With Speaker John Boehner and other House Republicans tying themselves in knots over immigration reform, I appreciated the refreshing honesty of hardline anti-reform Congressman Steve King of Iowa when it comes to any plan that would include a pathway to citizenship for immigrants who are in the US illegally.
“It would hurt Republicans, and I don’t think you can make an argument otherwise,” King said. “Two out of every three of the new citizens would be Democrats.” Some might dismiss this as the rantings of a bombastic right-winger — but his take is mainstream theology among House Republicans.
Thanks for saying what you really think, Congressman King.
Update: AP reports:
House Republicans are embracing a step-by-step approach to immigration, in contrast to the sweeping plan passed by the Senate and backed by the White House. But they’re offering neither specifics nor a timetable — nor any mention of possible citizenship for an estimated 11 million immigrants living in the country unlawfully.
…..
House GOP lawmakers streaming out of a two-hour meeting on immigration Wednesday also shrugged off a long-distance nudge from former President George W. Bush, who called on Congress to reach a “positive resolution” on the issue.“America can be a lawful society and a welcoming society at the same time,” Bush said at a naturalization ceremony at his presidential library in Dallas.
“We care what people back home say, not what some former president says,” declared Rep. Tim Huelskamp, [Republican of Kansas].
In other words, a majority of House Republicans are trying to kill immigration reform without having the guts to say they want it dead.