Paul criticizes Rubio over immigration markup

Ted Cruz, R-Texas, on Friday released his plan to end illegal immigration and temporarily halt a few legal immigration.

This also makes Donald Trump a better choice on immigration than Ted Cruz, since Trump wants to deport them all (while allowing an unknown number to return after an unknown period of time).

Cruz’a new plan would prevent illegal immigrants from obtaining welfare, end birthright-citizenship which Rubio supports, briefly suspend a highly controversial and unpopular H-1B foreign worker program, and require the enforcement of US immigration laws, including rules requireing employers to check whether job-applicants can legally work in the United States.

Rubio’s immigration plan not only lacks the specificity of Cruz’s, but doesn’t represent a real change from the Gang of Eight bill. And as a result, once the United States took in the English, Germans, Italians and Irish – including lots of people no one wanted – and these people worked hard and made successful lives here, they felt an undying sense of affection, loyalty and gratitude to this country. Cruz fired the first shot, laying into Rubio’s record on Laura Ingraham’s radio show. Okay, then what is Cruz’s plan for handling the vast majority of the otherwise law-abiding 11 million illegal immigrants already living in America? Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), a leading skeptic of legal immigration, to reform the program, though the details of their plan are still not available. Marco Rubio or former Gov. Jeb Bush will win their home state’s presidential primary, and their opponents realize it. In the past, he has also said that he “celebrates” legal immigration and wants to streamline the process.

“There is nothing compassionate about a politician saying, ‘I’m so compassionate I’m willing to give away your job, ‘” Cruz charged.

Many undocumented immigrants should be allowed to stay and eventually apply to become citizens, Rubio believes, provided they meet certain conditions and are willing to be patient. Santorum joined in the attack, accusing Cruz of courting Republican donors by “bringing in a whole bunch of people legally” to supply cheap labor. Cruz, by contrast, was effectively advocating a path to permanent legal status, not citizenship, which would only open up after the southern border had been certified as secure. Cruz said he would stop the government from issuing those visas for 180 days to conduct an investigation into abuses. He would also enforce the “public-charge” doctrine, which would force immigrants to certify they are self-sufficient before they are given permission to live in the US “The goal of legal immigration should be to grow the economy, not displace American workers”, he said.

As for Bush, Trump said, “I won’t tell you what Bush is, but it’s not too good”.

Cruz responded by “laughing out loud” at the notion that he and Rubio’s immigration stances are remotely similar.

“Everybody running for president on the Republican side, in one way or shape, supports a few form or fashion, the legalization of people that are in this country illegally”, Rubio said.

“The Gang of Eight bill had a few positive aspects when it came to H1B visas”, Cruz said at the time.