Informs Texas conservative voters about candidates’ immigration record
HOUSTON – Dan Patrick, Texas State Senator and authentic conservative candidate for Lieutenant Governor today announced the creation of a new website: “TalkIsCheapTexas.com”. The website allows voters to cut through the campaign rhetoric of all the candidates and see their true record.
“Whether it should be described as a campaign trail conversion or just getting sloppy with the facts – some candidates for Lt. Governor are proving that talk is cheap,” said Allen Blakemore, campaign strategist for the Dan Patrick Campaign.
“Texas voters need to know where the candidates stand on the important issues like border security without spin and double-talk. Those who visit the site will quickly see how fact-challenged, some of the candidates are when talking tough on illegal immigration. Their talk on the campaign trail bears little resemblance to the record.
“Dan Patrick has fought against sanctuary cities, pushed to help local law enforcement and sought to end the intentional hiring of illegal immigrants since he joined the Texas Senate in 2007. The opponents have proved that talk is cheap,” Blakemore concluded.
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Attachment:
White Paper: www.TalkIsCheapTexas.com
On Border Security Talk Is Cheap
Jerry Patterson
Patterson said lawful status should be given to illegal immigrants to avoid in-state tuition issues. In an interview with the El Paso Times, Patterson stated support for giving illegal immigrants some form of legal status so they would be granted in-state tuition as a legal resident:
Q. Gov. Rick Perry sought to make that argument with the Texas Dream Act, which grants in-state tuition to qualifying undocumented immigrants at Texas colleges and universities. What is your position on the Texas Dream Act?
A. I don’t support the idea of saying, “We’re going to ignore the law and let you do that.” I support the idea of fixing their status as opposed to trying to just sweep the status under the rug. I would not support an in-state tuition bill for illegals. I would support a method of providing them a lawful status where in-state tuition for illegals wouldn’t be a problem. We’re Band-Aiding. (El Paso Times, 02/07/2013).
Patterson said he opposed in-state tuition and instead supported granting illegals “lawful status,” making in-state tuition irrelevant.
David Dewhurst
Dewhurst supported a budget that reportedly lowered border security spending. Summary reports from the LBB also showed a decrease in “border security” spending. The LBB’s June 2013 summary of the 2014-15 budget (83-R: SB 1) showed “border security” spending totaling $94.1 million (Summary of SB 1 Conference Committee Report, p. 9). This amount was a decrease from the $219.5 million dedicated to “border security” spending in the 2012-13 budget (82-R: HB 1) (Summary of Conference Committee Report on HB 1, p. 8).
While running for U.S. Senate in 2012, Dewhurst claimed he would have vetoed in-state tuition if he had been governor in 2001. However, during his tenure as Lt. Governor, Dewhurst has foiled efforts to repeal in-state tuition for illegal immigrants, and even allowed the program to be expanded. An Austin American-Statesman report suggested, “there is little evidence to suggest he has worked in that time to repeal the tuition law” (Jason Embry, “Dewhurst pans immigrant tuition break but lawmakers have kept it,” Austin American-Statesman, 09/27/2011).
Dewhurst passed an expansion of the program in 2005. Dewhurst allowed the Senate to pass Senate Bill 1528 (79-R). This bill expanded the in-state tuition program by changing the residency definitions. The bill allowed residency to be determined by the student’s status, rather than their parents’ status.
Dewhurst said the Senate supported in-state tuition. When a repeal of in-state tuition was proposed in 2007, Dewhurst said the Senate historically supported offering in-state tuition to every resident. A bill by Rep. Zedler (80-R: HB 159) to repeal in-state tuition failed in the House, and Dewhurst said the bill would not have passed the Senate, even if it had survived in the House. (Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 05/10/2007).
Dewhurst allowed reform bills to die. In 2009, Sen. Patrick filed Senate Bill 850 (81-R) to reform in-state tuition. Another reform bill – Senate Bill 1631 (82-R) – was proposed by Sen. Birdwell in 2011. Dewhurst allowed the bills to die without a vote. Birdwell attempted to attach his legislation as an amendment to the education finance bill, but his efforts were stymied by Republicans and Democrats. (Jason Embry, “Dewhurst pans immigrant tuition break but lawmakers have kept it,” Austin American-Statesman, 09/27/2011).
Todd Staples
Staples supported the in-state tuition bill as a state senator. Staples supported House Bill 1403 (77-R) which granted in-state tuition to the children of illegal immigrants. Opponents of the bill said it would turn a blind eye to individuals living in the U.S. illegally. (House Research Organization, House Bill 1403 Bill Analysis). Staples voted to support rewarding people who violated our laws and entered the country illegally.
Staples voted to provide illegal immigrants with taxpayer-funded healthcare. In 2003, Todd Staples voted for Senate Bill 309 (78-R) authorizing hospitals to provide non-emergency care for illegal immigrants using local taxpayer funds. The bill was opposed by Texas Eagle Forum and Young Conservatives of Texas. Opponents argued: “This bill would drive up the cost of care for undocumented immigrants and increase local tax burdens.” (House Research Organization, SB 309 Bill Analysis).
Staples voted to give driver’s licenses to illegal aliens. In 2001, Todd Staples voted for House Bill 396 (77-R), which allowed illegal immigrants to present a foreign birth certificate or identity card in order to receive a Texas driver’s license. (David Rauf, “Todd Staples Next Immigration Headache?,” San Antonio Express-News, 10/10/2013) Only one Senator voted against the bill: Jane Nelson (77th Legislature, Senate Journal, p. 2343). The bill was vetoed by Gov. Perry (Janet Elliott, “Perry wields power to block immigrant, health care bills,” Houston Chronicle, 06/18/2011).
