research •

Barriers To Reform: The Anti-Immigration Policies And Extremist Money Blocking Progress In The Senate

Summary

As immigration reform moves forward in the Senate, the success of any legislation will depend on the cooperation of conservative lawmakers with troubling histories on the issue. However, it is not only their past policy positions and quotes that are disturbing. These key conservative senators also share a history of campaign contributors who also fund extremist anti-immigrant organizations, including those labeled as hate groups by the Southern Poverty Law Center.

Each of the Republican senators in the immigration “gang of eight” have supported extreme positions and aligned themselves with anti-immigrant forces. Beyond the “gang,” leading conservatives such as Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sens. John Cornyn, Chuck Grassley, David Vitter, and Ted Cruz will figure prominently into the fate of immigration reform despite having similarly concerning records.

Worst Anti-Immigrant Rhetoric

  • Rubio on a path to citizenship: “Well, we have a path to citizenship. It’s called coming legally into this country.”
  • McCain on racial profiling: “…drivers of cars with illegals in it that are intentionally causing accidents on the freeway.”
  • Graham on birthright citizenship: “People come here to have babies…They come here to drop a child. It’s called ‘drop and leave.’”
  • Flake on birthright citizenship: “How in the world can you explain that’s a good policy to have? It simply doesn’t promote respect for the rule of law.”
  • Cruz on enforcement: “triple the border patrol; use walls, fences, and technology; end sanctuary cities; repeal Obama’s newly ordered amnesty; end benefits like in-state tuition for illegal aliens.”
  • McConnell on the DREAM Act: “I do not believe we should reward illegal behavior.”
  • Vitter on the DREAM Act: “I am extremely pleased that the U.S. Senate has once again rejected the illegal alien student bailout known as the DREAM Act.”
  • Grassley on the DREAM Act: “…discussing another amnesty will only create a rush to the border.”

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL)

Rubio is a member of the “gang of eight.”

Rubio: “We Have A Path To Citizenship. It’s Called Coming Legally Into This Country.” In an interview with Human Events, Sen. Marco Rubio was asked, “Are you in favor of creating a path to citizenship for the millions who are here?” Rubio answered, “Well, we have a path to citizenship. It’s called coming legally into this country. The ones who are already here. You can’t do it.” [Human Events, 5/6/10]

Rubio: “You’re Never Going To Have A Legal Immigration System That Works If You Grant Amnesty.” According to Rubio in an interview with Human Events, “And you’re never going to have a legal immigration system that works if you grant amnesty. […] There are going to be stories of very young kids that were brought to this country at a very young age who don’t even speak Spanish that are going to be sent back to Nicaragua or some other place. And it’s gonna feel weird and I understand that. The goal here is to have an immigration policy that works. And if you provide a path for people to enter this country illegally and if they stay here long enough and pay enough in taxes, well let them stay legally…why would anyone come in through the legal process?”[Human Events, 5/6/10]

PolitiFact: Rubio Said That The Arizona Immigration Law Would Create A “Police State,” Then Later Said He Would Have Voted For The Legislation. According to PolitiFact, “The law, generally speaking, makes being an illegal immigrant a state crime and requires legal immigrants to carry papers that confirm their legal status. On April 27, 2010 in front of a largely Cuban-American crowd in West Miami, Rubio likened Arizona’s bill to the creation of a ‘police state,’ saying the American people wouldn’t be comfortable with people being required to have documents on them at all times proving their citizenship status. Then on April 30, he told Fox News’ Neil Cavuto that didn’t believe the Arizona law was ‘the best answer to that problem.’ But in an interview with a conservative blogger nine days later, Rubio said he would’ve voted for the measure.” [PolitiFact.com, 5/12/10]

Rubio Said That The Democratic Version Of The DREAM Act Would “Create Incentives For Illegal Immigration, Chain Migration, And All Sorts Of Problems.” During an interview with the National Review, Rubio stated, “The problem is that all of the existing policy proposals that are out there like the DREAM Act create amnesty. They create incentives for illegal immigration, chain migration, and all sorts of problems. What I have said is that I believe we can deal with these kids and these circumstances without making all of the DREAM Act’s mistakes.” [National Review, 3/30/12]

  • New York Times Editorial: Rubio’s Version Of The DREAM Act Would Not Provide A Path To Citizenship. According to the New York Times Editorial Board, “Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, who has recently been floating his stripped-down version of the Dream Act, a bill to legalize young unauthorized immigrants — Americans in all but name — who serve in the military or go to college. Mr. Rubio’s idea to make it palatable to his party is to offer them legalization without citizenship. ‘You can legalize someone’s status,’ he says, ‘without placing them on a path toward citizenship.’ He warns that if Dream Act youths became citizens, they could — horrors — someday sponsor family members to enter legally. This idea is nothing more than some newly invented third-class status — not illegal, but not American. It’s the Dream Act without the dream and should be dismissed out of hand, along with similar half-measures embraced by Mitt Romney and other Republican presidential candidates, who endorse legalization for military service but not college, and not citizenship in any case.” [New York Times Editorial, 3/27/12]

Rubio Co-Sponsored Mandatory E-Verify Bill With Senator Grassley. According to The Tampa Bay times, “Sen. Marco Rubio has signed on as a co-sponsor to a bill that would reauthorize the E-Verify employment check system and make it mandatory for all employers. ‘I know firsthand the great things that immigration has meant for America,’ Rubio said in a statement posted on his website. ‘Immigration is woven into the fabric of our nation and is a critical part of our future. But we can’t be the only nation in the world that does not enforce its immigration laws. Consistently, I have stated that a modernization of the legal immigration system is impossible unless we must first secure the border and implement an E-Verify system that will help prevent the hiring and exploitation of undocumented workers. That’s why I support Senator Charles Grassley’s bill to make E-Verify permanent.’” [The Tampa Bay Times, 6/15/11]

Rubio Said That English Should Be The Official Language Of The United States. According to The Miami Herald’s Naked Politics blog, “Republican Senate candidate Marco Rubio said only ‘nuances’ separate his stance on immigration from that of his new ally, U.S. Sen. James DeMint of South Carolina. Rubio, who is Cuban-American, said he agrees with DeMint’s position that English should be the official language of the U.S.  ‘We have to have a common language that unites the people,” said Rubio, the former state lawmaker from Miami. ‘I’m not in favor of banning other languages, but my name is spelled the same way in Spanish as it is in English.’ Lucky for him, since ballots might not be available in Spanish and Creole in Rubio’s diverse Miami turf under legislation backed by DeMint that says government documents and services need only be available in English.” [The Miami Herald’s Naked Politics Blog, 6/16/09]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

Rubio Received $12,000 From Board Members Of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Rubio received two separate $2,400 contributions from San Orr, the first on July 7, 2009 and the second on November 11, 2009. Rubio received two separate $2,400 contributions from Dennis K. Kuester, the first on January 18, 2010 and the second on October 15, 2010. Rubio received a contribution of $2,400 from Art Pope on September 21, 2010. Orr, Kuester, and Pope are board member of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; BradleyFdn.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The Lynde And Harry Bradley Foundation Has Given At Least $220,000 To The Anti-Immigrant Center For Immigration Studies. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation contributed $220,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies is “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” [Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009]

