Cantor: Initial efforts on immigration reform should focus on ‘the children’

Ianus · 02-10-2013, 01:46 PM

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefi...n-the-children

Quote:

House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) said Sunday that Congress should begin to address immigration reform by looking at legislation to legalize those brought to the U.S. children.

"The best place to begin I think is with the children. Let's go ahead and get that under our belt, put a win on the board so we can promise a better life for those kids who are here due to no fault of their own," Cantor said on NBC’s “Meet The Press.”

Cantor said sounded an optimistic note on the prospects for immigration reform, saying that here is "a lot of movement" in both chambers of Congress. He added that it was important to "balance" the need for heightened border security with compassion towards those who are here illegally.

But Cantor cautioned that Congress should first move forward by dealing with undocumented children, rather than waiting to address with immigration in a comprehensive package.

When asked if that meant he supported the DREAM Act, Cantor said he didn't know the current status of the bill, but said he supported its underlying principles.

Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the architect of the DREAM Act and one of the bipartisan "gang of eight" senators pushing a framework for comprehensive immigration reform, disagreed with Cantor's approach during a later appearance on the show.

"The DREAM Act means more to me than I can express. I've met these young people. But they will tell you, 'Yes I want a future, but what about my mom and dad.' They understand full well that these family structures are critically important to the future of America," Durbin said. "In the Senate we have a bipartisan goal of a pathway to citizenship. Not stopping at the DREAM Act, beginning at the DREAM Act and pushing forward."

Durbin also pointed out that Cantor had opposed the DREAM Act repeatedly since Durbin introduced it 12 years ago.

Cantor had voted against DREAM Act legislation in the past, but last week he said he supported those measures in a speech geared toward rebranding the GOP’s image.

bigdreamer2010 · 02-10-2013, 01:53 PM

-sigh- not what I expected and wanted to hear from durbin. Politicians playing politics. What happened to the dream act being "a down payment to CIR??"

Texdaddreamer · 02-10-2013, 02:00 PM

I have the idea that if DREAM act is passed by itself, republicans may take that as argument to appeal Hispanics and delay dealing with CIR until after the 2014 midterm elections. Then if they keep the majority of the sits. CIR is dead

chlehqls · 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigdreamer2010

-sigh- not what I expected and wanted to hear from durbin. Politicians playing politics. What happened to the dream act being "a down payment to CIR??"

That was then, this is now. The premise of the Senate is

1. CIR has a great chance of becoming law of the land
2. There is much more momentum and support for CIR
3. Therefore, we should pass CIR.

The so called, "down payment" action was only sought to bring talks about CIR with the momentum of the 2010 DA. Now that there is actual public support for CIR and with Obama and Dems aggressively pushing for it, there is little reasons to actually waste political capital on a piecemeal approach.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texdaddreamer

I have the idea that if DREAM act is passed by itself, republicans may take that as argument to appeal Hispanics and delay dealing with CIR until after the 2014 midterm elections. Then if they keep the majority of the sits. CIR is dead

And this makes perfect sense as to NOT ever let the Republicans get off the hook with this issue. It's tearing the GOP base apart much like the debt ceiling debate. As long as there talks of CIR from both chambers of the Congress, we have to push for it.

Texdaddreamer · 02-10-2013, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chlehqls

That was then, this is now. The premise of the Senate is

1. CIR has a great chance of becoming law of the land
2. There is much more momentum and support for CIR
3. Therefore, we should pass CIR.

The so called, "down payment" action was only sought to bring talks about CIR with the momentum of the 2010 DA. Now that there is actual public support for CIR and with Obama and Dems aggressively pushing for it, there is little reasons to actually waste political capital on a piecemeal approach.

And this makes perfect sense as to NOT ever let the Republicans get off the hook with this issue. It's tearing the GOP base apart much like the debt ceiling debate. As long as there talks of CIR from both chambers of the Congress, we have to push for it.

I totally agree with that

freshh. · 02-10-2013, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chlehqls

That was then, this is now. The premise of the Senate is

1. CIR has a great chance of becoming law of the land
2. There is much more momentum and support for CIR
3. Therefore, we should pass CIR.

The so called, "down payment" action was only sought to bring talks about CIR with the momentum of the 2010 DA. Now that there is actual public support for CIR and with Obama and Dems aggressively pushing for it, there is little reasons to actually waste political capital on a piecemeal approach.

And this makes perfect sense as to NOT ever let the Republicans get off the hook with this issue. It's tearing the GOP base apart much like the debt ceiling debate. As long as there talks of CIR from both chambers of the Congress, we have to push for it.

Agreed.

This is why the Democrats are pushing and will continue to push a comprehensive bill. They know these morons. All the Republicans want is to pass DREAM Act and never actually fix what's wrong with the immigration system.

EditorInChief · 02-10-2013, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Texdaddreamer

I have the idea that if DREAM act is passed by itself, republicans may take that as argument to appeal Hispanics and delay dealing with CIR until after the 2014 midterm elections. Then if they keep the majority of the sits. CIR is dead

It is better to pass something as early as possible. Nobody is able to tell what will happen tomorrow: Another economic crisis, another massive gun killing, another terrorist attack, another large scale war, etc.

If any of the above bad things happens, it can eventually eliminate the hope of any immigration bill. Something is better than nothing, particularly if it does offer citizenship to Dreamers.

chocolatedrop · 02-10-2013, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EditorInChief

It is better to pass something as early as possible. Nobody is able to tell what will happen tomorrow: Another economic crisis, another massive gun killing, another terrorist attack, another large scale war, etc.

If any of the above bad things happens, it can eventually eliminate the hope of any immigration bill. Something is better than nothing, particularly if it does offer citizenship to Dreamers.

Wow I was thinking the same thing,if another crisis comes up then what,,,I am really tired of all the talk ,,someone needs to step up to the plate and get this ball rolling...I feel the longer the wait the more likely there will be some sort of crisis in America to derail this whole CIR/DA REFORM....

Severity · 02-10-2013, 02:56 PM

Yeah theyre playing politics for sure. What if reform doesnt pass? You think theyll agree on the dream act afterwards? No way. I think we need to take advantage of the momentum. A lot of families could greatly benefit from a PR in the household. Our strategy should be aggresive with a safety net, not just aggressive with the chance of complete failure

Texdaddreamer · 02-10-2013, 03:08 PM

Hum-mm That sounds kind of selfish and very pessimistic but one thing for sure is that congress needs to act now and quick.

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Cantor: Initial efforts on immigration reform should focus on ‘the children’