Lou Dobbs abandoned by major immigration group

According to a statement released today by officials from Americans for Legal Immigration PAC, the group officially withdrew their support for financial commentator and former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs after years of mutual striving to toughen US immigration policy.

 

ALIPAC reportedly cut all ties to Dobbs, who left CNN due to a dispute over illegal aliens and coverage of that subject at the cable network. According to the ALIPAC statement the group suspended its web sites calling on Dobbs to run for President due to the perceived change in Dobbs's stances on immigration issues.

 

For years, Dobbs was considered a leading proponent for tighter border security and tougher illegal alien sanctions including stiffer penalties for violation of immigration laws.

"While Mr. Dobbs claims his positions have not changed, however, that is not the perception of many of our mutual supporters," said William Gheen of ALIPAC. "His recent comments on Telemundo and his national radio show supporting some kind of path to citizenship for illegal immigrants is inconsistent with positions of ALIPAC and the views of most American citizens."

A recent Pulse Opinion Research, LLC, September, 2009 poll found 78% of likely voters were opposed to legalizing the status of the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants in the U.S. with only 19% supporting it. Eighty-eight percent of African-Americans were opposed to legalization. These findings are consistent with numerous other certified polls presented in ALIPAC's "Polls and Surveys" section at alipac.us

Dobbs created shock waves last week when news broke about his pro-Amnesty comments on Telemundo that appear to be a departure from his prior support for existing immigration laws. ALIPAC circulated the video of the entire Lou Dobbs interview on Telemundo to over 30,000 national supporters.

"Our internal polling shows that over 70% of our supporters are upset with Mr. Dobbs's comments on Telemundo is support of legalizing illegal aliens. ALIPAC opposes any path to citizenship form of Amnesty for illegal aliens currently in the US," said Gheen. "Therefore we are dropping our support for Lou Dobbs and suspending the fan sites we have created."

ALIPAC was the first national organization to call on Dobbs to consider a run for President of the United States. Gheen discussed these issues with Dobbs on his national radio show on Monday, November 30.

ALIPAC is suspending the operations of two Dobbs fan web sites. The Facebook "Draft Lou Dobbs for President or US Senate" and the fan site www.LouDobbsForPresident.org will suspend operations and have a notice of ALIPAC's discontinued support placed upon them.

 

The site www.LouDobbsForPresident.org was launched back in early 2008 and has generated pledges of over $660,000 in contributions if Lou Dobbs were to run for office, according to ALIPAC 

"We've received so many demands from prior Dobbs supporters to remove their pledges of support that we have to suspend all operations on the Dobbs fan sites," said Gheen.

 

"Lou Dobbs has deeply offended his base of supporters and ALIPAC is going to remain loyal to those Americans who support our existing immigration laws instead of Amnesty disguised as reform,"  Gheen added.