Republican leadership is apparently in the process of drafting “guiding principles” on immigration reform and is expected to release a statement outlining the party’s position soon, per House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy in an interview with radio stations KBAK/KBFX in Bakersfield, California this week.
Rep. Kevin McCarthy (KBAK/KBPX photo)
While immigration reform didn’t get a mention in a recent Gallup Poll of Americans’ top priority issues for 2014, the party is looking ahead to the mid-term elections facing other polls indicating they don’t fare well with Hispanic voters. Hispanics identify with Democrats over Republicans by a 2-to-1 margin in a Gallup Poll taken mere months ago.
When Fox News asked those surveyed which policy they favored regarding illegal immigrants, 68 per cent chose the option of allowing them to remain in the country and eventually qualify for citizenship, but only if they met certain requirements like paying back taxes, learning English and passing a background check.
Immigration reform continues to be a volatile issue that is bound to rise again when Speaker John Boehner releases the principles. Republicans oppose comprehensive reform and lean toward tackling reform section by section with securing the border coming first. Expect “amnesty” to be the word of the day, even though it will not be used in the Speaker’s principles document.
