Mark Zuckerberg Affiliated Group Blast Airwaves to Back House GOP on Immigration

nationaljournal. ^ | January 31, 2014 | By Elahe Izadi

[dennisw]

House Republicans looking to garner support for leadership's immigration-reform principles are about to get a little help from a group with ties to Mark Zuckerberg.

Americans for a Conservative Direction is the GOP arm of pro-immigration reform organization FWD.us, which is backed by the Facebook chief executive. And they will be airing roughly $750,000 worth of television and radio ads across the country, according to a source with knowledge of the ad buy.

The ads, which will air for 10 days on radio and cable television, describe the drafted principles unveiled to the Republican Conference during their retreat as a "conservative solution." Highlighted elements include border security and conducting background checks on those in the United States illegally. The announcer states the proposal is not amnesty. Children are shown while the announcer says the plan offers "a chance at the American Dream for those brought here as children."

"Step by step, House Republicans want to fix the immigration problem, which will strengthen our economy," the ad declares.

The next few weeks will be crucial in the immigration-reform debate, as members of the GOP caucus begin staking out their positions on the principles and as leadership figures out where a bulk of the lawmakers are in terms of support. Additionally, FWD.us is looking to sway opinon on the Hill with a memo attempting to discredit some groups opposed to reform as "anti-immigrant."

[Travis McGee]

My response: