America's Voice

ENFORCEMENT MOSTLY. In a 2008 debate, Schaffer said, “I want to open our doors to those who want to come (legally)…I’m in favor of securing the borders… Our immigration quotas need to match and mirror the needs of our labor market for regions of the country and for specific industries. If we can focus on legal solutions and discourage illegal cheating … we can get an immigration system we can be proud of again.” [The Denver Post, 8/17/08] Schaffer comes from an immigrant family. He said, “The fact that my mom’s family fled the living hell of Stalinism and sought refuge in the United States of America is somewhat of a metaphor for my understanding of the strength of the American economy.” [The Denver Post, 9/22/08]

On his campaign website, he also states that he opposes “sanctuary cities,” “taxpayer-subsidized benefits for which U.S. citizens are ineligible” and “issuing food stamps to visitors from foreign countries.” His website states, “the only reason the current politicians haven’t addressed illegal immigration is because they lack the will and lack the courage.” Schaffer’s recommendation is to “enforce the laws on the books,” make unlawful presence in the United States a crime, and limit “chain migration.” [Bob Schaffer for Congress, accessed 9/18/08, 10/31/08]

In 2004, Schaffer summed up his position on immigration in an op-ed, writing, “I oppose blanket amnesty and support border security.” [Editorial; Rocky Mountain News, 8/7/04] On his website, Schaffer outlined the immigration positions he took in Congress. Those positions include his vote to secure the border, his vote to allow “the military to prevent terrorists and drug traffickers from entering the U.S.,” and his “vote for fraud-proof and tamper-resistant biometric identifiers such as fingerprints or retina scans on visas, passports and other travel documents.” [Bob Schaffer for Congress, accessed 9/18/08]