Pat Bertroche Photo: AP
As if the third congressional district in Iowa wasn't crowded with candidates already, another steps up to the plate to offer his suggestions about immigration in the United States.
Speaking at a Tama County forum Monday, Urbandale Physician, Pat Bertroche, vying for Democrat Leonard Boswell's seat in the June 8th Republican primary, stated that he was clearly not joking when he made the suggestion that undocumented or illegal immigrants should be treated like a common household pet. His idea of replacing what could be a monumentally expensive border fence project was to microchip immigrants so that they could be tracked. He was quoted in the Cedar Rapids Gazette as saying, "I think we should catch 'em, we should document 'em, make sure we know where they are and where they are going. He went on to say, "I actually support microchipping them. I can microchip my dog so I can find it. Why can't I microchip an illegal?" He supported the idea because he feels that too many illegal immigrants find ways to tunnel under fences, and the microchip embedded under their skin would make immigration control simpler.
Bertroche's statement angered and upset many Central Iowans who live in the third district. When interviewed, a Des Moines native, Peter B., who refused to allow us to reveal his last name for fear of reprisals by those who know him and his business, stated, "This is the sort of thing that seems like science fiction. I remember people going crazy over the idea that the government would implant some sort of tracking device in us years ago, and I dismissed it as just that, crazy." He went on to say, "One of my best friends told me after he heard the news that Bertroche is the devil for suggesting such an idea."
A central Iowa woman contacted centraliowapolitics@gmail.com and said, "I always feared the whole idea of a federal registry on citizens. It would start with illegals and then move on up to pedophiles and thieves, and then us common citizens are next."
Bertroche wasn't the only Republican to come out strongly against amnesty or harsher border control security. State Senator Brad Zaun, also of Urbandale said he felt that the government should take the "illegal people who are here, put them on a bus and send them wherever they came from." He contended that illegal immigrants in the United States receive government services, like health care and education, illegally, and that they don't help pay to support those services.
Non-partisan Iowa Policy Project conducted a study in October of 2007 which found that contrary to what many believe, the average undocumented family in Iowa pays nearly $1,671 in sales, excise, property and income tax each year. Those numbers represent approximatly eighty-percent of the total amount of taxes paid by a documented family earning the same income. On top of that, employers pay the State an estimated amount nearing $2.86 million in unemployment insurance premiums for their employees who are undocumented workers. Social Security and Medicare taxes to the United States government actually reaches nearly $130 million. The project also concluded that, "Undocumented immigrants in Iowa are eligible for only a very few state-funded services, primarily K-12 public education, emergency medical care, and certain emergency relief programs. They are not eligible for, among other things, unemployment benefits, in-state tuition at public universities, Medicaid, hawk-i children’s health insurance program, or child-care assistance and, in some cases, may pay taxes for services they can never receive. For instance, undocumented immigrants in Iowa pay state unemployment insurance and federal Social Security and Medicare taxes; however, because they cannot access these benefits, their tax payments offset and perhaps subsidize the provision of services and benefits to documented residents. Many of the services that federal law provides for undocumented immigrants (for instance, emergency police and fire services) are administered at the local level."
Tama is a Central- Iowa community made up of many American Indians and about 1% Hispanic workers who are employed by local meat-packing plants. The Meskwaki Tribe runs a legal gambling casino in the area. Full demographics of ancestry of Tama residents are available online.
"This is cruelty at the highest level", Juan Jiminez, a Tama County resident stated. "I am a legal U.S. citizen, but because I am not white, I get treated the same as those who work with me that are not [legal]. Treating a human being like a dog is not acceptible, regardless of race and regardless of nationality. Our government should be ashamed if they allow this to take place, and Bertroche should never see public office."
Many local and national news agencies reported on Bertroche's statements after they had been made public.
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Comments
Maybe this is obvious to some; The really cruel irony of all these "Constitution-loving" "patriotic" "Americans" spouting all the crazy nonsense is that if America actually comes under the control of these lunatics, the COnstitution would become irrelevant and we would , in essence, become a Communist country! There is another GOP candidate in California who wants to deport American-born children of illegal immigrants! Basically deport American citizens! Nuts!
How would he like being treated like a dog? Maybe we should microchip him to keep track of his where abouts to make sure he stays above board & is not elected into office.