Rubio Received $3,000 From A William H. Donner Foundation Board Member. Rubio received two separate contributions of $1,500 from Joseph W. Donner, the first on May 10, 2010 and the second on October 5, 2010. Donner sits on the board of the William H. Donner Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • William H. Donner Foundation Has Given At Least $175,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The William H. Donner Foundation contributed $140,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2006-2011. The foundation also contributed $35,000 to FAIR in 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

Rubio Received $250 From Minuteman PAC. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Minuteman PAC donated $250 to Rubio’s campaign in 2010. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/11/13]

  • Minuteman PAC Believes The “United States Are At War” And Is Concerned About “Colonization And Balkanization.” According to its website, “Minuteman PAC is a citizens’ political action committee created to serve as a potent political arm of the Minuteman Movement, the grassroots initiative that seeks to secure America’s sovereign territory against incursion, invasion, and terrorism. […] These United States are at war, and under siege by forces and interests that have the capacity, over time, to destroy our great experiment of responsible self-government. […] If you are concerned about the chaos upon our broken borders, if you believe America should welcome legal immigration but reject colonization and Balkanization, we invite you help us secure the future of our nation for the American people and her posterity.” [MinutemanPAC.com, accessed 4/11/13]

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)

McCain is a member of the “gang of eight.”

McCain Suggested Arizona Wildfires Were Started By “People Who Have Crossed Our Border Illegally.” According to CNN, “U.S. Sen. John McCain is blaming illegal immigrants for starting some of the wildfires that have scorched hundreds of thousands of acres in Arizona. ‘There is substantial evidence that some of these fires have been caused by people who have crossed our border illegally,’ McCain, R-Arizona, said Saturday at a press conference. ‘The answer to that part of the problem is to get a secure border.’ The Arizona senator, however, did not say what the evidence is, prompting a swift rebuke from Latino civil rights advocates.” [CNN, 6/19/11]

McCain Defended Arizona Immigration Law By Claiming “Illegals” Were “Intentionally Causing Accidents On The Freeway.” During an interview on “The O’Reilly Factor,” McCain was asked “what about the racial profiling” that would result from Arizona’s immigration law SB 1070. McCain answered, “I would be very sorry if some of that happens, and I regret it. But I also regret the – really, it’s not just the murder of Robert Krentz. It’s the people whose homes and property are being violated. It’s the drive-by – the drivers of cars with illegals in it that are intentionally causing accidents on the freeway. Look, our border is not secured. Our citizens are not safe. [Fox News, “The O’Reilly Factor,” 6/19/10]

McCain Called Arizona Immigration Bill “A Very Important Step Forward.” According to Politico, “Sen. John McCain praised a tough Arizona anti-immigration bill that will let police arrest people who aren’t carrying identification, the latest move in McCain’s rightward shift in advance of a tough Republican Senate primary this summer. ‘I think it’s a very important step forward,’ McCain said Monday. ‘I can fully understand why the legislature would want to act.’ It’s a dramatic switch for a senator who supported comprehensive immigration reform with Democratic lion Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) just four years ago. McCain is facing a primary challenge from the right in former Rep. J.D. Hayworth. His office later said his comments did not represent an endorsement, though a spokeswoman would not condemn the bill, either.” [Politico, 4/19/10]

In 2010, McCain Joined Filibuster Of Dream Act, Which He Previously Cosponsored. On December 18, 2010, Sen. John McCain voted against cloture on the Dream Act. In a statement, McCain said, “I cannot put the priorities of these students, as difficult and unfair in many respects as their situation is, ahead of my constituents and the American people who demand that the Federal government fulfill its Constitutional duty to secure our borders before we undertake other reforms.  Once we fulfill this commitment, we can then address all of the issues plaguing our broken immigration system.  There simply isn’t sufficient political support to do anything before we secure our borders and there won’t be until we do.” McCain cosponsored the DREAM Act in 2003, 2005, and 2007. [H.R. 5281, Vote #278, 12/18/10; McCain Statement, 12/18/10; Thomas.loc.gov, accessed 4/2/13]

After Touting “Amnesty,” McCain Repeatedly Claimed He “Never Supported Amnesty.” In June 2010, the New York Times reported, “Repeatedly over three days, Mr. McCain was asked why he had supported ‘amnesty’ for illegal immigrants in the past (‘I never supported amnesty,’ he says).” McCain also repeatedly claimed he “never supported amnesty” during presidential debates in 2008. However, McCain previously endorsed the idea of “amnesty” as part of immigration reform, saying, “Amnesty has to be an important part because there are people who have lived in this country for 20, 30 or 40 years, who have raised children here and pay taxes here and are not citizens. That has to be a component of it.” [New York Times, 6/21/10; Associated Press, 1/6/08; GOP Primary Debate, 5/15/07; Politico Playbook, 6/4/07]

McCain Released Ad Saying “Complete The Danged Fence” On The U.S.-Mexico Border. According to ABC News, “Sen. John McCain has released a tough-talking television ad that blames illegal immigrants for ‘home invasions [and] murders’ and calls for the completion of the ‘danged fence’ along the U.S.-Mexico border, reversing years of criticizing such a barrier. […] Walking along the incomplete fence with Pinal County Sheriff Paul Babeu, McCain says: ‘drug and human smuggling, home invasions, murder.’ To, which Babeu responds, ‘We’re outmanned. Of all the illegals in America, more than half come through Arizona.’ Babeu tells McCain that his proposal for curbing illegal immigration is a perfect plan: ‘You bring troops, state, county and local law enforcement together.’ ‘And,’ adds McCain, ‘complete the danged fence.’ ‘It’ll work this time. Senator, You’re one of us,’ Babeu replies.” [ABC News, 5/11/10]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

McCain Has Received $3,800 From Board Members Of FAIR. McCain received contributions from Nancy S. Anthony of $1,000 on February 15, 2000, and $2,300 on August 27, 2008. McCain received a contribution of $500 from William W. Chip on March 23, 2000. Anthony and Chip sit on the board of directors at the Federation for American Immigration Reform. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; FAIRUS.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • FAIR Is An Anti-Immigrant Hate Group. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) an anti-immigration hate group. [SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

Carthage Foundation Board Member Richard Mellon Scaife Contributed $68,000 To Support McCain’s Presidential Campaign. McCain received a contribution of $2,300 from Richard Mellon Scaife on February 28, 2008. McCain-Palin Victory 2008 received contributions from Scaife of $20,000 on April 29, 2008, and $45,000 on October 8, 2008. Scaife sits on the board of the Carthage Foundation and the Sarah Scaife Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; CampaignMoney.com, accessed 4/3/13; Carthage Foundation IRS Form 990, 2011; Sarah Scaife Foundation IRS Form 990, 2011]

  • The Carthage Foundation Has Given At Least $1,545,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups.  The Carthage Foundation contributed $1,375,000 to the Federation for American Immigration Reform between 2003 and 2007. The Foundation also gave $170,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) between 2001 and 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [The Carthage Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2001-2007; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

McCain Received $4,300 From Trustees Of The William H. Donner Foundation. McCain received contributions from Joseph W. Donner of $1,300 and $1,000 on September 26, 2008, and $1,000 on June 18, 2008. McCain also received a contribution of $1,000 from Curtin Winsor on August 19, 2008. Donner and Curtin are trustees at the William W. Donner Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • William H. Donner Foundation Has Given At Least $175,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The William H. Donner Foundation contributed $140,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2006-2011. The foundation also contributed $35,000 to FAIR in 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

