Posted on 08/20/2015 2:58:34 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Former Pennsylvania senator Rick Santorum isn't just the latest 2016 Republican presidential candidate to call for ending birthright citizenship, joining Donald Trump, Sen. Ted Cruz and Gov. Scott Walker -- he wants credit for being the first to push overall immigration reform.
"I am not new to this debate," Santorum said, noting that he had authored border security legislation almost a decade ago when he was in the Senate. "...Up until a few days ago, I was the only candidate in this race who put forth a legal and illegal immigration proposal that puts American workers first."
Santorum rolled out the specific details of his proposed immigration policy on Thursday at the National Press Club in Washington.
Ending birthright citizenship is not his highest priority, he said, but it is a consequence of breaking the law even though it may mean breaking up families. Santorum, who has seven children, has long touted his image as a family man.
"We're not separating them arbitrarily," he said. "We're separating them because they did something and put themselves in a position to jeopardize that relationship with their children."
With more visible GOP candidates calling for the same reforms he's supported in the past, Santorum's message was clear.
"This summer, I was joined by Gov. Walker, who was first to change his position with a few specifics called for limiting legal immigration," Santorum said. "Now Donald Trump has joined a majority of Americans, and me, with some ideas on how to put America's workers first."
Santorum said he would build "hundreds of miles of new walls" along the U.S.-Mexico border, as have other candidates, he specified that he wants the American workers to build those walls, unlike Trump, who called for the Mexican government to foot the bill.
Visa overstays, Santorum said, are one of the largest contributing factors to numbers of illegal immigrants. By enforcing a biometric tracking system for every immigrant, Santorum said, he would "track who is here and who has overstayed."
Eliminating the visa lottery and chain migration to reduce the rate of legal immigration to the U.S. were part of Santorum's plan, as well as using e-verify to check the status of employee citizenship and ending amnesty.
"Amnesty will make competition more fierce, not less; encourage more immigration, not less; and further depress wages," he said.
Santorum also said he would eliminate "sanctuary cities," which have policies to shelter illegal immigrants, by withholding federal funds from them.
In a CNN poll of 1,000 Americans conducted Aug. 13-16, only 1 percent of Republicans said they want him to win the GOP presidential nomination.
Santorum is like naval lint. Unsightly and unappealing. :=)
“...Up until a few days ago, I was the only candidate in this race who put forth a legal and illegal immigration proposal that puts American workers first.”...Rick Santorum
Nothing new from ol’ Ricky....Always trying to wiggle in anywhere he thinks he’s been slighted.
.....” Even Pennsylvanians don’t want him”....
Oh you can say that again...!!!! Sooner we don’t have to deal with the likes of him the better for this state!
Santorum should get a real job.
Rick was angry that others are getting more attention than him when he said guys like Cruz wants to “DOUBLE legal immigration and double H1Bs.” He’ll be on with Levin in the next hour. It will be interesting to see if Mark challenges him on anything.
Rick Santorum is a pimple on the GOP bum. :-)
Rick is furious that he is being treated so poorly and resents being relegated to the second debate. Rick thinks he should be able to disappear for 4 years at a time and pop up every election and everyone should bow down to him and agree with him that he is the ONLY conservative.
Rick, Rick, Rick. There is no limit to what you can achieve as long as you don’t care who gets the credit.
What is he, 12?
Pull up your big boy pants, Rick. You are at the Adult party now.
Would you put this up on a thread please???? What a heavy hit against protesters Jindal just did today!
BOBBY JINDAL PLAYS PLANNED PARENTHOOD VIDEOS ON MASSIVE SCREEN OUTSIDE GOVERNOR’S MANSION
This afternoon, while ‘abortion supporters protested’ outside the Governor’s mansion in Baton Rouge, Jindal set up a huge movie screen and speakers and played on a continuous loop all of the videos released in recent weeks showing the brutality of Planned Parenthood’s baby-parts business.
Rick’s always on the verge of anger....and yes he thinks he’s deserving of peoples attention. He just doesn’t get it that everyone knows he’s a career politician and will always be just that. We had enough of him here in PA. where he shoed us all clearly the Rhino he is.
Good for Santorum. The more candidates talking about illegals, anchor babies, fences, daisy chain migration, H1b visas, and the massive number of legal immigrants, the better.
I think he might’ve invented the internet, too.
Santorum is clearly only in the race to draw away conservative votes and let the GOPe candidate win.
Exactly..he’ll split the vote. Go home Rick.
“Good for Santorum. The more candidates talking about illegals, anchor babies, fences, daisy chain migration, H1b visas, and the massive number of legal immigrants, the better.”
You bet!
Plus, Rick Santorum is the only presidential candidate to receive an “A” rating from Numbers USA. Walker received a “B” and the others received “C” or less from Numbers USA.
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