Posted on 04/05/2012 8:51:40 AM PDT by IbJensen
(CNSNews.com) - Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) says he is working to craft an alternative version of the DREAM Act that would allow younger illegal aliens who came to the United States "through no fault of their own" to stay here legally and, if they wished, get in line to become a citizen.
"There is nothing that prohibits them from getting citizenship,” Rubio told the Tampa Bay Times in an April 3 interview in which he explained his plan. “We just don't create a new pathway. The bottom line is they would have a visa of some sort and like they and any other visa holder in this country can get in line and apply for residency. You have to wait in line but you get to wait in line in the U.S. legally.”
“They would be here living, studying, working, while they're waiting in line,” Rubio said. “We have a broken legal immigration system. Someone would say, 'Well it's going to take them forever to get residency.' Well, that's true of anybody. The system has to be modernized but that's a separate topic. It doesn't create a pathway to citizenship directly but doesn't prohibit them from entering the regular pathway."
As it currently stands, the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, commonly known as the DREAM ACT, which was first introduced a decade ago, would grant conditional permanent resident status for a period of six years to those who came into the United States illegally before the age of 16. After the six-year period, those eligible would be able to attain legal permanent status if they obtain an associate-level academic degree or serve in the U.S. military for two years.
The DREAM Act, while first introduced in 2001, has never had the support in Congress to become law.
In an April 1 interview with liberal commentator Juan Williams on Fox News Latino, Rubio said he does not support the DREAM Act as currently drafted. But he said he would sponsor a proposal that incorporates the “idea” of helping young illegal immigrants by providing them with a special visa to allow them to stay in the country legally while waiting in line to get citizenship.
Rubio has not yet published a specific proposal of his “idea” and has only provided broad details of what the alternative DREAM Act would entail.
“I support the idea behind the DREAM Act, which is to help these young kids. I don’t support the DREAM Act as currently drafted because it allows for chain migration, because it creates a pathway to citizenship that can potentially encourage illegal immigration in the future,” Rubio told Williams.
“I do support, and I have consistently supported, even during my campaign, I’ve supported the notion that we need to accommodate these kids that, through no fault of their own, find themselves in this legal limbo," he said. "But we have to do it the right way. And so I’m actively engaged in working with my colleagues, and with outside groups, and with anyone who would work with me to craft a solution that helps deal with this issue, but doesn’t do it in a counter-productive way.”
“We should figure out a way to accommodate and there are ways to do that and we’re actively working on ways to do that, that gets us to 60 votes, whether it’s a visa process that legalizes them and,” he said, “wouldn’t’ prohibit them in the future from accessing the citizenship process, but it wouldn’t give them a pathway to it especially carved out.”
Referring to Democrats during the Fox News Latino interview, Rubio also said, “What I have found, unfortunately, in my time here in Washington is that this is a very powerful issue and that, in fact, there are those that maybe don’t want to solve this and would like to leave it there so they can use it in the elections.”
On March 27, The Hill reported that Texas Republican Sens. Jon Kyl and Kay Bailey Hutchison “are also working on a bill, although its details are being kept secret, according to congressional sources. Senate sources expect it to be unveiled after GOP front-runner Mitt Romney has clinched the presidential nomination.”
According to a recent poll by Fox News Latino and Latin Insights, 90 percent of “likely Latino voters” support the DREAM Act as currently written with a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants.
“I’m going to do everything in my power to stop a watered-down version of the DREAM Act,” said Senate Majority Harry Reid (D-Nev.) on Capitol Hill, The Hill also reported on March 27. “That’s what they’re pushing now.”
Someone should inform Jeb Bush's protege Rubio that we owe nothing to the children of illegal aliens. In a show of kindness we could demand LaRaza, LULAC, MEChA and other such radical Latino organizations assist the U.S. in paying to transport these DREAM children and their parents out of this country and back to where they came from.
