Tom Tancredo in In Mortal Danger, by Rep. Tom Tancredo (R, CO)

On Principles & Values: Audacious agenda: limited government & individual freedom

I have always wanted to advance the agenda of limited government and enhanced individual freedom. I want to participate in the reintroduction of the concept that America is a unique place, not just a place we can reap the economic & political benefits afforded by the labors of those who lived before us. I want our borders to be secure and those who have violated them to be deprived of the benefits lawful citizens enjoy. I want immigrants seeking that citizenship to assimilate & sever their ties to their country of origin. I want to do what I can to defend the West in the clash of civilizations that threatens humanity.

The parts of my agenda that have generated the most trouble for me deal with the security of our borders and with my criticism of what I refer to as the “cult of multiculturalism.”

On Principles & Values: Label “lightning rod” suits me fine

There is a price to pay for standing up for what I believe rather than going along. My differences of opinion with my GOP colleagues & m willingness to voice them mean that I almost certainly will never be the chair of a major House committee. After Karl Rove told me to “never darken the door of the White House” because of my criticism of the president, I expected no calls to confer with him on immigration issues. If ever Congress does pass immigration reform, my name won’t be on it as a principal sponsor. During a debate with a colleague, he said I should resign from the party because my views were not the same as his or the president’s

On Corporations: Strong immigration stance costs PAC and corporate support

On Principles & Values: We’ve lost 1950s selfless devotion to civic duty

Today, our schools and almost every social institution send a totally different message. Civic duty, for instance, is currently considered by too many office holders as an obligation to erase any vestige of pride in the symbols or the substance of the land of the free and home of the brave.

On Immigration: Our society is intoxicated with multiculturalism

In today’s America, immigrants are welcomed by a society intoxicated with the idea of multiculturalism. Today’s immigrants quickly become aware that there is no need to leave their old language or attachments behind because the only cause they will be required to espouse is allegiance to the ideology of radical multiculturalism.

I don’t know if we have become a nation of the same kind of self-indulgent hedonists that characterized the societies of past civilizations, but I do know that there is much here worth saving. To do that we must not only look at what it means to be American, but we must also notice how becoming an American has changed.

On Principles & Values: Terrorists have no identity crisis, while we do

The terrorists who seek to kill us know exactly who they are. They have no identity crisis. They know and believe with all their being the philosophy and religious underpinnings of their worldview. They are intent upon spreading it with word and deed, by violence, if necessary.

We must use our schools, churches, and government to reestablish an allegiance to the principles of Western civilization. Those principles are embodied in the Judeo-Christian ethic and whether we follow them or not will surely determine the fate of the nation.

On Education: For first time, we’re telling students to NOT learn English

In Arizona, a state with a large Hispanic population, voters approved Proposition 203 in 2000, banning so-called bilingual education--rules that forced schools to teach children in their native language. Instead, voters mandated the adoption of English-immersion classes that required English-language instruction in all classrooms so the children could more quickly learn the language. Opponents sued, and in response, a federal court ordered the state to increase spending for English-language learners.

On Civil Rights: Hyphenated-Americans balkanize our society

I am concerned that we are doing things that will pull us apart and separate us into exclusionary groups both as individuals and as enemies. Some people say that America’s diversity is strength. While there are positive aspects of diversity, there are times when diversity is emphasized to the extreme and becomes a negative and divisive factor. When we are pulled apart and divided along ethnic lines--as opposed to ideological lines--I fear we are causing long-term damage to our society.

On Civil Rights: Cult of multiculturalism destructive to western civilization

The cult has been transformed from a rather benign philosophy of teaching an appreciation and a tolerance of differences to a malignant one that degrades and debases our uniquely American culture as well as Western civilization in general. It teaches our children that there is no value to who we are and what our country has accomplished--except that WHATEVER we’ve done has been bad or has had a negative impact on the world.

On Environment: US’s world-scale consumerism is a measure of success

On Education: Should be OK to say “Merry Christmas” at public schools

On Education: Our students are taught Christian fanatics are the problem

At the end, the teacher walked out with me. He pointed out that what I had witnessed was more a reflection of dinner table conversations than of public school pedagogy. But I have no doubt they are both.

On Homeland Security: Self-deluded NEA union blames America for 9/11

The 9/11 attacks seemed to incite more than just left-wing political responses. Instead of the shock, horror, and outrage expressed by most Americans, the attacks seemed to evoke a perverse sense of gratifications on campuses. The nation had not yet had time to tally its dead before many of the elites renewed their assault on the American character.

