Pete Sessions: “let's talk about the question of whether these ``legal'' workers have followed the rules and are entitled to this…”

“let's talk about the question of whether these ``legal'' workers have followed the rules and are entitled to this benefit. Those granted amnesty under this bill entered the country illegally, and have not followed the rules. At this very moment, the law says they are illegal and subject to deportation from the United States. Many of them have filed false Social Security numbers and committed crimes of that kind. We are not going to deport them. We are going to allow them to stay here. We are going to be generous to them. We are going to figure out a way that under this bill the vast majority of them will be on a path to full citizenship. Anybody that becomes a full naturalized citizen would be entitled to the earned income tax credit. My colleagues have said we are punishing these individuals by giving them amnesty. They don't say we are punishing them by saying they have to pay a penalty. They are not saying we are punishing them by saying they have to pay taxes if they owe them. One said we are declaring war on who they are. Those kinds of words and phrases indicate the bankruptcy of the argument that is being put forth. Under current law, they are not eligible for the earned income tax credit. Under current law, they should not be here. They are here illegally.…”