercourse between the United States and foreign nations rests with the Congress of the United States and the treaty-making power, the Republican party, regarding the unrestricted immigration of the Chinese as a matter of grave concernment under the exercise of both these powers, would limit and restrict that immigration by the enactment of such just, humane and reasonable laws and treaties as will produce that result."

Republican Party Platform of 2004
"The Republican Party supports reforming the immigration system to ensure that it is legal, safe, orderly and humane. It also supports measures to ensure that the immigration system is structured to address the needs of national security. America is a stronger and better nation because of the hard work and entrepreneurial spirit of immigrants, and the Republican Party honors them. A growing economy requires a growing number of workers, and President Bush has proposed a new temporary worker program that applies when no Americans can be found to fill the jobs. This new program would allow workers who currently hold jobs to come out of the shadows and to participate legally in America’’s economy. It would allow men and women who enter the program to apply for citizenship in the same manner as those who apply from outside the United States. There must be strong workplace enforcement with tough penalties against employees and employers who violate immigration laws. We oppose amnesty because it would have the effect of encouraging illegal immigration and would give an unfair advantage to those who have broken our laws.

To better ensure that immigrants enter the United States only through legal means that allow for verification of their identity, reconnaissance cameras, border patrol agents, and unmanned aerial flights have all been increased at the border. In addition, Border Patrol agents now have sweeping new powers to deport illegal aliens without having first to go through the cumbersome process of allowing the illegal alien to have a hearing before an immigration judge. We support these efforts to enforce the law while welcoming immigrants who enter America through legal avenues."

Democrats on immigration

Democratic Party on Immigration Party Platform

Path for undocumented aliens to earn citizenship

• We will extend the promise of citizenship to those still struggling for freedom. Today's immigration laws do not reflect our values or serve our security, and we will work for real reform.
• The solution is not to establish a massive new status of second-class workers; that betrays our values and hurts all working people. Undocumented immigrants within our borders who clear a background check, work hard and pay taxes should have a path to earn full participation in America.
• We will hasten family reunification for parents and children, husbands and wives, and offer more English-language and civic education classes so immigrants can assume all the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. As we undertake these steps, we will work with our neighbors to strengthen our security so we are safer from those who would come here to harm us. We are a nation of immigrants, and from Arab-Americans in California to Latinos in Florida, we share the dream of a better life in the country we love.
  Source: The Democratic Platform for America, p.36 Jul 10, 2004
  

Reform the INS; reduce immigrant backlog Democrats support reforming the INS to provide better services, and investing the resources needed to reduce the backlog of citizenship applications from nearly two years to three months.

Democrats also support increased resources for English language courses, which not only help newcomers learn our common language but also help us promote our common values. Family reunification should continue to be the cornerstone of our legal immigration system.
Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

Protect immigrants from exploitation by employers. We must punish employers who recruit undocumented workers in order to exploit them. We reject calls for guest worker programs that lead to exploitation. We should have equitable asylum policies that treat people the same whether they have fled violence from the Right and Left. We support restoration of basic due process protections, so that immigrants are no longer subject to deportation for minor offenses and are eligible to receive safety net services supported by their tax dollars.
Source: Democratic National Platform Aug 15, 2000

All information above quoted from Ontheissues.org

Wrap Up on Legislative Actions

Contrary to the 2002 resounding cheers of "Viva Mexico" over the passage of In-state Tuition for illegal aliens, the 2008 Legislative session came to a relatively quiet close today.

In a final analysis, a few successes can be claimed - as compared to previous years.

The GOOD news:

• SB 52, Identity Theft Amendment, SB 81, Illegal Immigration, HB 86, Funding of Inmate Postsecondary Education, HB 339, Human Trafficking Amendments PASSED both houses.
• HB 95, HB 98, HB 237, HB 239, HB 241, HB 257, Employee Verification, passed the House
• SB 97, Immigration Task Force, was replaced by HB 490, Legislative Task Forces and Study Priorities which subsequently died on the House Concurrence calendar.
  
• There are now more voting records by which legislator's actions might be judged.
  

The BAD news:

• SB 81 implementation was delayed a full year
• HB 95, Document Fraud, HB 98, Utah Employment Verification Act, HB 237, Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act, HB 239, Driver License Qualification Amendments, HB 241, Repeal of Exemptions from Nonresident Tuition, HB 257, Employee Verification, DIED in the SENATE
• SB 210 Proof of Citizenship Required to Vote; died circled on the Senate 3rd Reading calendar.