Rocky Mountain News:Tancredo Hands Off Immigration Role Rep. Tom Tancredo has given up control over the immigration-reform caucus that made him famous. Starting this week, Rep. Brian Bilbray, R-Calif., will take over as chairman of the Congressional Immigration Reform Caucus, which Tancredo has led since his first congressional term in 1999. "Tom is no longer the sole voice on the immigration reform front, and he wanted to get some new blood involved with the issue," Tancredo spokesman Carlos Espinosa said this morning. Espinosa said it was similar to the way Rep. Lamar Smith, R-Texas, encouraged Tancredo to take a higher-profile role on the immigration issue eight years ago. Although Tancredo recently formed an exploratory committee to raise money for a possible run for president in 2008, "He plans to stay very active with the caucus and with the issue," Espinosa said.