As he continues to take a leading role in championing immigration reform, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., gained support in his home state Thursday, even as some conservatives continue to slam his proposal.
Rubio appeared on Americas Newsroom on Fox News and insisted recent amendments, including increased border control, will help ensure the bills passage.
I think we can because what were asking for is very reasonable, Rubio said when asked about if Republican senators will support his bill. Two things: borders and benefits. On the benefits, we want to make sure that this is not a strain on the American taxpayer. It is not fair to ask the American taxpayer to pay for benefits for people that have violated our immigration laws. And on the border, its not just border, its E-Verify and entry-exit tracking of visitors. We want to make sure that this never happens again. We dont want to be back here five years from now talking about another 5 or 10 million people who have entered our country illegally, and so I think we can have immigration reform responsible immigration reform.
Rubio expressed some optimism that the bill will pass. If we have an immigration reform bill that secures the border, ensures that we dont have another wave of illegal immigration in the future, and protects the American taxpayer by denying federal benefits to those that have violated our immigration laws, we will have immigration reform, Rubio said. If we fail to do that, if the Democrats or whoever refuse to agree to that, we will not. It hinges on that.
As Rubio continues to ponder running for the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, he continues to draw heavy fire from the right.
This week, conservative pundit Ann Coulter is tearing into Rubio for his role in supporting immigration reform. In a nationally syndicated column this week, Coulter expressed her opposition to the measure and included Rubio in the ranks of the stupidest Republicans.
Coulter also took to the airwaves to bash Rubio and immigration reform. On Wednesday night, appearing on Sean Hannitys show on Fox News, Coulter compared Rubio to Jack Kevorkian.
But Rubio is also getting some support. On Thursday, Rubios efforts got some cover from a fellow Florida Republican as Gov. Rick Scott, speaking during a press availability, praised the senators efforts on immigration reform.
A poll released on Thursday also shows Rubios proposal is in good shape with Florida voters. Public Policy Polling (PPP), a Democratic firm, and Republican aligned Harper Polling unveiled a poll of 29 states that found heavy support for immigration reform efforts -- including in Florida. The poll was commissioned by groups supporting immigration reform: the Alliance for Citizenship, the Partnership for a New American Economy and Republicans for Immigration Reform.
Over the last few years, weve seen a country increasingly polarized across party lines when it comes to almost all attempts to move legislation, wrote Tom Jenson of PPP and Brock McCleary of Harper on Thursday in a memo with the poll. Yet, the compromise thats been crafted on immigration reform is a rare exception to that rule. The bill thats been constructed has broad support with every segment of the electorate in every part of the country.
The poll shows heavy support of immigration reform in Florida, with 72 percent of those surveyed in the Sunshine State supporting and 21 percent opposing it. An even larger majority of those surveyed in Florida -- 86 percent -- want Congress to tackle immigration in 2013. More encouraging for Rubio, a solid majority of Florida Republicans -- 71 percent -- back immigration reform while 22 percent oppose it. The poll of 500 Floridians was taken from June 2-10 and had a margin of error of +/- 5 percent.
In the meantime, Rubio continues to hit the cable talk-show circuit to push the bill. On Wednesday night, Rubio appeared on Bill OReillys show on Fox News.
Asked by OReilly if he was hopeful the bill would pass this year, Rubio said that it would only pass if it enacted more border security. In recent days, Rubio has sponsored amendments increasing border security.
It depends on border security, and it depends on ensuring that it doesnt cost the American taxpayer," Rubio said. I think the bottom line is we can secure the border and ensure that this never happens again, and if we can ensure that it doesnt cost the American taxpayer by people going on welfare and things like that, then I think it will pass. If it doesnt do those things, it wont.
You have to have no welfare in the bill, OReilly said. The bill has got to say they dont get government assistance.
It does, it does, and it says that already but there are ways to tighten that even further, Rubio insisted. Weve identified ways to make it even tighter and weve offered amendments in that regard. And on the border security part of it, people have to know that this is never going to happen again. The border will finally be secured for national security and sovereignty purposes.
I dont know who is going to oppose that but if anybody does, tell me, OReilly replied.
Rubio also got the backing of another leading conservative on Wednesday. U.S. Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, teamed with Rubio to offer amendments ensuring newly legalized immigrants will have paid outstanding taxes and prevents them from using tax credits and subsidies related from the federal health-care law for five years after becoming a citizen. The amendments also ensure that unauthorized workers do not receive Social Security benefits.
Hatch insisted the new amendments he was backing with Rubio would help appeal to more senators.
As I told my colleagues on the Judiciary Committee, my support in committee did not guarantee my support for the bill on the floor unless further changes were made to make this bill better, Hatch said on Wednesday. These common-sense amendments that Senator Rubio and I are introducing today will go a long way to garner broader support from across America and throughout the Senate for this legislation.
What we are talking about is a basic fairness that those wanting to become American citizens have to play by the rules, just as Americans do today, Hatch added. Who can argue against ensuring that these immigrants pay their back taxes, or that they dont have the right to immediate government benefits? The American people are kind and compassionate, and were a nation of immigrants who came to this land in search of a better life. The overwhelming majority of those that have come to our shores come not in search of a handout from American taxpayers, but rather in search of creating a stronger foundation for themselves and the generations who will come after them.
Reach Kevin Derby at kderby@sunshinestatenews.com or at 904-521-3722.
