Political Quotes

“Mr. President, our current immigration system is a travesty. It is inefficient, uncompassionate, and dangerous. It doesn't serve America's economic or social interests, and it undermines respect for the rule of law and for our Democratic institutions. Fundamental reform is both badly needed and long overdue. That is why I support immigration reform, and it is also why I initially joined a bipartisan group of Senators to try to find common ground on this issue. But it is also why I left that group and why today I must oppose the so-called Gang of 8 immigration bill. At the outset of this debate, the gang promised a grand immigration bargain: strict border security in exchange for a pathway to citizenship for approximately 11 million illegal immigrants already here. Even before the bill was introduced, gang members distributed talking points that lauded the bill's beefed-up security provisions, new visa reforms, and measures that would make the pathway to citizenship long and tough. But once the gang produced actual legislation, and Senators, the media, and members of the public began to read the bill, it was clear the talking points did not reflect the reality of the legislation itself. After pointing out glaring discrepancies between claims about the bill and the actual text, Senators were told they would have an opportunity to make changes during the markup in the Judiciary Committee.…”