Thread: Mo Brooks on GOP calls for immigration reform: Only if future includes 'catch illegal

Mo Brooks on GOP calls for immigration reform: Only if future includes 'catch illegal aliens and deport them' program

"The Democrats did an excellent job of falsely demagoguing to Hispanic voters," said Brooks, countering that Republicans were merely proponents of the law.

"In Alabama, the party that has taken a strong stance on illegal immigration gained ground."

Brooks, during phone interview Tuesday, also said that Hispanic voters believe in law and order, and would support a firm but fair Republican policy. Such a policy cannot include blanket amnesty, he said.

By Callen Stephens | al.com
November 14, 2012 at 12:00 PM


U.S. Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville (Glenn Baeske/The Huntsville Times)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Despite rumblings of a policy reversal from senior GOP representatives, Congressman Mo Brooks said he is not convinced that comprehensive immigration reform is imminent. And any plans for amnesty for undocumented immigrants, he said on Tuesday, would lead to disrespect for the law and ultimately anarchy.

"I'm a bit different than these national people who want to run campaigns based on race and sex, I believe we ought to run them on policy and ideas," said Brooks, R-Huntsville, who grabbed national headlines last year by suggesting Alabama should do "anything short of shooting them" to deter illegal immigrants from remaining in the state.

But exit polls last week showed presidential nominee Mitt Romney received just 27 percent of the vote among Latinos, a key factor in certain swing states. Since the election, several senior Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner and Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have said they are now open to negotiating comprehensive immigration reforms, which would likely include some pathway to legal status for undocumented workers here already.

Graham on Sunday specifically said that encouraging undocumented immigrants to "self-deport" - the stated approach of both the Romney campaign and Alabama lawmakers - is unpopular and will not work. This week Sen. Jon McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla, have added their voices to the GOP call for reform.
But Brooks said it's a mistake to read the national election as a reaction to GOP immigration policies.

"The Democrats did an excellent job of falsely demagoguing to Hispanic voters," said Brooks, countering that Republicans were merely proponents of the law. "In Alabama, the party that has taken a strong stance on illegal immigration gained ground."
Brooks, during phone interview Tuesday, also said that Hispanic voters believe in law and order, and would support a firm but fair Republican policy. Such a policy cannot include blanket amnesty, he said.

"I believe that we need to secure our borders and that only people lawfully in America should be here," said Brooks, contending undocumented workers continue to take 7.4 million jobs from American citizens.

In Alabama, even some Republican officials last year pointed out that it was difficult to fill certain jobs, such as picking tomatoes, after the state adopted its stringent immigration law.

Brooks said he hasn't heard any details on immigration reform yet and would be willing to negotiate. "I'm always open to considering proposals on all issues based on the merits of those proposals."

"I'm a bit different than these national people who want to run campaigns based on race and sex, I believe we ought to run them on policy and ideas."

But he said, for argument's sake, in order to support any reform two things would have to be included.

"Any kind of amnesty that does not include 100 percent securing of American borders is a nonstarter to me," he said, echoing a caveat offered by some GOP officials advocating reform. But he also said any reform would need to be "coupled with an effective 'catch illegal aliens and deport them' program."

The second element would apply to all illegal immigrants who arrive after any kind of deal would be worked out. Brooks said he might consider pathways to legal status for undocumented workers here already who perhaps took annual slots normally reserved for other immigrants. He said priority might be granted for those who served in the military or paid a substantial fine.

But he has seen no detailed plans yet. And he said it was too early to tell if the comments from senior GOP members indicated a long-term commitment or marked a temporary reaction to the loss of the presidential election. He also pointed out that Republicans have long been divided on the issue, as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce "has long been protective of illegal aliens."

"Illegal aliens provide cheap labor that is less likely to sue," said Brooks, before reiterating his personal position: "If we have laws on the books, we need to enforce them. If they are bad laws, we need to change them. Or else you engender disrespect for the law, which undermines any civilized society."

Mo Brooks on GOP calls for immigration reform: Only if future includes 'catch illegal aliens and deport them' program | al.com

Looks like we are going to have to educate Mo Brooks and some of these other lawmakers fast. If the current millions of illegal aliens are allowed to stay and become voters, politicians like Mo Brooks will be marginalized and or thrown out of office and there will be no future border or immigration enforcement.

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Looks like we are going to have to educate Mo Brooks and some of these other lawmakers fast. If the current millions of illegal aliens are allowed to stay and become voters, politicians like Mo Brooks will be marginalized and or thrown out of office and there will be no future border or immigration enforcement.

W

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You, me, and the vast majority of Republicans and Conservatives know this to be 100% fact.

This is why we are seeing the (early) desperation attempts to rebel against the existing elitist oligarchy in the meager (and futile) gestures of flurries of Americans calling for their states to secede from the Union.

If the Republicans cave in, they do so not just at their own doom, but also will be directly responsible for the demise of the United States of America.