Walberg Responds to Report on His Lies About Father's Citizenship

Link to formatted pdf of this report: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bGnEYSaj2r21A1Z9lVX1pmQgsSslqZSf/view?usp=sharing

Audio of Manchester event [48:00 mark]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uspys0xNqXM

Link to the original report, from October 28, 2018: http://www.takecaretim.com/2018/10/update-walberg-lied-about-his-fathers.html

Introduction:

On Monday, this past week at the Coffee Hour in Manchester, a constituent asked a question related to a report that I wrote last year about Tim Walberg lying for years about his father being an immigrant. [link to report above].

Walberg addressed me several times in his response, even though I was not at the event. Walberg did not dispute the findings from my report [success!]. However, Walberg also failed to accept any responsibility for his lies from over the years [Boo].

In the conclusion to my original report, I alluded that, “There is more to this story”. The scope of that report was about Walberg’s contradictions, more than the story of his immigrant family. Now, in order to fully analyze Walberg’s response, this report will present their story in more detail than before. 

First, we will see Walberg’s full, unabridged response from Monday. Then, I will analyze his response and present more public records about the story of Walberg’s immigrant family. As always, this report is entirely sourced from the public record, which I encourage readers to go and check for themselves.

The Full, Unabridged Exchange

Constituent from Lima Township: “Sir? So, last week President Trump said that his father was born in Germany, which is not true. And in the past, you have said that your relatives, your grandparents and father have come from Sweden. The public records show that your father was born in the U.S., in Illinois.” Walberg: “And you can thank Steven Meyers (sic) for doing that research. And some day, I’ll be able to thank him, because my statement was made on the fact that that’s what I believed, that’s what I had stated in front of my mother who never disabused me of that belief. And I never did the research like Steven Meyers (sic) who spends his time, uh, checking on every word I say, and went back to 1920 Census, and now I have that information. So, I need to thank him and say, I know more about my family’s history than I ever knew before. Constituent from Lima Township: “Good.” Walberg: “But my statement was made not to lie, but was based upon the fact that that was what I believed because that was what my family had led me to believe.” Constituent from Lima Township: “Good. So, we have -” [Interruption] Other Constituent 1: “We’re all in the same boat. I don’t know anything about my family.” Other Constituent 2: “Yeah, we’re all in the same boat. Yep.” Walberg: “And in fact, I’ve probably done more research about my in-law.” Other Constituent 2: [indecipherable side conversation occurs] Walberg: “But the issue was- the issue was- the issue the rest of you, uh, need to know about, we were talking about the issue of immigration. I’m a product of immigration. Now I know because of what Steven Meyers (sic) did, in going back to the 1920 Census, now I know my mother – my grandmother came over from Sweden, which I didn’t lie about that. Came over from Sweden in 1889, uh, with my Grandfather. My father wasn’t born until later on in the United States. I know that now.” “So I can still say the main truth that I was putting out is I’m an immigrant! - The result of immigration. I understand that. But my ancestors came over legally, through Ellis Island. They signed the guest book. They came over with a trade that they could add to our country. They increased the impact of positive on our country, by them coming. That was the emphasis. It wasn’t the issue of whether my father, uh, just because he was either born here after my grandmother and grandfather came, or was born before. That doesn’t make any difference. The family came over legally.” “So, if an individual wants to continue stalking every word that I say, and trying to find where there might be a, uh, something he would call a lie, let him do it. But that wasn’t a lie. That was based upon the truth that I understood. And Mother, a mother who had taught me not to lie, who sat in rooms multiple times and heard me say that.” [End of Exchange]

Analysis:

This analysis mostly follows Walberg’s statements in the order that he made them. Walberg’s quotes are shown throughout in burgundy text. 

“thank Steven Meyers for doing that research”. - I, Steven Meyer, did not do that ancestry research. I wrote the report, but another constituent did the research on their own initiative, over several trips to a public library in our District, using ancestry services, and then shared those findings with me. There were a lot of records, so we spent weeks interpreting, and discussing them. I only showed two of the records in my report. I wanted to give credit to that constituent for their work, but they didn’t want credit for it. For this report, that constituent still wishes to not be identified.

“And some day, I’ll be able to thank him”– Some day? Why not last month in Dexter? Walberg stood right next to me for that whole Coffee Hour. He didn’t make any motions akin to gratitude toward me then.

Walberg now claims that his “statement” about his father’s citizenship was based on his own belief, and that his mother “never disabused” him of it. It was not a single statement though. Walberg has told years of contradictory statements about his father’s citizenship. His contradictions are what initially sparked our suspicion to start looking into it.

The most chilling part of Walberg’s response on Monday, was when he said, “that was what my family had led me to believe.” – Tim Walberg turned 68 years old this past week. He is a sitting US Congress member, and rather than accept responsibility for his own actions, he chooses to place the blame on his family. To now allege that it was his parents who put that idea into his mind, is a chilling accusation. His parents would have known better. So, what motive would his father have, as a native-born U.S. citizen, to lie to his son, and claim to be an immigrant? Even if his parents did mislead him, once Walberg grew into adulthood with responsibilities, he should have developed the cognitive capacity to puzzle through those contradictions and realize that his parents’ stories were wrong, then make amends, and not spread the falsehoods any further. So, I maintain that Walberg is continuing to lie, and refuses to accept any responsibility for his own actions as both a grown adult and United States Representative.

