My point was that if Ted Cruz used the words "immigration reform", many here would assume he meant blanket amnesty despite the fact that he has not expressed that in any of his statements/actions. Reform must happen but it must happen correctly - start with closing the borders then going your attrition route. Some here will not be satisfied with any solution that doesn't involve doing the impossible by purging our Nation of those already here en-masse. I would love to see it, but am pragmatic enough to know it will be a long-drawn process no matter how we go about it. The words "immigration reform" will be used widely, but it's the content of the plans/actions that define what it really is.
As you pointed out, immigration reform has become shorthand for amnesty. So the best thing for Reps is not to use the term to avoid the confusion.
Reform must happen but it must happen correctly - start with closing the borders then going your attrition route. Some here will not be satisfied with any solution that doesn't involve doing the impossible by purging our Nation of those already here en-masse.
Here is my plan for "immigration reform":
We need a pro-immigrant, low immigration policy with the following elements:
A merit based immigration system that brings in the skills and talents to keep us competitive in the global economy;
Reduced immigration levels based on need and more closely approximating 300,000 immigrants a year vice the current 1.2 million annually;
Elimination of extended chain migration, i.e., family reunification, limiting it to the nuclear family;
Enforcement of existing immigration laws to reduce the current illegal alien population and limit future illegal immigration, i.e., attrition thru enforcement. Enforcement would include: (1) ending the job magnet; (2) increasing coordination at the federal level by eliminating barriers to information sharing among agencies; (3) leveraging state and local enforcement resources; (4) fully implementing the US-VISIT Program to track and deport visa overstays; and (5) secure the border and make mandatory such programs as E-Verify and 287 [g] authority to assist employers and law enforcement in identifying illegal aliens;
Elimination of birthright citizenship and the visa lottery program;
Ensure that anyone who enters this nation illegally is not rewarded by being permitted to stay and work here; i.e., no amnesty;
Streamline the processing and adjudication of immigration cases; and
Promote pro-immigrant measures that help newcomers assimilate and embrace the values and principles of our Founders and the Constitution.
I would love to see it, but am pragmatic enough to know it will be a long-drawn process no matter how we go about it. The words "immigration reform" will be used widely, but it's the content of the plans/actions that define what it really is.
Words have meanings. The Democrats and the mainstream media have hijacked the language surrounding the immigration issue to the point that we had Michael Chertoff, the Secretary of Homeland Security and our nation’s top immigration official at the time, testifying before Congress using the term “undocumented workers” to describe illegal aliens. John McCain and Barack Obama studiously avoided the term “amnesty” to describe their comprehensive immigration reform plans and despite the evidence, baldly declared that it was not an amnesty. Instead, they used such euphemisms as “getting to the back of the line,” “an earned path to citizenship,” and “coming out of the shadows.” The Democrats and pro-amnesty crowd know full well that the American people are against amnesty, hence the avoidance of the “A” word. Republicans need to develop their own immigration lexicon that cuts through this Orwellian use of language.
Immigration can be a winning issue for Reps if they link it to jobs and the defense of the American worker. Jeff Sessions has laid out the template, which should be required reading by every Republican in office or considering running for office: Becoming the Party of Work How the GOP can help struggling Americans, and itself.