The bill doesn't give anything away': Sen. Marco Rubio defends tough immigration legislation as he claims it's NOT 'de-facto amnesty'
lorida senator Marco Rubio has been
tirelessly promoting a bipartisan deal on immigration legislation,
saying today that the bill doesn’t ‘give anything away.’
‘We’re not awarding anything,’ Sen. Rubio, a Republican who is among the ‘Gang of Eight’ senators writing the plan expected to come out Tuesday, said Sunday morning on ABC News’ ‘This Week.’
Sen. Rubio, a Cuban-American himself, insisted that the plan does not give any hand-outs, adding: ‘All we’re doing is giving people the opportunity to eventually earn access to our new, improved and modernized legal immigration system.'
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During his time on ‘This Week,’ Sen. Rubio
also slammed ‘de-facto amnesty,’ saying that just because an immigrant
was in the country illegally or overstayed their visa doesn’t mean they
should automatically become U.S. citizens.
He was also careful to say that some people currently in the country simply will not qualify under these newer, stricter laws, meaning that some of the 11 million illegal immigrants in question are riding a wave of uncertainty.
‘The only thing you are earning here is an opportunity to apply for temporary status, and ultimately, potentially to apply for a green card, the way everybody else does,’ he said. ‘And that’s the process that we are ou
tlining.’
The Florida senator, who is considered to be an integral part of the bill, also spoke Sunday on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ today.
‘What we have now isn’t good for anybody,’ he said. ‘What we have in place today, the status quo, is horrible for America.’
But even among his fellow Republicans, there are serious doubts.
'I'm not convinced,' Sen. Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican, said on ‘The Week.’
The Republican lawmaker from Florida calls their recent trip 'hypocritical' and he takes issue with the U.S. government's approval of the visit as a cultural mission.
Beyonce and Jay-Z marked their wedding anniversary in Havana last week.
'I think Jay-Z needs to get informed,' he said on 'This Week,' calling the rapper's trip to the island country.
U.S. citizens aren't allowed to travel to Cuba for mere tourism, though they can obtain licenses for academic, religious, journalistic or cultural exchange trips.
These people-to-people licenses were reinstated under the Obama administration.
Rubio, a Cuban-American, says such trips provide money to the Castro government to oppress the Cuban people.
Rubio discussed the trip during interviews Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union,' ABC's 'This Week' and NBC's 'Meet the Press.'
'I know Sen. Rubio's heart is exactly
right. And I really respect the work of the “Gang of Eight.” But they
have produced legislation ... that will give amnesty now, legalize
everyone that's here effectively today and then there's a promise of
enforcement in the future.'
Sen. Rubio said he would abandon the overhaul effort if enforcement, border security and other elements are softened to his dissatisfaction.
With an eye on a possible White House run in 2016, the Florida congressman has been careful not to appear weak on border security or create political problems among the conservatives who have great sway in picking the GOP's nominee.
Sen. Rubio also told those immigrants that it would perhaps be easier if they returned to their home countries and started the process from scratch rather than use the process he is proposing.
'So I would argue that the existing law is actually more lenient, that going back and waiting 10 years is going to be cheaper and faster that going through this process that we are outlining,' he said.
Other lawmakers helping to write the legislation acknowledged the political challenges of the issue.
'A lot of my conservative colleagues have significant questions and they're legitimate,' said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona. 'This is the start of a process, this is a vehicle that requires hearings, requires input and we welcome all of that. ... I am guardedly optimistic that we will see finally the end of this long, long trek that a lot of us have been on for many years.'
The measure would put millions who are in the U.S. illegally on a 13-year path to citizenship, while toughening border security requirements, mandating that all employers check the legal status of workers, and allowing tens of thousands of new high- and low-skilled workers into the country with new visa programs.
The legislation is expected to include a new emphasis on merit-based immigration over family ties.
'This is a very balanced bill. The American people have told us to do two things: one, prevent future flows of illegal immigration; and then, come up with a common-sense solution for legal immigration. And that's what our bill does,' said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York.
The senator also appeared on ' CBS' 'Face the Nation,' CNN's 'State of the Union', and 'Fox News Sunday'.' He also was booked on the Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision.
Sessions and Schumer were on ABC while Sen. John McCain appeared on CNN.
‘We’re not awarding anything,’ Sen. Rubio, a Republican who is among the ‘Gang of Eight’ senators writing the plan expected to come out Tuesday, said Sunday morning on ABC News’ ‘This Week.’
