Ted Cruz: Principled Opposition To Rubio Amnesty Bill - [4/25/13]

ConservativeHQ.com ^ | 4/25/13

[SoConPubbie]

Senator Ted Cruz, the boat-rocking limited government constitutional conservative Senator from Texas, provided another one of his patented cross examinations of a smoke-blowing government official at a recent Senate Judiciary Committee hearing.

Cruz, the son of legal immigrants from Cuba, asked Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano about border security measures – the so-called “triggers” – contained in the “Gang of Eight's” immigration bill.

Specifically, Senator Cruz asked, “If there are no objective metrics, if it is simply the subjective assessment of a host of factors, how can we have any confidence that the border will be secured and that any trigger will be meaningful?”

Although she bobbed and weaved like Mohammed Ali, the secretary failed to provide specific, measurable ways DHS would verify border security if the immigration bill was made law and millions of illegal immigrants were given legal status.

You can watch an excerpt of the exchange here.

Secretary Napolitano’s non-response answers Cruz’s questions about how the “Gang of Eight” amnesty bill would work, and prompted Cruz to release the following statement after the hearing:

“We must have a clear definition of what metrics must be reached in order for the border to be secure. I am not satisfied with answers offered at today’s hearing, as it remains unclear how the provisions in this bill will help achieve a secure border.

“As it stands, the border security component – which numbers only 58 pages of the 844-page bill – largely cedes authority to the Department of Homeland Security to determine when and how the border would be secured. However, today's hearing revealed that the last clear metric for border security - 'operational control' - reflected that in 2010, DHS had secured 873 miles of the more than 2,000 mile border.

"When that metric did not demonstrate success, DHS decided to simply abandon the metric. In order for a metric to be real, it must be meaningful. Currently, there are no objective metrics in place to ensure any triggers in this bill will be meaningful, all while the pathway to citizenship component remains contingent on this undefined border security.”

And that is really the crux of the matter.

Even if you accept the notion that it is a good idea, or necessary to “legalize” millions of illegal immigrants – and we don’t – then the border security measures being used to sell the idea to skeptical citizens and lawmakers must be meaningful and real.

As Senator Cruz pointed out, “Currently, there are no objective metrics in place to ensure any triggers in this bill will be meaningful, all while the pathway to citizenship component remains contingent on this undefined border security.”

Congress has been down this road before.

As Heritage Foundation President Jim DeMint observed, the “Gang of Eight” bill is very similar to the amnesty bill passed in 1986 which granted citizenship to 3 million illegal immigrants, less than one third of the number that might qualify for “legalization” under the current language of the Rubio plan.

One of the “sweeteners” to obtain the votes necessary to pass the 1986 bill was a Congressional promise to fund and build a border fence.

Sound familiar?

Today, 27 years after the passage of the 1986 bill, the border fence isn’t built and the penalties against hiring illegal aliens remain largely unenforced.

To the “Gang of Eight,” comprehensive immigration reform is all about the raw politics of trying to use the future of America to bribe Hispanic voters into supporting one political party over the other, with America’s taxpayers and workers covering the tab.

We agree with Jim DeMint’s principled call for conservatives to oppose any immigration bill that rewards the 11 million illegal aliens who broke our laws getting into this country.

Ted Cruz’s principled and common sense questions pointing out the flaws in the “Gang of Eight” bill is another signal that help is on the way to Representatives Lamar Smith, Steve Stockman, Louie Gohmert and others who are prepared to fight the “Gang of Eight” plan in the House.

[SoConPubbie]

	"If we must have an enemy at the head of Government, let it be one whom we can oppose, and for whom we are not responsible, who will not involve our party in the disgrace of his foolish and bad measures." - Alexander Hamilton "We don't intend to turn the Republican Party over to the traitors in the battle just ended. We will have no more of those candidates who are pledged to the same goals as our opposition and who seek our support. Turning the Party over to the so-called moderates wouldn’t make any sense at all." -- President Ronald Reagan "A thing moderately good is not so good as it ought to be. Moderation in temper is always a virtue; but moderation in principle is always a vice." - Thomas Paine 1792 "It does not take a majority to prevail, but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men." - Samuel Adams "If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or your arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen." - Samuel Adams

[SoConPubbie]

Ted Cruz Ping!

If you want on/off this ping list, please let me know.

Please beware, this is a high-volume ping list!

CRUZ or LOSE!

[OddLane]

BTTT!

[napscoordinator]

Such a shame he is a foreigner. Supreme Court is his best option!

[chris37]

LOL.

Shut up.

[9YearLurker]

Sadly Cruz is for legalization as well. He’s better on the issue than the other candidates the GOPe has lined up for us, but still not great.

We really need a candidate who would enforce our current immigration laws.

[grumpygresh]

I don’t care if Cruz is from Mars; at least he understands what it takes to run a constitutional republic. The other 90% of congress might as well be aliens as far as I’m concerned.

[napscoordinator]

I really don’t care either, but the bashing of Walker is getting to me so that was my retaliation post.......

[SoConPubbie]

Such a shame he is a foreigner. Supreme Court is his best option!

Boring and so untrue!

Please provide the relevant sections of the U.S. Constitution that clearly and unambiguously define "Natural Born" as requiring two U.S. Citizens at birth and that require birth on US Soil.

Lacking that, Please provide the relevant sections of U.S. Federal Law that clearly and unambiguously define "Natural Born" as requiring two U.S. Citizens at birth and that require birth on US Soil.

