Retreat: Cantor blocks DREAM Act for military enlistees from defense bill

hotair.com ^ | 5/16/14 | Allahpundit

[cotton1706]

Proof that the GOP’s terrified of an immigration backlash from the right in November? Or proof that Eric Cantor in particular is terrified of losing his primary?

I’ll accept “both” as an answer.

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor will block attempts next week to include a measure on a must-pass defense policy bill that would legalize young undocumented immigrants who serve in the military.

A spokesman confirmed Friday that the legislation, known as the Enlist Act, will not be among those debated with the National Defense Authorization Act, an annual bill that sets policy for the Pentagon. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-Calif.), the Enlist Act’s chief sponsor, had pledged to bring it up as part of the floor battle over the defense bill.

“No proposed ENLIST amendments to NDAA will be made in order,” a Cantor spokesman, Doug Heye, said in an e-mail Friday. He did not elaborate immediately on the reasons.

Cantor’s always seen legalizing DREAMers as a comparatively easy first step towards a wider amnesty. (He was, and maybe is, writing his own version of DREAM, remember.) They’re the most sympathetic class of illegals who are here; tying permanent residency and ultimately citizenship to their willingness to serve in the U.S. military only makes them that much more sympathetic. Border hawks are leery of it, though — especially if it’s attached to a must-pass measure like the defense bill — because it’s a way to get immigration reform to a conference committee, where Reid and Schumer could dramatically expand Enlist before sending it back to the House.

[ObamahatesPACoal]

If we can get Dave Brat over 40% the Libertarian candidate might be viable in November.

[BobL]

“When Eric Cantor was addressing the 7th district:”Harry Reid’s amnesty bill is DOA.””

I think most of us would have preferred him to say: “Amnesty is DOA (in the House)”. Until he says that, it is STILL ALIVE, and he needs to be defeated in the Primary...and maybe after he says that too.

[Little Bill]

You have to remember that the Regular Army in 1846 had a large number of Irish deserters from the British Army in Canada, we paid better and treated them better. (John Eisenhower on the Mexican War)

[ObamahatesPACoal]

If you had to choose a country to have an open border with it would be Ireland.

Maybe Ted Kennedy should have created an Irish only policy to get his revenge on the WASPs.

[Din Maker]

If Eric Cantor loses his Primary to David Brat..... wow... that will send shock-waves through the heart of D.C.

[Din Maker]

stop thinking that Cantor cannot be beaten - HE CERTAINLY CAN, and he has an opponent that’s positioned perfectly to do so.

That would be the greatest thing since we won WW II if that happened. But, can you elaborate on how Mr. Brat is "positioned perfectly" to defeat Cantor?

[X Fretensis]

Wonder how many data entry clerks were killed when that airliner crashed into the Pentagon? How many of the REMFs all of a sudden woke up one morning to discover they were up to their asses in VC and NVA during TET. For the sailors on the USS Cole, it was just another routine peacetime refueling stop.

[BobL]

“That would be the greatest thing since we won WW II if that happened. But, can you elaborate on how Mr. Brat is “positioned perfectly” to defeat Cantor? “

That would be by making the election a REFERENDUM ON AMNESTY.

Any questions?