McCain Received $38,650 From Employees And Board Members Of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. McCain received two separate $2,300 contributions from Michael W. Grebe, the first on February 25, 2008, and the second on May 31, 2008. McCain received a $250 contribution from Michael E. Hartmann on March 28, 2008. McCain received three separate contributions from Terry Considine of $1,000 on February 12, 2008, $1,300 on April 8, 2008, and $2,300 on August 20, 2008. McCain received two separate $2,300 contributions from San Orr both on May 31, 2008. McCain received two separate $2,300 contributions from Art Pope on May 31, 2008. McCain received two separate $10,000 contributions from Dennis K. Kuester, the first on June 3, 2008, and the second on September 17, 2008. Grebe and Hartmann both work for the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Considine, Orr, Pope, and Kuester sit on the foundation’s board of directors. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; BradleyFdn.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The Lynde And Harry Bradley Foundation Has Given At Least $220,000 To The Anti-Immigrant Center For Immigration Studies. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation contributed $220,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies is “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” [Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009]

McCain Received $500 From A Board Member Of The Armstrong Foundation. McCain received a contribution of $500 from Thomas K. Armstrong on August 18, 2008. Armstrong sits on the board of the Armstrong Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; The Armstrong Foundation’s 990 Form, 2011]

  • The Armstrong Foundation Has Given At Least $237,500 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The Armstrong Foundation contributed $77,500 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2004 to 2011; $20,000 to NumbersUSA between 2008 and 2010; $135,000 to the Center for America Unity between 2001 and 2006; and $5,000 to the VDARE Foundation. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies and NumbersUSA are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “are all part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” The Southern Poverty Law Center also writes that VDARE “is an anti-immigration hate website” that “regularly publishes articles by prominent white nationalists, race scientists and anti-Semites,” while the Center for American Unity, which originally created VDARE, “has served to promote the work of white supremacists, anti-Semites and others on the radical right.”  [Armstrong Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2001-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, accessed 4/3/13]

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)

Graham is a member of the “gang of eight.”

Graham In 2010: DREAM Act Vote “Is Nothing More Than A Political Game By The Democrats To Try And Drive A Wedge Between The Hispanic Community And Republicans.” According to a statement from Sen. Graham on his opposition to the DREAM Act, “Illegal immigration is a nightmare for America.  Giving a pathway to citizenship without first securing the border is an inducement to encourage more illegal immigration.  This is nothing more than a political game by the Democrats to try and drive a wedge between the Hispanic community and Republicans. Today’s cynical vote on the DREAM Act, along with a series of other votes, convinces me that the Democratic leadership in the Senate does not get the message from the last election. They care more about politics than policy in a variety of areas, including illegal immigration.” [Graham Press Release, 12/9/10]

Graham Argued For Eliminating Birthright Citizenship, Saying Immigrants “Come Here To Drop A Child. It’s Called ‘Drop And Leave.’” According to Politico, “Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) announced Wednesday night that he is considering introducing a constitutional amendment that would change existing law to no longer grant citizenship to the children of immigrants born in the United States. Currently, the 14th Amendment grants citizenship to any child born in the United States. But with 12 million illegal immigrants living in the U.S., Graham said it may be time to restrict the ability of immigrants to have children who become citizens just because they are born in the country. ‘I may introduce a constitutional amendment that changes the rules if you have a child here,’ Graham said during an interview with Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren. ‘Birthright citizenship I think is a mistake …  We should change our Constitution and say if you come here illegally and you have a child, that child’s automatically not a citizen.’ […] ‘People come here to have babies,’ he said. ‘They come here to drop a child. It’s called ‘drop and leave.’ To have a child in America, they cross the border, they go to the emergency room, have a child, and that child’s automatically an American citizen. That shouldn’t be the case. That attracts people here for all the wrong reasons.’” [Politico, 7/29/10]

Graham Expressed Support For Universal Biometric ID Cards To Verify Work Eligibility So “You Wouldn’t Have To Look At Somebody Based On Their Accent Or Their Background.” On CNN’s State of the Union, Sen. Lindsey Graham stated, “I’m willing, Candy, to have every American take their Social Security card and turn it into a biometric document; put your ID on there, a fingerprint, so when you go get a job or I go get a job, we can present a Social Security card to our employer and they can verify we are who we say we are. If we all agree to do that as a people, you wouldn’t have to look at somebody based on their accent or their background. You would have a document that’s trustworthy and verifiable. I can get you a fake Social Security by midnight.” [CNN, State of the Union, 8/1/10]

Graham Co-Sponsored An Amendment To Declare English The National Language. In 2006 and 2007, Sen. Graham voted in favor of amendments introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) that would have declared English the national language. Graham co-sponsored the 2006 amendment. [S. Amdt. 1151 to S. Amdt. 1150 to S. 1348, Vote #198, 6/6/07; S. Amdt. 4064 to S. 2611, Vote #131, 5/18/06; Library of Congress, accessed 4/2/13]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

The U.S. Immigration Reform PAC Gave $500 To Sen. Graham. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, the U.S. Immigration Reform PAC donated $500 to Lindsey Graham’s campaign in 2002. [OpenSecrets.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The U.S. Immigration Reform PAC Advocates Lower Legal Immigration And Is Run By The Wife Of John Tanton, “The Racist Architect Of The Modern Anti-Immigrant Movement.” According to the U.S. Immigration Reform PAC’s website, “The US Immigration Reform Political Action Committee (USIRPAC) … is the oldest continually active political committee in the nation fighting to secure our nation’s borders and reduce immigration to the traditional levels our nation can absorb. USIRPAC President Mary Lou Tanton is the wife of Federation for American Immigration Reform(FAIR) founder and FAIR board member John Tanton.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, “John Tanton is the racist architect of the modern anti-immigrant movement. … Tanton has white nationalist beliefs and has written that to maintain American culture, ‘a European-American majority’ is required.” [USImmigrationReformPAC.org, accessed 4/3/13; SPLCenter.org, accessed 3/7/12]

Sen. Jeff Flake (R-AZ)

Flake is a member of the “gang of eight.”

Flake Abandoned Long-Held Position On Immigration Reform In Conjunction With Run For Senate. According to The Arizona Republic, “For years, Rep. Jeff Flake was one of the most reliable Republican champions for comprehensive immigration reform. Not anymore. As his campaign for Arizona’s 2012 GOP Senate nomination revs up, Flake is explicitly rejecting his past advocacy for far-reaching legislation that would secure the border, enact a temporary-worker program and give many undocumented immigrants a pathway to legal status. ‘In the past I have supported a broad approach to immigration reform — increased border security coupled with a temporary worker program. I no longer do,’ Flake says in an immigration-policy statement that was expected to be posted on his campaign website as early as today. ‘I’ve been down that road, and it is a dead end. The political realities in Washington are such that a comprehensive solution is not possible, or even desirable given the current leadership. Border security must be addressed before other reforms are tackled.’” [The Arizona Republic, 3/23/11]

