CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight-Transcript

Interview

CNN Lou Dobbs Tonight-Transcript

DOBBS: Without question. A terrible, terrible story. Thank you, Wolf.

Joining me now is Congressman Ed Royce, Republican of California. It is good to have you with us, Congressman Royce. You have said straight out this compromise looks like a complete sellout to you.

REP. ED ROYCE, (R) CA: Well, it is. And it's a mockery of the rule of law and if we go back to the 1986 amnesty, it is the same logic, the same reasoning we heard at the time. That if massive amnesty is granted, somehow there's going to be enforcement. We saw no enforcement of the employer sanctions then, what we saw was a tripling of the amount of illegal immigration as a result of that '86 act after it was passed and that's what we're going to see that here, Lou.

We're going to see people around the world who say, the United States is not serious. If I get into the United States illegally, I'll be available for the next amnesty. This is going to drive illegal immigration, I can assure you.

DOBBS: Congressman, let's hear from Senator Harry Reid, the Senate majority leader had to say. And all of -- We don't have that, I'm told. Let's listen to Senator Arlen Specter.

We're flexible.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SPECTER: It is not amnesty. This will restore the rule of law. Without legislation we will have anarchy. Some 90 cities have tried to legislate to deal with the undocumented immigration problem and they can't handle it.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

DOBBS: What is your reaction to Senator Specter's comments? ROYCE: The very definition of amnesty is you reward somebody that's broken the law and here you reward them with citizenship or a path to citizenship, a job, benefits, welfare benefits. Will all become available as of January 1st. Of course it is amnesty and that's the whole problem.

DOBBS: You know, Senator Specter does raise an interesting question when he brings up the issue of anarchy. The federal has government failed to enforce U.S. immigration laws. The federal government and this administration failed to enforce our border security and port security. Following September 11th.

If there is a nationwide effort and there is about 100 communities taking up trying to defend themselves against the impact of illegal immigration, there's no greater responsibility than that rests with the Congress and this president.

ROYCE: And look how serious our federal government apparently is about this. We passed a bill for 850 miles of new fencing. We have two miles, two miles completed.

In terms of the employer sanctions already on the books, Lou, those are not being seriously enforce. So the enforcement component of this is not going to happen. But in addition to the amnesty, we have an increase in legal immigration of three quarters of a million people. We have the new guest worker program and the entire cost of this is $2.4 trillion. On the American taxpayer.

DOBBS: Two point four trillion and by the way, that number coming from the Heritage Foundation that has been examining this issue.

We might also point out is it not fair, Congressman Royce, that the United States Congress, neither the Senate nor the House of Representatives even though it's been a year since the Senate passed the first version of the comprehensive immigration reform. There is no fiscal impact study brought to us by our federal government.

ROYCE: Absolutely. And on top of all of this, we can also look at the consequence of bringing such low skilled immigration into the United States. It is going to push down wages, it's going to import an awful lot of poverty into this country and these individuals on average pay $1.00 in taxes for every $3.00 in public benefits they receive. Figure out what it means for Social Security in the future as a consequence of this act.

DOBBS: Well, we have got a lot of figuring, all of us, of course, in the journalists in this country. All of you. Elected officials. And we have got pretty short time to go through all of that legislation. But we'll get it done, right, congressman?

ROYCE: Well, I hope we don't get this bill done.

DOBBS: Just the reading. I'm talking about the reading.

ROYCE: If people understood what was in the bill, Lou, they would be opposed to this legislation. It will lead to insolvency. There is no way this great republic can afford this legislation. We have got to rally the House of Representatives to oppose this bill.

DOBBS: Congressman Ed Royce, good to have you here.

ROYCE: Thank you, Lou.

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