Thread: Cruz flip-flops on legal immigration, implies most illegals can stay

Simon Thompson | 17 November, 2015

For his part, Ted Cruz has staked out a position as a realistic but nevertheless aggressive immigration hardliner, but he is seeking to thread a needle that Rubio is making progressively narrower. Cruz consulted with Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions, a leading immigration restrictionist, on the proposal, his campaign said.

"He is a supporter of legalizing people that are in this country illegally". Rubio's legislation would have provided clear sailing for amnesty and a path to citizenship.

Rubio was pressed by reporters on the issue in Hilton Head after participating in a presidential forum sponsored by the SC Chamber of Commerce.

Rubio co-wrote a massive 2013 immigration bill that passed the Senate. He called legal immigration "a pillar of our nation's heritage and strength" and introduced amendments to double the cap on legal immigration and increase the number of high-skilled immigrant visas by 500 percent. McConnell's spokesman, Don Stewart, said no decisions had been made. He continued: "And I would point out, by the way, everyone talks about how compassionate it is to grant amnesty to 12 million people here illegally".

It's not the first Cruz attack on Rubio.

In April 2012, a 41-year-old Rubio called a small group of reporters into his conference room to announce a rather bold step: He wanted to offer a few children of undocumented immigrants the opportunity to apply for "non-immigrant" visas before they would be allowed to earn a more permanent legal status.

Ted Cruz, who previously said he wanted to increase legal immigration fivefold, has now changed his mind.

"I don't think our positions are dramatically different", Rubio said.

It's a particularly tricky negotiation for Rubio, once seen as a champion by immigrant activists but now facing criticism for his shifting stances. Now he says that's not a good idea after all, but Rubio won't let him off the hook.

So until Rubio faces the inevitable questioning about his work, here are a few features of the Gang of Eight legislation that might attract discussion as the Republican race goes forward.

Cruz has previously insisted on not engaging with Republican opponents until the primary's "seasons change". David Vitter, R-Louisiana, requiring that the country's biometric entry-exit system of tracking people crossing the border is fully implemented before giving legal status to undocumented immigrants. On Wednesday, Cruz began to prosecute that case against those who have left the door open to citizenship, a few of whom have used George W. Bush's rhetoric of "compassionate conservatism" to make their argument.

Rubio has repeatedly answered questions about his previous support of immigration reform by blaming an inhospitable climate for its failure.

"People are going to say to me, 'Why are we going to need to do anything on this now". Ted Cruz, a GOP candidate for president.

I've been saying for a long, long time that immigration policy is a very big deal for the future of my country. "On other issues regarding immigration, he's not that much further than I am".

After a week in which he hosted Saturday Night Live and stood center-stage at a Republican debate, Donald Trump is surging among Republicans likely to cast votes in the party's presidential primary.

http://recorderpress.com/2015/11/17/...-illegals.html

Ive done some digging around on this claim this morning and so far it appears that the unattributed quote in this article...

"He is a supporter of legalizing people that are in this country illegally"

belongs to Rubio and not Ted Cruz.

Anyone else want to dig in and weigh in on this?

W

Originally Posted by ALIPAC

Ive done some digging around on this claim this morning and so far it appears that the unattributed quote in this article...



belongs to Rubio and not Ted Cruz.

Anyone else want to dig in and weigh in on this?

W

I understood the quote to have come from Sen. Sessions about Sen. Rubio, not Cruz. Well, that's how I read it.

From the article:

Ted Cruz, who previously said he wanted to increase legal immigration fivefold, has now changed his mind.

Trump names Cruz when asked about VP spot

I Googled that quote and it led back to Rubio. The Rubio campaign appears to be focusing on trying to convince people Cruz shares his immigration plans.

W

Rubio obviously sees Cruz as a serious threat to his chances. I guess they are both pretty much going after the same group of voters.