  • WSJ Op-Ed: Flake Once Said That “Virtually All” Undocumented Immigrants Have Ties To Smuggling And Drugs. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Mr. Flake has represented suburban Phoenix since 2001 and distinguished himself as, among other things, a champion of comprehensive immigration reform that includes not only more border security but also viable guest worker programs to meet U.S. labor market demand and a pathway to citizenship for undocumented workers already here. These days, he sounds more like Arizona’s Sheriff Joe Arpaio, denouncing comprehensive immigration reform as ‘a dead end’ and saying it’s no longer ‘possible or even desirable.’ He touts his support for walling off the Mexican border and suggests (incorrectly) that illegal Latinos drive violent crime in the U.S., telling one interviewer that ‘virtually all’ of the people entering the country illegally today are tied to smuggling rings and drug cartels. Mr. Flake, who is also known as a staunch fiscal hawk, apparently believes that kind of immigration rhetoric is necessary to win over Republican primary voters.” [Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, 7/10/12]

Flake Urged SCOTUS to Uphold Arizona Immigration Law. According to a press release from Sen. Flake’s office, “Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today urged the Supreme Court to uphold SB 1070, Arizona’s immigration enforcement law. Congressman Flake has consistently opposed the Obama Administration’s decision to sue Arizona over the law. ‘It should be expected that states like Arizona will take action to enforce immigration laws when the federal government continues its long history of failing to do so,’ said Flake. ‘The Obama Administration ought to focus on securing the border instead of suing Arizona for trying to help.’” [Flake Press Release, 4/25/12]

Flake Voted Against the DREAM Act. On December 8, 2010, Flake voted against the DREAM Act. According to the Immigration Policy Center, “The DREAM Act …provides ‘conditional’ permanent residency to qualified unauthorized immigrants who enrolled in college or serve in the military. After meeting a set of requirements, including completion of at least two years of college or military service, the conditional status could be converted to full-fledged permanent resident status, which is a prerequisite for obtaining U.S. citizenship. The legislation currently before the Senate and the House would permit individuals up to age 35 to benefit from the DREAM Act, provided that they entered the United States before their 16th birthday and resided in the country for at least five years before the bill’s enactment. The two-year college or military requirement could be met in a variety of ways, including attending community or vocational school or service in the National Guard. Upon completion of the two-year requirement, applicants could seek to remove the condition and become permanent residents.” [H.R. 5281, Vote# 625, 12/8/10; ImmigrationPolicy.org, 6/5/12]

Flake Supported Ending Birthright Citizenship.According to The Washington Times, “House Republicans are looking closely at ending birthright citizenship and building a barrier along the entire U.S.-Mexico border as they search for solutions to illegal immigration. … ‘There’s been recent scholarship that says we can do it by statute, and we ought to try,’ said Rep. Jeff Flake, Arizona Republican, who usually finds himself on the opposite side of immigration issues from Mr. Tancredo. ‘How in the world can you explain that’s a good policy to have? It simply doesn’t promote respect for the rule of law,’ Mr. Flake said.” [The Washington Times, 11/4/05]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

Flake Received $2,862 From Board Members Of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Flake received a contribution of $2,300 from Michael W. Grebe on April 10, 2008. Flake received a contribution of $562 from Terry Considine on October 17, 2012. Grebe is the president and Considine is a board member of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; BradleyFdn.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The Lynde And Harry Bradley Foundation Has Given At Least $220,000 To The Anti-Immigrant Center For Immigration Studies. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation contributed $220,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies is “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” [Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009]

Flake Received $3,500 From Board Members Of The William H. Donner Foundation. Flake received a contribution of $1,000 from Curtin Winsor on October 27, 2012. He also received a contribution of $2,500 from Joseph W. Donner. Winsor and Donner both sit on the board of the William H. Donner Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • William H. Donner Foundation Has Given At Least $175,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The William H. Donner Foundation contributed $140,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2006-2011. The foundation also contributed $35,000 to FAIR in 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX)

Cruz sits on the Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security.

Cruz Claimed Obama Wants Immigration Reform Bill To “Crater” So Democrats Can Use It As “A Political Wedge.” According to Ted Cruz in an interview with the Dallas Morning News, “[Obama’s] behavior concerning immigration leads me to believe that what he wants is a political issue rather than actually to pass a bill. What he wants is for the bill to crater, so that he can use the issue as a political wedge in 2014 and 2016. That is why I believe the president is insisting on a path to citizenship for those who are here illegally. Because by insisting on that, he ensures that any immigration reform bill will be voted down in the House.” [Dallas Morning News, 3/24/13]

Cruz: “I Do Not Support The Dream Act And Categorically Oppose Amnesty.” In an interview with the blog Conservatives in Action published on Cruz’s campaign website, Cruz said, “I do not support the Dream Act and categorically oppose amnesty. I categorically oppose amnesty and I strongly support legal immigration for those that have followed the rules and come here to pursue the American dream.” [TedCruz.org, 7/18/11]

Cruz: “End Benefits Like In-State Tuition For Illegal Aliens.” According to the Texas Tribune, Ted Cruz said, “We need leaders who will get serious about enforcing the border: triple the border patrol; use walls, fences, and technology; end sanctuary cities; repeal Obama’s newly ordered amnesty; and end benefits like in-state tuition for illegal aliens.” [Texas Tribune, 6/25/12]

Cruz Called On Romney To End Obama’s “Deferred Action” Policy Toward Young Undocumented Immigrants. According to the Huffington Post, “Ted Cruz, a Republican senatorial candidate from Texas, said Monday he thinks presidential candidate Mitt Romney should end President Barack Obama’s deferred action policy, going beyond Romney’s line that he doesn’t need to because he’ll fix the problem quickly through Congress. Asked by Telemundo whether Romney should reinstate deportations of young people granted deferred action, Cruz said, ‘I do.’ ‘I think it is without authority, and we’re a nation of rule of law, and it is not defending anyone’s freedom to be undermining rule of law,’ he said of President Obama’s June announcement that his administration would grant work authorizations and deferred action — reprieve from deportation concerns for two years — to some undocumented young people.” [Huffington Post, 8/28/12]

Cruz Attacked Primary Opponent’s Support For Guest Worker Program. According to Fox News Latino, “Cruz went on the offensive against Dewhurst on illegal immigration—a key issue in the state that shares the longest stretch of U.S.-Mexico border—calling attention to Dewhurst’s 2007 support of a guest worker program for the state’s undocumented immigrants, announced at a speech in South Texas.  Cruz called the guest worker idea more expansive than President Obama’s decision to call off deportations for immigrants without criminal records who came here illegally as children—a policy that Cruz opposes and called ‘illegal.’” [Fox News Latino, 7/18/12]

Cruz Supported Border Wall, Including Possibility Of Confiscating Private Property. According to Fox News Latino, “Cruz also distinguished himself from Dewhurst with his full-throated support for a border wall estimated by the Department of Homeland Security to cost $7.3 billion, or $6.5 million per mile. Cruz defended the border wall proposal even if it meant expropriating private property—a position that the debate’s moderators, WFAA reporter Brad Watson and Gromer Jeffers of the Dallas Morning News, said contrasted with Cruz’s message of fiscal conservatism. ‘One of the specific powers and responsibilities of the federal government is to secure the borders,’ Cruz said. ‘Property can be taken with due process of law and just compensation.’” [Fox News Latino, 7/18/12]

Cruz Criticized Idea Of Providing Green Cards To Unauthorized Immigrants. According to the Washington Examiner, “Sen. Ted Cruz signaled yesterday on FOX News that he was concerned about allowing illegal immigrants to get a green card – reportedly part of the Gang of Eight Senate bill for immigration reform. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., supports the idea of allowing illegal immigrants to apply for a green card after a 10-year wait. ‘The problem with the green card is the green card is a permanent legal residence status, and anyone who has a green card is eligible for citizenship within five years,’ Cruz explained to FOX News host Sean Hannity. ‘And so, if someone can get a green card, that is a path to citizenship.’” [Washington Examiner, 4/2/13]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

