Reuters
May 17, 2015
Republican
presidential contender Marco Rubio said on Sunday he still favors
immigration reform, but he has accepted the need for a piece-by-piece
legislative approach
because "we don't have the votes to pass" a comprehensive measure.
Rubio,
a U.S. senator from Florida, said on "Fox News Sunday" there were fewer
votes in Congress for comprehensive immigration reform now than two
years ago, when he worked
with Senate Democrats to help pass a comprehensive bill that included a
path to citizenship for those in the country illegally.
That
measure died in the House of Representatives amid conservative
opposition. Rubio, who faced criticism from the right over his work on
the Senate bill, now backs a
piecemeal approach that would begin with border security.
"I
still believe we need to do immigration reform," said Rubio, the son of
Cuban immigrants. "The problem is we can't do it in one big piece of
legislation. The votes
aren't there" in the House of Representatives.
Rubio
is one of a half-dozen Republicans running to be the party's nominee in
the November 2016 election, with more expected in the race soon.
Some
critics have accused Rubio of backing away from comprehensive reform to
placate conservatives who will play a big role in the Republican
presidential primaries. Asked
why he would not fight for comprehensive reform, Rubio said he was
dealing with political realities.
"The context in which we are having this debate is much different," he said.
He
cited Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's primary loss last
year in part because of his support for comprehensive immigration
legislation, as well as Republican
opposition to President Barack Obama's executive order last year easing
the threat of deportation for millions of undocumented residents.
"Clearly,
leaders stand for the idea you need to do something, but you also have
to deal with the reality that in the political process people are going
to vote based
on what they're hearing from their constituents and others," he said.
For more information, go to: www.beverlyhillsimmigrationlaw.com
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