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Brad Blakeman and David Mercer on the bipartisan effort to craft immigration reform legislation.
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-- Brad Blake one is of course a former deputy assistant to president George W.
Bush there in DC.
Look at them the polar opposites but sitting next to each other isn't that cute but David Mercer is -- -- deputy national finance director.
For the Democratic National Committee good to see about guys.
Crazy reason I'm here -- happy new year to year Brad let me -- -- -- The Republicans seem to have come around is that largely as a result all of the election.
To the thinking that we have to do some thing on immigration reforms have something it.
Is going to get done is it not.
Well let's hope so.
-- in the early stages.
And one of the twelve steps of recovery is to recognize -- have a problem to a step one.
-- but now we have to I joined forces with Democrats.
We have divided government and to bring meaningful immigration reform over many platforms we have to deal with the of the border we have to deal -- Pathway to citizenship.
We have to deal with.
The -- the problems that we're going to have.
In those people who were here legally and who have join the line.
For years we want to make sure that they don't get.
Disenfranchise so there's a lot of problems and hurdles -- -- taxation problem is how we -- That the millions and -- not.
Hundreds of millions of dollars in lost revenue.
Through these.
Qualifications for new citizenship so let's hope that this new bipartisan spirit we've seen the senate translates to the house into the White House.
David this side as it appears to be a -- the issues President Obama.
Has left has said he is -- -- take on the in this term particularly early in this second term.
This looks seen in many ways that that easiest might be the wrong -- but the one way he will get the least all position perhaps.
And I think you're -- on that Jonathan.
And it goes to what was alluded to earlier in your question to Brad and that is.
You know if you do the math especially from a political standpoint.
And -- -- away.
As it relates to bush McCain and Romney.
They've seen their numbers go down where bush got 44% Hispanic vote.
Were McCain got 31% of the Hispanic vote now it's down to 27% of the Hispanic vote -- -- doing the -- they know that day.
Need to come to the table and not just talk.
About emigration and immigration reform.
But to get something done bush tried to do it we saw Obama with the DREAM Act trying to do it and I think you now have politically the conditions -- But also substantively.
You have.
Border of control -- being more secure where there were 410.
Deportations.
Justin Tony twelve alone which is.
I'm -- a lot.
You have apprehensions on the border would increase border agents going to 21000 border agents.
From 101000 in 2004.
So I think you -- the conditions for a bipartisan approach and we saw that individual in the picture yesterday.
With the likes of Senator McCain and Chuck Schumer and chairman Menendez of the foreign relations committee.
All coming together to actually get something done as it relates to immigration reform and the citizen and the path to citizenship.
All right let's so -- listen to a couple of those up from yesterday as you mentioned them.
First of all senator Chuck Schumer and then senator rubio who was on Hannity last night as the senators.
The politics on this issue have been turned upside down.
For the first time ever -- more political risk in opposing immigration reform.
And in supporting it.
We believe we have a window of opportunity to act.
But we will only succeed if the effort is bipartisan.
I think it's a good moment to remind people -- and the country that the vast majority of conservatives.
Favor legal immigration and we don't have a legal immigration system that -- Right now.
All right so let's take a look at some of the proposals included in this senate immigration reform package.
They include registering and passing background checks paying fines and back taxes.
Voting probationary.
Legal status -- status learning English continuing to pay taxes which not everybody does right now.
Whiskey or a legal or illegal immigrant or anybody else.
Are showing your US -- history getting a green -- and then applying for citizenship -- any problems with any -- I don't.
Actually not and what we need to do is make sure that this is enough incentive for the eleven million.
That are out there to come out of the shadows let's face it Jonathan if any in this is clear and I think Republican the Democrats finally acknowledges that we were complicit as a nation.
Inviting these people to come in -- because we had jobs and we needed their their labor so that you treat them as is somehow.
More.
Criminal in their activity than they are is really unjustified because there's enough blame to go around in the porous -- we have.
Had in -- in the years which attracted these people also we -- their labors so we have to have a compassionate and fair and equitable way.
For them to join.
As citizens United States if they so choose and it but these hurdles have to be enough incentive for them to come out of the shadows.
David had to do you think you have President Obama is going to distinguish.
His proposals from those proposals wet -- -- go further if indeed he does go further anyway.
Well I think -- the conditions or the path to citizenship that you just laid out pretty much everybody's in a -- with and -- There's.
Agreement on it.
I think where where you'll see from now until March when they plan to introduce the legislation.
Is the issue of using as a condition.
The border security.
Arm and the ones.