The U.S. Immigration Reform PAC Gave $500 To Sen. Cruz. According to Ted Cruz’s FEC filings, the U.S. Immigration Reform PAC donated $500 to his campaign in July of 2012. [Federal Election Commission, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The U.S. Immigration Reform PAC Advocates Lower Legal Immigration And Is Run By The Wife Of John Tanton, “The Racist Architect Of The Modern Anti-Immigrant Movement.” According to the U.S. Immigration Reform PAC’s website, “The US Immigration Reform Political Action Committee (USIRPAC) … is the oldest continually active political committee in the nation fighting to secure our nation’s borders and reduce immigration to the traditional levels our nation can absorb. USIRPAC President Mary Lou Tanton is the wife of Federation for American Immigration Reform(FAIR) founder and FAIR board member John Tanton.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, “John Tanton is the racist architect of the modern anti-immigrant movement. … Tanton has white nationalist beliefs and has written that to maintain American culture, ‘a European-American majority’ is required.” [USImmigrationReformPAC.org, accessed 4/3/13; SPLCenter.org, accessed 3/7/12]

Cruz Received $1,000 From A Board Member Of The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. Cruz received a $1,000 contribution from Terry Considine on February 29, 2012. Considine is a board member of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; BradleyFdn.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The Lynde And Harry Bradley Foundation Has Given At Least $220,000 To The Anti-Immigrant Center For Immigration Studies. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation contributed $220,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies is “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” [Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009]

Cruz Received $2,500 From A William H. Donner Foundation Board Member. Cruz received a contribution of $2,500 from Joseph W. Donner on January 19, 2012. Donner sits on the board of the William H. Donner Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13]

  • William H. Donner Foundation Has Given At Least $175,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The William H. Donner Foundation contributed $140,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2006-2011. The foundation also contributed $35,000 to FAIR in 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

Cruz Received $1,000 From A Sarah Scaife Foundation Board Member. Cruz received a contribution of $1,000 from Kenneth T. Cribb on March 9, 2012. Cribb is a trustee of the Sarah Scaife Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/11/13; Sarah Scaife Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2011]

  • The Sarah Scaife Foundation Has Given At Least $2,840,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The Sarah Scaife Foundation contributed $1,215,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies between 2002 and 2011, at least $1,300,000 to the Federation for American Immigration Reform between 2001 and 2002, and $325,000 to NumbersUSA between 2003 and 2011. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, “FAIR, CIS and NumbersUSA are all part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” [Sarah Scaife Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2001-2011; SPLC, February 2009]

Cruz Received $500 From Team America PAC. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Team America PAC donated $500 to Cruz’s campaign in 2012. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/11/13]

  • Tancredo-Founded Team America PAC: “Illegal Immigration Is The Most Critical Issue Facing Our Nation Today.” According to Team America PAC’s website, “Illegal immigration is the most critical issue facing our nation today. Team America was founded by Congressman Tom Tancredo, to make this issue a significant part of the national political debate and to identify, recruit, and help elect to public office individuals who are committed to enforcing our laws and securing our borders.” [Team America PAC, accessed 4/11/13]

Cruz Received $500 From Minuteman PAC. According to the Center for Responsive Politics, Minuteman PAC donated $500 to Cruz’s campaign in 2012. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/11/13]

  • Minuteman PAC Believes The “United States Are At War” And Is Concerned About “Colonization And Balkanization.” According to its website, “Minuteman PAC is a citizens’ political action committee created to serve as a potent political arm of the Minuteman Movement, the grassroots initiative that seeks to secure America’s sovereign territory against incursion, invasion, and terrorism. […] These United States are at war, and under siege by forces and interests that have the capacity, over time, to destroy our great experiment of responsible self-government. […] If you are concerned about the chaos upon our broken borders, if you believe America should welcome legal immigration but reject colonization and Balkanization, we invite you help us secure the future of our nation for the American people and her posterity.” [MinutemanPAC.com, accessed 4/11/13]

Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY)

McConnell Defended Arizona Immigration Law, Said Obama Should Take “Amnesty Off The Table.” According to a statement by Sen. Mitch McConnell responding to the Justice Department’s challenge to Arizona’s immigration law, “Suing the people of Arizona for attempting to do a job the federal government has utterly failed to execute will not help secure our borders. If the President wants to make real progress on this issue, he can do so by taking amnesty off the table and focus his efforts on border and interior security. It is long past time for this administration to prioritize solving a crisis over imposing an agenda and the first step is to recognize that attorneys and amnesty are not acceptable alternatives to border security and job creation.” [McConnell Statement via ABC News, 7/6/10]

McConnell: Congress “Ought To Take A Look At” Birthright Citizenship Granted By The 14th Amendment. According to The Hill, “Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) told The Hill on Monday that Congress ‘ought to take a look at’ changing the 14th Amendment, which gives the children of illegal immigrants a right to U.S. citizenship. McConnell’s statement signals growing support within the GOP for the controversial idea, which has also recently been touted by Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.) and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). In an interview, McConnell said the 14th Amendment provision should be reconsidered in light of the country’s immigration problem. McConnell stopped short of echoing Graham’s call for revamping the amendment. ‘I think we ought to take a look at it — hold hearings, listen to the experts on it,’ McConnell said. ‘I haven’t made a final decision about it, but that’s something that we clearly need to look at. Regardless of how you feel about the various aspects of immigration reform, I don’t think anybody thinks that’s something they’re comfortable with.’” [The Hill, 8/2/10]

  • McConnell Subsequently Claimed “I’m Not Aware Of Anybody Who Has Come Out For Altering The 14th Amendment.” According to the New York Times, “At a breakfast on Thursday in Washington, Senator Mitch McConnell, the Senate minority leader, tried to tamp down a controversy that started when Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina, questioned the 14th Amendment to the Constitution, which grants the right to citizenship to anyone born in the United States. ‘I am not aware of anybody who has come out in favor of altering the 14th Amendment,’ Mr. McConnell said. But Mr. Graham, speaking on Fox News last week, said it was ‘a mistake’ to allow American-born children of illegal immigrants to become citizens automatically, a practice known as birthright citizenship. He said that along with a plan to grant legal status to millions of illegal immigrants, he would also amend the 14th Amendment as a way of discouraging future unauthorized immigration.” [New York Times, 8/6/10]

McConnell Opposed DREAM Act Because “We Should Not Reward Illegal Behavior.” According to floor remarks by Sen. Mitch McConnell, “I am disappointed my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are not continuing on the bipartisan path of enhancing our security. Instead, they are bringing up a controversial issue with the DREAM Act. This bill is an attempt to put illegal immigrants who graduate from a U.S. high school or obtain their GED on a special path to citizenship. Though I recognize and appreciate the tremendous contributions to our country made by generations of legal immigrants, I do not believe we should reward illegal behavior. It is our duty to promote respect for America’s immigration laws and fairness for U.S. citizens and lawful immigrants. The DREAM Act fails that test and I will oppose it.” [McConnell Remarks, 10/24/07]

McConnell Opposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform In 2007. Sen. McConnell voted against cloture on the 2007 version of immigration reform. [S. 1639, Vote #235, 6/28/07]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

