Posted on 07/25/2013 10:45:49 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
House Republicans have steered clear of the Senate’s comprehensive immigration reform bill and its approach, pledging to proceed in steps to overhauling the nation’s immigration system instead. Democrats have been using that strategy as a way to paint the GOP as callous and unconcerned (at the least) about immigrants, especially their children. National Journal reports that Eric Cantor will try to turn the tables on that argument, daring Democrats to support border security in exchange for legalization of minors:
An emerging coalition of House Republicans is arguing that young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children constitute “a special protected class” that should eventually be eligible for citizenship, an approach they say combines sound policy with smart politics. …
House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, R-Va., is the driving force behind the strategy to focus on legalizing undocumented youths. According to Republican aides, passing such a bill would equip Republicans with a reasonable answer to the question of what to do with the 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally. It would also force Democrats into a political lose-lose: Either endorse a GOP proposal that legalizes so-called “Dreamers” or oppose this longtime policy goal and hold out for blanket legalization for the entire undocumented community.
As one House leadership aide framed it, “How can they say no to the kids?”
Cantor’s push, which has the blessing of Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, is also endorsed by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., and several influential conservatives such as Reps. Raul Labrador of Idaho and Jim Jordan of Ohio. It’s still early—Cantor and company have yet to release any legislative language—but lawmakers predict that such a measure will garner majority support in the oft-fractured House Republican Conference.
That would turn the calculus back onto the Democrats. Polls show that Americans back a path to citizenship anyway, but have much more sympathy for children whose only crime was that their parents carried them into the country. Polls have definitely shown that Americans want border security addressed as the priority in reform, even if they prefer a comprehensive approach rather than piecemeal. Such an offer would combine the most popular parts of the plans floating around Washington for most of the last decade, and force the Democrats instead of the Republicans to decide between children and their political hobby horses.
That is, it will — if Cantor and Boehner can get enough Republican votes to force Democrats to choose. So far, the strategy seems to be gaining ground, at least since this weekend. Trey Gowdy, who would normally be considered a tough vote, pointed out at a hearing this week that our law treats children as a different class in other ways, too — and that minors brought by parents “have not committed a crime,” a key position for those opposed to any form of amnesty for border violators. Ted Poe (R-TX) emphasized that children did not have the determination to act illegally, and “therefore, they should be treated in a special way.”
This all hinges on the border-security package developed by the House, of course. The Corker-Hoeven amendment turned out to be Swiss cheese in practice, and the White House made the issue all but moot by declaring that it could ignore statutes in ObamaCare that specifically had to do with mandates and triggers. Unless the House comes up with a tougher border security package and a way to ensure that the Obama administration has no choice but to fund it — perhaps by holding up the DREAMer funding until specific metrics are met, especially on a border fence — then this is probably all academic anyway. But at least Republicans may force Democrats to “say no to the kids,” and get rid of that noxious talking point for a while.
Well, I call the S.O.B.s every day and send my emails too.
This is how Democrats say no to kids.
They take the House Bill and say it can be brought into conference. Obama makes a big deal about how he got the bill into conference.
The rats mark it up, it is added to a school bill which puts republicans on the defensive and bingo, 11 million Democrats.
Now add this “African American” forced busing to the mix but instead of Blacks, change it to illegals. You have just turned every white neighborhood in America into Nuevo Laredo.
Same old DC story.
The Democrats propose to tear down the Washington Monument, and the Republicans respond with a plan to tear down the Washington Monument in three stages.
Dear Congresscritter:
No bill.
No amnesty for any invader.
No E-Verify.
Secure the border. You swore to do that when you swore to support the Constitution, which requires the United States to secure the States against invasion.
The only legislation you need to pass is for heavy prison sentences for any executive officer who fails to follow the law.
Some one needs to ask these people if they think we’re idiots. As soon as the children are legalized they have the right to petition of their parents to come here legally under family unification. Amnesty is amnesty no matter what word games the pols want to play.
Exactly. Lacking anything resembling a spine, the party finds it easy to bend over, or roll over and play dead. It is an organism that has no self-defense mechanism and is well on the road to extinction.
“Secure the border first” is just a fig leaf that amnesty-supporting GOPer’s use to hide their shame from their would-be constituents. It’s a mantra that’s paid lip service to by everybody (even by Democrats) every time something like this is peddled.
No amnesty for any invader.
*********
Just try invading any other country in the world and see what happens. They have no tolerance for it.
The border will NEVER be secured so long as Democrats are in charge.. That’s them thar GOLD crossing into the U.S.. Them thar is VOTES for the Dems, by the millions!!!
Might be too late for that. America is effectively already the 32nd state of the Estados Unidos Mexicanos.
Very good analogy. Looked at another way, Democrats want to destroy the building and Republicans get to specify the which company uses the wrecking ball.
Even if Congress puts true border security in a bill to be signed, Zero will simply not enforce such provision(s).
HF
If they refuse to enforce the laws we have now, why should we trust them to do anything a new law says?
Mexico arrests and deports illegal immigrants from Guatemala on the spot, yet the Mexican government demands an open border with the US for their surplus population. The US government seems more than happy to oblige them.
Even if Congress puts true border security in a bill to be signed, Zero will simply not enforce such provision(s).
********
That is certainly true. Everybody understands this EXCEPT for Republican legislators.
Only chance to stop the Amnesty bill is for the House not to consider any immigration related bill at all.
Michelle Bachman explained it. ANY House bill no matter if it promises all the border security in the world will be a trojan horse.NO bill at all must come out of the House because it will be merged with the Senate Amnesty and trojan horse bill. Call congress.
Tell them to stop all Amnesty or immigration bills.they are all trojan horse bills. some will promise border security that will never be enforced anyway.
Bachmann explained it . The House will write a border security bill only . then in conference the senate will add the virus and then bring it back to the house. then the conservatives won’t vote for it but democrats will all vote for it so then they only need 10% of republicans to pass Amnesty and the virus that will destroy America. so any bill at all will be added the virus . so best thing is for Boner to not let any immigration bill at all come out of the House. that is the only hope . call boner and the members of the House.
Tom Tancredo echos what Michelle Bachmann said.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3036438/posts
call congress . no bill at all from the House
and of course boner must not bring the Senate bill for the House to vote on. no senate bill, no border security bill from the House .nothing
Baloney! Any House version that goes to conference will be gutted and repurposed to carry the Senate and Zero's agenda.
No bill WHATSOEVER from the House!
HF
“An emerging coalition of House Republicans is arguing that young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children constitute “a special protected class” that should eventually be eligible for citizenship, an approach they say combines sound policy with smart politics. …”
I’m sick of “special protected classes”. We have enough of them already in this country.
i agree, except that the agenda being served here is that of the GOP. the dems are happy bystanders hoping the GOP comes through for them. peace to you.
Can We get amnesty for parents convicted of federal crimes who have poor innocent children?
And can those children get sweetheart deals on college loans and scholarships too?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.