Immigration Reform Quotes - Page 4

• Our immigration law sucks, and we need to redo the whole thing, comprehensive immigration reform. And what that's gonna be is anybody who wants to come and vote Democrat, we're gonna send 'em a limousine and bring 'em in.

  Rush Limbaugh

  Law, Immigration, Reform

  Source: www.rushlimbaugh.com

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• We have so many issues today that we need to confront. Comprehensive immigration reform. We have to solve the issue of poverty, the issue of hunger, the issue of war - spending billions of dollars to kill rather than to build. We have to deal with the fact that all of our children should be receiving the best possible education.

  John Lewis

  Children, War, Issues

  Source: www.teachingbooks.net

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• Beyond budget fights, the Obama second-term agenda was supposed to be about passing comprehensive immigration reform.

  Juan Williams

  Fighting, Immigration, Reform

  "Gun Action Central to Obama's Presidency". www.realclearpolitics.com. January 18, 2013.

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• I intend to have protections for the L.G.B.T. community in there. I'm not going to make choices between that community and the non-L.G.B.T. community.

  Patrick Leahy

  Choices, Community, Immigration

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• In my view it is time to pass a good bill, a fair bill, a comprehensive bill ... Too many have been waiting too long for fairness.

  Patrick Leahy

  Views, Long, Waiting

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• We were pleased to hear the President state his firm commitment that he will do whatever is necessary to accomplish this important goal.

  John McCain

  Commitment, Goal, Important

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• Just because they broke the law doesn't mean they're condemned forever to a twilight status. So, I think that most Americans, if these people who have come illegally, as long as they pay back taxes, pay a fine, learn English and get behind everybody else, that's a key element of it. And most Americans now realize we can't have 11 million people sit in the twilight - the shadows of America, forever.

  John McCain

  Believe, Twilight, Mean

  "John McCain, Patrick Leahy & Ray LaHood on "State of the Union"". "State of the Union" with Candy Crowley, www.realclearpolitics.com. February 24, 2013.

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• Well, I don't think it is amnesty to start with. Second of all, what do you want to do with them? That is the question in response. And third of all, it is a tough path to citizenship. You have to pay back taxes. You've got to learn English. You've got to have a clear record. You've got to get to the back of the line behind other people who have come here legally or waiting legally. So, i just reject that.

  John McCain

  Thinking, People, Waiting

  "Rep. Nancy Pelosi, Sen. John McCain on avoiding automatic spending cuts". "Fox News Sunday" with Chris Wallace, www.foxnews.com. February 10, 2013.

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• It's the only way that I see that it can be done," McCain said. "Obviously, it has failed in the past, but I also notice there is a somewhat changed attitude on the part of the American people about this issue.

  John McCain

  Attitude, Past, Issues

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• We can't go on forever with 11 million people living in this country in the shadows in an illegal status. We cannot forever have children who were born here - who were brought here by their parents when they were small children to live in the shadows, as well... What's changed, honestly, is that there is a new appreciation on both sides of the aisle, maybe more importantly on the Republican side, that we need to enact a comprehensive immigration reform bill.

  John McCain

  Country, Appreciation, Children

  "'This Week' Transcript: Sen. John McCain and Sen. Robert Menendez". "This week" with Martha Raddatz, abcnews.go.com. January 27, 2013.

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• If you have a large bloc of Americans who believe you're trying to keep their ... fellow Hispanics down and deprive them of an opportunity, obviously that's going to have an effect...The Republican Party has failed to understand to a significant degree the importance of this issue to our Hispanic voters. I think the trend will continue of lack of support from Hispanic voters and also as you look at the demographics of states like mine, that means we will go from Republican to Democrat over time.

  John McCain

  Party, Believe, Mean

  "Republicans Worry Whether Arizona Will Continue To Be Party Stronghold", www.foxnews.com. April 4, 2013.

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• Immigration and border security remain critical issues that I am committed to addressing this year. The good news is that illegal immigration is at an all-time low, making now the time to dedicate the needed technology and resources to finally secure the border for good. As border security improves, I look forward to working in a bipartisan manner to fix our broken immigration system and address the millions of people living in the United States outside of legal status.

