Ted Cruz introduces legislation to keep immigrant families together after they cross the border

[Sanguine]

Well, I can neither confirm nor deny this   

But he is a reactionary ....  A few years ago he said kids should go back .... and when the heat increases Cruz then makes a big photo op out of handing out teddy bears.  A few days ago Cruz articulated fact-based support for the President's actions and today after a few days of biased attacks ---- the situation is so dire we need emergency legislation.

It would have been more helpful had Cruz reminded folks that the Republican caucus is meeting with the President tonight (planned a while ago) to discuss the immigration reform bills being worked on ... and that the issues of the wall and children here illegally will be part of the discussion, and the solution proposed.  A reminder that the Demonrats aren't doing anything except exploiting children would have been a nice touch.

At this point in time a carve-out emergency bill is just stupid. IMHO, of course.  And I don't care who proposes it.

@sneakypete

Yep.  Really stupid to propose something that would help limit illegals gaining entry AND take the issue away from the dems.

[sneakypete]

Well, I can neither confirm nor deny this   

But he is a reactionary ....  A few years ago he said kids should go back .... and when the heat increases Cruz then makes a big photo op out of handing out teddy bears.  A few days ago Cruz articulated fact-based support for the President's actions and today after a few days of biased attacks ---- the situation is so dire we need emergency legislation.

It would have been more helpful had Cruz reminded folks that the Republican caucus is meeting with the President tonight (planned a while ago) to discuss the immigration reform bills being worked on ... and that the issues of the wall and children here illegally will be part of the discussion, and the solution proposed.  A reminder that the Demonrats aren't doing anything except exploiting children would have been a nice touch.

At this point in time a carve-out emergency bill is just stupid. IMHO, of course.  And I don't care who proposes it.

@sneakypete

That makes it sound like he is just playing both sides against the middle so he can promote himself.

Nothing shocking when a professional politician does this. It's how most of them became successful politicians.

It sure doesn't make him presidential material,though.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Cruz is actually pretty smart here.

His law does several things that make a bigger point.

1. It only separates those accused of serious law violations (versus just a misdemeanor or for those who are trying to go through legal channels like applying for asylum). It makes the point that those who are separated are true law violators unlike how the left is spinning it and it takes the issue away from them claiming they are just people who are being separated when they apply for asylum at border checkpoints (2-3 cases of this they use as examples).

2. The way this is worded, he is taking specific aim at the source law Bill Clinton passed.

3. He is the only person who has offered up anything of substance. Everyone else is just using the children as political props.

4. It validates which children are with their actual families versus being smuggled in through human trafficking.

Fold it into the upcoming immigration bill and force democrats to vote for it.

A stand alone carve out bill takes democrats off the hook for full immigration reform.

[skeeter]

Cruz is actually pretty smart here.

His law does several things that make a bigger point.

1. It only separates those accused of serious law violations (versus just a misdemeanor or for those who are trying to go through legal channels like applying for asylum). It makes the point that those who are separated are true law violators unlike how the left is spinning it and it takes the issue away from them claiming they are just people who are being separated when they apply for asylum at border checkpoints (2-3 cases of this they use as examples).

2. The way this is worded, he is taking specific aim at the source law Bill Clinton passed.

3. He is the only person who has offered up anything of substance. Everyone else is just using the children as political props.

4. It validates which children are with their actual families versus being smuggled in through human trafficking.

This is Cruz's MO - he attacks the democrats by addressing their rhetoric with legislation. Naturally they'll refuse to support him because their rhetoric is based on BS. Exposing their hypocrisy.

Trump understands this approach as well. He did the same thing when he upped the DACA number to 180k in exchange for his other demands. He knew the democrats wouldn't bite.

[Right_in_Virginia]

That makes it sound like he is just playing both sides against the middle so he can promote himself. Nothing shocking when a professional politician does this. It's how most of them became successful politicians.

It sure doesn't make him presidential material,though.

Cruz seems to have some trouble with the whole strategery thing.

[Jazzhead]

The GOP has a majority and the majority has a responsibility to fix this.   Or else the GOP soon won't have a majority.

