Tennessee 2006 Senate Debate: on Immigration


Bob Corker: Fired four illegal immigrants as soon as contract allowed

Q: Your views on illegal immigration?

FORD: I have never hired an illegal immigrant. He has. Four of them. A worksite of his was raided, by federal law enforcement agents. I was not with Pres. Bush on granting amnesty to illegal immigrants.

CORKER: No one has ever worked for me who’s an illegal immigrant. 18 years ago, one of thousands of my subcontractors hired four people--and the INS applauded me for how quickly I ended that problem.

FORD: Why didn’t you just fire them when you learned about it? Why did you wait for the INS to come back 3 times before doing something?

CORKER: We had a contract, so we couldn’t just fire them. We rectified it quickly. My opponent is trying to make an issue out of an issue that doesn’t exist.

FORD: You ought to take responsibility for knowing that there were illegals working on your site, and you did nothing to stop them.

Source: 2006 TN Senate debate, at Univ. of Chattanooga, x-ref Ford Oct 10, 2006

Bob Corker: Use technology to improve fence along Mexican border

Q: Do you support building the fence along the Mexican border?

CORKER: I visited the border and I’ve seen holes in the border fence. People of all nationalities are coming through that border. We need to ensure that we use technology, and use those things necessary so we know who’s coming & going. We need to make sure that we allow people to work here, but only if they’re legal. We need instant employer certification so employers know if people they’re hiring are legal, & punish employers who don’t

Source: 2006 TN Senate debate, at University of Chattanooga Oct 10, 2006

Harold Ford: Claims Corker hired four illegal immigrants

Q: Your views on illegal immigration?

FORD: I have never hired an illegal immigrant. He has. Four of them. A worksite of his was raided, by federal law enforcement agents. I was not with Pres. Bush on granting amnesty to illegal immigrants.

CORKER: No one has ever worked for me who’s an illegal immigrant. 18 years ago, one of thousands of my subcontractors hired four people--and the INS applauded me for how quickly I ended that problem.

FORD: Why didn’t you just fire them when you learned about it? Why did you wait for the INS to come back 3 times before doing something?

CORKER: We had a contract, so we couldn’t just fire them. We rectified it quickly. My opponent is trying to make an issue out of an issue that doesn’t exist.

FORD: You ought to take responsibility for knowing that there were illegals working on your site, and you did nothing to stop them.

Source: 2006 TN Senate debate, at University of Chattanooga Oct 10, 2006

  • The above quotations are from Rep. Harold Ford, Jr. (D-9th) & Former Chattanooga Mayor Bob Corker debate at the University of Chattanooga, hosted by the Chattanooga Times Free Press, WTVC-TV News Channel 9, & the Chattanooga Bar Assocation, Oct. 10, 2006. .
  • Click here for definitions & background information on Immigration.
  • Click here for other issues (main summary page).
  • Click here for more quotes by Harold Ford on Immigration.
  • Click here for more quotes by Bob Corker on Immigration.
Candidates and political leaders on Immigration:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R)
Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R)
Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Feb 25, 2019