When it comes to immigration, many on the right are making the same mistake as movie critic Pauline Kael when she expressed surprise at President Nixon's victory - "No one I know voted for Nixon!" I think securing our borders is an important goal, but the tactics and proposals made by Tancredo and his followers sometimes border on the xenophobic.

Something needs to be done about illegal immigration. It is a national security threat and a drain on the economies of quite a few states. But simply saying we should close the borders, round up all the illegals while doing nothing to help strengthen the economies of the countries where immigrants originate suggests that Tancredo is simply gaining popularity by playing on people's fears.

The North American Free Trade Agreement and the Central American Free Trade Agreement were passed to promote trade with the countries that are parties to the agreements. Increasing trade can help the economies of struggling countries grow by increasing production of tradable goods in those countries. Increased production leads to more jobs and more jobs leads to less immigration.

Congressman Tancredo voted against against CAFTA. I don't think Tancredo should be booted out of the party, as there should be room for a variety of opinions among Republicans. I do think, however, his ideas should be more heavily criticized by other Republicans who don't want to see the party's chances among minority groups hurt by the mouthing off of one Congressman.

Full disclosure: I am partially of Hispanic descent. What offends me most about Tancredo's rhetoric are statements such as this:

Many of them are coming simply for the purpose of getting a better job. The whole concept of integration and assimilation goes out the window when it clashes with or comes in contact with, because it is really not a clash, but comes in contact with this cult of multi-culturalism, and that is why it matters. That is why immigration policy fits into this discussion.

I think these guys would disagree with that statement.

My own experiences with family suggest differently. All of my relatives have assimilated into the United States. They vote, pay taxes and work hard at their jobs. It's too bad Tancredo believes that members of my family, because their ancestors were illegals, are not U.S. citizens under the 14th Amendment.

Some pundits argue that the Citizenship Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment demands that the children of illegal aliens and of nonimmigrants legally present in the United States be granted automatic citizenship; these pundits are simply wrong. Neither the Constitution nor any subsequent Supreme Court decision compels birthright citizenship to be conferred upon children of illegal aliens or of nonimmigrants born in the United States.

So yes, this is partially personal for me.

UPDATE - See?