Pro-amnesty congressional leaders continue to echo President Obama’s calls for comprehensive immigration reform legislation that includes amnesty for illegal aliens. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV), who has previously said he will refuse to consider an immigration bill that lacks a pathway to citizenship, last week issued an official list of his top ten policy objectives for the new session of Congress. (Las Vegas Sun, Jan. 18, 2013; see also Roll Call, Jan. 22, 2013) “Comprehensive Immigration Reform” ranked number one. (Roll Call, Jan. 22, 2013)
Sen. Rubio (R-FL) also continued his campaign for amnesty last week during an appearance on the Mark Levin radio show. (See Mark Levin Recording, Jan. 23, 2013) As described, his proposal—like Harry Reid’s and previous amnesty bills in the past—includes a pathway to citizenship for the roughly 11 million illegal aliens in the United States. (Id.; see also FAIR Legislative Update , Jan. 22, 2013)
Not surprisingly, pro-amnesty Congressional leaders in the Republican-controlled House have also aligned themselves with Sens. Harry Reid and Marco Rubio. House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) told a group last week that “we’re going to have to deal with [immigration]” and expressed support for the “Gang of Eight,” a bipartisan group of Senators in charge of drafting immigration reform legislation including a pathway to citizenship. (The Hill, Jan. 26, 2013) “I think they basically have an agreement,” Boehner said. (Id.) “I don’t know all the pitfalls in it, but it’s in my view, the right group of members….My theory was, if these folks could work this out, it’d be a big step in the right direction.” (Id.)
During an interview last week, former Vice Presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) mentioned immigration as an issue where Republicans and Democrats can work together. (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 23, 2013) “I’ve long believed in immigration reform,” Rep. Ryan said, “and I think there are other Republicans who do so as well.” (Id.) The week prior, Rep. Ryan voiced his support for the “principles [Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) has] outlined.” (Huffington Post, Jan. 14, 2013)
Off Capitol Hill, more Republican leaders are jumping on the amnesty bandwagon, voicing support for proposals like that of Sen. Rubio. Last weekend, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Congress to “get comprehensive immigration reform back on the agenda” on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” (National Review, Jan. 20, 2013) Rice, who specifically named Rubio as a Republican leader on the issue, insisted that comprehensive immigration reform would give the Republican Party the “broad appeal” that it needed. (Id.; see also FOX News, Jan. 21, 2013)
Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush also weighed in with an Op-Ed in the Wall Street Journal, supporting amnesty and advocating for the DREAM Act. “The U.S. must find a fair way to deal with its 11 million illegal immigrants,” he wrote. “Crossing the border illegally must have consequences. At the same time, we must recognize that children who were brought here illegally have committed no crime and in most instances know no other country.” (Wall Street Journal, Jan. 24, 2013)
Senate Judiciary Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) has indicated his committee will begin hearings on immigration legislation in February. (Sen. Leahy Press Release, Jan. 16, 2013)