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Subscribe to RSSThe man who could be a pivotal player on immigration in the House called for a “guest-worker” program and path to “legal status,” but not citizenship.
“We should focus on common ground on legal status,” House Judiciary Chairman Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) told a group of reporters at a Christian Science Monitor breakfast Wednesday morning. “Once you have that status, you can qualify like everyone else.”
Goodlatte did not rule out a path to citizenship eventually, but not in this round.
“There are large number of people here unlawfully,” Goodlatte said. “It’s not a good thing to have them operating in the shadows.”
But he said that does not mean they should get to the front of the line, so to speak, and become citizens. He called the immigration system “broken,” but “rather than get bogged down in semantics, we should try to find common ground to pass legislation.”
Goodlatte said he has had discussions with Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) and has respect for what he and the Gang of Eight in the Senate are trying to accomplish on immigration, but he said he had “some concerns” about some of the proposals laid out. But he declined to say specifically what those concerns are.
“I wont be able to write the bill in the room with you,” he said.
He also called for bills to be passed with “regular order,” meaning the House pass legislation, the Senate pass its version and then the two chambers conference to find “common ground.”
Despite what was an overwhelming victory by President Obama with Hispanics during the 2012 election – he won 71 percent of Latinos – there is still staunch opposition in many GOP corners on immigration reform. Goodlatte seemed to tacitly acknowledge that.
“We’d like to see what they produce,” he said of the Senate. But, he added, it was necessary to “take the temperature” of members of his committee and the wider body of Republicans in the House to “see what can produce common ground.”
Asked by longtime political reporter Mark Shields of PBS, whether the Republican Party’s problems were the “pizza” or “the box,” in other words the substance or the packaging, Goodlatte said it was the box.
“It’s primarily our inability to communicate our message in a variety of ways,” Goodlatte argued, adding, “Our message still resonates with a lot of people; we have to figure out how to get it to resonate with more.”
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Looks like the GOP is still not interested in the Latino vote.
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So we have to allow open borders and let any parasite from South America some here and do as they dam well please, breaking our laws, stealing our jobs, clogging up our hospitals, stealing social security and medicare all for the sake of our politicians getting the "LATINO VOTE!" Ta hell with the Latino Votes!
You are 100% right!
Creating a permanent legal underclass is not the answer.
I am glad to see someone is looking out for us Americans. This illegal invasion must be stopped
I see the "71% of Hispanics" rationale trotted out a lot, but absent exit poll data from Texas, that number is questionable. Non-Hispanic Whites make up ~45% of the Texas population, yet Texas voted for Romney 57-41. There is no way 71% of Hispanics, the second largest group of voters in Texas, broke for Obama. Not only are they the second largest group in Texas, Texas Hispanics are the second largest number of of Hispanic voters in any US state. I would say there is reasonable doubt the 71% national number is a representative sample.
I would also say I agree with the Congressman, path to permanent status with all the privileges resident aliens are afforded (Green card, etc), yes, citizenship--get in line behind the folks in your home country that are already waiting their turn to legally immigrate to the US. As the President frequently says, that would only be "fair".
Election night polling showed Texas Hispanics breaking for Obama 70%.
http://www.latinodecisions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/TX.2012.pdf
Bottom Line: A whole slew of currently untaxed humans
Make them citizens and tax em
Lots of commentary here about law & order; secure the border, deport 'em all.
Ummm...you do realize that we are talking about eleven million people, don't you? Elementary statistics will tell you that they can't all be criminals...I mean actual criminals, not merely in violation of immigration law. So the specter of millions of criminals is nothing but scaremongering. Deport eleven million people? The mere thought of that is patently insane. Logistically it is impossible, to say nothing of inhuman--especially for the kids who are undocumented but came here as infants or children. How does deporting them serve any purpose other than vengeance? How does that look to the rest of the world?
These people need to be provided a path to legal status, not least to keep them from being exploited by unscrupulous employers. They deserve a path to citizenship, in due time. Keeping them as permanent guest workers merely perpetuates an underclass. One thing long overdue is to grant citizenship immediately upon honorable discharge from a four year commitment to military service, or upon four years of continued service while still pursuing a military career. If they're willing to die for us, they deserve citizenship.
Secure the border? Sure. Congress just has to fund it properly. The three-layer fences near San Diego work well, and that ought to be extended across the southern border.
But more effective still will be closer economic cooperation with Mexico, to increase the economic opportunities available to their citizens at home. Won't stop immigration; won't stop illegal immigration...no one policy will. You'll never completely eradicate it. But it can be managed.
Latino votes? You'll never stop that train. The Latino community is growing faster than the Caucasian community, because their birthrate is higher--and don't start the silly "anchor baby" argument. Most Latino kids are born of Latino citizens or foreign nationals here legally. Their proportion of the total population will continue to grow; it's a demographic inevitability. And their political influence will grow accordingly. Get used to it.
