On the recordMarch 14, 2016
Madam President, last Thursday the Democratic candidates for President had a debate. They made several extremely irresponsible statements about immigration policy. I oppose their calls to reward mass illegal immigration with blanket amnesty, which would undermine the rule of law, cost Americans jobs, drive down wages for working Americans, and invite more illegal immigration. But what must President Obama think? After all, he has attempted to grant amnesty by fiat to over 5 million illegal immigrants, although the courts have blocked most of those amnesties for now. Yet the Senator from Vermont and Hillary Clinton both insisted that the President hadn't gone far enough. They would expand on his actions and go even further. In fact, a debate moderator called President Obama ``the deporter in chief,'' and Hillary Clinton tacitly accepted the characterization, saying she wouldn't deport nearly as many illegal immigrants as President Obama has--which of course isn't a terribly high bar to clear since deportations are down 42 percent since the start of President Obama's second term and last year deportations hit a 10-year low. Still, I can't imagine President Obama is too pleased with his would-be successor. I also can't imagine a more opportunist and irresponsible position than the one taken by Hillary Clinton. As she panders for votes, she limited deportation priorities to violent criminals and terrorists.…





