Colbert testifies (sarcastically) before congress

Comedy Central's Stephen Colbert testifies in front of congress on the conditions facing migrant farm workers. He delivered quite the sarcastic remarks and angered several legislators who feel the comic disrespected their work on an important issue.

Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif, invited Colbert to testify at a hearing on giving undocumented farm workers the right to earn legal status by continuing to work in agriculture. Colbert talked about what he called his "vast experience" on the issue after spending a day as a migrant worker on a farm in upstate New York.

The video of his opening statement is above. Here are a few highlights:

"This is America. I don't want a tomato picked by a Mexican. I want it picked by an American, then sliced by a Guatemalan, and served by a Venezuelan in a spa where a Chilean gives me a Brazilian."

"America's farms are presently far too dependent on immigrant labor to pick our fruits and vegetables.... "Now, the obvious answer is for all of us to stop eating fruits and vegetables. And if you look at the recent obesity statistics, many Americans have already started."

"My great-grandfather did not travel across four thousand miles of the Atlantic Ocean to see this nation overrun by immigrants. He did it because he killed a man back in Ireland. That's the rumor."

"I'll admit I started my work day with preconceived notions of migrant labor, but after working with these men and women ... side by side in the unforgiving sun I have to say -- and I do mean this sincerely -- please don't make me do this again. It is really, really hard."

"Maybe we could offer more visas to the immigrants, who lets face it, will probably be doing these jobs anyway."

Congressmen insulted by Mexican president's 'lecture'

The Mexican president said the Arizona law "ignores a reality that cannot be erased by decree."

Several Republican congressmen thought Mexican President Felipe Calderon violated accepted rules of international diplomacy when he criticized U.S. policy following an invitation to speak in congressional chambers.

Calderon criticized Arizona's new immigration law and called on Congress to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

Arizona's new law requires law enforcement to question people they reasonably suspect are here illegally.

While Calderon received cheers mainly from Democrats, some Republicans criticized the Mexican president for inappropriately intruding on U.S. policy.

Arizona Senator John McCain said in a statement that it was "unfortunate and disappointing the president of Mexico chose to criticize the state of Arizona by weighing in on a U.S. domestic policy issue during a trip that was meant to reaffirm the unique relationship between our two countries."


The video above is the response of Rep. Tom McClintock of California who took “strong exception” to Calderon’s speech to Congress.

“It’s highly inappropriate for the president of Mexico to lecture Americans on American immigration law,” he said. “Just as it would be for Americans to lecture Mexico on its own laws. It’s obvious President Calderon doesn’t understand the nature of America or the purpose of our immigration law.”

“Unlike Mexico’s immigration law which is brutally exclusionary, the purpose of America’s law is not to keep people out. It is to assure as people come to the United States, they do so with the intention of becoming Americans and raising their children as Americans.”

“Unlike Mexico our nation embraces legal immigration and what’s make that possible is assimilation.”

24 tweets for 24 hours of immigration debate

A congressman introduced his immigration bill and set the webosphere on fire this week.

Supporters and opponents of the Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D -IL) bill were quick to join in as news continued to break and stoke interest among those on their side of the debate. The hundreds, if not thousands, of posts on blogs, emails, and Twitter started even before the congressman introduced his bill, which he called "pro-family, pro-jobs, pro-security."

Gutierrez's proposed bill would legalize undocumented immigrants who registered with the federal government, pay a $500 fine, learn English, and pass background checks, among other requirements. They would then be eligible for a six-year visa, followed by a green card.

And on Twitter, where users chatter, gossip, lecture, and opinionate in 140 character bursts, you can see just how emotional this debate will. Here are 24 selected tweets that I pulled from the 24 hours following when Gutierrez introduced his legislation.