It is well past time for the reactionary restrictionists to stop delaying action on immigration reforms.   The provisions that should command majority support can and should include the following:

 - Money for border security, including the wall

-  Normalize the "Dreamers"

-  Increase the number of immigration judges so asylum claims can be addressed quickly

-  Provide for detention of parents with children during the pendency of asylum claims

That's it.  No e-verify, no cuts in legal immigration, no changes to "chain migration".   That can keep for another day.   The goal now must be to take steps to address the immediate crisis so the GOP - both moderates and conservatives - can retain their majority.   

[Sanguine]

Cruz seems to have some trouble with the whole strategery thing.

Really?  How so?

[Right_in_Virginia]

Really?  How so?

Read my previous posts.

[Sanguine]

The GOP has a majority and the majority has a responsibility to fix this.   Or else the GOP soon won't have a majority.

It is well past time for the reactionary restrictionists to stop delaying action on immigration reforms.   The provisions that should command majority support can and should include the following:

 - Money for border security, including the wall

-  Normalize the "Dreamers"

-  Increase the number of immigration judges so asylum claims can be addressed quickly

-  Provide for detention of parents with children during the pendency of asylum claims

That's it.  No e-verify, no cuts in legal immigration, no changes to "chain migration".   That can keep for another day.   The goal now must be to take steps to address the immediate crisis so the GOP - both moderates and conservatives - can retain their majority.   

Cruz's bill does this except for "nomalizing the dreamers", whatever that means and providing money for border security, which has to be initiated in the House.

[skeeter]

The GOP has a majority and the majority has a responsibility to fix this.   Or else the GOP soon won't have a majority.

It is well past time for the reactionary restrictionists to stop delaying action on immigration reforms.   The provisions that should command majority support can and should include the following:

 - Money for border security, including the wall

-  Normalize the "Dreamers"

-  Increase the number of immigration judges so asylum claims can be addressed quickly

-  Provide for detention of parents with children during the pendency of asylum claims

That's it.  No e-verify, no cuts in legal immigration, no changes to "chain migration".   That can keep for another day.   The goal now must be to take steps to address the immediate crisis so the GOP - both moderates and conservatives - can retain their majority.   

Totally disagree about chain migration. It is every bit as critical as DACA that that farce be reformed NOW.

80% of legal immigrants are coming in under this program, for no other reason than their relation to someone already here. Its way past time for a merit based system that actually benefits the nation as much as it does the immigrants.

It needs to be done now while the administration has the leverage.

[txradioguy]

Cruz is actually pretty smart here.

His law does several things that make a bigger point.

1. It only separates those accused of serious law violations (versus just a misdemeanor or for those who are trying to go through legal channels like applying for asylum). It makes the point that those who are separated are true law violators unlike how the left is spinning it and it takes the issue away from them claiming they are just people who are being separated when they apply for asylum at border checkpoints (2-3 cases of this they use as examples).

2. The way this is worded, he is taking specific aim at the source law Bill Clinton passed.

3. He is the only person who has offered up anything of substance. Everyone else is just using the children as political props.

4. It validates which children are with their actual families versus being smuggled in through human trafficking.

He needs to rename the bill.  Makes it...at first glance...sound like a squishy RINO creation.

[INVAR]

Sorry, Pete, it's the law.  If you stop them and they have been coached to request amnesty, they have to give them a hearing.  Cruz's bill greatly accelerates the hearing and subsequent deportation.

Did they come in through the front door having filled out all the paperwork so they can be vetted and interviewed to see if they even qualify for 'refugee status'?????

Or will this apply to the millions who sneak in here literally or under false pretenses?????

I am pretty certain this is going to be used as a BLANKET to cover any and all entrants to the country - whether they be legit or illegal.  Just you watch.


Cruz is playing political weasel on this- and it's sickening to capitalize on it when the issue is about the MILLIONS who are pouring over our borders illegally versus the small numbers actually following OUR LAWS to come into the country.

[GrouchoTex]

OK, here is the relevant part:  "Providing for expedited processing and review of asylum cases so that — within 14 days — those who meet the legal standards will be granted asylum and those who do not will be immediately returned to their home countries."