Walberg claimed that he “never did the research” on this, but that too contradicts an older statement of his, describing a trip he took to Ellis Island for the purpose of researching into his immigrant grandparents.

Video (0:50 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWmEjdsSJYA

So, Walberg should have easily found on that trip to Ellis Island that his grandmother was only 13 years old when she arrived in 1889, which was 18 years before his father was born.

Source: LibertyEllisFoundation.org

“my grandmother came over from Sweden… in 1889, uh, with my grandfather” When Tim Walberg did that research at Ellis Island, he would have seen on the manifests that his grandfather’s name was not there with his grandmother’s name. Cook County records, in Illinois show that she did not marry Walberg’s grandfather until in 1901, 12 years after she arrived. My fellow constituent and I have not found any record of Walberg’s grandfather arriving through Ellis Island. I still do not know where, when, or how Walberg’s grandfather, Carl A. Walberg arrived to the United States.

Source: Cook County, Illinois

More credit is owed to the two trusting constituents at the Manchester Coffee Hour who both said, “we’re all in the same boat”, about not knowing their family’s history. They deserve more credit than Walberg does because they are open and honest about the fact. Their honesty stands in contrast our Representative’s. Walberg’s boat is full of splinters and holes. Those two constituents deserve a better boat.

“now I know my mother – my grandmother came over from Sweden, which I didn’t lie about that.”– [Oh, what a Prince!] Walberg was proud to say that he didn’t lie about something that nobody ever said that he lied about. Walberg did make unsupported claims about his grandmother’s citizenship though, by referring to his father many times as an “anchor baby”. That pejorative implies that his grandmother had borne two children in the United States when she was not a citizen. While Walberg has never provided support of his claim of that, I have also not seen any evidence to rule out the possibility of that being the true version of Walberg’s family’s story. Walberg’s father and uncle might have actually been, according to Walberg’s claim: “anchor babies”

“But my ancestors came over legally, through Ellis Island. They signed the guest book.” I never determined the legality of how Walberg’s grandparents came over, but there are a lot of the problems with the way that they signed “the guest book”. One of the reasons I only showed the 1920 Census in the last report, was because it is the only Census that matches the Ellis Island manifest. Over time, the census ledgers show a seven-year span between the years that Walberg’s grandmother, Alma arrived: 1889 – 1895.

Walberg’s grandmother was double-counted in the 1900 Census. The ledger from June 13, 1900, seems to account for a residence that Alma shared with her sister, Agnes, and the ledger from June 23, 1900 was her employer, where she also lived. By that year, she had been in the country for 11 years, but the two ledgers say that she had been in the country for five, and eight years. The reason why she and her employer might have falsified how long she had been in the country was for fear of penalty, if she had overstayed her visa. 

The 1920 ledger says that she became a naturalized citizen in 1901, but in 1910, she did not declare being a naturalized citizen yet. We have not found any naturalization records for her. I have not drawn any conclusions about that particular discrepancy yet. However, these multitude of discrepancies across the “guest book(s)” might be proof that she was not being lawful. If Walberg’s grandmother knowingly gave false information to the U.S. Census then that in itself was illegal, and the census is evidence of it. It would make her, in another pejorative term that Walberg uses frequently: “an illegal”.

See these full ledger sheets in Appendix II

Walberg has frequently claimed that his immigrant ancestors arrived with ready trade skills, “They came over with a trade”. The 1900 census ledgers show that Walberg’s grandmother’s occupation was, “Servant”. Domestic service is a common job fulfilled by migrants to our country today [And Trump’s homes and resorts]. Walberg’s grandmother was a 13-year old child when she sought entry to the U.S. port. Walberg keeps attempting to distinguish the way his family migrated to the United States from the way other migrants arrive here. It is false for Walberg to make his family sound more elite, and more skilled than today’s migrant families who also seek entry at U.S. ports.

The iconic photo from last November, shows asylum seekers fleeing from tear gas fired at them by U.S. border agents at the Otay Mesa port of entry. One of the girls running from the tear gas with her mother was13-years old, the same age that Walberg’s grandmother was when she too sought entry at a U.S. port. Since that incident in November, U.S. border agents have continued to launch tear gas at migrants across the border, in 2019.

“It wasn’t the issue of whether my father, uh, just because he was either born here after my grandmother and grandfather came, or was born before. That doesn’t make any difference.”- That doesn’t make any difference?!! Then why has Walberg refused to support a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers and people with DACA statuses? In 2018, Walberg even referred to his father as “a DACA kid”, during an interview on The Guy Gordon radio show. Since it doesn’t make any difference to Walberg about his father, then it wouldn’t make any difference where the children of any other migrants were born.

“So, if an individual wants to continue stalking every word that I say, and trying to find where there might be a, uh, something he would call a lie, let him do it.”- If Walberg believes having the public’s attention on his public work is “stalking”, then he is unsuited for the work of public office. Walberg’s attitude about me took quite a turn from earlier when he said, “some day, I’ll be able to thank him”. I suspected that Walberg’s gratitude was disingenuous.

