Chamber of Commerce. I could not understand why. I must report to the gentleman. as he already has other evidence. that in some polling that I did on my own that that has turned around. at least in my district. and people are willing to see the Congress support a Judicious system of employer sanctions to forge at least one way of bringing about immigration reform. Here the more remarkable thing was on the question of amnesty. which these very same people to whom I allude now. were unalterably opposed. They thought amnesty was a crime. In other words. to reward someone for illegally coming to the United States was beyond the thinking of the general populace as I determined it then. There has been a dramatic turnabout even in that because I tell you now that when it is coupled with immigration reform and amnesty is described as part of the package that must be put together in order to obtain immigration reform. even that segment of the populace that historically and traditionally and viscerally opposed amnesty are willing to accept it in the quest for proper immigration reform. So the gentleman is on the right track. There is no question that the public wants it. The President wants it. history demands it. Who are holding it up? Why are we not getting immigration reform? That question we will continue to try to answer. I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Identified stereotypes
Generalizing about the public's initial opposition to amnesty and employer sanctions.