Posted on 11/17/2013 2:52:55 PM PST by SoConPubbie
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker (R) says he supports a pathway to citizenship for immigrants living in the country illegally as part of an overhaul of the nation's immigration system.
"If people want to come here and work hard and benefit, I don't care whether they come from Mexico or Ireland or Germany or Canada or South Africa or anywhere else," Walker said Tuesday during an interview with the Daily Herald Media Editorial Board of Wisconsin. "I want them here."
Walker was then asked about the estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country illegally. The editorial board asked if he could "envision a world where with the right penalties and waiting periods and meet the requirements where those people could get citizenship?"
"Sure," Walker responded. "I mean I think it makes sense."
Walker's comments came roughly a week after the Democratic-controlled Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform proposal that includes a pathway to citizenship.
The proposal strengthens border security along the U.S.-Mexico border by doubling the length of fencing across the border and also doubling the number of border patrol agents. Walker said he had not fully reviewed the Senate bill and has not taken a position on the legislation.
Walker's comments separate him from some conservative House lawmakers who have said they cannot support the Senate immigration reform bill because it includes a pathway to citizenship.
"Not only do they need to fix things for people already here, or find some way to do it, there's got to be a larger way to fix the system in the first place," Walker said. "Because if it wasn't so cumbersome, if there wasn't such a long wait, if it wasn't so difficult to get in, we wouldn't have the other problems that we have" of immigrants living in the country illegally.
Walker is not the only prominent Wisconsin Republican to support immigration reform. House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) has also called for his chamber to pass an immigration overhaul. Ryan recently said the Senate bill's enhanced border security measures make the proposal more likely to pass the House.
"I think that, that passing makes this final passage more likely," Ryan said in late June.
Gee, I hope he wasn’t looking at a higher office.
Who are these fools who supposedly represent us listening to?
It certainly isn’t the hell US - the ones who elect them.
Folks...
SCOTT WALKER IS NOT A CONSERVATIVE!
You cannot be for small government and lower taxes if you support Illegal Alien Amnesty
Please, folks, stop pushing the liberal Scott Walker as President. He is just as bad as Deniece Priebus and Paul Ryan
“Why is this asshat even talking about this crap?
Obama wants to trot out immigration reform right now and he cant do it because we have him buried with Obamacare, and here comes Walker...
“Say.. let’s discuss Immigration reform”
Bite me Scott.”
If you are upset about the *timing* of this statement being released now, when we have Obama on the ropes regarding Obamacare, you should question the person who posted a four-month-old article, not the person who said something four months ago.
Because we don’t have enough workers to fill all the jobs. The head of the US Chamber of Commerce said it, so it must be true.
I agree. Language is important. “Pathway” sounds so lovely, like tiptoe through tulips or something.
Are any of these guys Catholic? Because the bishops have been pushing amnesty in the churches.
I’m in the middle of a historical novel about medieval royalty, and all these folks think about is salvation versus damnation, “damnation” being defined as disagreeing with the Church. Just wondering if something like that could be operating here.
“I don’t care whether they come from Mexico or Ireland or Germany or Canada or South Africa or anywhere else ...”
But Irish, Germans, Canadians, and South Africans aren’t sneaking over the border by the millions. Very disappointing, Governor. You could have been the one to back in 2016. You have now doubled down on this idiocy, right when it was losing steam.
OK, Governor, I can live with that, with a couple of provisions. For each "hard working" illegal legalized here, the country of origin must agree to take an equal number of our homegrown non-workers, who have fed at the public trough for generations. A representative percentage of them must be gangbangers, scammers and trailer trash. It will not include those few of their offspring who have managed to extricate themselves from the dependency cycle and are now productive citizens (even if only marginally so, because we recognize and respect effort).
Get the signoffs from those other countries, and we're in business. How about it, Governor?
(crickets)
I assume you mean a ranter and raver, not an illegal?
Either his phone was burning off the hook or his statements were mis-represented earlier. He articulated the illegal thing so well the news-crone couldn't talk back.
When there are no consequences for the illegal entry, why bother with even the easier legal system?
Good point.
—— I assume you mean a ranter and raver, not an illegal?——
Well...I was born in the Bronx...In some peoples eyes....that is pretty darn close to illegal..: )
White christian male born in the USA...in the Bronx when it was part of the civilized world...
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.