“But that wasn’t a lie. That was based upon the truth that I understood.” What kind of logic is that? How can an untruth result from a truth that is understood? Walberg agrees now that his father was not an immigrant. So, we can at least conclude that part was an untruth. So, what does Walberg mean with the proposition that there was: a) an inherent “truth”; b) that he “understood”; but his spoken outcome was c) an untruth? If an understanding follows the truth, then it should remain truthful when spoken aloud. Otherwise, the signals got mixed up somewhere between Walberg’s mind and his mouth.

Revised Syllogism: if there was a) the truth; and Walberg b) understood the truth; and he c) repeatedly spoke untruths;– then d) Walberg lied.

Conclusion:

Walberg objected to my characterization that he is a liar. I don’t call him that lightly. 

This report considered and addressed all of Walberg’s stated excuses. I considered how all of the information from the records might fit together, and possibly show that Walberg was being honest. However, none of Walberg’s excuses fit with the known facts. As Walberg said, when I find, “something he would call a lie, let him do it” - Okay, I will do it.

I hope you have enjoyed reading all of the somethings today.

Take care,

Steven Meyer [not Steven Meyers],

April 14, 2019

Michigan’s 7^thCongressional District

APPENDIX I: Related Miscellanea

This is the 19^th occurrence that I have found of Walberg claiming his father was an immigrant. I found this incident after writing the summary report for 2018. So, this is the first formal report showing this incident, with the link to the source for it, and a graph of the total occurrences that I’ve found so far.

Video (52:45 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xq71aewN3Lw

The reports earlier this month about Trump lying about his father being an immigrant, had so many similarities to Walberg’s actions that it could not be ignored. So I put together this exhibit on Twitter: @TakeCareTim

APPENDIX II: Full Census Ledgers

These are the full unmarked pages that were condensed for the one exhibit in my report.

1900(a)

1900(b)

1910

1920

1930

1940

Update: Walberg Lied About his Father's Citizen Status for Years

Link to formatted, printable PDF: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1M7LUw7bydfEQWe5umFip2PN5PMOs7E5d/view?usp=sharing

Header image: Swedish flag circa 1889 & U.S.A. flag circa 1901 [45 stars]

 INTRODUCTION:

For years in public office, Tim Walberg has claimed that his Father, John A. Walberg was either:

• An “Anchor Baby” 
• A “DACA kid”
• Or he immigrated to the U.S. from Sweden

Furthermore, Tim Walberg has also personally claimed multiple times to be a:

• “first-generation American citizen”

Public records show that all four of Walberg’s claims are false. The U.S. Census shows Tim Walberg’s Grandmother, Alma Emelia Walberg [maiden surname: Larson] did immigrate from Sweden in 1889, and became a US citizen in 1901. Tim Walberg’s Father was born in Illinois in 1907. Therefore, the terms “Anchor Baby” and “DACA” have no connection to their life stories.

Walberg’s use of the terms “Anchor Baby” and “DACA kid” regarding his father, are both callous, and contradictory.

The public entrusts Walberg to make appropriate, consequential decisions over the fate and well-being of migrants to the United States. In Congress, Tim Walberg has been lying for years about his own family’s migrant story, which betrays his role and trust as a Representative.

This report shows:

• 14 occurrences of Walberg saying his father was an Immigrant
• 5 occurrences of Walberg saying his father was an “Anchor Baby”

 DEFINITIONS:

“Anchor Baby”: an insulting term for a child born to a non-citizen mother in a country that grants automatic citizenship to children born on its soil.

DACA: [Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals], A contested immigration policy granting legal status to non-citizen applicants who were brought to the country undocumented as children.

First-Generation American Citizen: A person who has either been naturalized as an American citizen, or the child of that person.

1 - Tim Walberg Claiming his Father Immigrated to the U.S. like a “DACA kid”

Thursday, June 21, 2018	The Guy Gordon Show - Detroit, MI
Tim Walberg: “Goodlatte fully funds the wall. In the case of the wall, it says that there will be no legal status given to the DACA recipient until the wall is completed. And so that’s intended for five years. They have a six-year automatically renewable opportunity stay as that status. It also ends chain-migration. It ends diversity visas, goes to a merit-based visa like we used to have, and like every other country in the world basically has.” Guy Gordon: “Because we need these skills Congressman, I mean, we’ve got shortages of labor now- “ Walberg: “We do.” Gordon: “-In a number of sectors.” Walberg: “And to enhance when we don’t have American citizens who are either trained, or willing to do the work, certainly immigrants can add to that. And, you know, being a first-generation American citizen myself, with my Dad having been brought over, I guess you coulda called him a DACA kid in the past, cause he came over, brought by parents through no plan of his own, but came legally, and they went through Ellis Island, did everything right by the books back then, there was no illegality about it, but that’s what we need here in this country, but it has to be done legally. And I believe both of the bills will do that.”
Audio (4:15 mark): http://cdn.cmlsdet.com/audio/audio_00031021_20180621.mp3

