"We have consistently supported a legalization program which is both generous to the alien and fair to the countless thousands of people throughout the world who seek legally to come to America. The legalization provisions in this act will go far to improve the lives of a class of individuals who now must hide in the shadows, without access to many of the benefits of a free and open society. Very soon many of these men and women will be able to step into the sunlight and, ultimately, if they choose, they may become Americans." ...Ronald Reagan.
We all love Reagan and someday GWB will get his due respect I hope.
I have the greatest admiration for RR. Truly a great man and a great President. However, I don't believe his statement can be construed as a plug for open borders. And when he made that statement he was not referring to 12-20 million people. Nor was he advocating that each illegal bring in every bloody relative up to and including 3rd cousins.
Nor were we experiencing an explosion of dangerous diseases brought in by these illegals when he was in office. He was an advocate of controlling our borders, and said just that.
No offense, but I am very tired of the argument that controlling OUR borders, enforcing OUR laws and protecting OUR citizens somehow demonstrates a lack of compassion. There is nothing compassionate about turning the United States into a larger northern version of Mexico. And make no mistake, that is precisely what will occur in the long run.