Bush Weighs in on Amnesty

Bush Weighs in on Amnesty

“Former President George W. Bush waded ever so gently into the fierce debate in Washington over immigration reform, urging lawmakers to reach a ‘positive resolution’ on the issue, and warning against disparaging immigrants. ‘We can uphold our tradition of assimilating immigrants, and honoring our heritage of our nation built on the rule of law. But we have a problem. The laws governing the immigration system aren’t working; the system is broken,'” NBC News says.

“Speaking Wednesday morning at a naturalization ceremony for new citizens held at his presidential library, Bush refused to comment specifically on the legislative battle that has enrapt the Capitol and beguiled many of the former president’s fellow Republicans.”

Bachmann Says Amnesty is Wrong Solution

“Rep. Michele Bachmann is on a mission to kill an immigration overhaul. The Minnesota Republican contends immigrants who came to the United States illegally shouldn’t be rewarded with legal status. She says they are taking jobs from American citizens and depressing wages because they work for less. Creating a path to legal residency is a key piece of the bill passed by the Senate last month. She hopes to persuade fellow House Republicans at a special meeting Wednesday to dump any idea of a broader overhaul until the fence is built,” USA Today reports.

House GOP Meets on Border Security

“Republicans in the House of Representatives say any immigration bill they pass must ensure that the nation’s Southwest border with Mexico is secured before any process can begin for undocumented immigrants to apply for citizenship. However, as House Republicans prepare to meet Wednesday to plot the way forward on immigration legislation, there is no consensus among them on who should be able to apply for citizenship, exactly how to secure that border or what “secure” even means,” USA Today says.

“The House caucus enters Wednesday’s meeting with only one thing in common: They don’t like the Senate plan. House Speaker John Boehner has said he will not let his chamber vote on the Senate bill, and will instead develop a plan that the majority of Republicans can agree on — but they don’t have agreement yet.”

Even Lower Public Support for Amnesty

“The Congressional Budget Office estimated last week that the immigration reform plan now before Congress would stop the flow of future illegal immigrants by no more than 50%, and voters don’t think that’s enough. Support for the plan has fallen, but it falls even more dramatically when the 50% figure is attached,” Rasmussen Reports says.

“The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that only 50% of Likely U.S. Voters now favor a plan to give legal status to those here illegally even if the border is really secured to prevent future immigration. That’s down from 60% less than three weeks ago despite the U.S. Senate’s passage of the measure since then. Thirty percent (30%) are opposed, and 19% are undecided.”