Laredo, Texas— U.S. Congressman Steve King (IA-05), member of the House Immigration Subcommittee, yesterday publicly called on President Bush to first answer the basic immigration questions in his letter. 

"I have called the White House every week for ten weeks asking for a response to my letter.  Each week I got a promise to answer it next week.  This Iowa boy knows that next week never comes." said King. "I told the White House two weeks ago that if they will not answer the most basic questions, I would hold a press conference and continue the discussion through the media.  We cannot allow a policy that would legalize 60 million illegals to be established on a 'promise' of enforcement."

In his speech to a rally of border residents, King read the text of a letter he has sent to the President, which rejects any potential guest worker or temporary worker plan based upon the promise of enforcement.

Texas border residents and the Minutemen project yesterday held a rally to launch an eight-week project to guard the Texas – Mexico border and report their findings to Border Patrol agents. 

“The American people know what is going on, and they are not going to lie down and watch some plan be passed into law that is just a veiled amnesty,” said King. “The government has not even proved that it is capable of enforcing our current immigration laws. Let’s get our borders secure, let’s enforce our employment laws first, before we even talk about their plan to dump millions more foreign workers into this country.”

The text of the letter is below.

Dear Mr. President:

The foundation of your immigration plan is based on the promise of enforcement. Americans have seen only a diminishing enforcement effort for at least twenty years. Neither they, nor I, are willing to accept a proposal based on an empty promise. If border security and domestic enforcement cannot be achieved, there is no way we can stop or even slow down the $65 billion in illegal drugs that enters our country annually across our southern border. I would appreciate your response to the following questions:

1)         Is there such a thing as too much immigration?

2)         If so, how much is too much? Too much legal? Too much illegal?

3)         How many people do you believe would be given legal status in the U.S. over the next twenty years if S. 2611 were signed into law?

4)         Would you agree to an annual cap on the number of immigrants allowed into the U.S.?

5)         If the federal government cannot stop the illegal immigration of individuals who work illegally in the United States how do you propose we stop $65 billion worth of illegal drugs entering our country every year?

I look forward to your response. The destiny of our nation hangs in the balance.

Sincerely,

Steve King

Member of Congress