McConnell Has Received $200 From Board Member Of NumbersUSA. McConnell received a $200 contribution from Laura Gutman, who sits on the board of NumbersUSA. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; NumbersUSA.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • NumbersUSA, Which Advocates Lower Legal Immigration, Is “At The Nexus Of The American Nativist Movement.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, “Three Washington, D.C.-based immigration-restriction organizations stand at the nexus of the American nativist movement: the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), and NumbersUSA. […] FAIR, CIS and NumbersUSA are all part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” According to NumbersUSA’s “About Us” page, “Based in the Washington D.C. area and Arlington, Virginia, NumbersUSA Action is the nation’s largest grassroots immigration-reduction organization with more than one million participants in all 435 congressional districts. Members mobilize to persuade public officials to support immigration policies that protect all Americans—especially the most vulnerable and including the foreign-born—from losing wages, taxes, individual freedoms, quality of life, and access to nature due to excessive immigration numbers that indiscriminately enlarge the U.S. population, the laborforce and government costs.” [SPLCenter.org, February 2009; NumbersUSA, accessed 4/3/12; emphasis original]

McConnell Received $1,000 From Bradley Foundation President Michael W. Grebe. McConnell received $1,000 from Michael W. Grebe, President of the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; BradleyFdn.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • The Lynde And Harry Bradley Foundation Has Given At Least $220,000 To The Anti-Immigrant Center For Immigration Studies. The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation contributed $220,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies is “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.”

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

Cornyn is the Ranking Member of the Judiciary subcommittee on Immigration, Refugees, and Border Security.

In 2007, Cornyn Voted Against The DREAM Act, And In 2010 He Warned It Would Lead To “Chain Migration.” According to The Houston Chronicle’s Texas on the Potomac blog, “Texas Sen. John Cornyn criticized the DREAM Act Tuesday at the measure’s first-ever Senate hearing, calling it a move that could spur illegal immigration and fraud in the absence of comprehensive immigration reform. […] [H]e added that the legislation offers too few protections against fraud and could lead to ‘chain migration’’ if it is not paired with comprehensive immigration reform. ‘Were we to pass this bill as a stand-alone bill without addressing the rest of our broken immigration system, I believe it is far less likely that we would ever get to the other issues in our broken system,’ he said.” In 2007 Cornyn voted against cloture on a version of the DREAM Act. [Houston Chronicle’s Texas On The Potomac Blog, 6/29/11; Senate Report 108-2224 via Library of Congress, 10/23/03; S. 2205, Vote #394, 10/24/07]

Cornyn Called Democratic Support For DREAM Act “A Cynical Effort To Use The Hopes And Dreams Of These Young People As A Political Wedge.” According to The Houston Chronicle’s Texas on the Potomac blog, “Cornyn called the act’s attempted passage in 2010 ‘political football in a political stunt.’ ‘It had all of the hallmarks of a cynical effort to use the hopes and dreams of these young people as a political wedge in the run-up to the 2012 election,’ he said.” [Houston Chronicle’s Texas On The Potomac Blog, 6/29/11]

Sen. Cornyn Linked Illegal Immigration To Swine Flu Outbreaks. During an April 2009 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on comprehensive immigration reform, Sen. Cornyn stated, “Obviously, there is a public health component of our immigration system, and so we need to restore one that is protective of the public health as the recent incidents of this last week or so have reminded us.” According to The Huffington Post, “Conservative media hosts, including Michelle Malkin and Glenn Beck, have placed the blame for the spread of swine flu to the United States squarely on the shoulders of undocumented Mexican immigrants. Some even suggested yesterday that Mexicans were purposefully carrying the virus across the border to sabotage the United States. There’s no basis for either claim — in fact, news reports and health officials suggest that Americans traveling to Mexico likely carried the disease home.” [Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing via Nexis, 4/30/09; Huffington Post, 4/28/09]

Cornyn Has Repeatedly Opposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Sen. Cornyn voted against passage on the immigration reform bill of 2006 and against cloture on the 2007 version of immigration reform. [S. 2611, Vote #157, 5/25/06; S. 1639, Vote #235, 6/28/07]

Cornyn Supported An Amendment To Declare English The National Language. In 2006 and 2007, Sen. Cornyn voted in favor of amendments introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) that would have declared English the national language. [S. Amdt. 1151 to S. Amdt. 1150 to S. 1348, Vote #198, 6/6/07; S. Amdt. 4064 to S. 2611, Vote #131, 5/18/06]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

Cornyn Received $250 From A Board Member Of The Armstrong Foundation. Cornyn received a $250 contribution from John H. James on March 10, 2008. James sits on the board of the Armstrong Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; The Armstrong Foundation’s 990 Form, 2011]

  • The Armstrong Foundation Has Given At Least $237,500 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The Armstrong Foundation contributed $77,500 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2004 to 2011; $20,000 to NumbersUSA between 2008 and 2010; $135,000 to the Center for America Unity between 2001 and 2006 ; and $5,000 to the VDARE Foundation. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Center for Immigration Studies and NumbersUSA are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “are all part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” The Southern Poverty Law Center also writes that VDARE “is an anti-immigration hate website” that “regularly publishes articles by prominent white nationalists, race scientists and anti-Semites,” while the Center for American Unity, which originally created VDARE, “has served to promote the work of white supremacists, anti-Semites and others on the radical right.”  [Armstrong Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2001-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, accessed 4/3/13]

Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)

Vitter chairs the Border Security and Enforcement First Immigration Caucus.     

In 2010, Sen. Vitter Ran A Racist Anti-Immigration Attack Ad. According to the Times-Picayune, “Sen. David Vitter’s campaign for re-election to the U.S. Senate is running a anti-immigration TV ad against Rep. Charlie Melancon, D-Napoleonville, that is being denounced as ‘racist’ and ‘reprehensible’ by the Louisiana Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and a leading national immigrant advocacy group. The ad, done in the broad, comic style of Vitter’s ad-maker John Brabender, shows Hispanic ‘illegal aliens’ sneaking through a hole in a fence and being welcomed by folks holding a Melancon banner, a giant check made out to ‘all illegal aliens’ and signed by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. The immigrants also are greeted by a band playing ‘America the Beautiful,’ fireworks and a limo that drives them away. Darlene Kattan, executive director of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Louisiana, characterized the ad as ‘racist’ in the way that it plays off a ‘Hollywood stereotype image of Latino workers.’ ‘It is totally unacceptable and we demand an immediate apology and the removal of the ad,’ Kattan said. She added that the spot ‘uses the word ‘illegal’ too many times, and we stress that word.’” [The Times-Picayune, 10/8/10; Vitter For Senate Ad, 10/6/10]

  • Vitter Had Previously Put Out A Racially Fraught Anti-Immigration Campaign Ad. According to the Washington Post, “In the ad, a menacing photo of ‘illegal aliens’ stares out in black-and-white from the screen. The photo also showed up in advertising for Sen. David Vitter (R-La.), with the words ‘Benefits for Illegals’ scrawled beneath the three mens’ faces. Only the photographer says the men were not illegal and had not immigrated to the United States at the time the photograph was taken. […] They were farmers who had traveled from the far south of Mexico after their entire crop had failed and they were left with nothing to sell. They hoped to cross the border, but [photographer Chris] Floyd said he never knew if they did. At that point, ‘It was a picture of Mexicans in Mexico.’ […] The caption for the photograph clearly identifies them as ‘Mexicans pose for a portrait whilst gathered in the town square of Altar, Mexico.’ The key words for the photograph do not use the term ‘illegal,’ but they do use the term ‘Mexican Ethnicity.’” [Washington Post, 10/8/10]

