Both sides have twisted immigration issue

WASHINGTON — So is Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, really seeking amnesty and citizenship for all illegal aliens now in America, which ongoing ads in Utah claim?

Or are groups who buy such ads really part of a stealth "anti-life" campaign that fights immigration law reform mainly to further goals of "zero population, sterilization, abortion, eugenics and euthanasia," which Cannon claims?

Both sides seem to have taken a bit of truth and twisted it, warped it, misrepresented it, confused it, garbled it, embellished it — and, maybe, simply lied.

First, look at claims in ads by such groups as ProjectUSA and the Federation for American Immigration Reform that Cannon is pushing amnesty for illegal aliens.

Cannon is not proposing to give illegals automatic, permanent residency. He is proposing to allow them to earn it over time. President Bush is doing the same.

Illegals would need to register (and pay a fine for illegal entry) — and with it receive temporary legal status. If they pay taxes, work, and show themselves to be good citizens over several years, they could win permanent citizenship.

Proposals also call for creating "guest worker" programs to allow new foreign nationals to come to America to work but return home after a specified time. It also allows them the possibility to earn citizenship.

Cannon and allies say such proposals recognize the U.S. economy relies heavily on foreign workers. And with an estimated 14 million such illegals in the country, it would literally take years to catch and deport all of them — and ruin families and economies.

Judge for yourself whether that amounts to "amnesty" that would encourage more illegal immigration or might finally help control it.

Amid attacks, Cannon began sending letters to state GOP delegates and fellow members of Congress saying his critics have a hidden "anti-life" agenda — and attached copies of newspaper stories showing some receive money from groups interested in population control.

"They don't want Mexicans coming here and having big families, with babies that don't die," and increase the U.S. and world population instead of dying in a Third World country, Cannon said in an interview.

To help push that point, Cannon even essentially hijacked a House Judiciary subcommittee hearing on immigration last month. Members are normally limited to five minutes of questioning in such hearings. But as others left for a House floor vote, Cannon volunteered to remain behind by himself to keep the hearing going.