Official Death Certificate shows Tim Walberg’s Father was born in the US, not “brought over”

1 - Tim Walberg referring to his Father as an “Anchor Baby”

June 30, 2010	Campaign Meet and Greet - Jackson, MI
Walberg: “A Russian lady last night over in Coldwater, who attended one of our town hall meetings, who has a green card. She’s married to an American husband, and she says, ‘All I ask is that everybody goes through the same process I’m going through. I want to be an American citizen now, but I know the process means I’ve got to be here four more years. And I’m willing to take that, but everybody ought to go through the same thing.’That’s all we’re saying. My father was an ‘anchor baby’. No, he wasn’t. They would call him an ‘anchor baby’ today, but when Grandma and Grandpa came over, they came over, as Grandma said to me many times, cause she lived with us, ‘Ve’re Americans. Ve no longer Svedes. God bless America.’” “And she didn’t talk Swedish unless she was arguing - arguing with her Sister over theology. And she cleaned toilets and sewed dresses for rich ladies on the north shore of Chicago, but she was glad to do that, ‘cause her two Sons now had the opportunity, if they chose, to go to Northwestern University, or go to New Trier high school – never made it to Northwestern when the Depression hit, but they did achieve, and I’m thankful that they gave me a start in a free country.”
Video (0:25 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N6Izd4Bz8A

The 1920 U.S. Census [above], shows Tim Walberg’s Grandmother arrived in 1889 from Sweden, attained US Citizenship in 1901. His father was born in Illinois in 1907. So, the terms, DACA and “Anchor Baby” have no bearing on their actual citizenship statuses.

2 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Published: September 23, 2011	Endorsement of U.S. English - Washington, DC
Walberg: “A nation like ours certainly is a melting pot. I’m a Svenska [Swede]. My father came over from Sweden, but he came over to be American. His parents did. And so, the language was something that they saw was important at that time to develop, to learn English, and Grandma never allowed us to learn Swedish. She said, ‘Ve’re Americans, ve no longer Svedes.’ Not that they rejected their heritage, but they saw America as a place that offered them all sorts of opportunities.”
Video (1:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IWZGFTQFG-I

Logo for the lobby group

 About U.S. ENGLISH: Tim Walberg participated in this lobby group’s video campaign with only white Congress members, including Steve King (IA-05), Dana Rohrabacher (CA-46), Jim Jordan (OH-04), Bob Goodlatte (VA-06), and former Congress member Tom Price (GA-06). The idea of federally mandating English raises a lot of questions. Walberg claims that his basic political platform is as a, “Constitutional Conservative”, particularly with the Bill of Rights. So, how would federally mandated English be anything but Congress putting limits and regulations on our speech? Would it not be a further assault toward the free speech of Native Americans?

3 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Friday, August 23, 2013	Town Hall - Chelsea, MI
Walberg: “The United States is a country of immigrants. I’m first-generation American. My Father, Uncle, Grandparents came over from Sweden during the height of the potato famine there. Grandma Walberg wanted the opportunity for her sons that America afforded, and while she cleaned rich people’s houses on the north shore of Chicago: Winnetka - Wilmette - Glencoe area. Sewed the clothes for the ladies there in those homes. She understood that was privileged opportunity for her. So, her sons could be in the same schools that those rich families were in. That’s America. And so, we need to find a way that immigration continues to go in this country strongly, to increase our gene pool, to bring in creativity and opportunity, provide workforce, whatever. In high tech, or in low tech, or in non-tech, whatever it is. As well as give people like my Grandmother and Grandfather, and my Father an opportunity that America affords like no other nation in the world.”
Video (0:40): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yfbLUtgpHS8

 On the Famine in Sweden (1866 – 1868):

Walberg’s description of the Swedish famine was false, and conflicts with the time that his ancestors arrived. The famine in Sweden and Finland occurred in 1866-1868, and affected a lot of crops in addition to potatoes. It was about 20 years after the major famine in Ireland. The famine in Sweden was the last major famine in Europe, and caused a migration surge to the U.S. and other countries. As the Census shows, Walberg’s Grandmother immigrated a generation later in 1889. Furthermore, she was born about ten years after the famine in Sweden. Walberg’s Father and Uncle were born about 40 years after the famine in Sweden.

4 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Saturday, November 16, 2013	The Drift, with Gary Wellings - Whitmore Lake, MI
Walberg: “I doubt there are very few citizens in our country that don’t feel positive toward legal immigration. Most of us came that way. My dad came over from Sweden with his parents. I’m glad they did. But they came legally, through Ellis Island. Signed the documents, spoke our language, lived by our laws, and I’m the beneficiary of that. There are many people now who feel this is a way to change society, and a way to get special groups who will then vote for them, and take over America – change it from what it has been. Remember our President spoke truth about; and that was that he wanted to do foundational change to our country. We’re seeing that happen.”
Audio (23:00 mark): http://thedailydrift.com/?p=2755

            Walberg plunged into nativist extremist territory when he said: “…get special groups who will then vote for them, and take over America – change it from what it has been…”

            Walberg has plunged into that territory before. At almost every 2010 campaign stop, Walberg mentioned a “replacement voters” conspiracy theory about Democrats. The premise of his conspiracy was that Obama wanted to pass the Dream Act to give migrants a path the citizenship. Walberg said that Dems were pushing it, not for practical or humane reasons, but rather to replenish the party’s shrinking base of voters.

