https://images.c-span.org/Files/59b/...r.width.69.jpg Ted Cruz MR. PRESIDENT, IN THE LATE 1980'S CONGRESS DEBATED AND ADOPTED AMNESTY LEGISLATION FOR THREE MILLION PEOPLE LEGALLY. IT PROMISED THAT IN EXCHANGE FOR AMNESTY, THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WOULD FINALLY, FINALLY, FINALLY, SECURE THE BORDER. WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED. THAT AMNESTY OCCURRED AND THE BORDER NEVER GOT SECURED. AT THE TIME THERE WERE THREE MILLION PEOPLE LIVING HERE ILLEGALLY. TODAY ESTIMATES ARE THERE IS IN EXCESS OF 12 MILLION PEOPLE LIVING HERE ILLEGALLY. FIVE YEARS AGO IN 2013, THIS BODY AGAIN DEBATED AMNESTY. THE SO-CALLED GANG OF EIGHT FAILED TO SECURE THE BOARD BUT ONCE AGAIN MADE THE SAME PROMISE FOR AMNESTY FOR THOSE HERE ILLEGALLY WITH A PROMISE, NEVER TO COME, TO SECURE THE BORDER. THE SENATE ULTIMATELY PASSED THE GANG OF EIGHT. AS IT WAS BEING VOTED ON, SENATE DEMOCRATS BRAGGED ON TELEVISION THAT THEY HAD NORTH OF 70 VOTES. THAT NOW WAS THE TIME TO PASS AMNESTY. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PEOPLE SAID THAT AMNESTY IS NOT WHAT WE WANT. IT'S INCONSISTENT WITH THE RULE OF LAW, AND WE SAW SENATORS AT THE LAST MINUTE JUMPING SHIP. IT PASSED WITH 68 HAVE VOTES -- 68 VOTES AND WENT NOWHERE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. SO AGAIN TODAY, WE ARE HAVING THE SAME DEBATE. I FEEL LIKE BILL BURY IN " -- BILL MURRAY IN "GROUNDHOG DAY." I DON'T KNOW HOW THE VOTES WILL GO THIS AFTERNOON. IT MAY BE THAT NOTHING GETS 60 VOTES. IT MAY BE THAT THE SENATE EMBRACES ONE OF THE VARIOUS AMNESTY PLANS THAT IS PUT ON THE TABLE. IF THAT IS THE CASE IT WILL BE EVERY BIT OF A MISTAKE AS THE GANG OF EIGHT WAS A MISTAKE AS THE AMNESTY IN THE 1980'S WAS A MISTAKE. MR. PRESIDENT, I AM FLABBERGASTED AS WHERE MY OWN PARTY IS IN THIS DEBATE BECAUSE EVERY PROPOSAL THAT HAS REPUBLICAN SUPPORT THAT HAS BEEN SUBMITTED BEGINS FROM A PLACE MARKETEDLY TO THE LEFT OF THAT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA. PRESIDENT OBAMA, AS WE ALL KNOW, ISSUED DACA, WHICH WAS OTHERWISE KNOWN AS EXECUTIVE AMNESTY. EXECUTIVE AMNESTY WAS ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL. THE PRESIDENT HAS NO AUTHORITY TO REFUSE TO ENFORCE THE LAW AND YET THE PRESIDENT DECREED -- PRESIDENT OBAMA DECREED HE WOULD NOT ENFORCE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION LAWS, AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT HE DID. AT THE TIME, VIRTUALLY EVERY REPUBLICAN DENOUNCED EXECUTIVE AMNESTY AS UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AS LAWLESS, AS WRONG. YET, TODAY FAR TOO MANY SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE STAKING OUT A PLACE WELL TO THE LEFT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA AND DACA ON NUMEROUS AXISES. DACA ITSELF COVERED 690,000 PEOPLE. 690,000, YET, WHAT IS THE PROPOSAL BEING CONSIDERED BY THIS BODY? UNDER THE MILDEST OF THE PROPOSALS, WE'RE CONSIDERING A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP FOR 1.8 MILLION PEOPLE. MR. PRESIDENT, WHY ON EARTH WOULD WE MORE THAN DOUBLE, NEARLY TRIPLE THE DACA POPULATION, IF THERE ARE 690,000 PEOPLE WHO RECEIVED UNCONSTITUTIONAL EXECUTIVE AMNESTY, IT SEEMS TO ME THE MOST OF THE POPULATION THAT WE SHOULD CONSIDER ARE THOSE 690,000. THE ARGUMENT IS MADE THAT THEY HAVE RELIED ON THIS PROMISE -- EVEN THOUGH THE PROMISE WAS ILLEGAL AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL, THE PEOPLE WHO RELIED ON THIS PROMISE ARE THE 690,000, NOT THE 1.1 MILLION WHO NEVER APPLIED. I WOULD ASK WHY REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS ARE NEARLY TRIPLING WHAT PRESIDENT OBAMA DID IN DACA, BUT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY REGARD. DACA NEVER INCLUDED CITIZENSHIP. NOTHING IN IT ALLOWS CITIZENSHIP OR A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP. IT WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A WORK PERMIT -- AN ILLEGAL WORK PERMIT, BUT IT DID NOT ALLOW CITIZENSHIP. YET FAR TOO MANY REPUBLICANS ARE EAGER TO EMBRACE THE DEMOCRATS' DEMANDS THAT ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, TEN MILLION PEOPLE HERE ILLEGALLY SHOULD BE GRANTED A PATH TO CITIZENSHIP. MR. PRESIDENT, THAT IS WRONG. THAT IS PLAIN AND SIMPLE WRONG. IT IS UNFAIR TO THE MILLIONS OF WORKING MEN AND WOMEN, IT IS UNFAIR TO THE STEEL WORKERS, THE TRUCK DRIVERS, MECHANICS AND THE MILLIONS OF WORKING MEN AND WOMEN WHO FACED STAGNANT WAGES UNDER PRESIDENT OBAMA. IT IS UNFAIR TO MILLIONS OF LEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHOSE WAGES ARE DRIVEN DOWN BY THOSE HERE ILLEGALLY. AND IT IS INCONSISTENT WITH THE PROMISES MADE BY VIRTUALLY EVERY REPUBLICAN IN THIS BODY. EVERY REPUBLICAN WHO WENT OUT AND CAMPAIGNED AGAINST EXECUTIVE AMNESTY, WHO SAID WE WILL NOT HAVE AMNESTY, WELL, NOW IS THE TIME TO CHOOSE. IF THIS BODY CHOOSES TO GRANT CITIZENSHIP TO THREE TWO, THREE, FOUR MILLION PEOPLE, THOSE PROMISES WILL BE BROKEN. IT IS WRONG. NOT ONLY THAT, THE LEGISLATION THAT THIS BODY IS PREPARING TO CONSIDER WOULD NOT ONLY GRANT CITIZENSHIP, IT WOULD MAKE THOSE HERE ILLEGALLY FEDERAL BENEFITS. NOT ONLY ARE THEY HERE ILLEGALLY -- MR. PRESIDENT, EVERY ONE OF US HAS BEEN ASKED BY AMERICAN CITIZENS, WHY ARE WE GIVING AWAY VAST SUMS OF MONEY? WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS. MY FATHER CAME AS AN IMMIGRANT IN 1957 WITH NOTHING. $100 IN HIS UNDERWEAR NOT SPEAKING ENGLISH, BUT HE CAME HERE LEGALLY. WE SHOULD BE EMBRACING LEGAL IMMIGRANTS RATHER THAN EXCUSING AND CONDONING ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. WE SHOULD NOT GRANT CITIZENSHIP TO ANYONE HERE ILLEGALLY. NOR SHOULD WE PROVIDE WELFARE BENEFITS TO ANYONE HERE ILLEGALLY. NOR SHOULD WE EXPAND THE POOL OF DACA RECIPIENTS BEYOND THAT IN THE OBAMA PROGRAM, AND YET REPUBLICANS SEEM EAGER TO DO SO. IT IS POSSIBLE THAT OUR DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS WILL SAVE US FROM THIS FOOLISHNESS. THAT EVEN THOUGH REPUBLICANS ARE PROPOSING A PROFOUNDLY FOOL HEARTY -- FOOLHARDY IMMIGRATION PROPOSAL, THEY MAY DECIDE THEY WANT MORE. THERE IS NOT ENOUGH AMNESTY THE DEMOCRATS CAN TAKE. IF THIS BODY GETS 60 VOTES FOR ONE OF THE AMNESTY PROPOSALS, IT IS INCUMBENT UPON THE HOUSE TO STOP IT. MUCH LIKE WITH THE GANG OF EIGHT. IN THE GANG OF EIGHT, THE SENATE COULDN'T STOP IT. THE SENATE HAS ALWAYS, UNFORTUNATELY, BEEN VERY LIBERAL ON IMMIGRATION, HAS BEEN VERY WILLING TO MAKE PROMISES TO THE VOTERS AND COME DOWN HERE AN VOTE VERY DIFFERENTLY FROM HOW THOSE PROMISES ARE. BUT THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, THE PEOPLE'S HOUSE, IS DESIGNED TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE PEOPLE, AND SO IT IS MY HOPE THAT HOUSE CONSERVATIVES FACING THE PEOPLE, LISTENING TO THE PEOPLE WILL RECOGNIZE, YOU KNOW, WE HAD AN ELECTION IN 2014 IN RESPONSE TO THE GANG OF EIGHT. