Political Quotes

“Just briefly, I would say to my distinguished colleague, Senator Durbin, who I know cares deeply about this issue, I think there is not an injustice today. The law is if you are born here, even from illegal parents, you are a citizen. But if you come into the country or are brought into the country, you are here illegally. That is what the law is. It is not an injustice to enforce the law. No. 2, I would note that millions of people apply and wait for citizenship, but these individuals who came illegally--maybe at age 14, 15, 16--apply and get to the head of the line over people who have waited for a long time. I do not know that that is justice. The military already allows people who are not citizens and people who are illegally in the country to join the military and they are given citizenship. Lots of them achieve citizenship that way. This bill is not necessary to do that. For 10 years, the cost is scored by CBO. It is $5 billion. There is a cost. In addition, for Pell grants--these are grants, not loans students get to go to college--these individuals would be eligible for those as soon as they get in college, after even a GED instead of a high school diploma. This idea that we are already doing enough at the border and we are doing everything that is possible, I would note this administration has not completed the fence Congress authorized. We are not deporting people effectively.”