On Homeland Security: We are at war with Islamofascism

The clash of civilizations is not with the religion of Islam, but with the Islamic religion that has been married to a political philosophy that says all the nonbelievers must be annihilated, abolished, eliminated. It is with people who have openly & repeatedly stated that their desire is to eradicate us from the planet because we do not accept their political & religious ideologies.

On Homeland Security: Islam’s basic tenets are inextricably linked to terrorism

• Jihad is a religious duty (Koran 9:29)
• Martyrdom is the highest good (Koran 9:111)
• Muslim engaged in jihad must not show tolerance toward nonbelievers (Koran 9:5)
• Acts of terrorism are justified by the Prophet’s example (Koran 8:2)

Many scholars believe that Islam is incapable of a radical transformation. Many are skeptical about the willingness of a vast number of righteous Muslims to reject radicalism in favor of a worldview in which Islam exists harmoniously with other religions, because Muslims view the Koran as a document that cannot be interpreted by man.

We are at war with radical Islam. We must all be aware of the enemy: who they are, what they believe, & why they believe it.

On Homeland Security: Technology can’t defeat religion-fueled suicide bombers

This phenomenon has rendered much of our war plans ineffective. When the fuel for a suicide bomber is religion, no technology can defeat him. It is impossible to create a sensor to ferret out the individual who sees death as the doorway to a world of endless sensual pleasure. Additionally, the enemy knows that after he blows himself and his victims to bits, his mother will be giving thanks to God and she will receive Saudi cash.

On Homeland Security: If nuked by Islamic terrorists, take out their holy sites

The death threats were numerous & serious. But not all reactions were negative.

One supporter made the commonsense observation that as the present time, there are no negative consequences to the action of a suicide murderer. Instead, those who matter most to the murderers meet these actions with praise. Let me say now that if the threat of destruction of the religious sites would not deter the religious zealots, then we’d better think of something that will. If all we do is kill the ones we can identify before they commit their deeds, we can expect the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse to be saddling up soon.

On Homeland Security: Active Hezbollah cells operate out of Mexico

Since 9/11, Mexican authorities have reportedly apprehended hundreds of individuals with suspected terrorist ties in the border region.

In 2006, Mueller told a house appropriations committee hearing that the FBI had broken up a smuggling ring organized by the terrorist group Hezbollah that had operatives cross the Mexican border to carry out possible terrorist attacks inside the US.

This was not considered newsworthy by mainline news media, so most Americans are still unaware that there are active Hezbollah cells within a day’s drive of our porous border.

On Drugs: Porous border allows Mexican cartels to smuggle drugs

IN Cameron County, TX, the former sheriff and others were convicted of receiving drug-smuggling bribes. The Tohono O’odham Indian Reservation in Arizona is the scene of one of the major drug corridors between the US and Mexico. IN 2002, tribal police seized 65,000 pounds of narcotics.

On Homeland Security: Evil prowls this planet; defend with terrorist profiling

I would not advocate the suspension of habeas corpus or a declaration of martial law, but I would be the last to complain about measures such as terrorist profiling, eliminating all immigration from terrorist-sponsoring nations, and securing our borders to allow the government to do all it can to defend the country.

Evil prowls this planet. It searches for easy targets. And it strikes without mercy.

On Immigration: Spend billions more to enforce border fully

My answer to the problem of border enforcement is simple: if we’re not devoting enough resources to it, then devote more resources to it. We should be spending billions more than we are. It is Congress’s duty to do whatever it takes to protect and defend our borders. If we can’t stem the flow of millions of illegal aliens, how can we possibly hope to stop terrorists from infiltrating the country?

On Immigration: Erect fence along entire Mexican & Canadian borders

But I cannot pretend that a border-length fence will completely eliminate illegal immigration. Still, a fence will go a long way toward accomplishing that goal.

On Immigration: Deploy military troops to support Border Patrol

We have the technology and resources to secure our borders tomorrow. It is a canard for politicians to say it’s impossible. What they are really saying is: I choose not to defend and secure our borders because there are political ramifications that I fear. It is those fears that put the life of every American in mortal danger.

On Immigration: Supports employer verification in 2005 reform bill

In debunking these sensible reform measures, the Wall Street Journal resorted to “the sky is falling” arguments: “Tancredo has done everyone a favor by stating plainly the immigration rejectionists’ endgame--turn the US into the world’s largest gated community.”

On Immigration: It’s a myth that illegal immigrants benefit our economy

1. Myth: There is nothing the US can do to stop illegal immigration
2. Myth: Illegal immigrants take jobs Americans don’t want
3. Myth: Illegal aliens are an economic plus for America
4. Myth: Only bigots object and oppose illegal immigration.

