Posted on 11/14/2015 2:17:34 PM PST by conservativejoy
Sen. Marco Rubio blocked numerous immigration-enforcement bills when he served as speaker in the Florida House of Representatives from 2007 to 2009.
"Rubio blocked any efforts to deal with the problems of illegal immigration on the local or state level," one former politician from South Florida, who has known Rubio since his city councilman days in West Miami, told The Daily Caller.
"He said it was because we had bigger things to deal with on the state level. Maybe that's true. But he didn't even let bills to the floor when they sailed through committees," the politician, who declined to speak on the record, added.
Rubio's record is relevant now because he's presented himself as a moderate backer for the Democratic led "Gang of Eight" immigration bill. Proponents of the bill argue that its extensive loosening of immigration laws (including a "pathway to citizenship" that Rubio in 2010 described as "basically code for amnesty") will be balanced by tougher enforcement.
But the record shows that Rubio used his power in Florida to block popular immigration-enforcement bills prior to his election trail conversion into an immigration-hawk.
In the 2010 race, he criticized one of his opponents, Gov. Charlie Crist, for backing the amnesty proposal developed by Sen. John McCain and Ted Kennedy in 2006 and 2007.
"He would have voted for the McCain plan," Rubio said. "I think that plan is wrong, and the reason I think it's wrong is that if you grant amnesty, you will destroy any chance we will ever have of having a legal immigration system that works here in America,â he said.
In 2007 and 2008, Rubio repeatedly kept tough reform bills from getting passed, despite a wave of public support for reforms.
Numerous enforcement proposals , ranging from bills requiring employers to check the status of workers to others mandating increased cooperation between local law enforcement and federal immigration agencies , were blocked by Rubio even though they cleared bipartisan committees.
The bills in Florida's Legislature would have penalized farmers and government contractors caught hiring undocumented workers; placed stricter regulations on public benefits; and required local police to notify federal authorities after arresting illegal immigrants.
Rubio’s history tells the tale in this blast from 2013.
Rubio is finished.
Our country is way to important and Americans are way to important for these asshats to have any control over anything...
If your House or Senator is for any of the above, get them out of office this next election or the next or the States can remove them...
If any citizen of the United States is harmed or killed, then there should be a law suit against obuma for letting them in...
He took an oath to protect this Country and he's not doing it...
I predict the final lineup to be Trump going away with Ted Cruz second and Rubio a distant third.
He delivers for the GOPe.
It’s time for Cruz to hit Rubio on his record of blocking immigration enforcement. Hit him now and especially in the next debate.
Ask Rubio if what happened in paris can come to our borders?
Don’t worry - Cruz will take him out.
When the left passes local laws on immigrants (eg Sanctuary laws) some anti-illegal activists say “Can’t do that”.
But when anti-illegals want to pass local laws on immigrants they are upset when others oppose them.
Double standard.
Nixon’s INS is to blame for this. Prior to Nixon immigration enforcement was overwhelmingly local law enforcement. It was the Chicago Police who worked with me to deport undesireables in the 1960s. Then Nixon neutered local law enforcement and centralized everything in the INS (now ICE).
Rubio is part of Gang of 8, having fooled the voters of Florida. His recent statements lack credibility.
Never mind
Rubio is nothing but an empty suit and a devious liar controlled by special interests. Just now read that his parents might not have been citizens when he was born. I cannot imagine him winning the nomination (but then it never occurred to me that senile McCain could win it). But if he does the Dem might get him disqualified. Best to drop him and avoid the chaos.
Cruz is making his move.
ping
Let's hope so. Latest Reuters poll has him at only 10%, but it's hard to imagine how he's even that high.
Rubio, like most of the Republican field, is owned by The Cheap Labor Express.
There are only three Presidential candidates on the side of the citizens and the rule of law.
Santorum, Cruz and Trump.
The rest want to change the laws to benefit those breaking them.
The baby-faced Rubio thought his good looks would carry him to a win. Facts about his career are particularly damning, although they are probably being heralded by the GOPe. So, I guess it wasn’t just coincidence that he was “chosen” for the job of the Gang of 8. How delicious! This is getting better every day. I bet he wishes he’d kept his mouth shut instead of hitting out at Cruz.
There is no doubt Cruz will win this debate. The facts are on Cruz’s side.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.