Ted Cruz Explains Why His Position on H1-B Visas Has Changed (VIDEO)

Red State ^ | 12/23/2015 | Leon Wolf

[conservativejoy]

I had the opportunity to sit down yesterday with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) 100% at a campaign event in Nashville and ask him several questions. One of the questions I asked was whether Senator Cruz still supported expanding the H-1B visa program, as he has in the past. Senator Cruz indicated that he no longer does, and you can see his explanation here:

Transcript:

RedState: Senator, I think the path to legalization issue has been beaten to death and I won't go over it again. One of the things you have supported in the past is raising the ceiling on the number of H-1B visas. Is that something you still support?

Ted Cruz: It is not. And in this circumstance, there are changed circumstances, and anyone responds to changed circumstances. I have supported and I still support the original idea of the H-1B program which is to bring in very high skilled workers to produce jobs and economic growth. That's a good thing, when you have more jobs and economic growth.

However, we have seen in recent months this program being abused over and over and over again. We've seen companies, blue chip names that we all know bringing in not high skill workers, but medium to low skill workers, and IT workers, and firing American workers and replacing them with foreign workers. And then, to add insult to injury, forcing the Americans who have just been fired to train their replacements. That is wrong, it is grotesque, it is offensive, it is a perversion of the program.

And so, like any rational person faced with changed circumstances, you change your position in response to how the facts have changed.

That's why I've said that as President, I will impose a 180 day moratorium on the H-1B program, in order to carry out a comprehensive audit of the companies that have received H-1B visas to determine if they are abusing the program , if they are bringing in low skilled workers, if they're firing American workers, if they're perverting the program. Any company that has abused the program will be suspended from participating in it, and any company that has violated the criminal laws will be prosecuted.

You know, this is yet another manifestation of the lawlessness of the Obama administration. They don't enforce the laws, the President decrees illegal and unconstitutional amnesty, but he's also lawless with big companies that are abusing the H-1B program.

It's one of the reasons I joined with Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) 80% in introducing legislation to dramatically reform the H-1B program so that it can function as it's intended to. To require, for example, an advanced degree, not just a bachelor's degree, but a master's or a PhD. To put a preference to U.S. universities. To require as a minimum salary $110,000, so that you're not using it to bring in low cost foreign workers and replace American workers. To put in a 2 year hiatus from any company bringing in H-1Bs from laying off workers, so you gotta choose one or the other, but you can't be laying people off at the same time you're outsourcing.

All of these are reforms that are common sense I think to make the program work. And we need to make sure that our immigration laws prioritize American workers first, and as President, that's what I'll do.

[HarleyLady27]

Cruz: “It isn’t because Trump isn’t for it, so to be like Trump I can’t support H1B visa’s anymore”......”Me 2 Ted”

[Georgia Girl 2]

The only problem I have with Ted’s statement is that he seems to assume we only have medium skilled workers in the US and just don’t have any high skilled workers. I have to take exception to that. With 95 million people out of work we really don’t need to be bringing anybody in here at the moment.

[Zathras]

I like Cruz but:
“However, we have seen in recent months...”

This has been going on since the 90’s.
Someone is either lying to Cruz or he really doesn’t know what is going on.

[boycott]

Good answer. It works for me.

[Yosemitest]

They can't stop CRUZ.
Source:

... Cruz even indicated he would back deporting those who came here illegally -- another proposal he has usually rebuffed.

"I would enforce the law," Cruz said, explaining that he would first deport criminals without proper papers.
"Federal immigration law provides that
if someone is here illegally and is apprehended,
that they should be sent back to their home country."

Cruz has recently begun stressing that he believes the number of undocumented immigrants would decrease with strict border enforcement.
...

"The only people I'm under fire from are reporters who want to throw rocks," Cruz said in Harlan.
"Once we've demonstrated that we can solve the problem, then we can have a conversation about what to do about whatever people remain illegally."

The Rubio campaign ...
"He has attempted to muddy the waters," Cruz said on the stage. "Where there was a battle over amnesty
and some chose, like Sen. Rubio to stand with Barack Obama and Chuck Schemer
and support a massive amnesty plan.
Others chose to stand with Jeff Sessions and Steve King and the American people
and secure the border."

Let's get VERY CLEAR on TED CRUZ and Immigration:

Immigration

As the son of a Cuban immigrant, Sen. Cruz celebrates LEGAL immigration.
He has championed measures
to secure the border,
reform the LEGAL immigration system,
and uphold the rule of law.

Americans, and particularly Texans, have witnessed the harmful effects of an unsecure border,
endangering the lives both of citizens and those who enter illegally.
President Obama's policies have encouraged drug smugglers, child abusers, murderers, and other dangerous criminals to traffick immigrant children into our nation under life-threatening conditions.
In the summer of 2013 we witnessed a humanitarian crisis at our Southern Border, propelled by PROMISES OF AMNESTY FROM THE WHITE HOUSE .
Immigrants deserve a better system in which they will be welcomed to the United States safely and with dignity.

