Hillary Clinton Urges Katrina Aid for Illegal Immigrants


Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is urging the Department of Homeland Security to assure illegal immigrants that they will get their fair share of Hurricane Katrina relief aid without fear of being deported.

In a statement posted to her official Senate web site on Wednesday, Clinton said that the DHS should "issue a formal statement reassuring immigrant victims of Hurricane Rita and Katrina that they can seek help from relief agencies without fear of deportation or being turned over to immigration authorities."

In a letter written directly to Homeland Security Chief Michael Chertoff, Clinton and other Senate Democrats complained that they first asked for Katrina amnesty for illegals more than two weeks ago, but have not received a response.

"In fact," they said, "we were surprised and troubled to learn that DHS has placed some individuals in deportation proceedings after these individuals sought assistance, despite the fact that the government had previously encouraged all storm victims to come forward to seek help.

"Particularly given the widely publicized reports that DHS will deport some immigrant victims of Katrina who sought assistance, we believe such a public assurance is crucial."

Mrs. Clinton urged Chertoff to "terminate removal proceedings against those (illegal immigrants) who were placed in proceedings after they sought assistance."

Other Senate Democrats who signed onto Mrs. Clinton bid to obtain Katrina aid for illegal immigrants include Harry Reid, Dick Durbin, Maria Cantwell, Barack Obama, Russ Feingold, Daniel Akaka, Frank Lautenberg, Joe Lieberman, Carl Levin, John F. Kerry, Chris Dodd, Pat Leahy and Jon Corzine.

I'm starting to get bored with Republicans.