BEHIND THE HEADLINES

We asked Rep. Dana Rohrabacher via e-mail about his thoughts on the recently proposed immigration reform bill, presidential politics and the Iraq War.

Question: Sen. John McCain, one of the main sponsors of the immigration reform bill, said the proposed legislation’s critics ought to quit carping and should offer alternatives. Taking him up on the challenge, if you could write an immigration reform bill what would be its main planks?

Answer: The House already passed an alternative bill to the one being debated by the Senate during the last Congress, when Republicans were still in control. It focused on real border-enforcement measures and tougher, more enforceable employer sanctions, unlike the smoke and mirrors of the current Senate bill. If I had the opportunity to add a provision, it would be to insist all those who provide taxpayer-funded benefits, such as healthcare and education, verify the legal status of all recipients in order to ensure that American citizens are the beneficiaries of these services.

Q: On Wednesday the Senate voted to slash the guest-worker permits from 400,000 to 200,000 in the bill. Since the senators behind the so-called “grand bargain” have said any alteration may doom the entire bill, do you see this as the first step in the inevitable downfall of the proposal? How likely do you think it is that President Bush will get a chance to sign it?

A: The number of people permitted to enter the country as part of the guest-worker program will probably fluctuate through the debate process of the bill. However, the purpose of the bill is to grant amnesty to 12 million to 20 million illegals already here. Period. Those pushing for this mass legalization are doing so because they know it will bring millions more illegals here for cheap labor and increased profits, as well as securing a political power bloc. This Senate bill is not aimed at stopping the out-of-control influx but rather to accelerate it. The president more than likely will not get a bill to sign this year. He is clearly for amnesty, and the backlash of the American people is becoming more evident. The American people are screaming for border security and to put an end to the influx, not exacerbate it.

Q: The Orange County Grand Jury recommended that the county’s larger cities, such as Huntington Beach and Santa Ana, check the immigration status of everyone booked in the jails the way Costa Mesa does. Is there something you can do on your end to help make that happen?

A: All police forces should engage in verifying legal status of people in our jails and take the requisite measures to deport them. Congress can help by mandating this as a requirement and provide the necessary tools and funding to support such an effort, including the creation of a nationwide verification system.

Q: Who would you like to see get the GOP nomination for president? Who do you think has the best chance to win the White House?

A: At this time, I do not have a favorite candidate. However, I have ruled out support for Sen. McCain.

Q: The Democratic majority recently compromised on funding the Iraq War. If Iraq’s government doesn’t show signs of improvement by this fall, you’ve said the U.S. should consider withdrawing its troops. Is there anything the U.S. can do to improve the situation in Iraq that hasn’t been tried, and what would you do if you were the commander in chief?

A: If I could do something differently in Iraq, I would find out which of our so-called Arab allies are financing and supporting the insurgency and make sure their financial transactions are restricted. I would initiate sanctions against them if they continued to support the killing of our troops.