WFB: When the 116th Congress convenes next January, it will be without the majority of the Republican supporters of the Gang of Eight’s ill-fated immigration plan, signaling a transformation in how left, right, and America in general deal with the issue.
Just 6 of the original 14 Republicans who backed the proposal will return to Congress—and most of these have moved significantly away from their 2013 centrism to being more unambiguously aligned with President Donald Trump. On the left, meanwhile, the bill’s original authors all remain, as the Democratic Party grows ever more radical on border issues.
The Gang of Eight proposal—technically, the Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act—was the work of a group of four Democratic and four Republican senators. On the left were Michael Bennett (Colo.), Robert Menendez (N.J.), Dick Durbin (Ill.), and Chuck Schumer (N.Y.); on the right were John McCain (Ariz.), Jeff Flake (Ariz.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Marco Rubio (Fla.).
The proposal was intended as a comprehensive overhaul of the U.S. immigration system. It traded enhanced border enforcement, an end to the diversity visa lottery, and a slight reduction in the number of family visas for an amnesty for America’s 11 million illegal immigrants and expanded high- and low-skilled immigration under employment visa categories.
The bill passed the Senate with the votes of 14 Republicans, but was killed in the House by then-speaker John Boehner (R., Ohio), who declined to bring it to a vote. This was in no small part because it faced harsh criticism. Voices on the right who argued it was unnecessary, riddled with loopholes, and would lead to a net increase in the foreign-born, especially low-skilled, population, which would further exacerbate many restrictionists’ concerns.
Of the 14 Republicans who broke ranks to back the Gang of Eight bill, just 6 remain. Two—senators Kelly Ayotte (N.H.) and Mark Kirk (Ill.)—lost reelection in 2016. Sen. Dean Heller (Nev.), whom immigration restrictionist group NumbersUSA gave a lifetime C ranking on his immigration votes, failed to win his reelection bid on Tuesday.
Another crop of three are all officially retiring at the end of this term. Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) has been a staunch ally of Trump (his successor, Senator-elect Mitt Romney, has been vocally critical). But the other two—senators Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Bob Corker (Tenn.)—have often been at loggerheads with the president. Flake in fact cited disagreement with Arizona Republicans on the issue of immigration as a reason for his retirement.
Among those no longer in the Senate, John McCain (Ariz.) passed away in August after an extended battle with brain cancer and Jeffrey Chiesa (N.J.) served only four months in the position vacated by the death of Frank Lautenberg before declining to run for reelection. Cory Booker (D.) would eventually fill Chiesa’s seat. more here
The little rat Rubio needs to go too. He has mixed loyalties to say the least.
The gang that chose immigrants over the American citizen and expected us to pay for it. Make them pay for it at their next re-election. I don’t care if they’re in 2.0 mode either.
There will be others. There are always traitors.
“Among those no longer in the Senate, John McCain (Ariz.) passed away in August after an extended battle with brain cancer…”
Yeah. That cancer thing began about 40 years ago. Fortunately for him (and us), it’s all over now.
grool- True, but they’ll hesitate to show their faces while Trump is in office. lol
The Free Beacon uses the term “restrictionists” to describe those who want to obey the law as well as not finish off what’s left of the American culture. I prefer “preservers” or “those without their heads up their a$$e$”.
Just enforce the Statutes and Laws already in place. That’s all that is needed. Call it the Comprehensive Illegal Immigration Act of 2018 and be done with it. And build the damned wall from sea to shining sea.