On Immigration: Immigration agency acts as greeters; should act as enforcers

There is a small contingent, however, that does perform a law-enforcement duty. The objective of this group (the “enforcers”) is the enhancement of national security. When the enforcers’ director resigned, they were isolated and they became whistle-blowers. I sent an invitation for the head of the whistle-blower group to testify before my Immigration Reform Caucus.

My friend contacted the House Judiciary Committee to set up a meeting for the whistle-blowers to appear before staffers. Those staffers went to the Whit House to discuss ways to keep the agents from revealing the depth of the corruption in the immigration agency. The administration made it clear it did not want the information to come out for fear it would undermine the immigration guest worker program.

On Immigration: Disallow Mexican “matricula” cards as valid ID cards

The only reason a Mexican citizen would need a matricula consular card from the Mexican Embassy is if they are in this country illegally. The cards are easy to fabricate. Authorities have arrested an Iranian national with a Mexican matricul consular card in his own name.

But the State Dept. views it more “diplomatically.” In 2005, a State Department official said that while State does not defend the use of the cards, it is concerned that limitations on the cards would provide retaliation from other countries.

Mexican consulates have issued 1.2 million cards & say cards are only issued to citizens who appear in person with acceptable ID. Sometimes applicants need only convince issuing officers that they are who they say they are.

On Immigration: Left supports immigration for votes; right for cheap labor

Our borders are porous because we lack the political will to close them. The amazing thing is we have the technology and resources to secure our border tomorrow, but we lack the will to do it.

Is it right that our borders allow the influx of millions of people to take the jobs of Americans? To force people either to work for less money than they were working for just a few years ago. To be unemployed? All in order to achieve political goals.

On Immigration: Bush’s “guest worker” program IS amnesty

The president said he was going to create a program but did not want to call it amnesty because that has a bad connotation with the public. No matter how many ways he wants to phrase it, no matter how many times he says he is against amnesty, the truth is, his plan is an amnesty plan.

The plan clearly offers amnesty in two respects. First, it protects persons who have broken the law from the punishment prescribed by law (deportation) while offering them the privilege that few get (living and working in the US). Second, does anyone really believe that, at the end of six years, the immigrants will go home or that Congress will have the political will to make them do so?

On Homeland Security: DHS not doing enough to keep terrorists out of US

If our own agencies cannot keep track of who is in our country, how can we expect those charged with our protection to guarantee never again when it comes to terrorism?

On Homeland Security: Bar foreign workers from working in nuclear facilities

In 2005 the Energy Department revealed “non-US citizens were improperly allowed access to a leased facility at the Y-12 complex.“ The report said, ”We found that foreign construction workers, using false documents, had gained access to the Y-12 site on multiple occasions. Sixteen foreign construction workers were found to have been illegal aliens. These individuals may have had opportunities to access secret information.“

What does it say about our intelligence community when illegals not only get past the Y-12 gates but also gain access to top-secret materials

On Drugs: Mexican military helps drug smugglers cross border

Most disturbing was the response. DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff downplayed the events by saying that most Mexican military incursions over the years had been “accidental.” The FBI was quoted by Mexican media as saying it supported the view that the uniformed personnel were smugglers and not Mexican military.

Does the Mexican government want us to believe that the drug cartels can operate freely along the border and the Mexican military is powerless to stop them? Sadly, the federal government is more concerned about allowing the Mexican government to save face than it is about telling the truth to the American people.

On Immigration: No net benefit from immigration; annual $70B loss

• $27 billion: The cost of educating some 1.5 million school-aged illegal aliens and their 2 million US-born siblings.
• $14 billion: The cost of incarcerating illegal aliens, plus direct border-enforcement operations.
• $10 billion: The net cost of labor, when all taxes are paid and all costs are considered. Among the largest costs are:
  $2.5 billion: Medicaid
  • $2.2 billion: treatment for the uninsured
  • $1.9 billion: Food assistance programs
  • $1.6 billion: Federal prison & court systems
  • $1.4 billion: federal aid to schools

On Jobs: Americans don’t shun jobs; they shun low wages

Let’s be clear about what is really going on in terms of jobs “Americas won’t do”: (1) they aren’t shunning those jobs, they are shunning the bottom-of-the-barrel wages those jobs pay; and (2) those jobs are paying bottom-of-the-barrel wages because they are going to low-skilled illegal workers who are willing to do them for far less than an American worker needs to live.

The right question is not why someone will not take a $6/hour job when he or she needs $10 o $20/hour to live. The right question is how can they take such a cut in pay & survive? After Americans have, for generations, fought for and won a better standard of living, why should they be expected to give it up so non-citizens can work? It’s absurd.