 Links to Walberg talking about his “Replacement Voters”Conspiracy:

·       June 29, 2010 – Video (2:15 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0OFUu7qN4Pg

·       June 30, 2010 – Video (3:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUKLqGSgkQg

·       July 1, 2010 – Video (2:10 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nmMgxtWSQ1s

·       July 9, 2010 – Video (4:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svXwpOWo9Ig

·       Sept. 2, 2010 – Video (4:00 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7urf-rhOVuc

·      Sept. 30, 2010 – Video (1:20 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoVMp5ZNAII

5 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Tuesday, October 11, 2016	NAACP Candidate Forum - Adrian, MI
Walberg: “I would concur that we are a nation of immigrants, unless you are a Native American, we’ve all come here. My Father came here, came here for the American dream, came here through the right processes, signed the guest book as it were, but by the laws. And I think that’s what we need to promote again. I think we need a cooling-off period, some of this anti-immigrant, anti-refugee rhetoric that’s out there. I think we need to understand that there are laws in place right now, and red-tape in place in our immigration process, that need to be fixed. They are frustrating. They cause too much time to lapse between a person coming in having the opportunity to participate in the American idea, but our people also feel very fearful at a time of terrorist activity, we need to make sure that our borders are secure.”  “And so, I think that there’s a comprehensive plan that’s needed. Starting with making sure that our people understand and believe that we’ve secured the borders. Secondly, working with the red-tape that keeps people from experiencing what they want. I think in turn we need to understand that without immigrants, we don’t have the resources for the jobs that are here. They’re in agricultural industry, and construction industry, in high-tech industry. There are people that could add to this melting pot in very positive ways. And so, it’s about time that we work on it, and in this “better way” plan, we have that, a comprehensive plan that goes with national security as well. Just given the opportunity for a President who would sign it, I think we could move it forward and benefit all.”
Video (21:55 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2JbrHtU3IeA

 On Walberg’s “Cooling-off period” remark:

·     Is Walberg still calling for a, “cooling-off period”, from this rhetoric?

·     Has Walberg ever specified where that anti-refugee rhetoric was coming from? 

·     Why only a, “cooling-off period”, instead of a permanent end to it? 

·     Is there ever an appropriate time for “anti-immigrant, anti-refugee” rhetoric?

6 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Friday, April 7, 2017	Coffee Hour - Luna Pier, MI
Walberg: “We have seen just by talking about it, and the world coming to understand that this President is serious about that, a 61% reduction in the number of illegal incursions into this country since he took office. 61%. We want legal aliens. And we want legal aliens to come, and we want many of them to become citizens. Why do we want that? One of the key things of immigrants coming into this country, including my Father: They enhance the gene pool. Why do I say that they enhance the gene pool? Because most of them come with a frontier, entrepreneurial freedom spirit. They didn’t come to America because they thought it’d be a worse place than where they came from. They thought it’d be better. They thought they had more opportunity. That’s what my Dad’s parents thought. And they found a greater opportunity.”
Video (-27:25 mark): https://www.facebook.com/anne.c.savage/videos/10211888798282774/?hc_location=ufi

 On Walberg’s “enhance the gene pool”remark:

I have heard the expression used in business as a metaphor for expanding creative resources. Getting more ideas to work on a problem from a variety of professional sectors to, in effect, “enhance the gene pool” of ideas for problem-solving from all different angles. 

            I was in attendance when Walberg said this. People gasped when Walberg said, “enhance the gene pool” in the context of immigration and building a wall, while allowing for his white, Swedish father come through to, “enhance the gene pool”. Whatever Walberg’s intentions were, it was still an extremely poor use of the expression.

7 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Thursday, May 11, 2017	Coffee Hour - Jackson, MI
Walberg: “So I would say, I think for a fact, knowing my colleagues, knowing what it would take to get a so-called ‘actual wall’; knowing that there are certain places where you got 30-to-100-foot cliffs, you don’t need a wall; that we will do what’s necessary to make sure our borders are secure. And then secondly, to make sure that our immigration laws, number one: Are followed. And number two: Where we need to reform and make it more efficient in getting people who genuinely want to experience the American dream, to live the American way, to come over here as my Father and Grandparents came, and experience America because they want to be American. To make sure those gates swing wide and free for those kind of people. And we don’t hold back the opportunity for people to experience what America is.” [Skip to 0:40:20 mark] Walberg: “I think each individual situation needs to be taken into consideration, which each country as well. I think one thing we oughta make sure is that people that come to this country provide something for this country. That’s how it’s always been. When my family came from Sweden, they came with jobs that they would give to this country, with skills. You just have to go to the Chicago skyline to see Wrigley Building and others, where my ancestors came with stone masonry work and added to that skyline in a very positive way. So that needs to continue.”
Video (21:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4jcA91FKY0

