PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES STAKE OUT POSITIONS ON IMMIGRATION

While immigration is less likely to be a hot button issue than in the 1996 elections, the various candidates for President of the United States are already addressing the issue. Both leading contenders – Texas Governor George W. Bush and Vice President Al Gore – have made it clear that they are not immigration restrictionists.

Bush heavily courted Hispanic voters in his last election for Governor and has been highly critical of anti-immigration forces in the Republican Party. He is continuing on in his attempt to win the loyalty of immigrant voters as evidenced by recent addresses he gave during a campaign swing through California.

Bush criticized Proposition 187, the anti-immigrant measure that is largely credited with costing Republicans the governorship in California for the first time in sixteen years. Bush’s position is starkly in contrast to many members of his party including most of his opponents for President.

Bush also challenged Al Gore in Silicon Valley where the Vice President clearly hopes to win support. In an address in Palo Alto, the Governor urged the President to raise the annual H-1B cap and not cave in to organized labor and anti-immigration advocates.

Bush’s far right opponent, Pat Buchanan, has, not surprisingly, vocalized his support for taking a hard line position against immigration. Buchanan has in the past taken eyebrow-raising positions on immigration and this year appears to be no different. In an address in Iowa recently, Buchanan said "The great threat to America, the great crime problem in this nation, the growing crime problem comes from illegal immigration. The administration has done little about it" and Republicans are not prioritizing the issue either.

Buchanan would expand the 14 mile security fence near San Diego on the US-Mexican border. He also is in favor of doubling the number of Border Patrol agents and expanding the deportation laws to make every criminal offense deportable.

Buchanan also made a point of criticizing Governor Bush for taking a soft position on immigration.

Vice President Gore, like Bush, is actively courting Hispanic voters. At a recent addresses in California, he also criticized Proposition 187. Gore has not publicly taken a position on raising the H-1B cap.

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