Fred Thompson on immigration

Fred Thompson’s New Ad Ignores Immigration Record
Wednesday, November 14, 2007


As Senator, Thompson Voted Against Enforcement Measures

Des Moines – Now that he is running for President, Fred Thompson believes that the United States should enforce the law on undocumented immigrants; unfortunately he felt differently while serving in the Senate. Thompson voted against establishing an Office for the Enforcement of Employer Sanctions that would have fined companies who hired undocumented workers. In addition, the Senator voted to kill pilot programs to verify the legality of newly hired employees in the United States.

“Fred Thompson can try to talk tough about illegal immigration now that he is running for President, but Iowans deserve to know the truth,” said Carrie Giddins, Iowa Democratic Party Communications Director. “Thompson opposed efforts to penalize companies that employed undocumented immigrants and verify the legality of new employees.”

Thompson Voted Against Creating An Agency To Deal With Employers Who Hire Illegal Workers. Thompson voted against authorizing $100 million to establish with the Immigration and Naturalization Service an Office for the Enforcement of Employer Sanctions to levy fines for employing illegal aliens and to educate employers about the law and ways to prevent employment discrimination. [Senate Vote #99, 5/1/96, S1664]

Thompson Voted Against Establishing Programs to Verify That Employees Are Legal. Thompson voted to kill an amendment that would have taken out sections of the 1996 Immigration bill that establishes pilot programs to verify that newly hired employees are eligible to work in the United States and the sections that prescribe national standards for birth certificates and drivers' licenses. [Senate Vote #101, 5/1/96, S1664]

Thompson Gets "C" Grade from Americans for Better Immigration. According to the New York Post, "Americans for Better Immigration - a group that advocates deportation of illegals and a stronger border- rates Thompson an overall "C." [New York Post, 6/13/07]