Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), No. 3 in Senate leadership, and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee both said their party needs an immigration plan to talk about in the election season.

“I think you have to have an answer to the question, and I think he’s working on what I think will be a Republican right-of-center solution that is consistent with our principles,” Thune said Thursday. “And hopefully in the end, will be able to attract will be able to attract a good amount of Republican support.”

Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), a tea party favorite, said the GOP should be prepared to fight for tough enforcement policies.

“A lot of us lean towards compassion, but my focus is still on getting a legal system that works,” DeMint said. “And that’s the best way to deal with the problem.”
Mehlman, the anti-illegal immigration activist, said Rubio’s plans would just open the door to more illegal immigration in the future.

“Sending a signal that bringing or sending children to the U.S. illegally will result in full or partial legal status for them will only encourage more people to violate the law,” Mehlman said.

Democrats have called Rubio’s effort an election-year ploy — and said his proposal would lead to a “permanent underclass” of citizens.
But on Thursday, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) softened up his criticism of Rubio’s efforts.

“I’m glad that he’s interested in seeing if we can work to a solution,” Reid told POLITICO. “But I believe there has to be a pathway to citizenship. He has not come to that yet [but] I hope he does.”

Rubio said he doesn’t know how he’d deal with the much bigger problem of the millions of illegal immigrant adults who are in the country. And while he believes Hispanics are more likely to vote on economic issues, as most polls suggest, he said the GOP needs to do a better of job of speaking about immigration to appeal to Latino voters.


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