Senators Kyl and Hutchison have long betrayed the American citizens by consistently drafting/sponsoring legislation favorable to the 20-30 million illegal aliens who, due to their dereliction of duty, now reside with impunity in our country.
There is little to no difference between the Parties and their agenda to sell out this country, our sovereignty, and our culture in return for votes or financial support for their campaigns. Rubio, Kyl, Hutchison, Gutierrez, Menendez, Obama, Holder, Napolitano, Morton, Perez, Schumer, every and any member of the Bush family, and far too many others in politics - all could be accused of crossing the thin line that separates gross and willful dereliction of duty from treason.
It's just too damned bad that concerned Americans have no choice between the infernal Democrat and Republicrat parties! A pox on both!
I do not have a serious problem with the children of illegals who were brought here prior to their 14 BD, are currently working, and have NO criminal record. I understand that is a concession but give and take is necessary to provide a track to taking care of the situation.
Besides, this would sway many of the “illegals” into voting for a republican, eliminating the stranglehold the libs have on that segment of the population.
I understand I might be kicked off of FR, but can anyone point me to a better solution?
Do you understand what’s about to happen? Janet Napolitano is already out saying she’s ready to grant Unlawful Waivers to those here illegally - all so they can vote for Democrats in November. The Rubio idea is to deal with those here and to stop DHS from their back door amnesty - which is what they’re up to. It’s WAY too late to deport those already here. As I read Rubio’s idea, his focus is to secure the border to stop the influx first. Which is good. But anyone who thinks the millions here are just going to be deported outright - especially now - are living in Cloud Cuckooland. He’s trying to stop a massive vote buying scheme the Democrats are trying to foist. This illegal immigration has been going on for far too long - the solution isn’t happening overnight. Stop the influx for sure, but legislatively stop the DHS from conduction it’s legalizing the voter drive they’re about to do. If Napolitano succeeds, then you can forget anything in the way of border security. They’ll be thrown open.
Shamnesty ... Just say no.
Illegals voting GOP is a unicorn. All this does is tick off the base more. The big tent is a loser.
I have to say, if you are brought here as a young child, raised in this country as an American, everything you know being here, to reach adulthood and then to be deported back to a strange country you have never known would be terrifying.
...have to say, if you are brought here as a young child, raised in this country as an American, everything you know being here, to reach adulthood and then to be deported back to a strange country you have never known would be terrifying.....
yeah but not terrifying enough to stop your parents from doing that to you huh?
They don’t belong here!
President Eisenhower cracked down on illegals during his administration and did, in fact, deport as many as could be apprehended.
A nation that is incapable of defending its borders is no nation at all. We’re so busy staffing posts throughout the world and building other people’s nations that we pay no attention to our own as it slides down the slippery slope towards oblivion.
How does this entitle them to vote?
If they will vote the Democrats out of office and into oblivion, I will personally place a Welcome Mat on the Rio Grande.
B U M P
Just trying to make his bones for possible VP nomination
Rubio just killed any chance that I would ever support him. Enough, already.
“The big tent is a loser.”
So is the phone booth the republican party finds itself in now.
” Which is good. But anyone who thinks the millions here are just going to be deported outright - especially now - are living in Cloud Cuckooland. “
No, YOU are! Arizona is enforcing the law, and tens of thousands of illegals have left. Why do you think Obama is terrorizing Sheriff Joe Arpaio?? He proved the law works if ENFORCED!!
The bold words are the rub. And I can say as someone who has lived in LA for many years and Phoenix for a few, those that are raised "American" are a distinct minority.
Rubio's non-chain migration version is clearly better, but only AFTER we have a secure border. Because one thing the Illegal Alien population has proven is they will use their children as a shield. If they think a kid will keep ICE away from their doors every Illegal crosser will have a kid in tow.
But it doesn’t quite square with mitty’s tough Illegal Alien chatter.
What do you mean if, she has done it and not one word from the GOPe.
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