Posted on 05/16/2014 10:20:24 AM PDT by kristinn
Updated 5:11 p.m. | House Republican leaders are mum on a timetable for advancing immigration overhaul legislation and have so far been noncommittal on moving on the issue before the end of the 113th Congress.
But a group of mayors and business leaders from across the political spectrum is determined to prove that momentum is growing for a rewrite of the nation’s immigration laws — even among conservatives.
The coalition, Partnership for a New American Economy, on Wednesday held the first in a series of monthly conference calls moderated by Americans for Tax Reform President Grover Norquist and featuring public figures in the conservative movement who support immigration overhaul efforts.
Norquist and his guests — Tea Party Express Co-Founder and Strategist Sal Russo, America Online Founder Steve Case and American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas — strained to get the point across that the issue is not dead on Capitol Hill, and that House GOP leaders continue to plod along on a path to bring legislation to the floor.
They said that President Barack Obama’s threat to supersede Congress and use his “pen and phone” on immigration if the House doesn’t soon act is not helpful. But even unilateral action from the White House, they said, would not derail the push for action in the House, as many Republicans, including Speaker John A. Boehner, have suggested.
Norquist and the others said they are in touch with House Republicans working on a legislative strategy for immigration — piecemeal, comprehensive or otherwise. And it’s Republicans, not Democrats, who are actually working to cut a deal, according to the group.
“I don’t think Democrats are the ones that are moving,” Russo said. “I think Republicans are far more equipped to take action.”
The Wednesday conference call was also timed with two separate announcements designed to make neutralize the issue for congressional Republicans who fear they could lose re-election in November if they took a pro-immigration overhaul stance.
Earlier Wednesday morning, Russo — at the Partnership for a New American Economy’s urging — published an op-ed in Roll Call stating his support for fixing the immigration system that would provide a legal status pathway for undocumented residents of the United States.
The Partnership for a New American Economy, the Tea Party Express and Americans for Tax Reform also released the findings of a new poll Wednesday, which was commissioned jointly from the firm McLaughlin & Associates. Results show that the vast majority of 400 Republican primary voters surveyed who “identify strongly or somewhat with the Tea Party movement” support immigration overhaul efforts.
Of those polled, 76 percent said they would support a plan that fell in line with the broad standards for immigration overhaul that Boehner and other members of House GOP leadership released earlier this year.
Conservative proponents of a legislative fix to immigration laws point to the recent primary victory of two-term incumbent Rep. Renee Ellmers, R-N.C., as proof that Republicans need not fear electoral repercussions for standing in the affirmative on a controversial issue. Ellmers supports action on immigration this year and fended off a GOP opponent who opposed action on the issue.
Norquist stressed that the evolution of the GOP position on immigration over the past decade had changed dramatically already, and that it would continue to do so in the months ahead.
“The Republican electorate, and even Republican congressman, have moved rather dramatically from what looked like a ‘heck, no,’ position over to a ‘yes, but,’” he told reporters on the call Wednesday.
But in remarks Monday in San Antonio, at a luncheon sponsored by several business groups there, Boehner acknowledged that there are many in the GOP conference who remain adamantly opposed.
“There are some members of our party who just do not want to deal with this. It’s no secret,” he said. “I do believe the vast majority of our members do want to deal with this, they want to deal with it openly, honestly and fairly.”
On Wednesday evening, Jenny Beth Martin, the co-founder of another leading tea party organization, Tea Party Patriots, released her own statement “clarifying” the group’s stance.
It didn’t entirely align with Russo’s:
“Millions of people have come to America legally and invested the time and effort to become naturalized citizens in pursuit of personal freedom and their American Dream. We admire them for their courage, determination and desire, all of which reflect the founding principles of the United States.
“The position of Tea Party Patriots is clear. We must first fully secure our borders. Immigration reform cannot happen without this necessary first step.
“We support legal immigration and the rule of law, according to the Constitution. There is already a legal path to citizenship for those wishing to come to the United States. Anyone who decides to get off that path and enter the United States illegally should not be given any sort of amnesty because doing so is neither fair nor equal treatment under the law.
“We must also demand the Obama administration enforce our current immigration laws. Those who are determined to have entered the country illegally and are on-track for deportation should be deported. Those who have been convicted of crimes and are serving sentences for their crimes should remain incarcerated until their sentences have been served.
“Conservatives are watching Congress like a hawk and will do everything to make sure immigration reform is done in a manner that respects the law and those who abide by it.”
Why are they doing this?
Is it the hope that they can turn them into conservatives via their Catholic roots?..........................
I don’t see Jenny Beth Martin’s statement as a “backing of overhaul of Immigration”. Tea Party Patriots needs to stay as far away from the stance Sal Russo/TPE has taken, on this, as they can.
