Here's the record on immigration for Senator George Allen, a top Kilgore ally and leading conservative Republican, according to Americans for Better Immigration," which favors reductions in immigration, both legal and illegal:
Overall career rating on immigration reduction: C+
Latest rating: C
Total score for immigration reduction votes: 243 out of 400 possible points (60%)
Action on reducing "chain migration": Allen has taken "NO ACTION"
Action on reducing the "visa lottery": Allen has taken "NO ACTION"
Action to reduce foreign worker visas: F-
Action to reduce illegal immigration via interior enforcement: C
Action to reduce other rewards for illegal immigration: Allen has taken "NO ACTION"
Action to reduce refugee & asylum fraud: Allen has taken "NO ACTION"
Here are a few more tidbits on Sen. Allen's immigration voting record, courtesy of NumbersUSA:
*In 2004, Allen "Cosponsored [a] bill to import more low-skill, foreign workers...[which] had the potential to triple, rather than just double, the cap of 66,000" per year on low-skill (H-2B) nonimmigrant visas.
*In 2005, Allen "Voted in favor of amendment to increase foreign-worker importation." According to NumbersUSA, "the Mikulski Amendment exempts from the annual cap aliens granted an H-2B visa within three years prior to approval of an H-2B petition, thus potentially TRIPLING the number of H-2B workers in the United States at any one time.
*In 2005, Allen voted against the Byrd Amendment...provid[ing] $390 million to hire 650 more border patrol agents, 250 new immigration investigators, and 168 new immigration enforcement agents and deportation officers...[plus] 2,000 additional detention beds as well as funding to train the new personnel." (The Byrd Amendment passed by a vote of 65 to 34)
How about Virginia's Senior Senator, Republican John Warner?
Overall career rating on immigration reduction: D+
Latest rating: D-
Total score for immigration reduction votes: 253 out of 800 possible points (31%)
Action on reducing "chain migration": F-
Action on reducing the "visa lottery": F-
Action to reduce foreign worker visas: F-
Action to reduce amnesties for illegal aliens: F
Action to reduce refugee & asylum fraud: D
Action to reduce illegal immigration via interior enforcement: C
And, according to NumbersUSA, Sen. John Warner:
*"Voted in 1996 to continue chain migration" ("the primary reason for annual immigration levels snowballing from less than 300,000 in 1965 to around a million...allow[s] immigrants to send for their adult relatives. Then each of those relatives can send for their and their spouse's adult relatives, creating a never-ending and ever-growing chain.")
*"Voted for huge increase in 1990" ("After Sen. Warner voted in 1990 in favor of raising limits, immigration has now snowballed to around 1,000,000 (one million) a year")
*"Voted in favor of amnesty for agricultural workers in 2005" ("Of the 1.2 million illegal aliens currently working in agriculture, an estimated 860,000 plus their spouses and children could qualify for this amnesty, so the total could reach three million or more.")
*"Voted against amendment to provide funding for additional Border Patrol and ICE agents in 2005" (see Byrd Amendment, above)
*"Tried to kill voluntary pilot programs for workplace verification in 1996" (Warner was "part of a coalition of pro-business conservatives and...civil libertarians who tried to use the amendment to kill the establishment of voluntary pilot programs in high-immigration states. The programs were intended to assist employers in verifying whether people they had just hired had the legal right to work in this country. Such verification is considered by many experts to be an essential tool for withdrawing the job magnet from illegal aliens.")
What about Jerry Kilgore's buddy Eric Cantor (R- 7th District, VA)? According to NumbersUSA, Cantor:
*"Voted against American workers by voting in favor of worker-importation program in 2003"
*"Voted against secure IDs in 2004"
*"Voted in favor of rewarding illegal aliens from Mexico with Social Security benefits in 2004"
Oh, let's not forget 11th District Congressman (Republican) Tom Davis! How about a lifetime "D" rating (235/800 points, or 29%) on immigration from Americans for Better Immigration? How about "F-" ratings on reducing "chain migration," the "visa lottery," and "amnesties for illegal aliens?" How about an "F" rating for reducing illegal immigration with "interior enforcement?" Hmmm....
In other words, leading Virginia Republicans, including top Kilgore allies plus Tom Davis from Northern Virginia, are on record as STRONGLY pro-immigration. Again, there's good reason for this: illegal immigration is supported by powerful business interests which finance the George Allens, Tom Davises and John Warners of the world. The bottom line is that if you don't like illegal immigration, the people to blame are those in power, and for the last 6 years, that's been Republican President George W. Bush and a Republican Congress.
Don't take my word for it, by the way, just look it up! There are detailed report cards on every member of Congress readily available, at sites like Project VoteSmart and many others. Also, see articles like this ("Republicans for Illegal Immigration"), this ("Republicans Support Immigration, Too"), and this ("Conservatives Split in Debate on Curbing Illegal Immigration"). Enjoy!