A discussion between F.H. Buckley and Matthew Walther<\/a> at the American Spectator illustrates the debate occuring within the GOP over immigration policy.<\/p>\n “[A] word on how immigration reform should be evaluated. The test should be whether immigrants to the U.S. outperform\u2014in earnings, education, or whatever\u2014immigrants to other countries. We should be getting the cream of the crop, but we\u2019re not. Rather, we\u2019re screening for Democrats,” says Buckley.<\/p>\n “A few years ago I was in Japan for two months, and I never went so far as the convenience store down the road from my hotel without my passport. It stands to reason: I am clearly not Japanese. Only once, walking alone at night in a small city, was I asked by one of the local flatfoots to produce this document. It did not occur to me that there was anything strange about such a demand,” says Walther.<\/p>\n “Progressives who whinge about police officers in Arizona suspecting that someone who cannot speak English and does not possess some form of government-issued identification just might be in the country illegally would never decry the enormity of an experience like mine with that good-natured cop in Shiga Prefecture.”<\/p>\n “The tech industry is beginning a full-throttle push for immigration reform now that the government shutdown fight is over. Silicon Valley groups and top executives like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg are planning a flurry of events and media campaigns aimed at pressuring the House to vote on immigration bills before the end of the year,” The Hill report<\/a>s.<\/p>\n “The renewed push for action will include \u201cfly-in\u201d trips to Washington, print and social media campaigns and even a \u201chackathon\u201d event in Silicon Valley that will be headlined by big names in the industry. The political advocacy group co-founded by Zuckerberg is also ramping up its efforts.”<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think they\u2019ll pass a great big comprehensive bill. I think they\u2019ll pass three of four things,\u201d [Chamber of Commerce President Tom] Donohue said in an interview.<\/p>\n “Donohue said he is hopeful the House and Senate will ‘go to conference, [and]have the president sign’ immigration reform quickly,” Buzzfeed reported<\/a>.<\/p>\n “What does any of that mean? Donohue’s sounding more amenable to the House conservatives’ approach to immigration reform, splitting up enforcement provisions (easily passed in the House) from legalization provisions (not as easily), not allowing a conference committee to merge the proposals. Josten is talking up the conference committee without making demands,” says Dave Weigel in Slate<\/a>.<\/p>\n “With the brutal fiscal fight now in Capitol Hill\u2019s rearview mirror, immigration reform advocates from across the spectrum are ramping up the pressure on lawmakers to pass a far-reaching overhaul this year,” Politico reports<\/a>.<\/p>\n “The more aggressive wing of the [amnesty]community is launching a ‘week of escalation’ that will target the top three House GOP leaders and roughly two dozen other Republican lawmakers. Their goal is a vote on immigration reform this year. And the Evangelical Immigration Table is releasing a letter Monday signed by top faith leaders \u2014 a missive that comes amid a nationwide prayer blitz for reform.”<\/p>\n Silicon Valley Ready to Push Amnesty<\/h3>\n
Chamber of Commerce Wants A Conference Committee Amnesty<\/h3>\n
Amnesty Supporters Ramping Up<\/h3>\n