8 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Friday, May 26, 2017	Coffee Hour - Coldwater, MI
Walberg: “Whatever works best: drones, electronic surveillance, cyber, fence, wall, whatever. And so, I think that is said to countries that have really pushed their people to make these decisions. And some of those, many of those people, good people who are sick and tired of the way their governments’ been treating them, have come to America, but you’ve gotta come legally. My Dad came legally, and he benefitted this country, I can tell you that. And his parents and grandparents benefitted this country.If you go to Chicago, and drive down Michigan Avenue, and you see Wrigley Building. My family was involved in building that.”
Video (43:45 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7zz0ub4Ucw

 On the construction of Chicago’s Wrigley Building:

            The Wrigley Building in Chicago began construction in 1920, and was completed in May 1924. The public records from that time clearly show that Walberg’s Grandmother, and his Grandfather, Carl Walberg were not in positions to work on that construction. For clarity’s sake, Walberg could say more about which of his immigrant ancestors helped construct that building. His two closest immigrant relatives definitely did not.

9 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Monday, August 7, 2017	Coffee Hour - Delta Township, MI
Question via moderator: “Drew from Lansing: ‘I am opposed to sending illegals back to Mexico. This often breaks up families that end up needing social service assistance. Can’t the law be changed to prevent the break-up of families?’” [Note: I have skipped ahead two minutes here] Walberg: “Is there a way that we can substantiate the fact that we are a nation of laws, but still deal with specific issues that might encourage us to keep certain people here, and not break up families? We have to do that. And I know that’s how my father came across from Sweden. And I’m glad he did. And I’m glad he benefitted from America. But I’m also glad that my family put back into America once they came here as well. And we want to encourage that. They spoke English. I don’t speak Swedish, because my Grandmother used to say when I asked her, because I’d hear her debating theology with my Aunt in Swedish, and it sounded like a lot of fun as a little kid. I learned some Swedish pastries. I learned lutfisk, which I don’t understand why Swedes eat.” Heckle from Constituent: “Wasting time!” Walberg: “No. I’m being a human being, answering a question, and - Have your own town hall meeting some time. But my parents, my people came across and they spoke English, and Grandma said, ‘We’re Americans. We no longer Svedes. God bless America.’ - Smile folks! Come on! Smile!”
Video (19:05 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EeBuf0ZZkek

10 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Wednesday, August 9, 2017	Coffee Hour - Hudson, MI
Walberg: “Where did we get to a point where we attack people who have succeeded? As opposed to saying, ‘Let’s all be given a chance to succeed!’ Let’s build that middle class which we’ve destroyed in the last eight years. The middle class is hurtin’. It’s gone away. I want more people to think beyond the minimum wage, and even the concept of a living wage, as to what I can achieve without people, especially the government, standing in my way and making choices for me that I’m not happy with. So, in America, we understand, even with our Pledge of Allegiance: equal justice and liberty for all – We ought’a espouse that.” “So again, the taxes? There are taxes across the board. Should we leave the taxes of Obamacare on the rich, whatever figure that make it (sic)? 250,000, or more? A million, or more? Or, what do we do with that? Or, should we say, ‘Let’s make it more opportunity for everybody to move up that ladder, and be in the wealthy.’ And if not that, at least the middle class? That’s, I believe, is what I believe America is. That’s what my father, and parents came from Sweden for - for that opportunity. And they added to America. That’s my position.”
Video (37:00 mark) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NSPMXaxr8A4

11 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Monday, October 16, 2017	Coffee Hour - Tecumseh, MI
Walberg: “Our ‘Better Way’ plan had a protection of our border. Our ‘Better Way’ plan had immigration reform, that included dealing with DACA. So, I support the efforts, and we’re gonna move forward. I support on DACA. I support the fact that the President has done what Barack Obama said should’ve been done, and then ultimately, he didn’t do. He said that was a responsibility of Congress. And so, we have had that thrown back to us, and that’s the right thing. Congress oughta deal with DACA. We oughta come up with a solution to that. We oughta make sure that we have secure borders. We oughta make sure that we have people that can come to the United States legally, and benefit by all that the U.S. has to offer, and give to the United States as well, even as my father did. That’s what I support, and I believe that’s the same plan that the President has, and so we’re working together on it.”
Video (31:00 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2FGy9D9a-E

12 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Monday, December 4, 2017	Coffee Hour - Frenchtown, MI
Walberg: “You’ll be happy to know, that the incursion of illegals into the United States has dropped 75% in the last almost year now. They’re getting - It’s been in the newspapers - heh, heh, fortunately, but that’s encouraging. They’re starting to get the idea that we finally have a government here that’s said enough’s enough. And they’re speaking for the people, and saying: Legals - Yes. We’ll welcome legals in this country. You have something to offer to America, like most of our ancestors that came, including my Father, offer something to America, come have it. Do it legally.”
Video (55:00 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LozyLFirYU4

Note: “illegals” and “legals” are derogatory and unprofessional terms to use about people. Furthermore, those terms are not nouns to be used in the plural form. I expect better from a Congress member who advocates for making the English language federally mandated.