I think a lot of people live in their own little blog worlds anymore and are content with what they hear on the news. Then there are those of us who go to work on a daily basis out in the real world. We SEE and FEEL the effects of illegal immigration daily and are not happy with it but that's just because we're "racist" or "Republican" or "Tea Partiers"... No, it's because I'm an American citizen that works in the healthcare industry and I SEE the amount of illegal aliens are obtaining healthcare for free with Medicaid. I SEE the amount of illegal aliens swiping the food stamp card at the grocery store. I SEE my insurance deductible amount on a check due to an illegal alien sideswiping my vehicle.
How is it racist or Republican or Tea Party to voice our desire for our nation's current laws to be upheld? How is it racist or Republican or Tea Party to voice our desire for our healthcare to stay afloat by not allowing illegal aliens that do not pay taxes Medicaid benefits? How is it racist or Republican or Tea Party to voice our desire to disallow those who have not paid in to Social Security because they are not US citizens to benefit from it?
How is it American to say it's okay to break laws, along with the things mentioned above, as our country is financially floundering? TREASON!!!
Query: Anonymous, how do you know that the people you see are undocumented workers? Have you asked them? Or is your assertion based merely on your own assumptions? Lots of poor people get food stamps, and many of them are Latino. But how does seeing them at the grocery store prove that they are undocumented? I'm not saying that none are, but your blanket statement paints an entire community with one brush.
Taxes? Undocumented workers do pay them. If they used a false/stolen SSN to get hired, they are paying payroll taxes. They simply have no hope of ever getting anything back. If they are paid under the table, they buy things and in most states that means they pay sales taxes.
When you see someone with a Mexican or South American ID swiping a food stamp card it kind of makes you wonder...
When a criminal knowingly breaks the law, why should the first step be to discuss how the criminal can be pardoned and how can we punish the victim of that crime? In the case of an illegal alien, the victims are the US citizens who are being asked to involuntarily fund the living expenses of the illegal alien. This is preposterous.
The criminal should suffer the consequences of his behavior first and foremost, which for the illegal alien is deportation--period.
You would apply this lust for deportation to people who came here as infants? Infants can't commit crimes. Merely growing up here, knowing no other home, isn't a crime. Many such young people don't even discover their status until they apply for college, or a driver's license, or military service. By what cruel definition are these people criminals who deserve to be deported? Rather a heartless one, aren't you?
GB---YES
Care to explain why? What stripped you of your basic humanity?
dang, just one question. Who is going to pay the money required to hunt down and deport 11 million people? The GOP?
Here's the explanation GB-- BECAUSE WE DON'T PERMIT CHILDREN TO PROFIT AND RECEIVE REWARDS INCIDENT TO THEIR PARENTS' LAWBREAKING. If a father robs a bank, the child does not get to keep the stolen cash.
When you really think about it....people from South and Central America are not illegals, their broom ancestors were on this land before the whites occupied and stole it from the Natives. Now that they have killed off, infected them with diseases, and put the brown natives on reservations, they say they are illegals, some who acceptors probably migrated here from Europe, and are descendants of those who stole the land. All of us are illegals immigrants, accept the Native Americans. It irks me when some high minded people express disdain for the ones who have more rights then we do to be in America. The fear is that may populated and take the and back, wouldn't that be Poetic Justice? It is the same situation with the Palestinians and Jews. They want to do the same thing to the Palestinians take their land, the good friends the USA want to help the Jews do this. The yunderstand.
When you really think about it. People from South and Central America are like the rest of us. We are all humans and we all originated in Africa. So by your logic we all need to move back.
This way of thinking does nothing to move the discussion of immigration forward.
The "way of thinking" referenced within #35 is asinine.
Enforce the laws already on the books. Don't sue the border states for applying the laws to criminals that some call illegals. There is NO need for immigration reform if the laws are enforced. And NO to citizenship for illegals. That's a slap in the face to the immigrants who entered the country and acquired citizenship legally.
We simply need to secure our borders before taking any other action. This is not anti-Hispanic, it is a genuine homeland security issue!
Too late......NOBAMA just released all the illegal alienas in our jails. Hmmmmm... I feel safer already just knowing there are even more criminals loose o nthe streets thanks to this moron.
Let's look at this. A border fence two miles deep into the Earth to stop them from tunneling under it. Oops. they sell cutting torches, pickets and shovels in Mexico. Then try, a fence 40,000 feet high so their airplanes couldn't fly over it. Big wind factor problem here as well as our planes also need to go South. A fence two thousand and two hundred miles long, well it still has two ends they can just walk around. Are you going to extend this fence to say Japan and Spain so they can't sail around it. Next are you going to pay the Gazillions it will cost? I sure ain't going to wast my money on such stupidity.
