Posted on 03/27/2015 11:09:10 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Earlier today, MSNBC published a story suggesting Senator Cruz supports legalization of undocumented individuals currently in the United States.
Derived from the fact that Senator Cruz hasn’t specifically stated he does not support legalization of undocumented individuals, the inference is that Cruz must therefore support legalization of undocumented individuals. It’s a nice little semantic game, really.
MSNBC referenced a Texas Tribune article from 2013 which they claim indicates, “that he [Cruz] supported giving some undocumented immigrants permission to stay in the country with more limited legal status.” This summation is not accurate.
The Texas Tribune article, written around the time of the Gang of Eight immigration fight, makes the same incorrect assumption as MSNBC. The first statement is correct while the latter is only partially so:
When it comes to immigration reform, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz has made it abundantly clear what he opposes: giving citizenship to people who broke the law to come here.
What has not been as evident is what he supports: legal status for millions of people here already, while making it easier for immigrants to come here through the front door.
Going on to discuss the Gang of Eight legislation, the Texas Tribune reported:
Immigration-reform legislation from the Senate’s so-called Gang of Eight passed that chamber in June and includes a 13-year path to citizenship. Cruz pushed unsuccessfully for amendments that would have, among other things, eliminated the citizenship component.
Asked about what to do with the people here illegally, however, he stressed that he had never tried to undo the goal of allowing them to stay.
“The amendment that I introduced removed the path to citizenship, but it did not change the underlying work permit from the Gang of Eight,” he said during a recent visit to El Paso. Cruz also noted that he had not called for deportation or, as Mitt Romney famously advocated, self-deportation.
Neither in the Texas Tribune nor at any other time has Senator Cruz ever said he supports legalization for undocumented workers currently residing in the United States.
Senator Cruz’s campaign spokeswoman Catherine Frazier told us Cruz’s goal in the Gang of Eight amendment was three fold: to get Senators on the record showing where they stood on the issue, that it was a good faith effort to improve the bill, and to stop a pathway to citizenship. Frazier explained it was not intended to suggest support for legalization.
“Cruz supports strengthening the border and fixing our legal immigration and interior enforcement systems before we deal with those who are here illegally,” Frazier said. “It’s premature to discuss what to do with those who are still here illegally until we have made these reforms. Indicating that there may be the potential for amnesty in the future, only encourages more illegal immigration.”
Frazier reiterated Senator Cruz’s consistency on the issue, that the Senator is in favor of expanding legal immigration, and that he vocally opposes President Obama’s executive immigration overreach.
While MSNBC’s claim that Senator Cruz has not specifically detailed his stance on legalizing undocumented immigrants is true, the inference that he supports legalization, is false.
That's simply ridiculous. Cruz has never said such a thing. In fact, he his amendment forbids any path to citizenship. He supports only legal immigration.
If I'm an uncaught illegal who returns home and signs up for legal immigration, then that would be legal. That's the way EVERY legal immigrant gets into the USA.
FYI. . . .
You’ve been set straight by several posters, and there’s not much I can add to what they’ve stated.
Your *concern* about Ted Cruz’ immigration stance is noted, n00b.
When you are a legislator and you don’t have the votes to stop a bad bill, you sometimes have to offer amendments to strip out some of the worst provisions, while leaving others intact. That will be spun by opponents, who never have to make those choices and therefore can claim to be ideologically pure, as “supporting” the bill. That’s what GOA does to the NRA all the time, claiming that they “wrote” this or that gun control bill, when they opposed it but offered amendments. That said, all of these candidates need to clearly say what we need to do now. If that means securing the border and enforcing the current law then evaluating what to do about those here once that done, I’m OK with that.
Thank you. The Left and the GOP will be publishing LIES about whatever candidate they deem a danger to their goal of having a Dem win. The GOP want to run a weak, ineffectual candidate and have the Dems win, the Dems don’t care who they run, as long as the Dems win.
I refuse to let them choose my candidate again! Join me in rejecting them.
No, not deceived. A plant? A troll.
RINO!!! Just kidding. Thought I’d get it out of the way for ya. grin.
Not sure which is worse, people who jump to insults and dismissive and derogatory comments instead of intelligent DISCUSSION or people that think there view is the ONLY view and want to surrorund themselves with Yes People no different from thoughtless lemmings. Don’t we have enough Kool-Aid drinkers among Obama’s supporters without need to create our own? Or is there really a lack independent and critical thinking.
My way or the highway is not a winning approach. Or do you even care about winning?
“It is clear the Cruz supports amnesty,”
That’s what you seem like to me. You’re obviously making things up about Cruz and presenting them as fact. I’m sorry I don’t meet your exacting standards, but then you aren’t meeting your own either.
Okay, listen to HIS comments, HIS recent interviews, such as with Hannity. He says he is against amnesty but if you listen, he’s defined that very narrowly as path to citizenship.
Consider this:
Deport —> Present —> Legal Status —> Citizenship
No Amnesty <—> Amnesty
I hear his comments as allowing legal status, after security the border, and he defines this as No Amnesty.
Sorry, I don’t. Anything to the right of Deport is Amnesty.
Now, as others have observed, he’s about the best we’ve got on this. He’s avoid the dismissal Walker, Bush, Rubio, Christy, and others have faced because he so far refuses to define what exactly he means by legalization. Eventually he’ll have to come clean on this.
I am presently supporting Cruz, have donated to his campaign, and have encouraged others to do so as well. That does not mean I have drank the Kool-Aid. I have unanswered questions and my support will hinge on the answers Cruz gives. Besides, maybe someone else will jump into the race and more clearly state ‘secure the borders, no quarter for illegal aliens, no work/benefits, deport any that do not self-deport, and prosecute anyone hiring an illegal alien.
While MSNBC’s claim that Senator Cruz has not specifically detailed his stance on legalizing undocumented immigrants is true, the inference that he supports legalization, is false.
In case you didn't understand it, that means Cruz doesn't support legalization.
Not to belabor this, but have you actually listened to Cruz’s comments? Not his spokes person or the media. He’s not unequivical about this. On Hannity he said this was a discussion for later.
...lets move on, okay? I’m sure we’ll be reading and hearing. Cruz has the stage to himself at the moment, I’m curious to see how he capitalizes on this. Especially as others over the years coast along and let the media define them, usually to their detriment.
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