Why Russo has decided to join forces with Al-Noquist - on immigration reform, or any other issue - is puzzling and disturbing.
Bullsh*t
Norquist and his guests — Tea Party Express Co-Founder and Strategist Sal Russo, America Online Founder Steve Case and American Conservative Union Chairman Al Cardenas — strained to get the point across that the issue is not dead on Capitol Hill, and that House GOP leaders continue to plod along on a path to bring legislation to the floor....
Earlier Wednesday morning, Russo — at the Partnership for a New American Economy’s urging — published an op-ed in Roll Call stating his support for fixing the immigration system that would provide a legal status pathway for undocumented residents of the United States.
The Partnership for a New American Economy, the Tea Party Express and Americans for Tax Reform also released the findings of a new poll Wednesday, which was commissioned jointly from the firm McLaughlin & Associates.
I like Sal, I've worked with him a few times. He's wrong on this. Just plain wrong.
Other than Sal Russo/TPE, what other TP groups have backed “Immigration overhaul”? Just curious.
I support immigration reform.
The executive branch needs to reform the way they enforce our existing immigration laws.
Conservative immigration reform:
1) Build the physical border fence. No excuses.
2) Criminal fines for employing illegal aliens, unless they can demonstrate identity theft, with prosecution of the thief.
3) Establish preferences and quotas for future immigration.
4) Deportation repatriation to the capital of their nation of origin, by air.
5) Restrictions on claims of political and religious persecution.
6) Building a federal detention center on the southern border, so that criminal aliens can be held by CPB in a “customs zone” outside of typical court jurisdiction. Create a treaty for the “escorted release” of violent criminals back into their native country.
7) Establish a cash bounty for Mexicans to inform on any non-Mexican border crossers, when they are detained, with a sliding scale for “persons of interest”.
8) Waive the CPB from accusations of ‘profiling’.
and only then,
9) Create a means by which illegal aliens can “test in” to become US citizens. These include family members who are citizens, English language literacy, US education, US employment, no felony criminal record or misdemeanor involving DUI. With a maximum number who can “test in” each year.
This is called push polling and its to manufacture conformity. Hey Big Business and your Rino cronies - it’s not working - NO AMNESTY no way no how! Seal the dam borders and shut off the inducements.
I would go with something like, provided there was also a provision to criminally prosecute any lawmaker or enforcer (without exception) who attempts to circumvent any of the other provisions or change the order in which things must happen.
I’m convinced that if UKIP does well in the British elections, we could very well see a USIP formed here. UKIP is providing the blueprint.
None of these people are our friends. If the GOP leadership succumbs to the pressure of the corporate elites, we should stay home this Fall and use our energy to form a Third Party. Both parties have abandoned the American worker and the middle class.
This is called amnesty. When you reward something, you get more of it. Does the Rule of Law mean nothing?
Looks like Sal Russo/TPE fell prey to the conniving Third World agit/prop Norquist is pedalling.
I have no doubt corrupt, greedy Third Worlders have designs on the US----and all that we possess. The calculated T/W plans include manipulating vote-crazed politicians---making backroom deals to exchange US tax dollars for votes.
The connivers figured out that hyphenates exerting pressure is the way the US govt operates.
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Amnesty is a Third World ticket to the endless gravy train---US taxpayers are forced to finance Third World pressure groups---all of them, lined up w/ their hands out for zillions in "foreign aid."
LYING IN WAIT FOR OUR TAX DOLLARS---THESE IMPOVERISHED COUNTRIES CURRENTLY HAVE ORGANIZED PRESSURE GROUPS INSIDE THE US (here illegally): Argentina, Belize, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Puerto Rico (stateside)l Salvador, Spain, Uruguay, Venezuela.
If you want to see what a one party system in America looks like, look at Kalifornia.
Doing away with the Republican Party will make America look like Kalifornia.
Better to take the Party back from the socialist infiltrators than let it disappear.
Jenny Beth is the only one of the above quoted geniuses who can talk about immigration/aliens without fracturing her tongue. It’s one thing to talk about “reform” of the actual process/quantities of immigration. It’s another whole separate deal to yammer about amnesty and “path to citizenship.” Anyone who can’t spit out the difference clearly can’t be trusted to get it right and needs to be shamed and embarrassed into clearly stating just what the bleep they ACTUALLY want to do. And the process of doing anything needs to be separated into its component parts and voted on separately so we know where these blowhards stand——no hiding behind “comprehensive.”
“no hiding behind “comprehensive.””...
Agree. Or, the term “overhaul”. I still haven’t had an answer to the question I posted upthread...
Other than Sal Russo/TPE, what other TP groups have backed “Immigration overhaul”?
This headline makes it sound like several-many TP’ers have joined in.
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