Snagman, I would be interested in finding a link to what you said in your post.
The main reason they even come here is because the American business men want to hire cheap labor instead of American workers that are trying to support their families. Just stop with the 100 million dollar a year CEO bonus and make a twelve month mandatory prison sentence for each illegally hired alien. The CEO, Corp. Pres. or business owner would get the punishment for allowing his Corp. or business to hire illegals. No Jobs here for Pedro means no illegal Pedro here.
Just Me, it won't happen with Republicans opposed to any tax increases. Increasing the top tax rate to 90% as it was in the Eisenhower years would do what you suggest: Effectively eliminate those astronomical pay packages and thus the business behaviors motivated by them. But it won't make it through Congress. Criminal prosecution and confiscation of assets from corporate officers who knowingly hire undocumented workers would dampen enthusiasm for hiring undocumented workers, and would put a brake on illegal immigration. Definitely a step in the right direction. But that too won't get past Republicans who view such legal constraints as anti-business.
These rich powerful folks just laugh at the petty fines they are given. Other than that, I salute your views. Congratulations, for seeing the light and being right.
GB
NOBODY paid 90% Income tax in the 50's. To many loopholes. Things like deductions for interest paid on loans not just mortgages. Do we have that loophole today?
Doesn't matter if nobody paid the statutory rate back then, Slodon. The effective rate was still much higher, for both individuals and corporations. And that in turn drove different personal and business behaviors--ones which emphasized building wealth over decades, not months. Tax policy is a very effective means of fostering or curbing certain economic behaviors, which is why Republicans don't like taxes. Taxes curb the rewards for giving in to their most primal economic behaviors.
Wow!! Imagine that. Obama will actually return to Washington, cancel his vacation plans, cancel his golf for the day, and meet with the Republicans. I doubt though he is there to listen to ideas but instead to TELL them that it's his way or no way. This guy has no clue how to work together, unite, or anything else. I bet as a child he didn't play well in the sandbox and he grew up to be a spoiled man-child. No wonder Michelle has to lead him around and tell him what to eat or not eat. He has never grown up yet.
Keep in mind there were only 2 leaders in the world to ever have their own personal symbol. We have all seen Obama's ... now guess who the other one was? Of course this would require you to have probaby at least stayed in school through the 5th grade to know the answer.
Snagman, you offer no solutions. Just more of the same old B.S.
How about a link for the"personal symbol"?
Just a note; Your illustrious leader, Dufus, AKA Geo. W. , spent a full one third of his eight years on vacation and most of it was at his ranch in Texas. Most of the rest of his term was spent on the road campaigning for Republicans and fund raising in Air Force One , at tax payer's expense. Of coarse he wasn't needed at his desk. That was where Chiseling Cheney was at.
I actually think this might be a good way to go about addressing the illegal immigration issue in this country. It is needless to say that we cannot deport 15 million people. The cost alone would be enormous and with everybody want to spend less, I just don't see how we could accomplish that.
The idea of the article of giving illegals a chance to gain "legal status" allows them to work here legally, and pay taxes on what they earn. Then if they really want citizenship (and not just a job) they can get in line with the rest of the people trying to become American citizens.
Congratulations on giving a thoughtful comment. This is rare now days. On your comment, I believe a U.S. Citizenship should only come with a renouncement of their Mexican or other country citizenship.
Old Bob is a middle aged white guy with a badly receding hairline. (His teeth ain't all that great either considering we provide him dental benefits.) Naturally, as a southern repuke, he thinks he knows more about what the people of America want than they do. This type plays well down in the hills. Not where people have Internet access so much. Yes, Old Bob is another right wing dinosaur.
All this chatter denying “path to citizenship” rights is nothing more than another nail in the GOP “Latino-mix” coffin. Consider this fact: the overwhelming Hispanic vote for Obama did not come from illegal Latinos involved in voter fraud. It came from a growing Hispanic electorate who are already citizens of this country and eligible to vote. Neither the Justice Department, the RNC, Preibus, Hannity nor Arpaio have found any evidence of voter fraud among the Latino voting bloc to suggest otherwise because if they did it’d be the lead story on Fox every night. So, even if you assume that the number of eligible Latino voters remain unchanged (hardly likely) and that the white voting population dramatically reverses its downward trend (yeah, right) you’ll still have a group of pissed off, eligible, Latino voters who’ll continue voting in even more overwhelming numbers against the GOP until that “stupid party” gets it anti-immigration s**t together. And, talking about relegating a group of people to a perpetual working-class status with no chance of permanent residency and eventual citizenship is not a good way to start that conversation. Putz!