Sen. Vitter: Gang Of Eight’s Immigration Reform Proposal Is “Ridiculous” And Sen. Rubio Is “Amazingly Naïve.” According to Politico, “Sen. David Vitter on Wednesday called Florida Sen. Marco Rubio ‘amazingly naïve’ and ‘nuts’ on the issue of immigration and slammed the new bipartisan reform proposal as ‘ridiculous.’ The Louisiana Republican told ‘The Laura Ingraham Show’ that the blueprint unveiled by a group of eight senators is a plan that mirrors the ‘same old’ failed immigration reform of 1986. Rubio’s belief that enforcement mechanisms will work this time around is ‘just amazingly naïve,’ Vitter said. ‘I love and respect Marco. I think he’s just amazingly naïve on this issue,’ Vitter said. ‘This is the same old formula that we’ve dealt with before, including when it passed in 1986, and that is promises of enforcement and immediate amnesty. And of course, the promises of enforcement never materialize. The amnesty happens immediately — the millisecond the bill is signed into law, and the same is true here. No, they won’t be citizens immediately. They will be legal.’ ‘Citizenship is guaranteed at that point as a practical matter,’ he added. Vitter said that if the Florida Republican doesn’t think legal status offers a pathway to citizenship, ‘he’s nuts.’” [Politico, 1/30/13]

Vitter: DREAM Act Is “The Illegal Alien Student Bailout.” According to a press release from Sen. Vitter, “‘I am extremely pleased that the U.S. Senate has once again rejected the illegal alien student bailout known as the DREAM Act,’ said Vitter. ‘The American people have made it very clear that they favor border enforcement over policies that encourage lawlessness, and today’s bipartisan vote reaffirms what I have long argued – the American people will not tolerate amnesty in any form. In these difficult economic times, when unemployment rates are on the rise and government spending is unsustainable, the last thing legal tax-paying American citizens need is to see their hard-earned money used to finance the education of illegal aliens. Amnesty and economic incentives only exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration, and despite the efforts of liberals to push it yet again, I am pleased that we were once again able to defeat this irresponsible legislation,’ said Vitter.” [Vitter.Senate.gov, 10/9/10]

Sen. Vitter Cosponsored A Bill Requiring Government Services To Be Conducted In English Only. In 2008, Sen. Vitter co-sponsored S. 2719, which reads, in part, “No funds appropriated pursuant to any provision of law may be used to promulgate or enforce any executive order that creates an entitlement to services provided in any language other than English.” The bill specifically nullified Executive Order 13166, “Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency.” [Library of Congress, accessed 4/5/13]

  • Vitter Co-Sponsored An Amendment To Declare English The National Language. In 2006 and 2007, Sen. Vitter voted in favor of amendments introduced by Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK) that would have declared English the national language. Vitter co-sponsored the 2007 amendment. [S. Amdt. 1151 to S. Amdt. 1150 to S. 1348, Vote #198, 6/6/07; S. Amdt. 4064 to S. 2611, Vote #131, 5/18/06; Library of Congress, accessed 4/5/13]

Sen. Vitter Blamed “Illegal Immigrants” For Louisiana’s Loss Of A Congressional Representative. According to Politico, “Sen. David Vitter is blaming Louisiana’s loss of a congressional seat on the large number of illegal immigrants he says are living in other states. By including illegal immigrants in the new 2010 census population counts, Vitter contends the federal government is penalizing states that don’t ‘welcome’ them. ‘Louisiana stands to lose clout in Congress, while states that welcome illegal immigrants stand to unfairly benefit from artificially inflated population totals,’ the Republican senator said in a statement Tuesday.” [Politico, 12/21/10]

Sen. Vitter Has Repeatedly Introduced A Bill Ending Birthright Citizenship, Which He Describes As “A Magnet To Attract More And More Adults Into Our Country Illegally.” According to an op-ed from Sen. Vitter, “America’s illegal immigration problem is out of control. To change this, we must better protect our borders, particularly the Mexican border, and ensure that only citizens and those in our country legally can be hired for jobs. Another change we must make is to stop babies born in this country to two illegal immigrant parents from automatically becoming U.S. citizens as they do now; this happens tens of thousands of times in the U.S. every year. This is just flat wrong, and it serves as a magnet to attract more and more adults into our country illegally. I believe the policy of birthright citizenship is incompatible with both the text and the legislative history of the 14th Amendment, which is why I recently introduced legislation so that a person born in the United States to illegal immigrants does not automatically gain citizenship unless at least one parent is a legal citizen, a lawful permanent resident (green card holder) or an active member of the Armed Forces.” Sen. Vitter introduced a similar bill, the Birthright Citizenship Act of 2013, in the 113th Congress. [Sen. Vitter Op-Ed via CNN.com, 2/15/11; Birthright Citizenship Act of 2013 via Library of Congress, accessed 4/5/13]

Sen. Vitter Cosponsored E-Verify Legislation. According to a press release from Sen. Chuck Grassley, “Senator Chuck Grassley today introduced legislation that would permanently authorize and require employers to use the E-Verify program. […] The Accountability Through Electronic Verification Act of 2013 is cosponsored by Senators John Boozman, Bob Corker, Mike Johanns, Mike Lee, Jeff Sessions, David Vitter, Roger Wicker, Deb Fischer, Orrin Hatch and Mike Enzi.” [Grassley.Senate.gov, 1/31/13]

Sen. Vitter On Arizona’s Immigration Law: “If President Obama Doesn’t Want States To Act On Immigration, He Should Start Doing His Job.” According to a press release from Sen. Vitter’s office, “‘The Arizona law is absolutely constitutional.  If President Obama doesn’t want states to act on immigration, he should start doing his job and controlling the border himself, not looking the other way,’ Vitter said. Vitter serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate Border Security and Enforcement First Immigration Caucus and has been a vocal supporter of the Arizona immigration law. In November 2011, Sens. Vitter, Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) offered legislation to prohibit President Obama’s administration, including the Department of Justice (DOJ) and other agencies, from participating in lawsuits against South Carolina, Alabama and Arizona over recently passed immigration laws. In May 2011, Vitter applauded the U.S. Supreme Court ruling to uphold an Arizona law that requires all businesses to check to make sure their employees are in the country legally. In 2010, Vitter also introduced an amendment that would have prevented the administration from suing with taxpayers’ money to block the Arizona law.” Vitter.Senate.gov, 4/24/12]

Vitter Has Repeatedly Opposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Sen. Vitter voted against passage on the immigration reform bill of 2006 and against cloture on the 2007 version of immigration reform. [S. 2611, Vote #157, 5/25/06; S. 1639, Vote #235, 6/28/07]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

