Linda Chavez has impeccable conservative credentials:
Linda Chavez...is a prominent Hispanic-American conservative author, commentator, and radio talk show host.[...]
Chavez has held a number of appointed positions, among them Chairman, National Commission on Migrant Education (1988-1992); Appointed White House Director of Public Liaison (1985) by President Ronald Reagan; Staff Director of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights (1983-1985), appointed by President Ronald Reagan; and she was a member of the Administrative Conference of the United States (1984-1986).
Today, Chavez was in Prince William County in her role as chairman of the immigration subcommittee of the state advisory committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. Here's what she had to say about the Prince William County immigration resolution passed in October:
Watching this, it seemed like there was little fact-finding prior to the board's consideration of this resolution. You seemed to have made up your minds [in advance]...I'm talking about empirical evidence, not how people are feeling.
You can say that again, Ms. Chavez!
Of course, Corey Stewart responded by attacking the messenger and going ad hominem questioning Chavez's integrity by accusing her of being "an illegal immigrant-apologist."
Unfortunately for Stewart, it wasn't just Chavez. According to the Washington Post:
Members of a federal civil rights panel said today that the crackdown on illegal immigrants approved by the Prince William Board of County Supervisors was based largely on anecdotal evidence of problems caused by illegal immigrants.
Great way to make public policy, huh?
I favor a generous legal immigration program. Our current system is not well suited to our economic needs. You could solve the problem tomorrow if you increase the number of people who you allow to come to this country legally. I don't think that makes me an apologist.
So, if the government did that and made the 12 million undocumented workers in this country "legal," what would the anti-immigrant people say then? They obviously couldn't use the "illegal is illegal is illegal (ad nauseum)" mantra anymore. So what would they do? I presume they'd welcome the newly LEGAL immigrants with open arms, right? Right? ;)
I have followed the career of Linda Chavez for years because she could be the identical twin of a close relative of mine, only with the polar opposite political views. The two even attended the University of Colorado and lived in suburban Maryland at the same time.
Linda Chavez is as conservative as they come. It is hard to believe anyone could call her an illegal immigrant apologist with a straight face. That's just someone who does not care at all what the truth is, and will not listen to anyone.