Nah, it's not the box - it's the pizza. Triple anchovies with pineapple and jalapenos...
This issue just gets me. My grandparents came here under immigration laws. They followed all the laws to become legal. Yes it took a while and yes it cost a bit of money and YES THEY HAD TO LEARN TO SPEAK ENGLISH. This feels like a slap in the face to everyone who complys with the law. It seems like all you have to say is "I'm from Mexico" and you can get anything you want......for free!!!
sequester away!!!.....when the sky doesn't fall, obama will be shown to be the sociopathic liar he is,........
Works for me. At least that way, the cuts will be accross the board, and not concentrated soley on Social Security and Medicare, or social safety net programs.
Why would we give all the illegals citizenship? why? Of course he should vote against it.. why would the Hispanics want illegals to have citizenship? isn't that racist.. just because your Hispanic you must support other Hispanics in getting illegal citizenship? really? Of course they shouldn't be granted citizenship, thats ridiculous.
Illegal alien invaders should be made to reimburse the taxpayer for any services they used and be deported back to where they came from.
Just make them legal, like Cubans. What's the difference?
See how easy it was?
We need to Stop ILLEGAL immigration! They're not just doing jobs that Americans don't want. Do they pay taxes? Don't get me wrong most of these people work very hard, but are a drain on the system if they don't pay taxes, have healthcare coverage, learn the language or get paid wages that are in line with their American counterparts. Who's footing the bill for the education of their children and the infrastructure around them? We all know that the health care provided to uninsured illegals here in the states is being averaged into our hospital costs and our insurance premiums, which have PROPORTIONATELY increased along with illegal immigration over the last 20 years? These costs are also being passed along to Medicaid and Medicare, which means that not only are they increasing our insurance premiums, but that we're paying for them again with our tax dollars.
Our tax dollars and insurance premiums should not be used to recoup the cost of healthcare given to illegal immigrants, who shouldn't even be here in our country in the first place.
To the people that disagree, we should ask them should this: If a few illegal immigrants knocked on your door and demanded that you pay some medical bills for them, would you pay them?
Just look around and you'll see who's doing 90% of the residential renovations, construction and property maintenance jobs. That's certainly what we're seeing in the northeast. These are not just jobs that Americans don't want.
Unfortunately the hiring of cheap illegal labor causes a chain reaction. The contractors who hire cheap, uninsured, non-taxpaying, ILLEGAL aliens undercut the contractors who hire US Citizens or Legal immigrants. Even if the contractor wants to continue to employ US Citizens or Legal tax-paying immigrants, they end up replacing their Legal employees with illegals just to be able to get the jobs.
Let's get the good productive ILLEGAL Aliens into the system and paying federal and state income tax or get them out and not let more in unless they come in as Legal Immigrants. Make them apply for legal visas and or U.S. citizenship and if they don't, then get them out. If they get rejected get them out or give them one quick appeal and if they still get rejected, then get them out.
Let's send the bad ILLEGAL Aliens back to where they came in and let's put a stop to more ILLEGAL Aliens getting in.
That's certainly not a problem. They drag down the wages of everyone in any occupation they work at.
Right, that's one of my points Sam.
...and that's why the "conservative" U.S. Chamber of Commerce loves illegal aliens.
Apparently, someone alerted the teabirthers that not all "latinos" are Cubans, who love the GOP already.
Most "hispanics" in the U.S. are Mexicans, who will hold a grudge against Republicans for a couple of generations, just over the hateful rhetoric from the 2012 election.
Most Americans Want Illegal Filth Out
53% say all or most illegals should be deported.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/02/21/us-usa-immigration-idUSBRE91K01A20130221
Don't let liberal scum enforce their bizarre and irrational views which state that breaking the law entitles you to citizenship. They're the minority.
Chesty--Attitudes like yours are why cockroaches have a higher approval rating than the Teapublicans.
Why do Cubans get a pass, but not Mexicans?
I'm going to ask you again, do you understand what your icon represents?
Liberte, Egalite, Legalite
Moshulu--They will claim they're talking about all illegal immigrants and that place of birth and/or color of skin make no difference. However, because of their negative view of people of color and/or lower socioeconomic class, I don't believe that for one minute. There is more than a little racism, especially in the Tea Party. Why do you think so many of them hate President Obama?
My people came here from Germany shortly after the Civil War (some) and some at the end of the 19th century. I don't know if they were legal or illegal and I don't care. They came for a better life and they achieved it.
they did it legally, without costing taxpayers money, without burdening citizens who have to support them, they did it by themselves, not making others foot their way and not maliciously, like Mexicans are.. (Gangs, take back Mexico crew, etc).. our ancestors came here with dignity and were responsible, and did so legally.. just like everyone else should be made to do. Seal the border above and below.