Why do I watch the Lou Dobbs Tonight broadcast --- because he discusses in-depth the issues that the network news broadcasts either just glance over or don't cover at all. I also watch his broadcast because I learn something new on a weekly basis. Perfect example, I had no idea that when congressional seats are determined illegal aliens are counted in the number. Amazing.
plk.
Lou Dobbs Tonight
Aired April 3, 2006 - 18:00 ET
DOBBS: Well, according to law, illegal aliens can't vote. But they can determine who votes where. They can determine how many congressional representatives your state has in Washington. The 14th amendment to the constitution says representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, persons, not citizens.
And that means states with high numbers of illegal aliens are getting congressional seats at the expense of states with fewer illegal aliens but more citizens. Congresswoman Candice Miller, among the very first to deal with this inequity, and she's introduced a constitutional amendment to change this, joining us here tonight.
Congresswoman, thanks for being here.
REP. CANDICE MILLER (R), MICHIGAN: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: What is the progress of your resolution to deal with this issue? It's one that no one even -- almost no one. We've talked before here. We've reported on it because of your efforts. But is there any pickup here on Capitol Hill?
MILLER: Well, you know, it's a slow go. And in some ways, I guess, that's appropriate, because you shouldn't be able to change the constitution just very easily. It should be a very difficult thing, and it is in this case. But we have almost 40 sponsors on my resolution. That's the House Joint Resolution 53.
And as well the Ohio statehouse had a hearing just last month and have passed a resolution in favor of this. And we're hoping to have the same thing happen in the Senate in Michigan. So some of the states, particularly those that are about due to lose additional congressional representation, are certainly starting to notice.
DOBBS: What you're saying is that states, for example, like California, with -- or Arizona even, with a heavy population of illegal aliens are probably getting a disproportionate number of seats in Congress because of the number of illegal aliens living within their states?
Give us a sense of how many seats you think might be in play here. The number now is 11 million to 12 million in the country. Others have it at 20 million, the study last year. What's the possibility as far as you're concerned?
MILLER: Well, the possibility -- I will tell you specifically in the last census, in the 2000 census, the state of California actually acquired an additional six congressional seats based on about 5.5 million non-citizens, principally illegal aliens. And, you know, there's six seats right there. That would have been nine seats in play.
So a number states lost members of Congress because of illegal aliens, which is really counterintuitive. It goes against what the founding fathers thoughts of one man, one vote. It's an issue of basic fairness, and it's one thing for a state like Michigan or Ohio or Montana, Pennsylvania or whatever to lose seats in Congress because of a natural shift of American citizens.
DOBBS: Right.
MILLER: It's another thing to lose congressional representation because of illegal aliens.
DOBBS: Why do you suppose the national media is not picking up on this critically important issue?
MILLER: You know, I think it's really a matter of education. I very much appreciate your interest in it, because if people are first made aware of it, even members of Congress seem to be totally stunned that this is actually happening. And, again, with the next census coming up, there's going to be more of a shift.
DOBBS: Congresswoman Candice Miller, we thank you for continuing to educate us. We appreciate it and thanks for being here tonight.
MILLER: Thank you so much.
And that means states with high numbers of illegal aliens are getting congressional seats at the expense of states with fewer illegal aliens but more citizens. Congresswoman Candice Miller, among the very first to deal with this inequity, and she's introduced a constitutional amendment to change this, joining us here tonight.
Congresswoman, thanks for being here.
REP. CANDICE MILLER (R), MICHIGAN: Thank you, Lou.
DOBBS: What is the progress of your resolution to deal with this issue? It's one that no one even -- almost no one. We've talked before here. We've reported on it because of your efforts. But is there any pickup here on Capitol Hill?
MILLER: Well, you know, it's a slow go. And in some ways, I guess, that's appropriate, because you shouldn't be able to change the constitution just very easily. It should be a very difficult thing, and it is in this case. But we have almost 40 sponsors on my resolution. That's the House Joint Resolution 53.
And as well the Ohio statehouse had a hearing just last month and have passed a resolution in favor of this. And we're hoping to have the same thing happen in the Senate in Michigan. So some of the states, particularly those that are about due to lose additional congressional representation, are certainly starting to notice.
DOBBS: What you're saying is that states, for example, like California, with -- or Arizona even, with a heavy population of illegal aliens are probably getting a disproportionate number of seats in Congress because of the number of illegal aliens living within their states?
Give us a sense of how many seats you think might be in play here. The number now is 11 million to 12 million in the country. Others have it at 20 million, the study last year. What's the possibility as far as you're concerned?
MILLER: Well, the possibility -- I will tell you specifically in the last census, in the 2000 census, the state of California actually acquired an additional six congressional seats based on about 5.5 million non-citizens, principally illegal aliens. And, you know, there's six seats right there. That would have been nine seats in play.
So a number states lost members of Congress because of illegal aliens, which is really counterintuitive. It goes against what the founding fathers thoughts of one man, one vote. It's an issue of basic fairness, and it's one thing for a state like Michigan or Ohio or Montana, Pennsylvania or whatever to lose seats in Congress because of a natural shift of American citizens.
DOBBS: Right.
MILLER: It's another thing to lose congressional representation because of illegal aliens.
DOBBS: Why do you suppose the national media is not picking up on this critically important issue?
MILLER: You know, I think it's really a matter of education. I very much appreciate your interest in it, because if people are first made aware of it, even members of Congress seem to be totally stunned that this is actually happening. And, again, with the next census coming up, there's going to be more of a shift.
DOBBS: Congresswoman Candice Miller, we thank you for continuing to educate us. We appreciate it and thanks for being here tonight.
MILLER: Thank you so much.
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