@Sanguine

This is the part which I think will be most difficult.
Just about every lawyer who takes these sanctuary cases will tell the courts that 14 days won't be enough time to depose witnesses, to bring them in from whatever country the people are seeking asylum from.
I would imagine just about every lawyer who takes on these cases will request that these hearings are move out further.

[Sanguine]

@Sanguine

This is the part which I think will be most difficult.
Just about every lawyer who takes these sanctuary cases will tell the courts that 14 days won't be enough time to depose witnesses, to bring them in from whatever country the people are seeking asylum from.
I would imagine just about every lawyer who takes on these cases will request that these hearings are move out further.

I agree, it will be difficult.

[INVAR]

Why are we not DEMANDING that ALL IMMIGRATION BE STOPPED until a new and better system is put in place???  A system that LIMITS immigrants to specific quotas and thresholds to those who are literate, clean and can benefit American society and culture by being willing to become an American?

ALL IMMIGRATION needs to stop right now.  As in ZERO  - NADA - ZILCH immigrants allowed into the country until the millions upon millions already here ASSIMILATE.

With the rare exception of persecuted minorities needing asylum to be prevented from being exterminated, our borders and immigration policy needs to be set to ZERO.

NO EXCEPTIONS.

We did this before out of necessity in 1924 and put in a policy that restricted the inflow of immigrants to just 2% of each racial and national demographic that exist in the country while prohibiting any immigrants from nations seen as a risk or trouble to the country.  Of course LBJ let that go to hell in 1965 and opened the immigration spigot wide.

We have the most ridiculous immigration system on the planet - that essentially has open borders to a welfare state for the world's vermin to take advantage of and do us harm.

Cruz is proving to be nothing but the political opportunist many said he was all along.

[sneakypete]

The GOP has a majority and the majority has a responsibility to fix this.   Or else the GOP soon won't have a majority.

@Jazzhead

You say that just like you think the GOP likes being in charge.

[sneakypete]

He needs to rename the bill.  Makes it...at first glance...sound like a squishy RINO creation.

@txradioguy

Gee,THERE'S a shocker!

[Bigun]

And we are all, yet  again, being regaled with a shiny object to distract us from things going on that are immensely important to the Republic.

[Sanguine]

And we are all, yet  again, being regaled with a shiny object to distract us from things going on that are immensely important to the Republic.

Yep.

[Jazzhead]

Totally disagree about chain migration. It is every bit as critical as DACA that that farce be reformed NOW.

80% of legal immigrants are coming in under this program, for no other reason than their relation to someone already here. Its way past time for a merit based system that actually benefits the nation as much as it does the immigrants.

It needs to be done now while the administration has the leverage.

Demanding an end to chain migration acts like a poison pill.   No immigration bill that includes such a provision can pass.   I'm not here to debate the merits of that policy; I am just acknowledging reality.    The immediate issues are (i) addressing the optics of separating kids from parents, which is killing the GOP politically, more so than any other issue,  (ii)  getting the President the money he needs to address border security, and (iii)  addressing the Dreamers,  who a broad spectrum of Americans agree deserve to be normalized.     Larding an immigration bill with restrictionist priorities is going to guarantee the loss of our majority this fall, because we will have been tasked with the responsibility of addressing the immediate crisis and spit the bit.   

[Jazzhead]

@Jazzhead

You say that just like you think the GOP likes being in charge.

I hear you, @sneakypete .   I don't know about the GOP generally, but it's obvious that conservatives don't like being in charge.   They prefer to be kvetching backbenchers, and this fall they'll get their wish.   

[Formerly Once-Ler]

Here is the text of the Cruz bill.

[sneakypete]

I here you, @sneakypete .   I don't know about the GOP generally, but it's obvious that conservatives don't like being in charge.   They prefer to be kvetching backbenchers, and this fall they'll get their wish.

@Jazzhead

Close,but no cigar. There are very few actual conservatives with any power in the alleged Republican Party. Most of the leaders are Dims in everything but name,and VERY closely aligned with the DNC. Yeah,they sometimes create an issue so it seems they are standing on principals,but they end up caving in the end.

[Sanguine]

Here is the text of the Cruz bill.

So, do you like it or not?

[Formerly Once-Ler]

So, do you like it or not?

I like it.  I'm just trying to keep my sense of humor.