Ingraham pushes for an end to all Muslim immigration
Right-wing radio host Laura Ingraham announced on her program Monday that she's long believed the United States should shut down all immigration from central Asia and any nation with a majority Muslim population.
Going even further, Ingraham said she's not sure why the U.S. allows people from central Asia either, particularly ethnic Chechnens, two of whom have been identified as the Boston bombing suspects.
"I would submit that people shouldn't be coming here as tourists from Chechnya after 9/11," Ingraham said. "Dagistan, Checnya, Kergystan, uh-uh. As George Bush would say, 'None of them stans.'"
Because the Boston Marathon bombing happened right as the Senate prepares to take up immigration reform, some conservatives who want the immigration system to become more restrictive have cited the incident as cause for a rethink.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) in particular said on Friday that the attack is reason enough to put immigration reform on hold.
“How can individuals evade authority and plan such attacks on our soil? How can we beef up security checks on people who wish to enter the United States?" he asked. "How do we ensure that people who wish to do us harm are not eligible for benefits under the immigration laws, including this new bill before us?"
Grassley later backed off the implication that he was using the Boston bombings to jam up immigration reform, insisting, "I didn't say that!" during a committee hearing on Monday.
This audio is from "The Laura Ingraham Show," aired Monday, April 22, 2013, snipped by Mediaite.