Lacking that, Please provide the relevant rulings of the U.S. Supreme Court that clearly and unambiguously define "Natural Born" as requiring two U.S. Citizens at birth and that require birth on US Soil.

You won't because you can't because they don't exist anywhere except in your mind and in sources that are not legal or constitutional in nature.

CRUZ or LOSE!

[SoConPubbie]

Sadly Cruz is for legalization as well. He’s better on the issue than the other candidates the GOPe has lined up for us, but still not great.

He's not just better, he's MUCH Better! Not perfect, but far and away better than the other candidates:

Here is a list of what Ted Cruz supports with respect to Illegal Immigration and Border Issues from NumbersUSA.com. This is a list of his official positions:

From NumbersUSA:

1. Oppose Amnesty - OPPOSE offering the officially estimated 11 million people illegally in the U.S. long-term work permits and/or a path to citizenship (whether through a blanket amnesty or an "earned legalization" or other form)

2. Attrition through Enforcement - fund an Attrition Through Enforcement campaign to cause illegal aliens to self-repatriate back to their home countries over time

3. Mandate E-Verify - jobs held by illegal aliens be opened up for unemployed Americans and legal immigrants already here by requiring all businesses to use the Federal automated, rapid-response internet system (E-Verify) to screen out illegal foreign workers

4. Assist Local Police - federal government be required to cooperate with local officials and pick up all illegal aliens detained by local law enforcement

5. Defund Sanctuary Cities - reduce funding to state and local governments that adopt sanctuary policies and other rewards for illegal foreign workers and the companies that hire them

6. Fund Entry/Exit System - fully fund the completion of the entry/exit system at all borders and points of entry in which every person entering and leaving the U.S. is logged into a database which would notify law enforcement, businesses and others when a foreign tourist, student, worker or other fails to leave on-time? *(US-VISIT was approved by Congress in 1996 and has never been sufficiently funded and is largely incomplete.)

7. Border Security - fund and provide oversight for the full implementation of border security measures already signed into law

8. End Birthright Citizenship - move the U.S. in line with most other nations and stop the policy of giving automatic citizenship at birth to children when both parents are illegal aliens?

9. End Chain Migration - implement the bi-partisan, national Jordan Commission recommendation to limit family-based immigration to the nuclear family of spouse and minor children, thus eliminating the "chain migration" categories of extended family that are the key reason immigration has quadrupled since the 1960s

10. End Visa Lotteries - institute safeguards that will prevent importation of foreign workers any time they would threaten the jobs or depress the wages of American workers

11. Reduce Total Immigration - Until 1976, U.S. immigration tradition was an average of around 250,000 a year; since new legislation in 1990, it has averaged 1,000,000 a year. More than 38 million foreign workers and dependents now live in the U.S. At current rates, immigration will add more than 100 million additional people to the U.S. population by 2060. This government-forced rapid population expansion will require huge increases in energy, roads and other infrastructure and services.

[9YearLurker]

As I said, he’s better. But he’d legalize them once he gets some concessions and once they’re legalized they’d end up getting citizenship anyway. There’s probably upwards of 30 million of them here, and with chain migration that will be expanded to 90 million.

[SoConPubbie]

As I said, he’s better. But he’d legalize them once he gets some concessions and once they’re legalized they’d end up getting citizenship anyway. There’s probably upwards of 30 million of them here, and with chain migration that will be expanded to 90 million.

Don't know about that, his latest comments on the issue are that they should never get citizenship.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, a newly elected Republican with a penchant for making headlines, filed an amendment that would bar undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States from ever earning citizenship.

[9YearLurker]

Right, that’s what I said: Cruz is for legalization without citizenship. I added on the certainty that once legalized, they’d ultimately end up getting citizenship too.

Cruz would go only 2/3rds of the way, but a 2/3rds that would in reality assure that they end up getting all the way there.

[SoConPubbie]

Cruz would go only 2/3rds of the way, but a 2/3rds that would in reality assure that they end up getting all the way there.

I hear you.

This is the one Achilles heal position that Ted Cruz has.

Haven't heard anything about this specific policy issue now for almost two years. I'm hoping he has matured on this issue.

[Balding_Eagle]

BTTT

[Praxeologue]

Sen. Cruz opposed the 2013 Senate immigration bill by proposing an amendment removing a pathway to citizenship. His purpose was to demonstrate that the Democrats were only concerned about creating new Democrat voters and not the welfare of the illegal immigrants. Sen. Cruz did not state that he supported granting any other rights to illegal immigrants.

[9YearLurker]

But he did propose the bill, and not only are Americans not going to go for legal noncitizens in the long run, but as soon as they have American-by-birth babies here, they’re en route to citizenship anyway.

[9YearLurker]

Cruz is still my candidate, btw.

[Praxeologue]

But he did propose the bill,

Sen Cruz proposed an amendment to the Gang's bill. His purpose was not to support the rest of the bill, but to reveal its true purpose: more Democrat voters.

There is a great deal of confusion about this, most of which is deliberately created by the GOPe. Don't fall for it.

[9YearLurker]

No, the two things he has been against are Obama’s executive approach to amnesty and a path to citizenship. He wants to secure the border and to increase legal immigration. But he’s also for the legalization of those already here:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/13/us/cruz-tries-to-claim-the-middle-ground-on-immigration.html?pagewanted=all

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/188422-ted-cruz-looms-large-over-comprehensive-immigration-reform

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/nakedpolitics/2013/01/sen-rubio-and-cruz-children-of-cuban-immigrants-but-divided-over-path-to-citizenship.html