My dog has a microchip, but it doesn't help me catch it if it gets loose. Someone actually has to catch the dog before it can be taken to a location that has a scanner for the microchip - all before my dog gets returned to me. What Bertroche doesn't understand is that even if illegals were microchipped, it would not prevent them from tunneling under fences or running. You still have to catch them coming into the country. So, why not just protect the borders better, forget the fence, and make it tougher for those who are undocumented to find haven. Americans have contributed to the immigration issue by hiring non-authorized workers. Make those businesses and citizens responsible and I am sure you will soon find that more immigrants will seek citizenship.
Please see my website, www.bertroche4congress.com, for my stance on immigration. And you can check out WHO radio1040 that has posted my response to the criticism leveled against me.
Leviticus 19:33-34 (New International Version)
33 " 'When an alien lives with you in your land, do not mistreat him. 34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the LORD your God.
pat, you should wear a dog collar that shocks you every time you say something stupid. may never allow you to say anything again ... your wife may like it too. stupid moron.
Instead of blaming so-called Illegal Aliens whom are better-behaved then Americans you should go after the gang bangers, the drugs addicts, the Criminals. In other words “AMERICANS” or people who grew up in the U.S. The U.S. has almost 4 times the murder rate, more than Mexico so stop blaming your crap on Mexico. I agree with people who want to close the border, why? Because theirs millions of jobs in the U.S. These jobs rely on export to Mexico. “Please Mexico just for one day” it would cost 10 of Billions of $ to the U.S. economy. Do you seriously think a lazy drug addict American is going to do the Job of an illegal? Ask the senator from the Carolinas whose peaches are rotting on the trees and hotels whom can’t find workers. Who said Americans need to get off of welfare and their American ass and go to work. Why is the U.S. not pointing out that a lot of the Crime (Most) along the Border is being committed by Americans and people who are legally in the U.S.? Scum bag American gang b
Jja - your ranting isn't helping the cause. I was born in Mexico and my family immigrated here, and then they became legal citizens. They saved the money and then got their citizenship. I don't live in Iowa, but this article caught my attention. If you need better information so that you don't sound so ignorant check out this website. www.usillegalaliens.com/impacts_of_illegal_immigration_crime.html
I am a criminal justice major who works in security and I have seen the illegal immigration issue first hand. I want my fellow Hispanics to have opportunities just as my parents had. However, I want them to follow the rules. If I came back to Mexico and lived I would have to follow the laws of the land there.
BTW - Betroche, you need a doctor because your head is definitely not screwed on too tight.
Bertroche said he would instead support issuing of "blue cards" to illegal immigrants that would contain the same microchip technology found in U.S. passports. These cards would allow bearers to remain in the country but would prevent them from being granted citizenship or receiving government services.
HELLO! Pat Bertroche, irregardless of your original comment in public and now your comment that clarifies - any National registry is unconstitutional.
This is a very dangerous man. His ideas appeal to many people. He is capable of galvanizing support. He is a racist and needs to be monitored closely by citizen watch groups. He must not gain office. People with ideas like him are what causes ethnic groups to be scape-goated. This is happening because of our difficult economic times and that is exactly how and why Hitler came to power and annihilated 6 million people.
Radical fundamentalism and right-wing nonsense. I should hope that there would be a public outcry if this idea was EVER put into place...on an id card or anything else. I read Mr. Betroche's statement on here, and it doesn't excuse his first statements. He's winning over no one in Iowa, and he won't be respected elsewhere now either. Stick to being a doctor, Pat. Maybe you can install those microchips surgically and bill medicare?
Anyone in the US legally shouldn't have to worry about being scapegoated, especially under this administration's watch (Pres. Obama). He'll bend over and kiss any baby near him just to get a vote. Illegals aren't scapegoated. Their being shown the door. You entered our country illegally, you commited a crime, now be on your way. Simple. I don't have anything personal against anyone who wants to come to the US and apply for citizenship, get a job and hold it, pay taxes, pay to put their kids through school, support their local economies by spending their earnings in the US (as opposed to sending it back to their country of origin). If you're sending your kids to public school and you're an illegal, then you are basically relying on our welfare system to take care of you and your kids. Why do people not stay in their own countries and try to make them better instead of flooding into the US and then trying to change our laws, our culture, our system of government?
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