Getting to A Majority: More House Republicans Come Out for Citizenship

Ianus · 08-09-2013, 12:07 PM

If there are 195-198 Democrats and 22 House Republicans supporting a path to citizenship potentially this might set up the possibility of also being able to defeat perilous amendments to legalization and maybe even add agreeable ones on the House floor possibly.Irregardless of if the process is piecemeal or comprehensive in the House,the path to or through 218 is much more important for fair legislation before potentially going to Conference.

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At America’s Voice, we believe there are enough votes for a path to citizenship to pass in the House — if Speaker Boehner will allow a vote. We’ve been compiling supportive quotes from GOP House members.

As former Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill famously said, “all politics is local.” That’s certainly true on immigration. There’s been amazing work done by activists across the country to push their members of Congress to come out for citizenship — and that work will continue through the August recess and until we pass real reform. Some of the GOP members are from districts with large Latino populations. But there is also strong support from several very conservative members in deep red states. We know other Republicans are supportive — even if they haven’t announced it publicly.

Last month, Chris Van Hollen, who serves in House Democratic leadership, said that there are “at least 200 Democratic votes” in the House for a Senate-like bill.

Below, we’ve compiled support for immigration reform and citizenship from 19 Republicans. To pass a bill in the House, we only need 218 votes. That’s definitely achievable (at least 200 Dems + at least 19 Republicans) — if Boehner will let the House vote.

Here are the Republicans who have come out for citizenship:

1. Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-AL): “I support a pathway to citizenship because I don’t believe we should have a second class of citizens.’ Everyone living in the United States should feel invested in the country, he said. Denying that would create ‘an underclass and I don’t believe that’s what America is all about.’” (Wall Street Journal, 7/10/2013)

2. Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA): “I am concerned with the Republican Party from a national perspective. We have very diverse districts around the entire nation, and I think how we handle the overall immigration issue could have dramatic impacts to the future of the Republican Party. …I think the Senate’s done a good job. ” (via Politico, 7/9/13)

3. Rep. David Valadao (R-CA): “Once you talk to the members and explain to them it’s a process, where they can work for it, appreciate it and someday become citizens –just like my parents did — most members begin to understand.” (via The Fresno Bee, 07/1/2013)

4. Rep. Mark Sanford (R-SC): “Once it leaves the House, I think it will be the Senate side that prevails,’ Sanford said Monday, adding he supports a path to citizenship after U.S. borders have been secured.” (The State, 7/16/13)

5. Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR): ”If they pay a fine, if they true up in all their areas and then go to the back of the line, there’s probably a way then that they can get (citizenship).” (via USA TODAY, 6/03/13 )

6. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI): “At the end of the day, if everybody else in line who came here legally and did everything right is through the system and a person then, after an exhaustive period, after a probationary period, after a green card, not consuming any government benefits, wants to get in line like everybody else for citizenship, we should allow that person to do that. That’s earning the right to become a citizen.” (via The Washington Times, 6/24/2013)

7. Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY): “legalization ultimately leads to citizenship. That is the ultimate goal. ” (via YNN, 7/10/13)

8. Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA): “I think all of us Republicans know that we don’t want a class of residents that will never be offered an opportunity for citizenship. We’re the party of Lincoln, and the party of Lincoln would not accept people living in our country and not being citizens, or not being given the opportunity to become citizens.” (via U-T San Diego, 02/09/2013)

9. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA): “Is there is a path to citizenship? I think there is. But I think our plan is about breaking it into separate pieces.” (via Face the Nation, 07/15/2013)

10. Rep. James Lankford (R-OK): “I wouldn’t prohibit forever” people from getting citizenship. I’m a Christian, and restitution and reconciliation’s a big deal. If you do something illegal or inappropriate you should be able to resolve that, face the penalty, clear it and be forgiven.” (via the Associated Press, 7/10/2013)

11. Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA): 7/23/13: The San Francisco Chronicle reported, “The Chronicle contacted every GOP House member from California. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, was the only other Republican [besides Rep. David Valadao] to support a pathway.” (San Francisco Chronicle,7/23/13)

12. Rep. Joe Heck (R-NV): “I’ve said, and I’ve always said, that I think a tough but fair pathway to earned citizenship that doesn’t allow anyone to jump to the front of the line, that has certain benchmarks that need to be met, like the ability to show that you can support yourself and your family, that you can speak English, that you have a clean criminal and national security backgroundcheck, that I would support those.”(via KNPR, 7/19/2013)

13. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL): “I’m in favor of a citizenship path.” (via Real Clear Politics, 2/6/13)

14. Rep. Pete King (R-NY): “‘If you’re here legally, there should be a path to citizenship and so to that extent we’re on the same page.’ King clarified the comment Tuesday to the Daily News, specifically the ‘here legally’ qualifier, stating that he backs a path for country’s roughly 11 million otherwise law-abiding undocumented immigrants.” (New York Daily News, 06/05/2013)

15. Rep. Mike Coffman (R-CO): said he believes comprehensive immigration reform — increased border security and a provisional legal status for the millions of undocumented people living in the United States now — needs to happen mostly simultaneously. Then, when it has been proven the border is secure a pathway to apply for legal citizenship should be opened for all undocumented people, he said. (Denver Post, 7/24/13)

16. Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID): “What I think should happen is for illegal immigrants to come out of the shadows, become legalized in some way and that status could lead in someway to legal residency and citizenship eventually but just the same as everybody else,” (Politico, 3/20/2013)

17. Rep. Mario Diaz Balart (R-FL): One of the bipartisan “Gang of 7” working on a comprehensive immigration bill that includes a path to citizenship.

18. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-TX): One of the bipartisan “Gang of 7” working on a comprehensive immigration bill that includes a path to citizenship.

19. Rep. John Carter (R-TX): One of the bipartisan “Gang of 7” working on a comprehensive immigration bill that includes a path to citizenship.

20. Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL): “On the same day Congress adjourned for a five-week break, U.S. Rep. Dan Webster did something he’s avoided for months: speak at length about immigration reform and declare his support for an approach that would give unauthorized immigrants a pathway to citizenship.” (Orlando Sentinel, 8/04/2013)

21. Rep. Aaron Schock (R-IL): “I think that at some point, when the border is secured and people pay their taxes and they haven’t committed any violations of laws. They have been here for a provisionary period, then they can apply for citizenship.” (Town hall event, 8/05/2013)

22. Rep. David Reichert (R-WA): “What about those folks who have been here 25 years? They have families here and kids…what do you do with those people?…I want them to pay a fine, there’s some penalties they have to through, steps that they are gonna go through. I want to hold them accountable and then they get citizenship and pay taxes…” (Talk Radio, 8/07/2013)

NK74 · 08-09-2013, 01:37 PM

Yeah, the problem isn't the path to 218, so much as the path to either Boehner letting a vote, or the path to a majority of the majority of the Republicans. Right now, there is a house majority for CIR. But it doesn't make a lick of difference, because no legislation is seeing a vote.

DA User · 08-09-2013, 01:48 PM

Discharge petition?

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Getting to A Majority: More House Republicans Come Out for Citizenship