@MicEvHill: Gutierrez begins to cite bible verses in support of his bill, saying that the immigrant community has turned the other cheek time after time 1:10 PM Dec 15th

@ALIPAC: Amnesty Legislation Filed TAKE ACTION NOW !!! www.alipac.us #AFIRE #illegalimmigration illegal immigration aliens http://bit.ly/77rO4C 1:26 PM Dec 15th

@JuanSaaa: @repgutierrez says he has 80 votes to kick start his #immigration bill, compared to 40 as he proposed the project last time. #ri4a Dec 15, 2009 01:36 PM GMT

@mkolken: @RepGutierrez Thank you for standing up for the rights of others!!! We are behind you!!! #immigration #ri4a #cir Dec 15, 2009 01:38 PM GMT

@NumbersUSA: Everyone at NumbersUSA is learning about social media! RT @insideyourhalo: @numbersusa http://yfrog.com/4apfivj 2:36 PM Dec 15th

@jrsusa: #Immigration reform debate is no place for bigotry http://bit.ly/8xHLio #CIR Dec 15, 2009 02:47 PM GMT

@RI4A: all i want 4 xmas is #immigration reform! RT @CAUSAOregon: @weareoneamerica Rally celebrate bill b4 holiday http://tinyurl.com/y9psnxs #ri4a
Dec 15, 2009 03:44 PM GMT

@ALIPAC: Immigration bill backers try again despite jobless rate http://bit.ly/8SKDaR #illegalimmigration #tcot #AFIRE 3:54 PM Dec 15th

@GrayRiv: Plz read, #digg and RT: #Immigration: The next nasty, necessary fight: http://bit.ly/6JU2A0 #RI4A #hcr #p2 #topprog #du1 #dnj Dec 15, 2009 04:28 PM

@RI4A: Gutierrez: "Immigrant blame game is constant." Enough with the scapegoating! #CIRASAP #immigration #ri4a Dec 15, 2009 06:09 PM GMT

@JessicaNWood: Really good! "An Immigration Time-Out" http://bit.ly/7XS57v #AFIRE #immigration #noamnesty Dec 15, 2009 06:15 PM GMT

@ObamaBeenLying: RT @SeniorBuzz FIGHT BACK AMERICANS! The House is debating AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS. http://bit.ly/7gyS2q #immigration #tcot #teaparty PLZ RT Dec 15, 2009 06:45 PM GMT

@desidyke: @gaysifly It comes down to the Senate and the deals being struck between Schumer and Graham forces. Long ways to go. #immigration Dec 15, 2009 09:05 PM

@dandyxands: Petition @RepGutierrez to include #lgbt families in his #immigration reform bill! http://act.ly/1j8 RT to sign #actly #topprog #ri4a #p2 Dec 15, 2009 09:16 PM

@TRUTHINHISTORY: Tough road for immigration bill - - POLITICO.com: http://bit.ly/8ulig9 We might as well annex Mexico? #tcot #noamnesty Dec 15, 2009 09:16 PM


@NCLISTEN: Bill to provide amnesty to 11 mil illegal aliens introduced in the House http://bit.ly/6bpRfj #AFIRE #ConsNC #noamnesty #NC 11:35 AM Dec 16th

@ChronInaug09: Democrats unveil new immigration plan; GOP says it's a job killer: The following report was written by Gary Martin ... http://bit.ly/5eEV4Y Dec 16, 2009 01:41 PM


@worldorganizers: Gutierrez immigration reform bill introduced and buried in the papers and already being pronounced "dead on arrival." Inauspicious start. Dec 16, 2009 01:44 PM

@bobney: Here we go Amnesty around the corner--Dems move to overhaul immigration - http://shar.es/a8M3P Dec 16, 2009 01:44 PM GMT

@SmackdownFan: Pelosi says no vote on immigration bill til Senate passes a bill http://tinyurl.com/yelpms3 #AFIRE Dec 16, 2009 01:45 PM GMT •

@FrancoOrdonez: Is Congressman's #immigration bill doomed? Gutierrez bill not likely to make it far, but that’s not the point. #CIRASAP http://ow.ly/Mu7Z 1:55 PM Dec 16th

@angelamkelley: #Immigration Reform Will Enhance Economic Recovery: We Can’t Build a Strong Economy on Top of a Broken Immig System http://bit.ly/7xd5vS Dec 16, 2009 02:58 PM GMT •

