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Sen. Marco Rubio sounds off on the future of the GOP, outlines his plan for immigration reform
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Then there are eleven million undocumented illegal people in this country so why should the United States or what should the United States do about illegal immigration.
We asked Florida senator Marco Rubio.
Let me ask -- next question one is and illegal immigration and the others -- to the Republican Party because there's a huge population out there.
Hispanic population and that's been a big issue.
Well two separate issues -- -- illegal immigration is bad for America legal immigration is good for America and the fact of the matter is that we have eleven million people in this country more or less that are undocumented I don't know anyone is happy about that.
And but we have to deal with what we have I mean the truth isn't the reality of it is -- these 119 people -- vast majority are going to be here for the rest of their lives.
So I think our obligations policy makers is to deal with them in a way that's compassionate and humane but also responsible.
And in a way that's not unfair to anybody who has done at the right way.
And in a way that make sure that we never have to do this again what I really don't wanna see -- ten years from now we're back -- talking about another eleven on what was -- -- those eleven million people -- I -- -- to be -- -- people sit -- to jump the -- -- on him cameras in -- all these things -- and they're -- -- be here forever so what's the value and outlined -- -- the first of course is to modernize our legal immigration system -- we needed -- -- immigration system works better.
For our economy to work better.
And by the way to distance on -- -- legal immigration.
The second thing that we continue to modernize the legal immigration -- in the second and Israel enforcement and it's not just -- fences and border security that matters we have to do that it's about workplace enforcement that is the ultimate enforcement mechanism is one that makes it.
And possible for someone who's here undocumented to get jobs.
And obviously we also want to track when people enter and exit because about 40% of our.
Illegal immigration is people who overstayed visas they come in legally and then they overstate.
And then the last part is now you got to deal with the eleven million people that are here.
If you've committed a serious crime you're gonna be deported.
Everybody else what I think should happen is they should that they should be given the opportunity to qualify.
For temporary non permanent status in essence a work permit -- they pay back taxes.
They pay a penalty they have a background check that they can clear etc.
And they would have to be in that probationary period for us a reasonable but significant market -- testing most these people here.
Illegally -- -- don't have jobs and events that went up by cash to pay back taxes others just an item -- -- we're gonna probably talk about them when the next few weeks but every plan that's out there.
Has that element -- and I think there's ways that we can accomplish that.
But moving forward once they've been in this probationary face for some period of time at that point the only thing that they would -- is the opportunity.
To basically apply for the existing legal immigration system just like anybody else in the world would -- essence they have to identify of these so they wanna apply for.
That have to get in line and wait until it's their turn behind everybody who applied before them.
And when their turn came they have to qualify for that visa and then -- they get as a green card and then they still have to wait another five years just to apply for citizenship.
So you know at that point all -- basically doing the best way to understand it is.
You're giving folks that qualify that are undocumented the opportunity to act to gain of work work permit.
And then in the long and then eventually.
The opportunity to apply for illegal immigrant -- some.
In the same way anybody else anywhere in the world would -- no special.
-- the Republican Party obviously -- big news to some revamping of some sort and and I'm curious.
What would you do it to attract more people to stimulants so that people didn't.
So the people who are currently in many moderates sword or Democrats or independents that they wouldn't want you.
Well -- the fundamental.
Desire on all Americans from all walks of life including Americans of Hispanic descent is the desire to get ahead to join the middle class and to leave your children better off than yourself.
And and I think that free enterprise and limited government is the best way to accomplish that so I think we have the right principles.
We just I think have to do better job of come.
Of -- selling them to people of of explaining the people and to be true to those things too I mean.
I don't think we should be more Democrat -- the Democrats I think that the -- we do a better job of selling what we stand for.
And and explaining to people what we stand for and why what we believe -- is better for them and for their hopes and their dreams and what the Democrats are -- OK suppose that you're thinking about social security and our democratic thinking it Republicans want to revamp it because it's it's not -- -- last.
That is not sustainable but the Democrats say you know yes it is.
Why would you switch severe public why would -- supposed to call and -- I that because I think people understand math because I think when you explain to them this is how much money comes in this how much money goes out.
And as a result this is the year we run out of money unless we do a few simple but important things people understand that.
I mean I'm here I'm here I'm a Republican I'm here to help you believe my math.
-- math that people understand that it.
At the end of the day I think that we don't get the American people on a credit for their opportunity to their their ability to understand the complexity of an issue and have leaders that explain it to them.
And then explain their options to them.
Ultimately that we're gonna pay a price of these issues are not resolve them and Medicare isn't even much is it is an even more dangerous situation -- that runs out of money a lot sooner and Social Security does.
In regards to this but ultimately look that's what leadership is about.
Leadership is not -- start winning elections leadership is not about just hitting the 65% issues in the polls leadership is about going the -- the people you represented telling them the truth.
Whether it's a convenient truth or not and explaining to them these are -- options and this is the one I think is the best one moving forward for our country and for you.
And then ultimately in a republic people decide whether they want to support that or not.
And then the whole you know countries -- -- faces the consequences of the decision that's made or not.
To -- frustrated sometimes not really -- more frustrating to be in a country where you wouldn't be able to debate these issues and would have a chance to go to people and explain what you stand for.
Or you worry about speaking your mind because that you can be put in jail -- the governing party so I'm grateful that I eleven republic and but I believe is still the greatest country in the history of the world Saturday -- -- Suzanne thanks in.