Sen. Rubio, a Cuban-American himself, insisted that the plan does not give any hand-outs, adding: ‘All we’re doing is giving people the opportunity to eventually earn access to our new, improved and modernized legal immigration system.'
Scroll down for videos
Reform: Florida senator Marco Rubio, a
Cuban-American, spoke out today about his immigration reform bill; Rubio
is one of the so-called 'Gang of Eight' who has tirelessly worked on
the legislation
Making the rounds: Rubio also spoke today on NBC's 'Meet the Press'
He was also careful to say that some people currently in the country simply will not qualify under these newer, stricter laws, meaning that some of the 11 million illegal immigrants in question are riding a wave of uncertainty.
‘The only thing you are earning here is an opportunity to apply for temporary status, and ultimately, potentially to apply for a green card, the way everybody else does,’ he said. ‘And that’s the process that we are ou
tlining.’
The Florida senator, who is considered to be an integral part of the bill, also spoke Sunday on NBC’s ‘Meet the Press’ today.
‘What we have now isn’t good for anybody,’ he said. ‘What we have in place today, the status quo, is horrible for America.’
Gang of Eight: In a photo from January, Sen.
Rubio, center, is pictured with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Chuck
Schumer, D-N.Y. and Sen. Robert Menendez, D-N.J., in Washington
Hot button issue: People flocked to Washington
over the weekend for the 'Rally for Citizenship,' where tens of
thousands of immigrants and their supporters rallied for immigration
reform
'I'm not convinced,' Sen. Jeff Sessions, an Alabama Republican, said on ‘The Week.’
'JAY-Z NEEDS TO GET INFORMED': SEN. RUBIO BLASTS RAPPER'S 'HYPOCRITICAL' TRIP TO CUBA
Havana high: Sen. Rubio blasted rapper Jay-Z, right, about his recent trip to Cuba
Sen.
Marco Rubio says entertainers Beyonce and Jay-Z missed a chance while
in Cuba to see firsthand the effects of political oppression.The Republican lawmaker from Florida calls their recent trip 'hypocritical' and he takes issue with the U.S. government's approval of the visit as a cultural mission.
Beyonce and Jay-Z marked their wedding anniversary in Havana last week.
'I think Jay-Z needs to get informed,' he said on 'This Week,' calling the rapper's trip to the island country.
U.S. citizens aren't allowed to travel to Cuba for mere tourism, though they can obtain licenses for academic, religious, journalistic or cultural exchange trips.
These people-to-people licenses were reinstated under the Obama administration.
Rubio, a Cuban-American, says such trips provide money to the Castro government to oppress the Cuban people.
Rubio discussed the trip during interviews Sunday on CNN's 'State of the Union,' ABC's 'This Week' and NBC's 'Meet the Press.'
Sen. Rubio said he would abandon the overhaul effort if enforcement, border security and other elements are softened to his dissatisfaction.
With an eye on a possible White House run in 2016, the Florida congressman has been careful not to appear weak on border security or create political problems among the conservatives who have great sway in picking the GOP's nominee.
Sen. Rubio also told those immigrants that it would perhaps be easier if they returned to their home countries and started the process from scratch rather than use the process he is proposing.
'So I would argue that the existing law is actually more lenient, that going back and waiting 10 years is going to be cheaper and faster that going through this process that we are outlining,' he said.
Other lawmakers helping to write the legislation acknowledged the political challenges of the issue.
'A lot of my conservative colleagues have significant questions and they're legitimate,' said Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona. 'This is the start of a process, this is a vehicle that requires hearings, requires input and we welcome all of that. ... I am guardedly optimistic that we will see finally the end of this long, long trek that a lot of us have been on for many years.'
The measure would put millions who are in the U.S. illegally on a 13-year path to citizenship, while toughening border security requirements, mandating that all employers check the legal status of workers, and allowing tens of thousands of new high- and low-skilled workers into the country with new visa programs.
The legislation is expected to include a new emphasis on merit-based immigration over family ties.
'This is a very balanced bill. The American people have told us to do two things: one, prevent future flows of illegal immigration; and then, come up with a common-sense solution for legal immigration. And that's what our bill does,' said Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-New York.
The senator also appeared on ' CBS' 'Face the Nation,' CNN's 'State of the Union', and 'Fox News Sunday'.' He also was booked on the Spanish-language networks Telemundo and Univision.
Sessions and Schumer were on ABC while Sen. John McCain appeared on CNN.