NORTHWEST WISCONSIN — Wisconsin’s 7th Congressional District Representative, Tom Tiffany, appeared on DrydenWire Live today, Thursday, December 12, 2024, for a wide-ranging discussion with DrydenWire founder Ben Dryden. The interview, streamed live on Facebook and YouTube, delved into immigration enforcement and messaging challenges facing Republicans.
During the conversation, Ben Dryden asked Tiffany for his thoughts on recent comments by Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. Evers has said he would refuse to send Wisconsin National Guard troops to assist with deportations under President-elect Donald Trump’s proposed immigration policies and dismissed remarks by Trump’s incoming border czar about arresting uncooperative local leaders as “stupid talk.”
Tiffany was direct in his response, calling Evers’ stance “out of touch” and emphasizing the public safety implications of lax immigration enforcement.
“A stupid talk to deport people that have committed a second offense drunk driving offense and left three young girls in Rusk County without a father? A stupid talk that somebody in Abbotsford stabbed two children to death? Prairie du Chien where a Venezuelan gang member beat the hell out of a woman down there and her daughter?” Tiffany asked. “Governor Evers is completely out of touch, and he obviously did not receive the memo from the voters on November 5th. They want this to change.”
Tiffany went on to criticize what he described as a broader defiance of federal law among Democratic leaders, drawing historical comparisons to segregationist actions in the 1950s and even the Civil War era.
“Are we going to see the same thing that we saw from Democrats in 1957, when Governor Faubus of Arkansas stood in the schoolhouse door and said, ‘We’re not going to desegregate our schools’? Or is [Evers] going to go full Jefferson Davis like back in the 1860s? I expect not, but I certainly hope not because this is not stupid talk,” Tiffany said.
The congressman underscored the importance of enforcing deportation orders, highlighting statistics on individuals with criminal records.
“There are 1.5 million people here in our country who have deportation orders. They should be removed. ICE should be able to do their job. There should not be sanctuaries like where Governor Evers lives in Madison. There are 13,000 murderers. There are 15,000 rapists. So who does Evers not want to remove from the state of Wisconsin? Because the people of the state of Wisconsin want them removed, and they should be removed.”
Addressing Immigration Messaging
Dryden also asked Tiffany if Republicans face a messaging problem regarding immigration, particularly the perception that they oppose all immigration.
Tiffany acknowledged the challenge, attributing it in part to the national media.
“We say it all the time, and I think one of the key problems is you have a media that has served as national media. You [DrydenWire] excluded in many local outlets here in Wisconsin excluded, because I think they do a good job. But you have a New York Times, the Washington Post, NBC, ABC, all the rest. They don’t play our clips where we say, ‘We do believe in legal immigration.’ But that’s why you want to end illegal immigration. Let’s make sure we do it the right way. They never include that quote,” Tiffany explained.
He reiterated his belief in the value of legal immigration, provided it is conducted properly.
“I believe in legal immigration. I believe people should be able to come into this country, but they need to do it legally, and they need to assimilate,” Tiffany said.
The interview highlighted Tiffany’s staunch support for immigration reform and enforcement while addressing misconceptions about Republican policies. The congressman’s comments underscored ongoing tensions between state and federal leaders over immigration policies.
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Tiffany represents the 7th Congressional District which encompasses DrydenWire’s coverage area.
DrydenWire Live is presented by Americans For Prosperity-Wisconsin. "AFP-Wisconsin works to reignite the American Dream and break down government barriers that hold us back from our full potential. Learn more at americansforprosperity.org and join AFP to fight for more freedom for all Wisconsinites."
Last Update: Dec 12, 2024 12:00 pm CST
