Joe Carr on Immigration

AdWatch: Border crisis was created by giving amnesty to 11M

The Tea Party Patriots endorsement praised Carr as a "genuine leader" in the fight against illegal immigration, criticizing Alexander for being one of the 14 Republicans to vote for the reform bill that passed the Senate last year.

Carr's radio ad hits Alexander on his support for the immigration measure, charging that the senator "voted with Democrats to pass a bill creating a border crisis by giving amnesty to 11 million illegal aliens."

Refugees cost millions in school & medical costs

That sure sounds like refugees add a lot to our state. But Carr is now dismissing the study, saying, "We don't know if it's flawed." Apparently one of the flaws is that the study doesn't take into account how many immigrants might be in prison.

Well, it costs roughly $25,000 a year to house a prisoner. We also know that there are roughly 21,000 inmates in our prisons--0.3% of the population. Even if 1% of all refugees were incarcerated--more than triple that rate--that would cost Tennessee $14 million. Even if we take out the money for our hypothetical prisoners, refugees in general are still making a huge positive economic contribution to the state.

Illegal immigration turns American dream into nightmare

We also must reform our immigration policy to ensure we are attracting the best and brightest minds around the world and protecting our citizens from individuals who want to harm us. A successful immigration policy begins with enforcement of existing laws and respect for the rule of law.