@BayouPerspectiv: Immigration Policy Must Put the Needs of American Workers at the Forefront http://bit.ly/8YY1m8 Dec 16, 2009 03:18 PM GMT •

@llguy: Show me the federal government can control illegal immigration and then we'll talk. #politics #immigration

Photo: AP, Fibonacci blue

Congressman outlines plan for immigration reform

U.S. Congressman Luis Gutierrez, an Illinois Democrat, presented his vision for a new comprehensive immigration reform bill Tuesday at a rally on the west lawn of the United States Capitol.

He spoke in front of thousands of immigrants who came to the capitol to calling for comprehensive immigration reform. He plans to introduce a full bill in the coming weeks.

His proposal focuses on a path to legalization for illegal immigrants, but also includes proposals for protecting immigrant workers, better employee verification systems, and stronger border enforcement.

“We need a bill that says if you come here to hurt our communities, we will not support you, but if you are here to work hard and to make a better life for your family, you will have the opportunity to earn your citizenship,” Gutierrez said. “We need a law that says it is un-American for a mother to be torn from her child, and it is unacceptable to undermine our work force by driving the most vulnerable among us further into the shadows.”

Critics say Gutierrez’s proposal amounts to an amnesty proposal for those who broke American laws.

"Amnesty sends a message that you’re a sucker to play by the rules," said Dan Stein, president of the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which promotes stronger immigration enforcement, according to the Fort Worth Star Telegram.

Congressman Gutierrez released on his website the following outline of the core principles that he will use in his reform bill:

– Pathway to legalization for illegal immigrants
– Effective border enforcement
– Humane interior enforcement
– Protecting immigrant workers
– Stronger verification systems
– Family unification
– Updated visa system
– Agriculture jobs
– Access to college for undocumented students

Photo: Rep. Luis Gutierrez, D-Ill., speaks at a rally for immigration reform on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

Joe Wilson's war

If you didn't know Joe Wilson before, you probably do now.

U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson is the talk of the nation today after yelling "You Lie" at President Barack Obama during his speech to congress last night. Wilson was responding to the president’s statement that illegal immigrants will not receive coverage under the proposed healthcare plan.

The S.C. Republican is getting reviled on the left. The reactions on the right vary from withering criticism to high fives. One conservative blogger questioned why "Joe Wilson didn’t throw a shoe at Obama."

Wilson apologized for letting “my emotions get the best of me,” but said he disagreed with the president’s remarks regarding the coverage of illegal immigrants in the healthcare bill.

Democrats and some Republicans took the congressman to task for disrespecting the President while speaking in the hallowed halls of Congress.

"I've never seen anything like that before," said Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., "We do not invite the president of the United States into the House of Representatives and hurl insults."

Wilson's website crashed last night. At 11:30 a.m. this morning, it was still down from excessive traffic.

Conservative bloggers have hailed Wilson as a hero, calling on supporters to send him thank you notes, money, and push their representatives to act more like him.

“President Obama tried to lie to the whole nation tonight and a brave Congressman by the name of Joe Wilson called him on it,” Alipac wrote on its website.

Conservatives continue to raise questions about whether illegal immigrants could benefit from healthcare reform. The House version of the bill prohibits spending federal money to help illegal immigrants get coverage. They would likely be able to continue to receive emergency room treatment as they do now.

Photo: Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images

Immigrant rights groups honor Ted Kennedy

I've been getting a lot of email messages from advocates who have been expressing their sadness over the passing of Sen. Edward Kennedy. I thought I’d share some of them with you.

We reported today about his mixed reputation in the South. Liberals loved him for championing education, health care and civil rights. Conservatives saw him as the definition of liberalism, big government and an advocate for entitlement programs.

Among immigrant rights’ groups, he was a national hero.

