October 2, 2002
Tancredo
Personifies Anti-Immigrant Hypocrisy
By Lorraine
Quiroga
Communications
Manager
League of United
Latin American Citizens
LULAC Challenges 62
Representatives to Withdraw from his
Divisive Caucus
The League of United
Latin American Citizens (LULAC) condemned
the anti-immigrant behavior of USRepresentative
Tom Tancredo (R-CO) after the Congressman
demanded that the Immigration and
Naturalization Service deport an
undocumented 18-year-old high school
honors graduate whose story was featured
in the Denver Post. Last month,
after the Denver Post wrote about the
young undocumented immigrant's struggle
to pay for college, Tancredo reported the
teen and his family to the Immigration
and Naturalization Service.
“Nothing
could be more mean-spirited than to sic
the INS on a low income student who has
beaten the odds and graduated from high
school with honors,” remarked Hector
Flores, LULAC National President.
“Congressman Tom Tancredo’s
behavior toward this student and his
family is an example of the extremist
anti-immigrant racism that continues to
be espoused by some members of Congress.”
Adding insult
to injury, the Post has since reported
that 5 of 6 workers remodeling Tancredo’s
home last fall were undocumented.
“Congressman
Tancredo has shown the world that he is
the prototypical anti-immigrant
hypocrite,” stated Brent Wilkes,
LULAC National Executive Director, “He
complains bitterly about undocumented
immigrants yet takes advantage of their
labor when it suits his needs. It is high
time that Tancredo’s colleagues
recognize that these workers are helping
us and pass legislation that will allow
them to legalize their status.”
LULAC will be
sending a letter to the 62
representatives who are members of
Tancredo’s Immigration Reform Caucus
urging them to withdraw from the caucus
in light of Tancredo’s recent
behavior. “We plan to
publicize the list of caucus members who
refuse to withdraw in order for the
Hispanic community to make informed
decisions during the upcoming elections,”
said Flores.
The League of
United Latin American Citizens is the
oldest and largest Latino civil rights
organization in the United States. LULAC
advances the economic condition,
educational attainment, political
influence, health and civil rights of
Hispanic Americans through
community-based programs operating at
more than 700 LULAC councils nationwide.
_______________________
League of
United Latin American Citizens, 2000 L
Street, NW, Suite 610, Washington, DC
20036 (202) 833-6130 Fax (202) 833-6135
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