Posted on 07/19/2015 11:19:41 PM PDT by Cincinatus' Wife
Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker acknowledged in a CNN interview that in the past he had expressed support for a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants, but said that he wasn't talking about amnesty at the time.
In an interview aboard his campaign trailer that aired Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union," Dana Bash pressed Walker about his shift from somebody who once said a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants "made sense" to a presidential candidate talking about restrictions on legal immigration. She asked whether such shifts undermined his pitch to voters that he's somebody who stands up for his principles.
"The only issue where I've clearly said I had a position before — and even on that, as governor, I didn't have a role to play in immigration. I said there should be a path, years ago, when I talked about going forward with legal immigration", he said. "I didn't talk about amnesty. In fact, I said in that specific interview, I opposed the 'Gang of 5,' the measure that Marco Rubio proposed. So I specifically even then said, 'I'm not supporting that.' But I said flat out in the beginning of the year, that's a position I have changed on."
In the 2013 interview with the Wausau Daily Herald editorial board that has gotten a second life during his presidential run, Walker was asked about the millions of individuals who immigrated to the United States illegally, and whether he could see them gaining citizenship with the right mix of penalties and waiting periods. "Sure, yeah," he responded. "I mean, I think it makes sense."
The meaning of the term "amnesty" is itself a hotly debated one in politics, and to many conservatives, any path to citizenship to those who entered the country illegally — even with penalties — would be considered amnesty.
Bash also asked Walker about comments he's made about legal immigration.
"What I've specifically said is I think priority under legal immigration should be given to the impact on American working families on their wages in a way that would improve the American economy," Walker said. "That not only means people like me who were born here, that means people like the woman I just met in Cedar Rapids, for example, who moved here many years ago, was a political refugee of the Congo, and who went through the process to be a legal citizen. She's working here. And I believe for her, and for others who were born here, there needs to be priority given, to say, we're going to need to make sure we put priority [on] American working families and their wages. Doesn't mean there won't ever be legal immigration, it just means that's what our priorities should be."
You Walker monkeys really are offensive. Walker would offer a path to citizenship for illegals. That is the ultimate amnesty.
So, telling illegals that they have to apply for citizenship like anyone else is amnesty?
I think you are one who is offensive to the millions who applied and did it the right way.
Allowing illegals to apply for citizenship is amnesty.
How hard is that to understand?
Ummm, you JUST made my point....
What current criminal (aka ‘illegal immigrant’ per the MSM and (most) GOP contenders), would subject themselves to a ‘background check’ (worked out well in Boston and Chatt, TN I see) to become an *actual* immigrant (spending $$ and time to become a U.S. Citizen)??
Tell me, which of the following would NOT red flag in the ‘new’ process/background check:
- Visa overstay/border jumper
- Tax fraud
- Identity theft
- Driving w/out insurance
- ....
Which means they remain illegal and can be deported without any issues.
No other candidate has a means of deporting illegals except Walker.
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.