By: Daniel Nardini
U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (Republican-Texas) is a mass of contradictions. He is a Latino (Cuban-American to be exact), a stalwart Republican, and an active member of the Tea Party movement. What has surprised many Democrats in the U.S. Senate, and some Republicans, is his views on immigration reform. Cruz believes that there should be no path to legalization of the undocumented, and that those wishing to become legal and eventually U.S. citizens should “go back to their countries.” He has called any attempt at immigration reform as unfair to those trying to come to the United States “legally,” and that he would do all he can to oppose any immigration reform.
Maybe he is going by his conscience, but his views are right now at odds with fellow U.S. Senator Rick Rubio (Republican-Florida) and a growing number of Republicans. Rubio, also a Cuban-American and an active member of the Tea Party, has seen the political writing on the wall. His party took a big hit during the presidential election. Less than one-third of all voting eligible Latino voted for the Republican candidate Mitt Romney. This shows that not only do many Latinos not like the Republicans, but that Republican Latinos have been leaving the party in droves. Republican Latinos were simply horrified by the party’s political platform on Latino immigrants and the undocumented, and this just drove them into the Democratic Party. Rubio, far from being in favor of the undocumented, has recognized that some means must be found to include the estimated 11 million undocumented who have been in the United States for years or even decades.
Rubio wants tough measures for any undocumented wanting to become a legal resident of America. He wants those undocumented who qualify to pay back-taxes, go through an extensive background check, and get at the end of the line for becoming a legal permanent resident and eventually a U.S. citizen. Rubio also believes in the U.S.-Mexico border being made more “secure.” Democrats are going along with this as long as Rubio agrees to allow the undocumented to stay and try to become legal. Cruz will not even agree to this, and he most certainly will vote against any and all immigration reform packages. But even if somehow an immigration reform package passes through the U.S. Senate, it does not have much of a chance in the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. President Barack Obama, the Democrats, and some Republicans have their work cut out for them.
Odd Latino Politician Out
By: Daniel Nardini
Maybe he is going by his conscience, but his views are right now at odds with fellow U.S. Senator Rick Rubio (Republican-Florida) and a growing number of Republicans. Rubio, also a Cuban-American and an active member of the Tea Party, has seen the political writing on the wall. His party took a big hit during the presidential election. Less than one-third of all voting eligible Latino voted for the Republican candidate Mitt Romney. This shows that not only do many Latinos not like the Republicans, but that Republican Latinos have been leaving the party in droves. Republican Latinos were simply horrified by the party’s political platform on Latino immigrants and the undocumented, and this just drove them into the Democratic Party. Rubio, far from being in favor of the undocumented, has recognized that some means must be found to include the estimated 11 million undocumented who have been in the United States for years or even decades.
Rubio wants tough measures for any undocumented wanting to become a legal resident of America. He wants those undocumented who qualify to pay back-taxes, go through an extensive background check, and get at the end of the line for becoming a legal permanent resident and eventually a U.S. citizen. Rubio also believes in the U.S.-Mexico border being made more “secure.” Democrats are going along with this as long as Rubio agrees to allow the undocumented to stay and try to become legal. Cruz will not even agree to this, and he most certainly will vote against any and all immigration reform packages. But even if somehow an immigration reform package passes through the U.S. Senate, it does not have much of a chance in the U.S. House of Representatives. U.S. President Barack Obama, the Democrats, and some Republicans have their work cut out for them.