This is the biggest issue we face. If a candidate does not even mention it when he announces and Conservatives can’t nail down his position, it certainly speaks volumes.
I haven’t found a soul who can tell me what this guy wants to accomplish as President. Nothing about it even on his own website.
We have too many legal immigrants
Ahead of the Iowa Faith and Freedom Coalition event, Walker hardened his positions on issues considered litmus tests for social conservatives, including abortion and immigration. He suggested in an interview with Glenn Beck that there are too many legal immigrants, a position to the right of other 2016 hopefuls.
Source: N. Y. Times on 2015 Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition summit , Apr 25, 2015
2013: Comprehensive reform; 2015: no, that’s amnesty
Q: Back when you were the Milwaukee County executive, you actually supported the Kennedy-McCain comprehensive immigration plan. As part of a comprehensive plan—tough enforcement, E-Verify, the 11 million people already here paid penalty—should they get citizenship?
WALKER: No, I’m not talking about amnesty.
Q: But you said you supported it.
WALKER: And my view has changed. I’m flat out saying it. Candidates can say that. Sometimes they don’t.
Q: So, you’ve changed from 2013?
WALKER: Absolutely. I look at the problems we’ve experienced for the last few years. I’ve talked to governors on the border and others out there. I’ve talked to people all across America. And the concerns I have is that we need to secure the border. We ultimately need to put in place a system that works. A legal immigration system that works. And part of doing this is put the onus on employers, getting them E-Verify and tools to do that. But I don’t think you do it through amnesty.
Source: Fox News Sunday 2015 coverage of 2016 presidential hopefuls , Mar 1, 2015
No amnesty; close the back door & enforce the law
Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker (R) declared “there should be no amnesty” at CPAC. When asked what he believes should be done with illegal immigrants already in the country, he stated “there should be no amnesty. You should secure the border, not just for immigration reasons, but why would you put a fence around 3 sides of your home and leave the back door open? That’s what we have when we guard our ports, we guard our airports, we don’t guard our borders—beyond that you’ve got to enforce the law. We put the onus on employers to give them an E-Verify type system where they have access to enforce the law.”
Regarding DHS funding and funding for the president’s executive action on immigration, he said “you have got to tie the two together, and instead of playing on defense you have got to play on offense and put the pressure back on the president and his allies.”
Source: Breitbart.com on 2015 Conservative Political Action Conf. , Feb 26, 2015
No amnesty; but no mass deportation & no executive action
Should the government offer immigrants already living in the US illegally a pathway to citizenship? Walker’s stance is unclear: “First, Obama’s executive action should be repealed,” a spokesperson said. “After that, we need absolute security at our borders and then we can address fixing our legal immigration system and deal with those here illegally, but amnesty is not the answer.”
In a February interview, Walker reiterated that he is not for “amnesty,” but also does not favor mass deportation: “I’m not an advocate of the plans that have been pushed here in Washington,” Walker said. “In the end, we need to enforce the laws of the US, and we need to find a way for people to have a legitimate legal immigration system in this country, and that doesn’t mean amnesty.”
In 2013, however, Walker voiced some support for a pathway to citizenship. Walker was asked if “with the right penalties & waiting periods & meeting the requirements, people could get citizenship?” “Sure,” he said at the time.
Source: National Journal 2016 series: Republicans on immigration , Feb 23, 2015