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE SAID WE DON'T WANT THE GANG OF EIGHT, ELECTED THE LARGEST HOUSE MAJORITY OF REPUBLICANS IN 70 YEARS, ELECTED NINE NEW REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE AND RETIRED HARRY REID AS MAJORITY LEADER. YET SOMEHOW THE FLUNS IN THIS -- THE REPUBLICANS IN THIS BODY DIDN'T HEAR THEM. WE HEARD THAT THE MEDIA WAS READY TO CALL FOR HILLARY CLINTON IN THE -- 2016 ELECTION. MY CALL TO MY COLLEAGUES, BOTH REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS, IS LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE. THERE ARE MANY THINGS WE CAN AND SHOULD BE DOING. WE SHOULD BE PASSING KATE'S LAW. I AUTHORED AND INTRODUCED KATE'S LAW. IT PROVIDES FOR AN AGGRAVATED FELON WHO HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY ENTERING THIS COUNTRY ILLEGALLY, WHO HAS BEEN DEPORTED REPEATEDLY, THAT AGGRAVATED FELON HAS A LIMITED PRISON SENTENCE. IT IS NAMED AFTER THE BEAUTIFUL YOUNG WOMAN IN CALIFORNIA MURDERED ON A PEER BY AN ILLEGAL ALIEN WHO HAD BEEN CONVICTED OVER AND OVER AGAIN WITH MULTIPLE FELONY CONVICTIONS. HAD KATE'S LAW BEEN ON THE BOOKS, I THINK IT IS VERY LIKELY THAT KATE STEIN WOULD BE ALIVE. THAT IS THE KIND OF LEGISLATION WE SHOULD BE COMING TOGETHER AND PASSING, AND YET THE OLD ADAGE, THOSE WHO FAIL TO LEARN FROM HISTORY ARE DOOMED TO REPEAT IT. THIS BODY MADE A GRIEVE -- GRIEVES MISTAKE. WE MAY BE ON THE VERGE OF MAKING THE SAME MISTAKE. IT IS ALMOST AS IF ELECTIONS DON'T PENETRATE. WE NEED TO BE LISTENING TO THE VOTERS. I DO NOT KNOW A SINGLE REPUBLICAN, NOT ONE IN THIS BODY, NOT ONE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, WHO WAS ELECTED ON A PROMISE -- I WILL GO TO THE LEFT OF BARACK OBAMA ON IMMIGRATION. IF ONE OF US CAMPAIGNED PROMISING THAT, KNOCK YOURSELF OUT, VOTE FOR THIS. BUT IF YOU DIDN'T SAY, OBAMA'S EXECUTIVE AMNESTY DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH, WE NEED TO DOUBLE OR TRIPLE THE POOL, WE NEED TO GRANT CITIZENSHIP BECAUSE OBAMA WAS TOO MUCH OF A CONSERVATIVE ON IMMIGRATION, IF YOU DIDN'T SAY THAT, THE ONLY THING DO IS VOTE NO TODAY. WE CAN FIND COMMONSENSE SOLUTIONS ON IMMIGRATION. WE CAN SECURE THE BORDER. WE CAN TRIPLE THE BORDER PATROL. WE CAN END CATCH AND RELEASE. WE CAN USE STRONG TOOLS AND TECHNOLOGY. WE CAN CONTINUE TO EMBRACE AND CELEBRATE LEGAL IMMIGRANTS, AND WE CAN DO ALL OF THAT WHILE RESPECTING THE RULE OF LAW. WHAT I URGE MY COLLEAGUES IS VERY SIMPLE. ASK YOURSELF WHAT YOU TOLD THE VOTERS BEFORE ELECTION DAY AND LET YOUR CONDUCT AFTER ELECTION DAY MATCH WHAT YOU TOLD THE VOTERS. FOR THE DEMOCRATS, THE DEMOCRATS CAMPAIGNED AS THE PARTY OF AMNESTY. THEY ARE AT LEAST BEING TRUE TO THEIR PROMISES. THEY PROMISED AMNESTY, THAT'S THEIR PRIORITY, THEY ARE BEING TRUE. BUT FOR REPUBLICANS, WE PROMISED SOMETHING DIFFERENT. WE PROMISED TO STAND WITH THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN, THE UNION MEMBERS, THE STEEL WORKERS, THE MEN AND WOMEN WITH CALLUSES ON THEIR HANDS. AND I URGE EVERY ONE OF US TO LISTEN TO THE WORKING MEN AND WOMEN, TO HPT THE -- TO RESPECT THE RULE OF LAW AND TO VOTE AGAINST THESE MISGUIDED PROPOSALS. I YIELD THE FLOOR.