tags: Blog

Where Does The Next Speaker Of The House Stand On Immigration?

Share This:

Speaker John Boehner’s departure from Congress left me wondering what, if anything, his successor would do to fix our broken immigration system.

In no particular order, here is what you can expect from candidates seeking the top jobs in the House when it comes to immigration.

CANDIDATES FOR SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE:

Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s (R-CA) on immigration:

As the “frontrunner” for the Speakership, Rep. McCarthy currently serves as the House Majority Leader – and is no stranger to immigration policy.

While America’s Voice has written extensively about Rep. McCarthy’s complicated relationship with immigration reform, it must be noted that he has been shy from endorsing a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the country.

As reported by Politico back in 2014:

“As a top House Republican who represents a district with a wide swath of Latino residents and agricultural workers, McCarthy has faced significant pressure from immigration reform advocates to move on the issue.

McCarthy said he opposes an explicit pathway to citizenship, according to the Bakersfield news outlet.”

And don’t forget Rep. McCarthy’s position on securing the border:

I’m on record saying nothing about immigration, until we secure the borders. The borders are not secure….Until you secure the borders, you cannot have the conversation about anything else.

Immigration advocates are preparing to push McCarthy on immigration should he rise to become the next Speaker of the House.

Voted to undo Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? – YES

Rep. Daniel Webster (R-FL):

Florida Man endorses immigration reform, is a member of the Republican Party.

No, this is not another crazy Florida headline. Rep. Webster has spoken at length about immigration in the past, and while he has supported a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million, there is still reason to be cautious on where he stands on the issue.

In 2013, the Orlando Sentinel reported the following about Rep. Webster’s positions on immigration:

Before U.S. authorities begin the process of legalizing the nation’s 11 million unauthorized immigrants — including nearly 900,000 in Florida — security officials must stop at least 90 percent of those trying to enter the country illegally, Webster said.

Webster also wants all job applicants to be screened for immigration status through a system such as E-Verify.

“I support them [local law enforcement] being part of the team that enforces whatever new laws dealing with immigration [that] we pass,” [Webster] said.

Voted to undo Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? – YES

HOUSE MAJORITY CANDIDATES:

The following Republicans have announced their intention to replace Kevin McCarthy as Majority Leader in the House of Representatives.

Rep. Steve Scalise (R- LA) on immigration:

Rep. Scalise, the current House Majority Whip,  is not shy about his position on immigration. My only surprise is that his views on the issue are not bolded and highlighted on his website:

“Congressman Steve Scalise wants to first seal the United States’ borders with stronger security and enforcement of existing laws… Scalise is working to cut off taxpayer funded benefits for illegal immigrants, and is an original co-sponsor of legislation that would end birthright citizenship… Scalise is opposed to giving amnesty to the millions of illegal immigrants currently living in our country.”

Oh, and don’t forget the controversy that connected Scalise to white supremacist groups. As reported by The Huffington Post:

In January, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) was damaged goods. He was struggling to distance himself from Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke after revelations that he spoke at a 2002 gathering hosted by a white supremacist group.

Voted to undo Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? – YES

Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) on immigration:

Also looking to replace Rep. McCarthy is Congressman Tom Price from Georgia.

Rep. Prive recently commented on border security and immigration during an interview with NeighborNewspapers.com:

“Is to do what we said we were going to do in 1986, nearly 30 years ago, and control and secure the border and entry into the United States. And once you do that, which is, I think, relatively easy from a logistics standpoint and I think relatively inexpensive if it’s done in a smart way,”

On a pathway to citizenship, Rep. Price believes the following:

“I think that until the border is controlled and secured, then all those questions are moot because it doesn’t make any difference what you do.”

Perhaps Rep. Price has not read the actual cost of fully securing the US/Mexico border.

Voted to undo Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)? – YES