Here are excerpts from what they had to say:

If your American family began its journey in this country with the arrival in the last four decades of a single refugee or immigrant striving for a better life, you owe a special debt of gratitude to Senator Kennedy. The way to give back is to personally commit yourself to fighting for the justice, civil rights, and basic American decency that Senator Kennedy fought for throughout his life.
- Rich Stolz, Campaign Manager for the Reform Immigration for America campaign.

The great-grandson of eight immigrants to America, the brother of two of America's most visionary leaders on fighting for a fair and just immigration system, Senator Kennedy was in his own right the architect of the modern struggle to honor America's legacy as nation built by, populated by, and defined by immigrants from around the world.
--Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum, a non-partisan, non-profit pro-immigrant advocacy organization in Washington.

Senator Kennedy worked tirelessly for the past five decades to make the U.S. immigration system one that is color-blind, more just, and a safe haven for people fleeing persecution and upheaval around the world. In so doing, Senator Kennedy helped change the character of the immigration system, and indeed the country, bringing the United States a step closer to its founding ideals of fairness and opportunity for all.
-- Doris Meissner, who heads Migration Policy Institute’s U.S. Immigration Policy Program and served as INS Commissioner during the Clinton administration.

California could gain 9 House seats because of illegal immigrants

North Carolina could lose a seat if illegal immigrants are not counted. Is all this right?

Critics of the Census’s practice not to ask about residency status say “no.”

John Baker, a constitutional law professor at Louisiana State University, and Elliott Stonecipher, a Louisiana pollster and demographic analyst, charge that the census has drifted from its constitutional roots and that the 2010 Census count will result in a unfair redistribution of Congress.

Since 1790(except following the census of 1920), the Census has been used to determine the apportionment of members of the U.S. House of Representatives among the states.

Baker and Stonecipher write in a recent Op-Ed for the Wall Street Journal that California could get nine House seats “it doesn’t deserve” because illegal immigrants will be counted in the 2010 Census.

They charge that several states, such as Iowa, Louisiana, and Michigan, will likely lose one seat in the 2010 reapportionment because of this.

For a story on illegal immigrants threatening to boycott the Census, we reported in May that North Carolina could lose its coveted 14th seat in the House of Representatives.

North Carolina and Utah battled after the 2000 Census when in 2002 after North Carolina won the last available U.S. House district seat over Utah. Critics said North Carolina won the seat because of the state’s growing illegal immigrant population.

Nine states in all, including South Carolina, could gain a seat based on population gains, according to a recent study by Election Data Services, a political consulting firm.

Photo: The threatened boycott of the upcoming Census by illegal immigrants is a frequent topic for Charlotte radio host Jorge Medina. T.ORTEGA GAINES – ogaines@charlotteobserver.com

The issue that just won't die

Eleven percent of Americans do not believe President Obama was born in the United States, according to a DailyKos/Research 2000 poll released today. Another 12 percent are not sure.

The matter continues to thrive despite the embarrassment of many U.S. leaders, including Republicans, who have tried to put a clamp on the far-fetched theory that the President was actually born in Kenya, his father's birthplace, and therefore not eligible to be president of the United States.

Several lawsuits were filed during the campaign challenging then-Sen. Obama's eligibility to be president. All were rejected. The White House has tried to ignore the issue, but apparently felt compelled to speak out earlier this week. The Hawaii governor and health director have also spoken out recently in support of the President.

Based on the poll, some folks are not convinced.

Click here to see the Research 2000 poll, sponsored by the Daily Kos, a liberal blog.

The conservative website WorldNetDaily claims more than 400,000 people have signed a petition demanding more information on Obama's birth.

In the South, even fewer people believe the President is a naturally born citizen. Researchers found that that 23 percent of Americans in the Southeast do not believe President Obama was born in the United States, according to the Research 2000 poll. Another 30 percent are not sure.

A breakdown Research 2000 findings by party:

Democrats: 93 percent believe President Obama is U.S. born, 4 percent do not, and 3 percent are not sure.

Republicans: 42 percent think he was born here, 28 percent do not, and 30 percent are not sure.

Independents: 83 percent think he was born here, 8 percent do not, and 9 percent are unsure.