Presidential Candidates Discuss Immigration Issues
Posted Jul 31, 2000

As a public service of The Law Office of Sheela Murthy, P.C., we have been reporting from time to time on immigration-related statements of Presidential Candidates Bush and Gore to help each of you to decide how to cast your vote, if you are eligible, or how to advise your friends and colleagues about the positions of the Candidates.

On July 3, 2000 Vice President Al Gore spoke before the National Council of La Raza, a Latino advocacy group. He expressed support for rolling back one of the more draconian provisions of the 1996 immigration law:
“I am in favor of eliminating the specific provision … where a misdemeanor 10 years ago can trigger a very onerous and unfair application of the law, which has drastic and cruel consequences for breaking up families on the basis of some small, youthful mistake years and years ago.”

Governor George W. Bush announced plans to increase funding for naturalization by $100 million a year and to set a 6-month goal for completing the naturalization application process. He would also like to improve the way the INS treats immigrants, advocating “a new culture of respect.”

From a critic’s point of view, it is relevant to point out that while Gore has spoken out against the 1996 laws that went too far, there are measures that the Clinton Administration could have taken to change the way some of the laws were interpreted by the INS, the executive agency in charge of enforcing those laws. More also could be done to encourage the U.S. Congress to make changes in the law. As for Governor Bush, he has not yet spoken on issues such as the limits on relief in removal proceedings (as raised by Gore above), 245(i) (the provision enabling otherwise eligible out-of-status persons to pay a $1000 extra fee and complete the I-485 application, as mentioned in "Senate Passes its own Appropriations Bill for DOJ/INS," above) or updating the "registry" date. It could be that he wishes to steer clear of these more controversial issues, but if he truly wishes to be the voice of moderation within the Republican party, which he claims to be, he must draw a distinction between himself and House Immigration Subcommittee Chair Lamar Smith.

Stay tuned for further updates on the political front. We take this opportunity to remind all citizens (new or otherwise) to register to vote, and then go to the polls. It is a great privilege, and a great responsibility.