  John McCain

  Technology, Years, Issues

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• We have a ways to go here, but elections have consequences ... I think that our Republican colleagues, the Republican National Party, understands this is our new demographic in America as a result of the election. I think they understand if they want to be a national party, they're going to have to deal with this issue. For Latinos and other immigrants, this is the civil rights issue of our time.

  Bob Menendez

  Party, Thinking, Rights

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• Let's start that conversation by acknowledging we aren't going to deport 12 million illegal immigrants. If you wish to work, if you wish to live and work in America, then we will find a place for you.

  Rand Paul

  America, Wish, Immigration

  "Rand Paul signals willingness to engage in immigration reform debate" by Tom McCarthy, www.theguardian.com. March 19, 2013.

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• After ensuring border security, I then would normalize the status of 11 million undocumented citizens so they can join the work force and pay taxes...I would normalize them at a rate of about two million per year.

  Rand Paul

  Years, Two, Immigration

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• I think on this issue more than any other we're going to see sort of a bipartisan longing to get something done, and hopefully you're not going to find the fisticuffs that you would find on lots of other issues. I think you'll be able to glean a sense of progress without us revealing the specifics.

  Charles Schumer

  Thinking, Issues, Progress

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• I'm not sure we will have every single Democrat ... but we want a large number of Republicans to be able to vote for this bill because we think that will encourage the House not only to move forward but to pass a bill.

  Charles Schumer

  Moving, Thinking, Numbers

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• I'd like something that faces reality. We have 12 million people in this country that are undocumented - that's a reality. It's not going to be like they're all going to leave. One of the reasons I'm holding this hearing in the morning is to hear from somebody who actually understands what's involved here - Janet Napolitano - and I hope that from what she says and what we hear from her, we can start building some consensus.

  Patrick Leahy

  Country, Morning, Reality

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• I do feel immigration will probably be dealt with as long as [the solution] doesn't provide amnesty ... Five years ago, all hell broke loose ... This year, I thought phones would ring off the hook again. They really haven't. I think everybody realizes we have a problem.

  Johnny Isakson

  Thinking, Phones, Years

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• I've always been for immigration reform; in 2007 I just didn't feel it had enough protections.

  Tom Harkin

  Immigration, Reform, Had Enough

  "Moderate Dems coy on immigration debate". www.politico.com.

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• I support lowering the level of legal immigration by a moderate amount at this time. Legal immigration reform must be based upon principles that are pro-family, pro-work, and pro-naturalization, retaining opportunities for family reunification as the levels are lowered. We must not let this issue become divisive in this country.

  William J. Clinton

  Country, Opportunity, Issues

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• I recently spoke with Barbara Jordan of the U.S. Commission on Immigration Reform, and I increasingly believe we need a system to verify employment eligibility. The Commission's recommendation of a national registry may be the way to go.

  William J. Clinton

  Believe, Immigration, Reform

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• This bill [Immigration Reform and Control act of 1986] is a gamble, a riverboat gamble. There is no guarantee that employer sanctions will work or that amnesty will work. We are headed into uncharted waters.

  Charles Schumer

  Guarantees That, Uncharted Waters, Immigration

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• I've always said that the 1986 [Immigration Reform and Control] Act had a fourth leg [in addition to law enforcement, increased immigration and amnesty] to its stool which was wishful thinking. And that pattern of a four-legged stool was copied in the failed attempts to enact a second and bigger general amnesty for illegal aliens in 2006, 2007, and in the current year 2013.

  Jan C. Ting

  Thinking, Years, Law

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• Workers who come to the U.S. see their wages and their standard of living boosted sharply simply by crossing the border. That's a good thing, and one of the best arguments for immigration reform, even if you'll rarely hear a politician make it.

  James Surowiecki

  Immigration, Reform, Borders

  "Immigration Reform and the American Worker". www.newyorker.com. February 21, 2013.

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