Many people on the right are very suspicious towards undocumented people. In recent years, many Conservative leaders have taken very extreme stances towards the issue. But that might change soon.
Jed Bush, one of the potential 2016 Republican presidential candidates, had this to say. “But the way I look at this — and I’m going to say this, and it’ll be on tape and so be it. The way I look at this is someone who comes to our country because they couldn’t come legally, they come to our country because their families — the dad who loved their children — was worried that their children didn’t have food on the table. And they wanted to make sure their family was intact, and they crossed the border because they had no other means to work to be able to provide for their family. Yes, they broke the law, but it’s not a felony. It’s an act of love. It’s an act of commitment to your family. I honestly think that that is a different kind of crime that there should be a price paid, but it shouldn’t rile people up that people are actually coming to this country to provide for their families.”
As we know already, Senator Marco Rubio, another prominent Republican, lead a bipartison push for comprehensive reform last year. And know Jed Bush seems to be taking a much more moderate stance. Could this be a sign of the Republican Party shifting away from the far Right?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2014/04/06/jeb-bush-many-illegal-immigrants-come-out-of-an-act-of-love/
An article that peaked my interest was one in the Wall Street Journal this week that discussed a new plan that would permit young people who have originally come to the US as illegal immigrants to join the military and then eventually become permanent legal residents. Chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, California Representative Howard Buck McKeon spoke with his panel on Thursday about including this provision to his version of the National Defense Authorization Act .Also known as the NDAA, it is a federal law that stipulates the expenditures an budget of the United States Department of Defense. Each year the act incorporates new provisions through Congress. A committee aide has expressed that no finite promises or decisions will be made unless the provision will receive support. Within Congress there are groups who are staunch advocators and groups that are adamantly against this new provision. Opponents of the provision have already taken to organizing against its passage. Representative Mo Brooks is the process of completing a letter that will circulate among House members stating that illegal immigrants should not be allowed to take jobs within the American military. He has been quoted saying “There is always a risk when you rely on foreigners for your national security…..the risk is misplaced loyalty. It really comes down to who you prefer – American citizens or illegal aliens? And I prefer American citizens.” Since the
House members who head Latino districts find themselves in a tight spot, since the Senate passed an extreme immigration over haul 9 months ago. These representatives headed by Rep. Jeff Denham of California have been pushing to add the measure to last years military authorization bill since last June. Rep. Denham has been quoted saying “This is one opportunity for those that have gone to school here, that have graduated from high school, that are in our communities, to show their ultimate support for this great nation and are willing to sacrifice in support of our country.” After the provision brought about an argument on the floor with its opponents the provision was withdrawn from the floor but will be used as part of the broader immigration debate. This has been promised by chairman of the Judiciary Committee , Rep. Bob Goodlatte from Virginia. “There is no doubt that individuals brought to the United States as young children by their illegal immigrant parents are the most sympathetic group of people not lawfully present in the United States today, and that is particularly true of those who desire to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States,” Mr. Goodlatte said on the floor. Currently Rep. Denham is working on to persuade Mr. McKeon to add the provision to this year’s bill from the start so that it will not require floor votes for its passage. This new version of the defense authorization bill will be introduced by Mr. McKeon in May.
What are your opinions?
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303847804579479932176206484
Our guest speaker on Wednesday was a self-identified Undocumented Immigrant and as we noted in class, he rather passionately blamed the GOP for blocking various measures to create immigration reform on a national scale. For example, a recently proposed bill was defeated in the House of Representatives that would allow illegal immigrants that came to this country under the age of 15 to gain citizenship through military service. Personally I find this to be an excellent solution that increases our national security, allows for amnesty in a method that benefits all parties and generally is supported by most of America, therefore I can completely understand the frustration of our guest. The Republicans’ main priority is to shrink spending and reduce the size of the government, thus any immigration reform that requires taxpayer dollars is immediately met with hesitation or straight up denial. I don’t feel this method of governing to be effective and Congress’ 12% approval rating demonstrates this. The reality of the situation is illegal immigration will not go away on its own. Constructing a fence along our Mexican border does not prevent people from overstaying their visas, however allowing citizenship through honorable military service is more than fair I believe. As a fiscally conservative, socially liberal, libertarian but not really, type of person, I value issues based on what I think, not on the mantra or rhetoric of our main two parties. Some common complaints against our undocumented immigrants include that they take our jobs and don’t contribute to our economy. However citizenship through education or military service clearly demonstrate a desire to succeed, assimilate, and thrive as an American. It benefits neither party to stalemate the issue.
http://latino.foxnews.com/latino/politics/2014/04/05/gop-immigration-supporters-see-military-service-as-path-to-citizenship/
http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2014/04/04/house-conservatives-block-modest-gop-immigration-proposal/
