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Christopher Dodd on Immigration
On the pathway to citizenship, how else do you deal with this? We aren't going to round up 11-12 million people, we're just not going to.
I agree with the President's stated goal of achieving comprehensive immigration reform this year. With over 12 million undocumented workers in our country, the American people expect Congress and this administration to find a workable solution to this longstanding problem - one that protects American jobs and security while providing a pathway to earned citizenship for undocumented workers, many of whom play an important role in our economy. Unfortunately, last year, efforts to pass an immigration reform bill were blocked by the Republican-controlled House. In this Congress, we have an opportunity and an obligation to tackle this issue head-on on a bi-partisan basis. But without Presidential leadership, comprehensive reform will not be possible. Hopefully, this time the President will have the courage to stand up to members of his own party who fought against reform last year.
I don't like a blanket guest worker program. I could make a strong case in agriculture or in certain other areas I'd like the ability to have a valve on that one. Demonstrate that I really have a problem and I'd be willing to loosen the valve but I'd be unwilling to have that as a general proposition because I'm still not convinced that raising minimum wages and doing other things, that Americans won't do certain work. So I'm mixed on that question."
Voted YES on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, which established an immigration guest-worker program
Voted YES on the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2006, which called for a 370-mile fence along the Mexican border
Sponsored S.Amdt. 4089: "CONSULTATION REQUIREMENT.--Consultations between United States and Mexican authorities at the federal, state, and local levels concerning the construction of additional fencing and related border security structures along the United States-Mexico border shall be undertaken prior to commencing any new construction, in order to solicit the views of affected communities, lessen tensions and foster greater understanding and stronger cooperation on this and other important issues of mutual concern.
Voted YES on the construction of a 700-mile fence along the US-Mexican border
"Q: OK. I'd like to hear from Senator Dodd -- New Haven, Connecticut, is on that list of sanctuary cities? DODD: I think in circumstances -- you have to here. And, again, New Haven, Connecticut, was a good example here, where there was a cooperative effort with the local police departments and others to deal with health issues, crime problems and the like. The Immigration Service came in an raided basically homes in that community, causing a great deal of disruption, disrupting the relationship that was being developed with community leaders, including the local police, and dealing with matters in that community. We need to step back. What's been said by Bill Richardson and Joe Biden is correct here. This was a failure of leadership again at the national level. We had an opportunity to draft an immigration law here that would have put us on the right track. I certainly endorse everything Bill said here in terms of the provision. I think all of us do here, the general provisions. We're a nation of immigrants here. We have succeeded in no small measure because we have been a welcoming people here. We also understand we cannot tolerate 400,000 to 500,000 people coming to this country as undocumented workers each year. We need to have a far better system in place that stops that flow coming in, to deal with the 12 million to 20 million who are here illegally. If in the meantime here we're dealing with children, we're dealing with crime problems, we're dealing with health issues at the local community, then you need to allow these locals communities to do that. If it means temporarily engaging in a sanctuary protection here, then so be it if that protects our country. In the meantime, we need to have national leadership, a president who would be able to bring together the Congress and could pass the kind of immigration laws that we, frankly, don't have on the books today."
Voted NO to amend the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 to facilitate information sharing between federal and local law enforcement officials related to an individual's immigration status.
Sen. Dodd voted NO on the Abraham Amendment to strip the voluntary workplace verification program from S. 1644
Q: And I want you to raise your hand if you believe English should be the official language of the United States." (Dodd does not raise his hand)