As a critical step to protecting families and inviting more people to enter LEGALLY, in 2014, Sen. Cruz proposed legislation TO PREVENT OBAMA FROM ILLEGALLY EXPANDING AMNESTY .
The House acted to solve the ongoing crisis and passed bills that closely mirrored Sen. Cruz’s proposals,
but regrettably the Senate DemocRATS REFUSED TO ALLOW A VOTE on the measures.

In 2013, Sen. Cruz proposed amendments to the "Gang of 8";bill that would
strengthen border security,
expand green card opportunities,
increase high-skilled 'H1B'visas, PREVENT ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM RECEIVING WELFARE BENEFITS ,
and enforce the rule of law.

ALSO from On The Issues :

Ted Cruz on Immigration

End Obama's illegal amnesty via Congress' checks & balances
Q: How to respond to the split within your party on immigration?
What you're saying is
that the Republicans should vote to fund the governments for all departments except one:
no funding for the Department of Homeland Security,
which handles immigration, rescinding President Obama's executive action,
and if he vetoes that, he's responsible for shutting down the department.
The problem is
that's almost exactly what you did with the government shutdown across the entire government in 2013 with ObamaCare,
and it backfired badly on your party.

CRUZ: All across this country, Republicans campaigned, saying:
if you elect a Republican Senate, we will stop President Obama's illegal amnesty.
We need to HONOR WHAT WE SAID .
We should use the constitutional checks and balances that we have TO REIN IN THE ABUSE OF POWER OF THE EXECUTIVE.
Step #1 is IF the president implements this LAWLESS AMNESTY, that THE SENATE WILL NOT CONFIRM ANY executive or judicial nominees.


Defund amnesty; and refuse any nominees until rescinded

Q: How would you rescind President Obama's executive action on immigration?

CRUZ: We should use the constitutional checks and balances that we have TO REIN IN THE ABUSE OF POWER OF THE EXECUTIVE .
Step #1 that I have called for is the incoming majority leader should announce IF the president implements this LAWLESS AMNESTY, that THE SENATE WILL NOT CONFIRM ANY executive or judicial nominees,
other than VITALl national security positions,
for the next two years,
UNLESS AND UNTIL the president ENDS THIS LAWLESS AMNESTY .
That is AN EXPLICIT AUTHORITY given TO the Senate.

Q: Are you saying the Senate should REFUSE TO CONFIRM the president's new nominee for attorney general?

CRUZ: We have to REIN IN the executive.
And step #2, we've got is THE POWER OF THE PURSE,
and we should FUND ONE AT A TIME the CRITICAL PRIORITIES of the federal government,
but ALSO USE THE POWER OF THE PURSE TO ATTACH RIDERS .


No path to citizenship for 1.65 million illegals in Texas

When discussing what to do about the 1.65 million ILLEGAL immigrants living in Texas, . . . CRUZ again said
HE DID NOT SUPPORT A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR ILLEGAL immigrants living in America, . . .

Give police more power to ask about immigration status

Cruz accused Dewhurst of using his position as head of the Texas Senate to KILL A BILL last year that would have given police more power to ask anyone they detain about their citizenship status--a charge Dewhurst denied.
Both agreed that the US has FAILED TO SECURE ITS BORDER with Mexico,
and said they OPPOSE AMNESTY for ILLEGAL immigrants and the Obama administration's new directive
allowing many young illegal immigrants brought to the US as children to be exempted from deportation.


Boots on the ground, plus a wall

Border wall: James and Leppert OPPOSE A WALL,
Dewhurst and CRUZ tout "boots on the ground" AND A WALL IN SOME PLACES .


Triple the size of the Border Patrol

CRUZ on immigration: Wants to TRIPLE [the]SIZE of Border Patrol.
Says Dewhurst supported in-state tuition for kids of ILLEGAL immigrants.
Dewhurst: I have always been against an amnesty program.
"If they want to be a citizen, they ought to go home and reapply."
Dewhurst says he was against tuition for children of illegal immigrants.


Strengthen border security and increase enforcement

Ted Cruz has worked to STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY and help ensure that America remains a nation of laws.
Among other efforts, he has worked on efforts to INCREASE PENALTIES for felons WHO ENTER THE COUNTRY ILLEGALLY .
Ted authored a U.S. Supreme Court amicus brief on behalf of 10 states in Lopez v. Gonzales,ILLEGALLY .

