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Is it Finally Time for Immigration Reform?

Posted at 11 a.m. on Nov. 9, 2012

The Bloomberg View Editorial Board explains why political considerations will force Republicans to shift their views on immigration reform.

“With more than 60,000 Hispanics turning 18 every month between now and 2016, we doubt many Republicans are still in denial about the demographic hole they’ve dug for themselves… Obama has every incentive to pursue comprehensive immigration reform to provide pathways to legal status and citizenship for the nation’s roughly 11 million illegal immigrants.”

“Republicans have two options. They can join the White House in shaping immigration reform, all the while knowing that the president will get the lion’s share of credit. This is politically unappealing in the short term, which is certainly one reason Republicans have resisted it. However, the alternative promises even more dispiriting political consequences. If Republicans again oppose immigration reform, they risk cementing their reputation as obstructionists and, in the process, tightening the Democrats’ hold on a large and rapidly growing constituency. This is tantamount to political surrender, if not suicide.”

Meanwhile, it looks like Republicans are already making the shift. Rachel Weiner reports that conservative Fox News pundit Sean Hannity said Thursday on his radio show that “if people are here, law-abiding, participating for years, their kids are born here, you know, it’s first secure the border, pathway to citizenship, done, whatever little penalties you want to put in there, if you want, and it’s done.”

2comments
Immigration

Headlines

  • Lorehead

    Regardless of why people want to do it, this is the right thing to do.

    • ChrisSanchez

      Morally, this amnesty is the WRONG thing to do. Millions of people in
      Africa, Asia, Europe AND LATIN AMERICA are playing by the rules and
      waiting in line to get into the country legally. And we are going to
      give amnesty to people who have either overstayed their visas or walked
      across the border illegally? It is disgusting. It may or may not be the
      best thing to do politically, but that is another matter.

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