Colo Republican says immigrants held to lower standard
Associated Press
Aug. 3, 2005

HANAHAN, S.C. - Republican Rep. Tom Tancredo told law enforcement officers that undocumented immigrants are held to lower standards by the justice system than Americans.

"An illegal alien actually has a different system of justice here," he said Tuesday in a speech to about 30 officers. "If you're here illegally, you can get a pass."

Tancredo, from Colorado, has come under fire recently from some Hispanic groups for his calls for tougher immigration enforcement and a proposal to tax some of the money immigrants send outside U.S. borders.

Hispanic and Islamic groups called for his resignation in a Denver protest recently, citing Tancredo's suggestion to target Islamic holy sites if terrorists launch a nuclear attack on the United States.

In his speech, he urged the police officers to force political candidates from either party to clearly state positions on immigration laws.

Tancredo's stance on immigration has put him at loggerheads with the Bush administration and its support of an amnesty for undocumented immigrants from Mexico. Tancredo calls amnesty "a rotten idea" that would turn the flow of illegal immigrants into a "tidal wave."

"I support him in many ways," Tancredo said of the president. "On this, I think he is wrong."

Tancredo says he has no presidential aspirations of his own.

"I'm too short, I'm too fat, I'm too bald to be the president of the United States," he said.