The Immigration Deal

The President and the Senate have agreed to a new deal on immigration this afternoon. At this moment, I feel like I would have to oppose it.

I support any comprehensive reform legislation that does not grant amnesty, and have disagreed with many in my party who have argued that previous comprehensive proposals have. But prima facie, this piece of legislation does exactly that. It would grant "probationary" legal status to all illegal immigrants currently in the country immediately upon passage, apparently without any subsequent process through which they would have to go through to become permanently legal.

This is unacceptable. The legislation provides for no punishment whatsoever for immigrants who have come into this country in violation of United States law, a base reward for illegality and an insult to those immigrants who actually went through the extravagant process of becoming naturalized citizens.

Any comprehensive reform meriting passage into law would, at minimum, provide for some sort of penalty for immigrating here illegally—fines, payment of backtaxes, etc.—and a mandatory process through which illegals would have to get in line behind those already there waiting to become legal citizens.

The compromise legislation here provides for none of this. Instead, it grants what is tantamount to a blanket, no strings attached amnesty and reward to those who violated our nation’s laws and took advantage of the benefits of our system and society.

For this reason I would oppose the legislation, despite what appear to be many other positive aspects of it.