Posted on 08/21/2013 7:21:40 AM PDT by cotton1706
In a bad sign for reform, the Republican chairman of the House’s immigration policy committee told a conservative radio host Monday that he opposes a path to citizenship even for young documented people brought to the United States as children, often referred to as DREAMers.
House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) told Hugh Hewitt that he would prioritize giving legal status to children who had been brought to the country illegally, but would stop short of giving them a path to citizenship.
“If you were to do something, I would start first of all with children who were brought here illegally by their parents. They’ve grown up here. They’ve been educated here. They are ready to face the world and they have no documents. I think there’s a more compelling argument to be made for them,” Goodlatte said, in remarks first caught by Salon. “But, even for them, I would say that they get a legal status in the United States and not a pathway to citizenship that is created especially for them. In other words, they get that legal status if they have an employer who says I’ve got a job which I can’t find a U.S. citizen and I want to petition for them, ah, they can do that, but I wouldn’t give them the pathway to a Green Card and ultimately citizenship based simply on their entering the country illegally.”
Some kind of bipartisan agreement on citizenship status for so-called DREAMers has long been considered one of the easier-to-achieve elements of comprehensive immigration reform, but Goodlatte’s comments cast doubt on whether even that provision is within reach.
Goodlatte, whom Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is deferring to on immigration reform, said he opposes any legalization component, period, until “after you have the borders secure and these enforcement mechanisms in place.”
“[T]his is another major criticism I have with the Senate bill,” he said. “I would not give what I call a special pathway to citizenship to anyone who’s illegally in the United States.”
Goodlatte’s comments came the same day he told constituents at a town hall meeting that he opposes a “special” pathway to citizenship for people in the country illegally. He criticized the policy in the bipartisan Senate-passed immigration bill to put unauthorized immigrants on a 13-year pathway to citizenship after they learn English and pay a fine and back taxes.
“The folks who want to have a path to citizenship have held everything else hostage,” Goodlatte told constituents, admitting that President Obama may not accept the House GOP’s approach. “Now we want to say, ‘Look, we understand what you want but we think a legal status in the United States but not a special path to citizenship might be appropriate.’”
Supporters of reform privately downplayed Goodlatte’s remarks, noting that he isn’t closing the door to a legalization component, and that if the House passes even a narrow one, it can be expanded in a House-Senate conference committee. That’s the path Democrats are eying for reform, although it’s narrow and contains various landmines.
The congressman’s comments are a blow to the prospects of reform, despite the various House Republicans who have come out for the push lately. According to supporters, a passable overhaul necessitates a pathway to citizenship for those in the U.S. illegally. A road for DREAMers to become American citizens is among the most popular components of reform. Without that, not only Democrats but important constituencies like Hispanic groups and labor unions would likely pull their support for reform and collapse the effort.
“I would not give them a status that people, who have for generations followed the law — and sometimes it takes them a decade or more to comply with the law — to legally immigrate to the United States,” Goodlatte told Hewitt. “The Senate bill gives immediate legal status to 11 million people and then it has a long pathway to citizenship, at least 10 years before they can even apply for their Green Card, but it allows them to do that even though they do not have a family member who is already a United States citizen or permanent resident, a spouse, a employer who can show that they can’t find a U.S. citizen to fill the job.”
This is just too simple of a problem... if you are here illegally... GO BACK TO MEXICO!
Great maneuvering! Find their biggest dream and stomp it dead - flat. Kill it. Stand on principle and never give up that regardless how they got here, they are ILLEGAL!
They feed on incremental appeasement. When you arbitrarily take them back to square one, it deflates them....I like this guy.
“In a bad sign for reform”
Magically declaring people to be something else other than what they are is not reform but capitulation to crime.
Well, it's not like they want free organ transplants or nothing.
as always....
You want citizenship , apply for it from your own country ,you get caught in the country illegally you never get citizenship
Why should illegality be rewarded?
My understanding is that if I do not pay my taxes, I have commited an illegal act. I seriously doubt that Congressional Republicans would be wetting themselves to the degree they are over amnesty to soften/eliminate the penalties I would have to endure.
Serious border control and a mild DREAM act for kids who grew up here (short of citizenship) is a great call. I am still suspect of the effects of anything going to Conference Committee, but this type of idea is a good one if we can ensure it doesn’t evolve into Rubio-care
Evidently, you've been drinking too many Badlattes lately.
Shut up and sing.
Leni
Right.....In all this DREAM and in-state tuition, legal status for children, citizenship for children, benefits for them, status for them, I HAVE NEVER HEARD FRIGGING ONCE WHAT THESE LEECHES ARE PREPARED TO DO FOR AMERICA OTHER THAN WHAT THE F@CK THEY WANT FOR NOTHING.
We have an impasse here, with idyllic ‘children’ who tug at the heart strings of some Americans at the forefront of the conflict. However, it really ends there in a tit-for-tat sense.
They offer nothing but the cry for entitlements. They’re worth is minimal frankly; we have hundreds of thousands, even millions of American citizens in the black community that have a far more valid claim on valuable resources and who have an equal or greater potential to contribute to America rather than suck it dry.
Doesn’t matter what he wants. All the shamnesty faction needs is an immigration bill from the House. They make say whatever they want in reconciliation, and the votes are there to pass it.
They surely can change any House Bill in a reconciliation, but the fact remains is that the final recommendation by the House/Senate conference committee must still be voted upon and approved by the FULL House. Any bill re: funding HAS to have full House approval in the end.
Good for Goodlaite
In a country where respect for law is primary that is true...but we no longer have such a system.
If Goodlatte’s position kills this turkey, then kudos to him.
I differ with him on offering legalization to illegals who were brought here as minors, however. They should be shipped back to their home countries with their parents and other family members. Otherwise, once legalized, they’ll not only be clamoring for citizenship, but for daisy chain migration of their great uncles, fourth cousins, ex-sister in law, etc., etc.
It’s well beyond time to finally start having a tough immigration policy that protects our citizens—even if FaceBook, Microsoft, Google, and leftist billionaire businessmen want open borders.
I can understand your lack of confidence - I have largely t he same lack. However, if we can keep our true conservatives on track, even after conference and keep voting no, then there is some modicum of hope.
“You want citizenship , apply for it from your own country ,you get caught in the country illegally you never get citizenship”
Amen....... is this so hard to understand????? NO, it isn’t. NO rewards for law breaking thugs. I don’t care HOW cute those little kids are. NO one should EVER, EVER be allowed to become a citizen if they broke into this country, NOR if they used this latest false claim of asylum. Check out Mexican immigration laws. These Dems are asking us to give them an inch and then change everything in conference. Next it will be The Won saying again, “I can’t wait for those nasty Republicans....... I’ll just do this by executive order”. AND then our own GOP will sit by and do nothing, as they have been for 5+ years.
Keep calling, keep writing, keep the faith. Like Mark Levin said the other night... “get off your *$$ and do something!”
REP. GOODLATTE (R-VA): HOUSE GOP WILL BACK 'PATHWAY TO LEGALIZATION,' NOT 'PATHWAY TO CITIZENSHIP'
I want to repeat my earlier recommendations regarding “immigration reform”. Make positive recommendations regarding immigration such as attracting entrepreneurs and successful foreigners who bring investment and have shown a commitment to supporting freedom and contributions to advancing American principles.
Laugh at and ridicule Democrat/socialist proposals to swell the ranks of socialists, those unable to care for themselves, and those who’ve harmed the situation and others in their countries of origin.
Make positive recommendations to citizens of the US who face fewer opportunities because a crowd of illegals are chasing those opportunities seeking low wages and accepting poor working conditions.
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