AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite
The Democrats’ leading pro-amnesty legislator, Chicago Rep. Luis Gutierrez, is quitting Congress, according to a Chicago TV station, NBC 5.
The station reported Monday evening:
NBC 5 has learned congressman Luis Gutierrez will announce Tuesday he is not running for re-election after 24 years on Capitol Hill, sources say. Guitterez telephoned key democratic leaders late this afternoon to let them know of his plans. Calls to Guitterez tonight have not been returned.
Gutierrez’s departure comes as his allies recognize the sinking prospects in 2017 for a no-strings “clean Dream Act” for 3 million illegals, including the 690,000 ‘DACA’ beneficiaries
In 2013 and 2014, Gutierrez was the leading Democratic pushing for House approval of the unpopular “Gang of Eight” amnesty-and-cheap-labor act.
For example, he worked closely with Rep. Paul Ryan to fashion a secret amnesty bill — even though the amnesty push was so unpopular that it cost Chuck Schumer nine Democratic seats plus the Senate majority in November 2014.
But Gutierrez’s 2017 push for a December amnesty is being blocked by hostile polls, Donald Trump’s immigration principles, top-level GOP opposition and tepid backroom support from Democrats.
For example, an amnesty for young illegals is a “top priority” for only 23 percent of American voters who identify as Independents, says a November poll by Morning Consult and Politico. The no-strings amnesty was strongly opposed by 16 percent in the November survey, and likely by many of the 23 percent of people who say they have no comment or don’t know.
Also, a November 27 report by the McClatchy news service included an admission by an amnesty proponent that the push for a December amnesty is losing ground:
“Two months have now passed, and I’m sad to report that we’re arguably further away from a solution today than we were then,” said Neil Bradley, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s chief policy officer.
Bradley is a former top policy staffer who worked for GOP leaders, including Rep. Kevin McCarthy and Rep. Eric Cantor. Bradley lost power when the 2013 “Gang of Eight” push backfired and prompted Cantor’s shock primary defeat.
Amnesty advocates mourned Gutirrez’s departure.
Say it ain’t so, @RepGutierrez! Your leadership, your commitment, your love, your courage, and your willingness to speak truth to power has been central to the rise of a strong pro-immigrant movement. Hard to imagine it without you as tip of the spear, my friend. https://t.co/klgoS6z3Sl
— Frank Sharry (@FrankSharry) November 28, 2017
Big loss for pro-immigration community. https://t.co/39dFPXvWEp
— (((Greg Siskind))) (@gsiskind) November 28, 2017
His departure will have a big impact on Chicago politics, likely diverting a local Hispanic candidate for mayor into the House of Congress.
BREAKING: Democratic sources say @LuisGutierrez will pull his petitions, and NOT run for re-election, @jesuschuygar printing petitions already to begin circulating tomorrow, @CDRosa considering too (calls to Gutierrez not returned)
— Mary Ann Ahern (@MaryAnnAhernNBC) November 28, 2017
Gutierrez is known as an outspoken critic of Trump (and Obama before him) to English-language audiences. As I wrote in 2013, to Spanish news viewers, Gutierrez is ubiquitous, like McCain+Graham+Sanders in terms of air time: https://t.co/WdwLYO1PiD
— Ed O’Keefe (@edatpost) November 28, 2017
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