August 30, 2004

"Bush nephew backs off on INS"

I think at this point we can assume he's representing the administration's viewpoint:

Presidential nephew George P. Bush, campaigning in Tucson Thursday, backed off his weekend charge [that would be 8/21/04 --LW] that the U.S. Border Patrol's use of pepper-ball guns is "reprehensible" and "kind of barbarous."

In Mexico City Saturday, the youngest George Bush blamed the policy on "some local INS guy who's trying to be tough, act macho."

Bush did not apologize Thursday for his remarks [Thu. 8/26/04 --LW] but acknowledged that he misspoke in Mexico City, because there is a formal policy and agreement between the United States and Mexico covering the use of these less-than-lethal weapons. He said he didn't fully understand the U.S. policy when he attributed it to some local tough guy in the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

"I made an error and I accept it, but I think the larger issue is that it is something that shouldn't be happening, there shouldn't be this use of arms..."

"There needs to be substantive reform so that folks can move back and forth, work and pay taxes and achieve the American dream. The amount of violence on the border is terrible and we just need more focus on the issue."

Posted to Immigration2004 at August 30, 2004 12:46 PM

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