Anti-immigration groups are trying to pressure Senator Mark Begich (D. AK) out of supporting comprehensive immigration reform:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/...
Looking to derail comprehensive immigration talks on Capitol Hill, the advocacy group NumbersUSA launched a new ad campaign Wednesday targeting Alaska Sen. Mark Begich, who is seen as one of the most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election in 2014.
The ad is part of the group’s “Say No to Amnesty” campaign (https://www.saynotoamnesty.com/), which also has targeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, South Carolina Republican, who is a member of the bipartisan “Gang of Eight” that is hammering out a comprehensive immigration bill that could provide legal status as well as a path to citizenship for the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants living here.
Mr. Begich is not part of the “Gang of Eight.” - Washington Times, 4/3/13
Here's the ad NumbersUSA is playing:
Begich, who is a supporter of immigration reform and voted for the DREAM Act in 2010. NumbersUSA is just one conservative group putting the pressure on Senators:
http://www.politico.com/...
Forces on the right vow to replicate the 2007 effort that led to the demise of George W. Bush’s immigration overhaul, arguing the plan would be too costly and that it would help foreigners and illegal immigrants at the expense of U.S. workers, not to mention eventually providing many with federal benefits. The goal is to stoke enough outrage on the right to dissuade wayward Republicans and moderate Democrats from endorsing the measure.
“I think this is a very high-risk operation and a very dangerous game,” Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a leading critic of the effort, told POLITICO Tuesday. “It has the potential to blow sky high and be damaging if they are unable to produce sound policy.”
Groups like the conservative Federation for American Immigration Reform and NumbersUSA are counting on GOP lawmakers to oppose the bill in a big way. So far, many GOP lawmakers have remained mostly quiet, but the groups want them to rally behind lawmakers like Sessions and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz once details of the plan are clear.
FAIR plans to bring 50 conservative talk-show hosts to Washington later this month to pressure lawmakers on an issue they consider “amnesty,” as well as 25 sheriffs who will argue that the border isn’t secure. NumbersUSA is already up with ads going after Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska), and the group expects to target more senators in the coming weeks.
The Heritage Foundation, an influential conservative think tank headed by former Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), plans to soon release cost estimates, arguing that federal benefits eventually given to millions of additional green card holders and citizens would worsen the country’s already dire fiscal situation. And the Center for Immigration Studies, a major conservative critic of a comprehensive bill, released a study Tuesday predicting that the government would have to incur an average of $2,000 for each immigrant who would be brought into the system.
The biggest prize for conservatives would be to witness Florida GOP Sen. Marco Rubio abandon the comprehensive effort under mounting pressure from the right. - Politico, 4/2/13
Libertarian think tanks are also putting on the pressure to block comprehensive immigration reform:
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/...
Business-friendly libertarian groups might be expected to give Republicans cover to support immigration reform, but they will not. Club for Growth and FreedomWorks are opting out of the immigration debate, Roll Call's David M. Drucker reports. Both groups have threatened to support conservative primary challengers to Republicans who aren't sufficiently conservative on fiscal issues. Both "have no position on the immigration policies currently being debated in the House and Senate, nor do they intend to be active either supporting or opposing the legislation that is expected to emerge," Drucker writes. While Republicans won't have to fear being attacked by these groups, they won't have support from them, either. - The Atlantic, 4/3/13
Pro-immigration groups in Alaska are urging Senator Begich and his colleague, Senator Lisa Murkowski (R. AK), to come out for immigration reform in light of the offensive remarks made by Congressman Don Young (R. AK-AL):
http://www.adn.com/...
Alaska Federation of Natives President Julie Kitka, who was present at the meeting, took the opportunity to share a letter she had sent to Alaska Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Mark Begich on March 22. In it she asked the two lawmakers to consider publicly supporting immigration reform.
Because Alaska is not seen as on "the frontlines of the intense conflicts about immigration," the state's congressional delegation should be more free to take a stand, she said.
Kitka said she spoke with Young after the controversy erupted and brought up her letter to the senators. "He told me he's very sorry about saying that and that he does want to help with immigration reform," she said.
Murkowski has also agreed to the proposal, Kitka said.
"So we could piggyback an apology from him with getting him to work for immigration reform," said Richard Benevides.
"I knew there had to be some kind of good come out of this," said Guadalupe Marroquin, president of the Hispanic Affairs Council of Alaska. - Anchorage Daily News, 4/2/13
We can't let right-wing think tanks block comprehensive immigration reform and pressure Senators like Marco Rubio (R. FL), Lindsey Graham (R. SC) or Begich from buckling on this issue. Please call Begich's offices and let him know you support immigration reform and want him to stand strong on this issue:
202-224 - 3004
And if you're a resident of Alaska, you can also call Begich's local offices and voice your support for immigration reform:
Anchorage: 907-271-5915
Fairbanks: 907-456 -0261
Juneau: 907-586-7700
Kenai: 907-283-4000
Ketchikan: 907-225-3000
Wasilla: 907-357-9956