Posted on 07/30/2013 9:48:22 AM PDT by xzins
Pointing to the “broad spectrum of support” from faith, labor and business groups that have lined up to support comprehensive immigration reform that includes a road map to citizenship, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) told the AFL-CIO Citizenship 2013 forum today, “I am confident we can prevail.”
McCain and Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Calif.) kicked off the forum (we will bring more coverage later today) with a question-and-answer session at the AFL-CIO headquarters in Washington, D.C., about the bill’s prospects in the House after bipartisan (68–32) passage in the U.S. Senate.
Without mentioning House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), who has said he will not put the Senate bill on the floor for a vote, Becerra says:
"I think if the bill that passed the Senate was placed on the floor, it would pass bipartisanly….There is no reason we shouldn’t do something that is good for our economy and something that is good for our country….This is the year we are going to do it as long as the people in the Capitol put country in front of party."
McCain says that whatever emerges from the House, a path to citizenship must be a “fundamental element.” He says polls show the American people overwhelmingly support allowing immigrants the opportunity for citizenship.
"Every poll I have seen, and I have seen hundreds, shows well over 70% of the American people support a path to citizenship….They support a path to citizenship because they realize this is an issue of 11 million people who are living shadows, who are deprived of their rights citizens and can’t live normal lives and are not going back to where they came from."
Without the protection of citizenship, says McCain, immigrants “are exploited in a wide variety of ways.”
Several Republican House leaders and members have proposed allowing aspiring citizens to remain the country and work but without any chance of earning citizenship. Says Becerra:
"I don’t think this country is ready to go back to the 20th or 19th century where we have a second class of citizens. "
They also have called for a piecemeal approach, with several measures aimed at specific elements of immigration reform, but not a comprehensive package. Says Becerra:
"You don’t do this in bits and pieces because if the machine is broken and you fix one part, all you’ve got is a machine with a part that works OK, but you still have a broken machine."
He says the four key elements the House must address are citizenship, workplace rights, border enforcement and fixing the current visa system.
Says McCain:
"I have a great faith in the American people…at the end of the day we’re going to do the right thing."
Cmon AZ you can do better then this joker.
There is already a path you senile, stupid, moron.
Must be? Why? Why reward law breakers?
Carrie Dann of NBC news is reporting that at the AFL-CIO meeting that McCain (Democrat, Arizona), said:
“We have a good chance of convincing our fellow members of the House...”
That he also said:
“Don’t need 20,000 Border Agents”
See post #5
If they are going to selectively enforce current immigration law, why should we give them a new law to selectively enforce?
2016 has to fundamentally be about installing a Conservative President and the number 2 thing will be retiring your sorry anti-America ass.
LLS
bttt
macane....go fu-k yourself or grammaski
Hey, I can go with a “path”. Make it a path to Mexico and let them all use it to go there. Then when 10 years has passed and an individual hasn’t violated our sovereignty during that time, they can go to the American Embassy and get in the line. Apply for entry into the USofA. If they are found eligible they can come on over and start the process that everyone else uses to become a citizen.
and another brain-diseased liberal democrat heard from...
I say, “Path to Retirement” must be fundamental element of GOP’s McCain Reform plan.
How about a path out of DC, for this RINO Bast**d!!
There is a path to citizenship. It is through legal immigration under legal quotas as defined in the 1965 immigration law.
At the very least, any legal status granted to foreign nationals illegally in the country should be deducted from future legal quotas from that country.
At the very least, let the illegals steal the family member immigration slots from the legal immigrants.
That would be fair. It may suck, but it would be fair.
He says polls show the American people overwhelmingly support allowing immigrants the opportunity for citizenship.
It's always an honor to hear from the head of the Vichy Republicans.
McCain blatantly lied during his relection. Not typical politician half truths, but blatant, all out fraud.
Good to hear from the Chuck Schumer Republicans...
Hey McAss, there is a path to citizenship already in statute. It begins with being a permanent resident, passing a standard citizenship test after a period of time, and then being sworn in as a citizen. What part of that do you not understand??
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.