13 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Wednesday, January 24, 2018	Coffee Hour - Olivet, MI
Walberg: “Ronald Reagan was known to say that, ‘The gates to the United States ought to swing wide and free for all who desire to experience the American dream, and participate in the American way, but they’ve got to sign the guest book.’ And when you have a secure border, then you can more easily make sure people sign the guest book. Speak our language. Love America. We ought to mandate that if you’re coming here, you come because you LOVE AMERICA, and the way America does things. If that’s not the case, why are you comin’ here? Now I don’t want to be as blunt as that. I don’t wanna be – I don’t wanna show any lack of compassion.I’m here because of immigration of my father and grandparents.They loved America to the point that Grandma never taught us Swedish. We asked her to teach us Swedish, - ‘No, no, no. Ve’re Americans. God bless America.’ That was her personal opinion. I wish she would’a taught me Swedish though. Heh, heh, heh, heh. And rather than eating lutfisk. I still don’t understand why Swedes like lutfisk, or say they do.” [Skip to 22:25 mark] Walberg: “Historically there were boatloads of people sent back because of sickness, because of no assurance that they had anything that they could give to America. My family came over as stone masons and you can go along Michigan Avenue in Chicago right now, see the efforts, their labors, their results. And they added to. But we had people. You just have to go to Ellis Island, read the sad stories, families that were split apart because a certain member was sick with a disease that America couldn’t bring into their borders at that time, they didn’t believe that they should. And so, they were put on the boat and sent back – heart-wrenching stories that went that way. But it was done, at least perceived at that time for the best benefit of America. And that still should be the place, and it’s a difficult thing to do, but we can’t just throw the borders wide open.”
Video (19:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59_eb6GgfqA

Note:Walberg’s apparent “wide” contradiction above.

Link to report on Walberg’s misquote of Ronald Reagan and others: http://www.takecaretim.com/2018/10/walberg-misrepresents-american.html

14 - Walberg Claiming that his Father Immigrated to the U.S.

Tuesday, February 20, 2018	Coffee Hour - Northfield Township, MI
Walberg: “There will also be the ending of chain-migration and diversity visas, none of which were ever part of our immigration system before. And we want to promote an immigration system that works as it has throughout the decades and decades that citizens have come, or immigrants have come to this country in order to participate in the American dream, and ultimately become citizens like my Grandparents and Father, who came here only desiring to have the opportunity to be American.”
Video (5:00 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sv9tPR-dwHk

Note: There is an apparent contradiction here when Walberg says that his family came to the U.S. with only a desire to be American. The previous month, he claimed that they came with stone masonry skills, and that we need immigrants with ready skills to immediately benefit the country. Walberg had also claimed in 2013 that they fled Sweden, “during the height of the potato famine”, which didn’t cohere with the historical timeline.

 Other Times Walberg claimed that his Ancestors Immigrated with Skills:

·     May 11, 2017 in Jackson

·     May 26, 2017 in Coldwater

·     January 24, 2018 in Olivet

2 - Walberg referring to his Father as an “Anchor Baby”

Monday, May 24, 2010	Women’s Candidate Forum - Hillsdale, MI
Walberg: “I thank God that my Grandmother and Grandfather came over here from ‘Sveden’, and my Father was an anchor baby. No, he wasn’t, because Grandma and Grandpa came over for the liberty and the opportunity of America, and they said, ‘Ve no longer Svedes. Ve’re Americans God bless America.’
Video (1:30 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BJx8ihvTvA

3 - Walberg referring to his Father as an “Anchor Baby”

Thursday, May 27, 2010	Campaign Meet and Greet - Charlotte, MI
Walberg: “We have the President of Mexico come in - and make a mockery of our country, and letting our President allow him to make a mockery of our country, and make a mockery of a sovereign state of Arizona – even though it isn’t as good as Michigan – a sovereign state of Arizona, telling them that they’re wrong in saying, ‘Doggonit, the Federal government is responsible for this, and yet they won’t carry out the law.’ Sonny Bono, when he was asked - while he was alive of course, when he was in Congress, the question, ‘What do you think of illegal immigration?’ And his response was simply this, ‘What’s that first word?’ – ‘Illegal.’ – And he simply said, ‘Carry out the law.’” “That’s all the American people are asking for. Most of us, myself included, are immigrant-based. My father was an ‘Anchor baby’, but no he wasn’t. My Grandmother came over, she came from ‘Sveden’ and she said, ‘Ve’re no longer Svedes. Ve’re Americans. God bless America.’ And my Father was not an ‘Anchor baby’. He was there for the privileged opportunity. And my Grandmother was a domestic house servant in Winnetka and Glencoe, Illinois. And all too happy to clean toilets and sew things for these people because her two sons could go to New Trier High School, and could be in the shadow of Northwestern University, and could have and opportunity, but for The Depression that hit.” “But even after that, they still knew in America you could still get up and go on even after failure. And we want, we want, as Reagan said, ‘That the gates to freedom for people who desire and yearn to be free, to be Americans, to speak our language, to honor our flag, to honor our laws, that gate to swing wide and free.’ but as I say, along with Reagan, ‘Sign the guest book, and live by our law.’ So, that has to come.”
Video (0:50 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvyEh8MCf90