Let's take a close look at what TED CRUZ said at that time about his amendment to the "Gang of Eight amnesty/ citizenship bill" :

Cruz In 2013 On Providing Legal Status To Illegal Immigrants ( 2:14 )
Published on Nov 12, 2015

U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, Hearing, 5/21/2013:
"And I'd like to make a final point to those advocacy groups that are very engaged in this issue
and rightly concerned about addressing our immigration system
and, in particular, about addressing the situation for the 11 million who are currently in the shadows.
If this amendment is adopted to the current bill, the effect would be that those 11 million under this current bill would still be eligible for RPI status.
They would still be eligible for legal status and indeed, under the terms of the bill, they would be eligible for LPR status as well so that they are out of the shadows,
which the proponents of this bill repeatedly point to as THEIR principal objective to provide a legal status for those who are here illegally to be out of the shadows.
This amendment would allow that happen, ...

"But what it would do, is it would REMOVE the pathway to citizenship, for REAL consequences that RESPECT the RULE OF LAW,
and that treat LEGAL Immigrants with the fairness and respect they deserve,
And a second point to those advocates that are so passionately engaged,
In my view, if this committee rejects this amendment,
and I think everyone here views that it is quite likely that this committee will indeed reject this amendment,

In my view that decision will make it much, much more likely that this entire bill will FAIL in the House of Representatives.

I don't want immigration reform to fail.
I want immigration reform to pass.
And so I would urge people of good faith on both sides of the aisle,
if the objective is to pass common sense immigration reform that SECURES THE BORDERS, that improves LEGAL immigration, and that allows those who are here illegally to come in out of the shadows;
then we should look for areas of bipartisan agreement and compromised to come together.
And this amendment,
I believe, if this amendment were to pass, the chances of this bill passing into law would increase dramatically."

The intent was TO EXPOSE the "ESTABLISHMENT REPUBLICANS" AND THE DemocRATS for their dishonesty.
THEY were trying to LEGISLATE the ILLEGAL ALIENS a PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP.

TED CRUZ was trying to amend the Bill so as TO STOP THEM,

by REMOVING the pathway to citizenship,
for REAL consequences that RESPECT the RULE OF LAW,
and that treat LEGAL Immigrants with the fairness and respect they deserve,

[Bulwyf]

There is a definite shortage of skilled trades though. I see a lot of opportunity for electricians in particular.

It seems everyone wants the white collar stuff.

[dynoman]

What I gathered from all the recent amnesty threads here is that Ted’s position didn’t change.

[Redbob]

I worked for a Jap company in the ‘90s - Calsonic, Nissan’s largest supplier - and they regularly brought low-skill factory workers in from Japan on H1-B visas for their radiator plant in Shelbyville, Tennessee, rather than spend the time needed to train local workers.

I’d be surprised if they had changed...

[central_va]

After a 180 days a wink and a nod to the Cheap-Labor-Express, business as usual.

[HamiltonJay]

The only cure for H1B abuse is to abolish it completely, period. I have warched it be abused for decades the only thing new is that it’s abuse finally got some national press recently.

[Amntn]

The other problem I have with it is that in May of this year he said he “RECENTLY” found out about the abuse.

We have been discussing it here on FR since at least February of this year and probably before that.

This means he is either out of touch or he flipped.

[conservativejoy]

The Cruz/Sessions American Workers First Act changes the fundamentals of the program completely, so, no, it would not be business as usual.

[conservativejoy]

Well, the legislation speaks for itself.

[HarleyLady27]

I really don’t care who does it, we need to get rid of the immigration period....kick the people out, build the wall, and then revise our democrat made immigration laws that let these people in!!!

They can come thru the ‘big beautiful door’ but LEGALLY...and if the dems don’t like it, they can be kicked out also!!!

[i_robot73]

Lawyer/political speak for, “I’m running for the Presidency”.

And, as others had noted, if ‘recently’, then he’s too secluded from the real world to understand we don’t need to import when 90M+ are out of work.

And, don’t give me that ‘skilled’ labor B.S.. Out of 90M+, I would believe many would take up new schooling/apprenticeships/etc. if it meant food on the table, roof over head.

[House Atreides]

Cruz: “It isn’t because Trump isn’t for it, so to be like Trump I can’t support H1B visa’s anymore”......”Me 2 Ted”
*********************************************************************************
Wow, I see you’re continuing your anti-Cruz jihad. And, IMHO, your insecurities are showing.

[House Atreides]

You’re trying to be reasonable with the anti-Cruz Jihadists. I’ve tried that and it’s a futile effort at this time. They’re gullible enough to believe anything that the despicable LIAR Marco Rubio tells them...solely because they WANT to believe it.

[HarleyLady27]

They are not showing at all, the truth....look it up like the rest of us have....but I give you credit...your supporting your candidate and that’s a good thing to do....

[roamer_1]

[...] but medium to low skill workers, and IT workers [...]

I detect redundancy.