Free Republic

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said late Tuesday that he supports securing the United States border with Mexico with a double-tiered fence but voted against an amendment to the “Gang of Eight” immigration bill that would have required exactly that. Rubio and his fellow Gang of Eight Republicans helped the Democrats kill an amendment from Sen. John Thune (R-SD) that would have required the double-tiered fence be built, as current law requires, before amnesty was granted to America’s at least 11 million illegal immigrants. The only other Republican to vote against the amendment was Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). “I support Senator...

WASHINGTON—Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte says she will back the bipartisan overhaul of the nation's immigration system. The New Hampshire senator said Sunday the nation's immigration is broken and needs to be fixed. She says the Senate proposal secures the border and provides a "tough but fair" way for immigrants to earn citizenship. A bipartisan group of eight senators drafted the bill and then guided it through the Judiciary Committee to the full Senate. Despite widespread support, the bill's passage is by no means certain

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama is backing an immigration bill outline drafted by two senators that says illegal immigrants must admit they broke the law to become citizens. Obama says in a statement that the outline of a bill Sen. Chuck Schumer and Sen. Lindsey Graham are crafting addresses border security and demands accountability from illegal immigrants and employers who hire them. He says the critical next step is to translate their outline into legislation.