McCain Emphasizes Border Security

Here is a story posted on the GOPUSA web site
about Sen. McCain. GOPUSA is a Conservative group, led by

Bobby Eberle

McCain Emphasizes Border Security

By LIZ SIDOTI Associated Press

November 5, 2007

SIMPSONVILLE, S.C. (AP) -- John McCain spent months earlier this year arguing that the United States must combine border security efforts with a temporary worker program and an eventual path to citizenship for many illegal immigrants.

Now, the Republican presidential candidate emphasizes securing the borders first. The rest, he says, is still needed but will have to come later.

''I understand why you would call it a, quote,
shift,''

McCain told reporters Saturday after voters questioned him on his position during back-to-back appearances in this early voting state.

''I say it is a lesson learned about what the
American people's priorities are. And their priority is to secure the
borders.''

The shift in approach is likely to draw criticism from McCain's GOP opponents. Immigration has been a flash point in the race, with rivals Mitt Romney, Rudy Giuliani and Fred Thompson all seizing on it.

McCain, who has led on the issue in the Senate with Democrat Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, got a wake-up call of sorts in June when Congress again failed to enact a broad immigration proposal that he championed and that split the country.

The measure also exposed deep divisions within the Republican Party, and McCain's high-profile support for it hurt him politically. During debate on the issue as spring turned into summer, the Arizona senator saw his poll numbers in some early primary states slip and his fundraising wane.

Early in the year, McCain told Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina voters the country must take a comprehensive approach -- strengthening the borders as well as creating a temporary worker program and providing millions of illegal immigrants the opportunity to earn citizenship if they meet certain criteria.

Over the past few months, he has stressed border security first and said border-state governors should certify their borders are secure before making other needed immigration changes.
McCain said he listened to what the public was saying when the legislation failed -- and responded accordingly.

''I said, OK. We'll secure the borders, but after
we secure the borders, we'll have a temporary worker program, we'll have to
address the 12 million people here illegally, and I think the best way is the
proposal that we had,''

McCain said.

''It's not a switch in position. I support the same
solution. But we've got to secure the borders first,''

he added.

Given the public outcry, McCain predicted Congress again would fail if it tried to pass broad reforms without ensuring secure borders.

''You've got to respond to the
people,''

he said.

''If your job is to succeed in addressing a major issue then you've got to
do what's necessary to succeed. We failed.''

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