Vitter Has Received At Least $1150 From A Board Member Of NumbersUSA. Vitter received three $250 contributions from Laura Gutman, who sits on the board of NumbersUSA, in January 2010, August 2008, and October 2008. Vitter also received a $350 contribution from Gutman in August 2008. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/5/13; NumbersUSA.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • NumbersUSA, Which Advocates Lower Legal Immigration, Is “At The Nexus Of The American Nativist Movement.” According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, “Three Washington, D.C.-based immigration-restriction organizations stand at the nexus of the American nativist movement: the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS), and NumbersUSA. […] FAIR, CIS and NumbersUSA are all part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” According to NumbersUSA’s “About Us” page, “Based in the Washington D.C. area and Arlington, Virginia, NumbersUSA Action is the nation’s largest grassroots immigration-reduction organization with more than one million participants in all 435 congressional districts. Members mobilize to persuade public officials to support immigration policies that protect all Americans—especially the most vulnerable and including the foreign-born—from losing wages, taxes, individual freedoms, quality of life, and access to nature due to excessive immigration numbers that indiscriminately enlarge the U.S. population, the laborforce and government costs.” [SPLCenter.org, February 2009; NumbersUSA, accessed 4/3/12; emphasis original]

Vitter Received $500 From A Trustee Of The William H. Donner Foundation. Vitter received $500 from Curtin Windsor, Jr. on October 18, 2004. Curtin is a trusteenumb at the William W. Donner Foundation. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • William H. Donner Foundation Has Given At Least $175,000 To Anti-Immigrant Groups. The William H. Donner Foundation contributed $140,000 to the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) from 2006-2011. The foundation also contributed $35,000 to FAIR in 2003. According to the Southern Poverty Law Center, the Federation for American Immigration Reform and the Center for Immigration Studies are “at the nexus of the American nativist movement” and “part of a network of restrictionist organizations conceived and created by John Tanton, the ‘puppeteer’ of the nativist movement and a man with deep racist roots.” SPLC also designates FAIR an anti-immigrant hate group. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/3/13; Donner Foundation IRS Forms 990, 2003-2011; SPLCenter.org, February 2009; SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]

Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)

Grassley is the Ranking Member on the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Grassley: The DREAM Act Would “Incentivize And Reward Illegal Behavior” And “Create A Rush To The Border.” According to Sen. Grassley’s prepared remarks for a Judiciary Committee hearing on the DREAM Act, “The sponsors of the legislation claim only children who came to this country through no fault of their own would benefit.  But the legislation would actually set the stage for another mass amnesty by putting millions of individuals, not just young people, on a path to citizenship.  It would open the door to massive fraud and abuse of our immigration system. […] I’m concerned that the repercussions in discussing another amnesty will only create a rush to the border.  This is dangerous not only for the men and women who patrol our boundaries, but for the immigrants themselves.  It is not unusual for those wanting a better life to justify their illegal behavior, but it is just that: illegal. […] I agree that diversity has made this country the greatest in the world.  We are a nation of immigrants, and continue to be an incredibly welcoming nation.  But we need to be cautious when considering proposals that incentivize and reward illegal behavior.” In 2010, Grassley voted against the Senate’s version of the DREAM Act. [Grassley Prepared Statement, 6/28/11; S.3992, Vote #268, 12/9/10]

Grassley Suggested That Obama’s DREAM Act Directive Would Take Jobs Away From Young Americans. According to a press release from Sen. Grassley shortly after President Obama signed a directive ordering immigration officials to cease deportations of certain undocumented immigrants, “On top of providing amnesty to those under 30 years old, the administration now will be granting work authorizations to illegal immigrants at the same time young Americans face record-high unemployment rates.  Americans also deserve to know how this amnesty program for hundreds of thousands of people will be funded, and whether resources for border security and enforcement will be diverted.” [Grassley.Senate.Gov, 6/15/12]

Grassley Introduced Mandatory E-Verify Bill. According to a press release from Grassley’s office, “Senator Chuck Grassley today introduced legislation that would permanently authorize and require employers to use the E-Verify program, an Internet-based system that assists employers in determining the eligibility of employees to work in the United States.  Grassley is Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on the Judiciary which is responsible for immigration legislation.” [Grassley.Senate.gov, 1/31/13]

  • Grassley-Sponsored E-Verify Amendment Previously Passed In Senate. According to the ACLU, “Under Grassley’s proposal, the DHS E-Verify system would require that all workers present government-issued photo ID to their employers, such as a passport or driver’s license. This documentation requirement would apply to all workers, including U.S. citizens, employed with an employer enrolled in E-Verify. The Grassley amendment encourages employers enrolled in E-Verify to verify the identification of all current employees, even if they have worked many years for that employer and even if they started work prior to the employer’s enrollment in E-Verify. The Grassley amendment was one of many ‘enforcement-only’ amendments passed by the Senate this week and added to the Homeland Security Appropriations Act.” [ACLU, 7/10/09]

Grassley Voted For An Amendment Barring The Justice Department From Challenging Arizona’s Immigration Law.  From a press release from Vitter’s office, “U.S. Sens. David Vitter (R-Louisiana), chairman of the U.S. Senate Border Security and Enforcement First Immigration Caucus, and Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the U.S. Senate Steering Committee, introduced an amendment that would prohibit President Obama’s administration, including the Department of Justice and other agencies, from participating in lawsuits seeking to invalidate the recently enacted Arizona immigration law. The DeMint-Vitter amendment (#4464) could be voted on next week as part of the debate on the small business bill on the Senate floor.” [Vitter.Senate.Gov, 7/14/10; H.R. 4212, Vote #214, 7/21/10]

Grassley Voted Against Classifying “The Spouses And Minor Children Of Lawful Permanent Residents As Immediate Relatives.” In 2007, then-Senator Clinton proposed an amendment to the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2007 to “reclassify the spouses and minor children of lawful permanent residents as immediate relatives.” Grassley voted against the amendment. [S. Amdt. 1183 to S. Amdt 1150 to S. 1348, Vote #195, 6/6/07]

Grassley Voted For Amendment To Put Limit On Family-Sponsored Immigrant Visas. In 1996, Senator Simpson proposed an amendment to the Immigration Control and Financial Responsibility Act of 1996 “To provide for temporary numerical limits on family-sponsored immigrant visas, a temporary priority-based system of allocating family-sponsored immigrant visas, and a temporary per-country limit–to apply for the five fiscal years after enactment of S. 1664.” Grassley was one of only 20 Senators to vote for the amendment. [S. 1664, Vote #83, 4/25/96]

Grassley Has Repeatedly Opposed Comprehensive Immigration Reform. Sen. Grassley voted against passage on the immigration reform bill of 2006 and against cloture on the 2007 version of immigration reform. [S. 2611, Vote #157, 5/25/06; S. 1639, Vote #235, 6/28/07]

Grassley Supported A Review Of Birthright Citizenship. According to the Iowa Independent, “U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has joined the list of Republicans who support a review of ‘birthright citizenship.’ The group — which thus far includes GOP Sens. Mitch McConnell, John McCain, Tom Coburn, John Kyl and Lindsey Graham — want to look into changing the Constitution’s 14th Amendment to remove automatic citizenship for children born in the United States.” [Iowa Independent, 8/4/10]

Ties To Extremist Anti-Immigrant Funding

Grassley Has Received $250 From A Board Member Of FAIR. Grassley received a $250 contributions from William W. Chip on March 13, 2009. Chip sits on the board of directors at the Federation for American Immigration Reform. [Center for Responsive Politics, accessed 4/5/13; FAIRUS.org, accessed 4/3/13]

  • FAIR Is An Anti-Immigrant Hate Group. The Southern Poverty Law Center has designated the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR) an anti-immigration hate group. [SPLCenter.org, Summer 2002]
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