 Excerpt of Felipe Calderón’s address to U.S. Congress (Thursday, May 20, 2010):

“My Government does not favor the breaking of the rules. I fully respect the right of any country to enact and enforce its own laws … I want to recognize the hard work and leadership of many of you in the Senate and in the House, and of President Obama, who are determined to find responsible and objective answers to this issue. I am convinced that a comprehensive immigration reform is also crucial to securing our common border. However, I strongly disagree with your recently adopted law in Arizona. It is a law that not only ignores the reality that cannot be erased by decree, but also introduces a terrible idea: using racial profiling as a basis for law enforcement. And that is why I agree, I agree with President who said the new law carries a great amount of risk when core values that we all care about are breached.”

[Note: President Calderón only criticized Arizona’s law for racial profiling in that speech.]

4 - Walberg referring to his Father as an “Anchor Baby”

Tuesday, June 29, 2010	Campaign Meet and Greet - Tekonsha, MI
Walberg: “The Federal Government didn’t ride in on the great white horse. So ultimately Governor Brewer and the rest of the legislature said, ‘Well we’re gonna have to do it.’ Probably some of you’ve read that bill. Same language as in the Federal law, and they implemented it. Just by passing it, they’ve seen the problem start to decrease. They’ve seen people going back. And Calderón – President Calderón of Mexico, puts out memos to social service agencies there to get them ready for the influx of a large group of their people returning from Arizona. Who says it doesn’t work?” Attendee’s question: “Don’t these other nations have immigration laws?” “Oh, they’re far more brutal than ours, aren’t they? [Walberg smiled broadly while saying that.] So, I mean – I think American citizens – I won’t ask for a raise of hands – but I can tell ya’, my Father was an ‘anchor baby’, even though he wasn’t, but he would’a been called an ‘anchor baby’, when my Grandmother and Grandfather came over from Sweden. John Walberg came shortly after. And Grandma Walberg said many times to her two Grandsons – my Brother and myself, ‘Ve’re Americans. Ve no longer Svedes. God bless America.’ That was when we were asking her to teach us some Swedish. Didn’t speak Swedish, unless she got into a theological discussion with her Sister, then a lot of Swedish! Other than that, it was American. May’a had a ‘Svedish’ accent, but it was American. She cleaned toilets and sewed for the rich people on the north shore of Chicago. And was happy to do it.”
Video (1:40 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqJt6fuK8rQ

5 - Walberg referring to his Father as an “Anchor Baby”

Thursday, September 2, 2010	Campaign Meet and Greet - Hanover, MI
Attendee’s question: “Do you think they will stop the, what do they call it, ‘bucket babies’ or somethin’, where they come across?” Others in the room: “Anchor babies-” Walberg: “If the bucket’s full of concrete, and you throw it over the side of your boat! That’s a bucket! Well I think we have to stand up to the fact what the Constitution meant. The 14thAmendment, that was for freeborn slaves. It wasn’t for - You know my Dad, my Grandmother, Grandfather came over from ‘Sveden’. And my Dad was born shortly after that. He was an ‘anchor baby’. My Grandma Walberg came over, and said this many times to my twin brother and me, ‘Ve’re Americans. Ve no longer Svedes. God bless America.’ She wouldn’t talk Swedish. I’m glad she cooked Swedish, other than lutfisk. That’s terrible stuff.”
Video (1:15 mark): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28H2bWtOXhI

I’m not sure what point Walberg was trying to make with the 14^thAmendment if not to suggest that the children of immigrants should not have the same constitutional rights as the children of slaves had. He never clarified that point.

Walberg trailed off mid-sentence to start talking about his father as an “anchor baby”, and lutfisk.

 CONCLUSION:

            There is more to this story.

            Walberg’s Grandfather is perhaps notably absent from this report. There are public records on him, but as a personal practice, I only report on things that Walberg has publicly spoken about. Since Walberg has generally only talked about his Father and Grandmother, I limited this report to them.

            I am not concerned with the details of Walberg’s family past whatever is necessary to verify the truth of what Walberg had said to us on the public record.

            I am not concerned with trying to define whether or not Walberg was exactly lying, or joking about referring to his Father as an, “anchor baby”. It was certainly insulting though. Walberg tended to smile and provoke laughter whenever he said it. The point is that Walberg does not take seriously the extent that so many parents and children in our country suffer in fear under the term “anchor baby”. Those parents live under the constant threat of the U.S. Government taking them far away from their own kids. Their kids live with it too. As young U.S. citizens, their parents could be permanently taken away by our government. It happens in Michigan. Congress could fix that, if they took it seriously.

            The main point of this report is about the 14-and-counting times that Tim Walberg, as a member of U.S. Congress, has lied to us about his Father being an immigrant. Walberg’s lies contradict with his other lies. Walberg has told that lie at least three times this year, as recently as this summer. Such behavior from a national public office holder is insulting to all of us.

Steven Meyer

Sunday, October 28, 2018

Michigan’s 7^thCongressional District

This report was first published: July 20, 2018, and also updated: August 13, 2018