On Health Care: Healthcare costs skyrocket by free treatment of aliens

One reason Americans pay so much to care for illegal aliens is a federal law that prohibits hospitals from turning away any patients--whether legal citizens or not--due to their inability to pay. The Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA) declares that every emergency room must treat all patients who arrive with an “emergency.” An emergency can consist of a cough, headache, hangnail, cardiac arrest, herniated lumbar disc, drug addition, alcohol overdose, gunshot wound, HIV-positive infection, or mental disorders. That means anyone who comes to an emergency room must be treated to the best of that hospital’s ability, or transferred, even if the patient doesn’t have a thin dime. Not that that isn’t a compassionate policy for Americans, mind you. The problem is the law is abused by illegal aliens who come to the US to obtain health care.

On Immigration: Anchor babies: pregnant Mexicans give birth to US citizens

A little-discussed constitutional provision actually allows all of this to happen legally through what’s called birthright citizenship. Though the provision was not authored with the intent of granting automatic citizenship to children of persons in the country illegally, courts throughout the years have held that it does.

The 14th Amendment starts, “All persons born or naturalized in the US... are citizens of the US.” Written in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, the law’s intent was to prevent states from denying citizenship to newly freed slaves.

The loophole has become well known. The children born to illegal aliens are called “anchor babies” because once they are born in the US, they serve as an anchor to keep themselves & their families firmly (and legally) in the country.

On Homeland Security: Press said “pro-peace” rallies: crowd chanted “Allah Akbar”

On Immigration: End “catch & release” along Mexican border

Begin Building a Border Security Fence
• Put troops on the border
• End “catch and release”
• Mandate passport usage for everyone traveling internationally
• Suspend visa waiver program

Enforcing the Law Throughout the Country
• Restrict illegal alien sanctuary policies
• Disallow religious organizations from harboring illegal aliens
• Make DUI a deportable offense
• Increase penalties for the smuggling of illegal aliens
• Increase penalties for terrorists who are illegal aliens
• Increase penalties for gang members who are illegal aliens
• Make unlawful presence in the US a felony

Stopping Businesses from Hiring Illegals
• Make employment verification mandatory
• Eliminate the business tax write-off for illegal workers
• Increase the penalty for employers who hire illegal aliens
• Make businesses that hire illegal aliens ineligible for future guest workers

On Immigration: Eliminate “chain migration” where illegals bring in families

Reforming Legal Immigration
• Eliminate the visa lottery
• Eliminate chain migration
• Eliminate H-1B visas (temporary work permits)
• Eliminate unskilled worker green cards
• Create a cabinet-level Department of Immigration

Restoring the Meaning of Citizenship
• End birthright citizenship for illegal aliens
• Eliminate dual citizenship
• Make English the official language
• Write the oath if citizenship into law
• Strengthen safeguards against voter fraud

Disentangling Foreign Policy from Immigration
• Block any immigration provisions from trade bills
• Block visas to countries that refuse to take their nationals back

Reducing the Incentive to Come Illegally
• Disallow federal funding for in-state tuition for illegal aliens
• Disallow the matricula consular card as legal ID
• Reform the use of taxpayer ID numbers
• Eliminate Social Security totalization for illegal aliens

On Free Trade: Globalization is replacing “citizens” with “consumers”

The same thing is happening throughout the West. Since the Maastricht Treaty finalizing the European Union was adopted, Europeans have become citizens of a union rather than remain sovereign Dutch, German, etc. citizens. For many Europeans, their nation has simply become a place they reside, no longer a part of their identity.

Multicultural elites now frequently describe themselves as “citizens of the world.” If given the chance, they would replace loyalty to any one country to humanity, to Mother Earth, and in some cases, loyalty to them. This rhetoric has trickled down to impressionable youth. Too frequently they tell me that America is a continent, not a nation. Multiculturalism had advanced so much that it denigrates the value of a national birthright.

On Civil Rights: We’re diversifying to death; promote AMERICAN culture

Oddly, while we seem uninterested in requiring immigrants to assimilate, we are going out of our way to require our own citizens to undergo “cultural diversity training” so we can better “understand” immigrant cultures. Instead of requiring immigrants to assimilate into our culture, we have required our own citizens to assimilate foreign cultures at the expense of our own.

I’m not asking immigrants to leave their ethnicity at our borders. What I am saying us we, as Americans, have to demand immigrants do what they supposedly came here to do: become Americans!

The very first thing we must do is recognize our uniquely American culture--language, religious freedom, values, beliefs--and promote them above all others.