Richmond, VA - In response to the decision delivered by the United States Supreme Court in the case of Arizona v. United States, former governor and U.S. Senate candidate Tim Kaine released the following statement:
"I have always believed that truly comprehensive immigration reform will require all sides to come together to strike a balance to secure our borders and retain and attract the best and brightest talent to contribute to our economy and our communities. Unfortunately, while today’s ruling by the Supreme Court struck down many of the troubling provisions of the Arizona law, it also encourages a patchwork system of local policies that will not address our national immigration challenges. I continue to support comprehensive immigration reform at the federal level as well as the DREAM Act.
"My opponent has long made it clear that he will obstruct meaningful immigration reform. George Allen fought against President Reagan's bipartisan immigration reforms and sponsored extreme legislation to end birthright citizenship. As Senator, he opposed President Bush's bipartisan reform proposals. Recently, he declared his outright opposition to the DREAM Act. We don't need more voices of obstruction in the Senate. We need problem solvers committed to building our economy by making sure America is a home for talent."
Background:
December 2010: Allen Said He Opposed the DREAM Act. In a December 2010 press release titled “Washington Liberals Push For Amnesty” George Allen said: “If the government rewards illegal behavior, we will encourage more illegal behavior. The so-called ‘Dream Act’ being pushed by Washington liberals like Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Leader Harry Reid, and Senators Durbin and Kerry is a flawed piece of legislation that rewards illegal behavior with benefits paid for by taxpayers. As the son of a legal immigrant, I believe in the American dream where immigrants legally come to these shores to seek religious, economic and political freedom. I strongly oppose rewarding illegal behavior through amnesty and believe our first priority needs to be securing our borders. As Senator, I supported numerous measures to enhance border security, to ensure that felons and criminals are not given citizenship, to protect the integrity of Social Security, to establish English as the official language of the United States, while also working to encourage legal immigration to attract the best and brightest to the United States. We need to be serious in addressing illegal immigration, and once again, Congress is choosing politics over sound policy.” [Allen release, 12/18/10]
1991: Allen Co-Sponsored Bill That Would Limit Citizenship To Persons Who Were Born In The U.S. To A Mother Who Is A Legal U.S. Resident.In 1991, Allen co-sponsored a bill which would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to limit citizenship at birth to persons born in the United States to a mother who is legal U.S resident. [ H.R.3605:, introduced 10/22/91]
- 1994: Allen Said Children Born In the US To Illegal Immigrants Should Not Be Given Citizenship. One major ingredient in the problem, Allen suggests, is that “if someone comes in illegally and gives birth to a child in this country, that child is [automatically] an American citizen, and therefore entitled to all the educational, welfare, medical, and all those benefits. I think the Congress needs to [change] that because that’s a federal requirement.” [Christian Science Monitor (Boston, MA), 2/3/94]
1984: Delegate Allen Sponsored Resolution Opposing Immigration Bill That Reagan Signed; Allen Stated It Would Make It Impossible To Stop “Mass Invasion” By Those Unable to Speak English. The Washington Post reported, “What about all these illegal aliens who will stream into the country if the dreaded Congress passes the Simpson-Mazzoli bill granting amnesty to many already here? ‘ . . . The granting of such amnesty would make it virtually impossible for United States immigration authorities to stop a mass invasion by persons unable to speak or read English,’ warns House Joint Resolution No. 109, sponsored by Republican Del. George Allen Jr. of Charlottesville. It passed the House.” [Washington Post, 2/16/84]
“Few Critics” Of Simpson-Mazzoli Act Mention That Reagan Signed The Bill In 1986. In an opinion piece for Newsday, Clarence Page wrote, “‘Amnesty Ronnie.’ Today's would-be border sealers fume and rage at the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli Act, which granted amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants. Yet few of those critics mention that Reagan signed that bill.” [Clarence Page op-ed, Newsday, 1/18/12]
Reagan Signed Simpson-Mazzoli Immigration Bill In November 1986. The Washington Post reported, “the Immigration Reform and Control Act, signed by President Reagan in November 1986 after Simpson and various Capitol Hill colleagues toiled for years to enact it. ‘We wanted to get rid of the hypocrisy,’ Simpson recalled during a weekend phone interview, referring to a provision in the act -- nicknamed ‘Simpson-Mazzoli’ for its principal authors, the senator and Rep. Romano L. Mazzoli (D-Ky.) -- that makes it a crime to hire someone living in this country without benefit of papers.” [The Washington Post, 2/8/93]
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