Senator Menendez Challenges Sen. McCain To Reject New Republican Package Of Immigration Bills

March 5, 2008 -- WASHINGTON – Today a group of Republican senators introduced a package of bills on immigration that represents harsher immigration regulations but not the comprehensive approach that is needed to fix the broken system.

Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ), one of the original negotiators during last year’s attempt at comprehensive immigration reform, today challenged Senator John McCain (R-AZ), the presumptive Republican presidential nominee who in the past has worked on comprehensive immigration reform, to reject this Republican approach.

Senator Menendez released the following statement:

“I am calling on Senator McCain, as his party’s presumptive nominee, to reject this draconian approach to immigration reform, which would demonize the Latino community. As a past sponsor of comprehensive immigration reform who has since said he would have voted against his own bill, it is important for Senator McCain to define his position on this cynical Republican effort. The mainstream of America knows full well that the immigration system is broken, but they also recognize that an unbalanced, narrow approach won’t fix it. We need a system that is tough but smart and civil and actually works for our economy – a system that protects the borders while protecting our legacy as a nation of immigrants. Many of the 44 million Latinos in this country will be eager to hear where Senator McCain stands.

“The Republican Party might think this is a wedge issue for November, but their strategy only dims their chances this year and for generations to come. Latinos are not a group on the fringes of our society that can be manipulated to score political points. If this presidential primary season has shown us anything, it is that Latinos are no longer the sleeping giant in American politics – they are fully awake, active and making a difference. This is the type of cynical effort that serves to deepen the divisions in our nation that we should be working to bridge.”

Source: Senator Robert Menendez