It is secure.
In the eyes of some conservatives and others.
That then you can be granting citizenship.
However -- based on what I mentioned earlier.
That we have.
-- increased deportations.
We've had increased our.
Apprehensions at the border so we're gonna uptrend.
In securing the border and so you know what President Obama has been.
Pushing for is a balanced approach is yes we have to secure border -- -- borders are becoming more secure.
But we also have to provide as -- mention a path to citizenship.
And doing so it looks like in a bipartisan way so that we can get this issue behind us and the futures of eleven million.
Eleven million Hispanics and immigrants can find their way to citizenship.
About Brad if there is going to be any sort of fight on this I guess it's most likely to come on the question all of border security first -- all those who'll say we need -- Check we need to sort -- border security.
-- we look at these other issues but that's a very border security is almost an impossible.
Concept to -- define as in all.
I'm not a not at all I think that the senators have gone a long way in defining what would be an acceptable.
Border security process remember our borders will never be a 100% -- to work in progress.
Both the northern border and the southern border -- let me say this.
A doubt a border security we need to farm out.
Portions of this bill to the relevant committees you know gangs of senators don't have a really good track record of passing legislation among themselves.
So they have to broaden their support not only in the senate but also in the house at the White House and the -- you do that is an open and transparent process.
Not like what happened -- obamacare 3000 page bill passed in the dark of night that nobody read.
Following the close -- rule we got to pass it to find out what's in it.
The American people don't want that so we don't need a 3000 page immigration bill we need to do is car this bailout sent to the relative committees with jurisdiction.
And have an open process of a quick process.
But by which we can happen border security we get a pathway to citizenship -- 88 maybe 45.
Bills which will make up a comprehensive solution.
I've dead David there's if you -- view -- way media Joseph Britt says beware illegals government found a way to make you.
A full tax pat -- says the ultra simple let's absolve -- of -- old Mexico -- a state the border with Guatemala is much shelter and easier to patrol Trader -- said before another humongous unworkable bill -- through as he -- it clown grass.
What -- back securing the borders so would get what what's your view on securing the bold is David I mean.
They went -- where do we say.
-- wed do we define it pays ten illegals coming across the southern border today secure is a hundred is a thousand is 101000 where do you define that.
Well I think in the numbers -- I -- mentioned before -- who we have a successful border security program.
In place and so let's continue to enhance that.
But at the same time I think you'll have less illegals if you do have a path to citizenship.
And border security becomes even further -- as well as illegal attempts to cross the border are reduced as we've seen between 2004 and 2011.
So again if we have a path to citizenship as we're all hoping for we need to be encouraged by the bipartisan show of support for such a thing.
As we saw yesterday.
And with the I think.
You'll have a less of a problem on the border and you'll have more.
Of an -- through with regard to those deserving of citizenship actually getting citizenship like we.
All our parents or grandparents have gotten in the past -- Brad add a couple of points from our view is seeded Jason data -- says.
That must be a consequence for the laws they already broke coming here illegally that's a question that you know a -- number of people will -- And then Ramos says -- -- -- citizenship but border security first.
How is that different from what was proposed several times during the Bush Administration a question you're in a good position -- Yeah I mean bush had the right idea the problem is the country wasn't ready and for the implementation I think now we are that -- -- with regard to the pathway to citizenship there are eleven million.
Illegal aliens here in the United States should they be rewarded for legal status -- to -- -- consequence for -- yes.
And but it has to be enough of -- benefit for them and for us.
For them to come out of the shadows of the -- -- continue to.
Otherwise they just live in the shadows and continued -- -- -- process they don't know what to.
What to expect.
On the if they come out of the closet but now they will know what the process is it's clearly defined.
And then it becomes.
A simple a long process to secure citizenship.
So Ed you two -- -- horribly in agreement on all of this it seems like.
If everybody in congress is sitting there thinking as you -- up there really is nothing to debate here in -- fly through it is that what happened right.
Like I grew up because -- fine tuning to compromise but having said that the United States was complicit.
And inviting these people.
Into our country.
Now you can invite them formally -- and say hey we're having a party drop by if you want but the point of the matter is nobody would have come to this country if there was an opportunity once they got here.
And then we turned a blind eye to those people coming in and and what we provided they provide services that we needed.
Now what we have a we have a huge problem because of our complicity within coming here you know -- -- solid.
And it is Republicans and Democrats interest that we do it the timing is right politics is all about timing.
And -- and we can't get it done now it's not going to be done for another generation.
Through bad yes that certainly would appear to be the case -- David.
