Immigration vote stirs concern about Boehner

Rep. John A. Boehner’s vote last month against a bill cracking down on illegal immigration is sending “tremors” through the House Republican Conference as the Ohio lawmaker pushes his candidacy for House majority leader.

Immigration votes reveal one of the key policy differences between Mr. Boehner and Rep. Roy Blunt, Missouri Republican, in the race to succeed the former leader, Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas.

Overall, both candidates can point to strong conservative credentials and high ratings from conservative and business interest groups — both earned lifetime ratings of 94 from the American Conservative Union and scored high lifetime grades from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

But some differences are emerging based on votes on spending, school choice and, particularly, immigration.

Mr. Blunt, the acting House majority leader, voted for last month’s crackdown on illegal immigration and a 2004 amendment that said local law-enforcement officials should be allowed to report illegal aliens to federal authorities. He also voted against a 2002 bill that was termed a mini-amnesty for hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens under Section 245(i) of the immigration code.

Mr. Boehner voted the opposite way each time, to the chagrin of those seeking more limits on immigration.

“I know how he feels about the issue — he is absolutely opposed to what we are trying to accomplish,” said Rep. Tom Tancredo, Colorado Republican and the leader of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus.

Mr. Tancredo said Mr. Blunt, however, is open to a get-tough approach.

“Blunt is someone I can work with on this issue. I believe he is fairly committed to making it work,” he said.

One Republican aide who asked not to be named said Mr. Boehner’s vote against the immigration bill was “sending tremors through the caucus.”

The vote came while most House Republicans were moving in the opposite direction — toward a crackdown on illegal immigration. Mr. Boehner cast one of 17 Republican “no” votes on the bill.

The bill, which passed with bipartisan support, would require employers to confirm all employees’ eligibility to work by checking Social Security numbers against a database, would authorize building nearly 700 miles of fence on the U.S.-Mexico border, and would end the diversity visa lottery program.

But Mr. Boehner’s aides insist he is committed to working on the issue.

“Mr. Boehner believes we must strengthen our border security, and any suggestion questioning his commitment to immigration reform smacks of desperation by those who have an alternative agenda,” spokesman Kevin Smith said.

After the immigration vote, Mr. Boehner said he “wanted badly to vote for it” but couldn’t because it put too many burdens on businesses.

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