Obama: Keep your hands off illegals
2008 RACE | Opposes deputizing citizens to arrest immigrants
DES MOINES, Iowa -- Americans should not be attempting to make citizen's arrests of illegal aliens, said Illinois Sen. Barack Obama at a Democratic debate sponsored by National Public Radio on Tuesday.
As president, he wouldn't "deputize a whole bunch of American citizens to start grabbing people and turning them in," he said when asked about the 12 million undocumented workers in the U.S.
His comments came after a debate moderator mentioned an Iowa town where residents have both arrested and protected illegals.
It is the task of the federal government, not citizens, to rectify the huge immigration problem, Obama said, adding there should be stronger penalties for employers who hire illegals and significant security at the borders.
All of the other candidates attending the debate agreed, including Sen. Hillary Clinton of New York, Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware, Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards and former Alaska Sen. Mike Gravel.
In fact the debate was more a genteel conversation.
It focused on three topics: the revelation that Iran was not building nuclear weapons, the question of illegal immigrants and the U.S. relationship with China.
The candidates were asked about news that Iran stopped its nuclear weapons program in 2003 but President Bush says he hasn't changed his mind about the danger that country poses.
Clinton said she "vehemently" disagrees with the president that "nothing's changed and therefore nothing in American policy has to change." President Bush, she said, should "seize this opportunity and engage in serious diplomacy."
The candidates were also quizzed about China's growing economic power, its lack of safety regulations on toys and its human rights record.
Obama noted: "We have to be tougher negotiators with China. They are not enemies, but they are competitors of ours." On trade issues "often times we're negotiating on behalf of ... Wall Street, as opposed to on behalf of Main Street."