Associated Press: Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann on Saturday signed a pledge to push for construction of a fence along the entire length of the border with Mexico, raising the issue of illegal immigration in an Iowa town where about one third of the residents are Latino.
Bachmann also renewed her attacks on the immigration policies of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, one of the rivals for the Republican nomination, and she criticized President Barack Obama for what she called his failure to control the border.
"President Obama has failed the American people by failing to secure the southern border," said Bachmann. "I will secure that border and that will be job one."
Bachmann’s call for increased border security was made in a town where the meatpacking industry has drawn immigrant workers. Thirty-two percent of the town’s 9,800 residents are Latino.
Van Hipp Jr., head of Americans for Securing Our Border, said Bachmann was the first GOP presidential hopeful to sign the pledge, but he added the group plans to aggressively seek the support of others as well. The document binds Bachmann to support the construction of a double fence along the length of the U.S. border with Mexico by 2013.
"I have been saying this all through the campaign,’ Bachmann said. "Now you have my word in writing."
She called control of the border a national security issue and said illegal immigration costs the U.S. more than $100 billion a year. At the same time she rejected suggestions that talking about cracking down on illegal immigrants is racist or anti-Latino.
"It’s OK to talk about this issue," said Bachmann. "Some say it’s not OK to talk about this subject because that somehow means we are prejudiced or bigoted or biased against Hispanics. That’s not what I hear form the people of Iowa. They are tired of paying for other people."
Bachmann also renewed her attacks on the immigration policies of Texas Gov. Rick Perry, one of the rivals for the Republican nomination, and she criticized President Barack Obama for what she called his failure to control the border.
"President Obama has failed the American people by failing to secure the southern border," said Bachmann. "I will secure that border and that will be job one."
Bachmann’s call for increased border security was made in a town where the meatpacking industry has drawn immigrant workers. Thirty-two percent of the town’s 9,800 residents are Latino.
Van Hipp Jr., head of Americans for Securing Our Border, said Bachmann was the first GOP presidential hopeful to sign the pledge, but he added the group plans to aggressively seek the support of others as well. The document binds Bachmann to support the construction of a double fence along the length of the U.S. border with Mexico by 2013.
"I have been saying this all through the campaign,’ Bachmann said. "Now you have my word in writing."
She called control of the border a national security issue and said illegal immigration costs the U.S. more than $100 billion a year. At the same time she rejected suggestions that talking about cracking down on illegal immigrants is racist or anti-Latino.
"It’s OK to talk about this issue," said Bachmann. "Some say it’s not OK to talk about this subject because that somehow means we are prejudiced or bigoted or biased against Hispanics. That’s not what I hear form the people of Iowa. They are tired of paying for other people."
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