Out of the Alabama delegation, three members have immediately voiced their opposition to the “Gang of Eight” legislation: Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Huntsville, Rep. Martha Roby, R-Montgomery and Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Saks.
“What the Senate passed today is deeply flawed,” Roby said in a statement. “An immigration reform bill that doesn’t truly secure the border isn’t immigration reform at all. I’m pleased that the House won’t take up this Senate monstrosity, but rather start fresh on true immigration reform and go through regular order. That means any immigration bills will have to withstand the rigorous committee process, transparent for the American people to see. And, if legislation can’t stand up to that scrutiny, it won’t and shouldn’t become law.”
Roby explained that although she isn’t a member of the Judiciary Committee, which is the committee that will be undertaking the immigration issue, she did express her continued opposition to any law that would grant amnesty to illegal immigrants.
“Though I don’t serve on the Judiciary Committee, my staff and I are closely monitoring any developments relating to immigration,” she said. “There’s no question our immigration system is broken and in need of reform, but it matters how we do it. I’m against offering amnesty for illegal immigrants. I will oppose any attempt at reform that won’t truly secure the border. And, I will fight to ensure American taxpayers aren’t forced to pay for the addition of millions illegal immigrants to the rolls of our assistance programs.”
Rogers took a similar tack in vowing to oppose the Senate effort’s if it made its way through the House for a vote.
“I am deeply disappointed in the Senate’s decision to pass a comprehensive amnesty bill today,” Rogers said in a statement. “This bill rewards those who have broken our laws and doesn’t do enough to secure our borders in order to prevent future illegal immigration. I will firmly oppose any version of this bill should it come before the House.”
Brooks let his position on the “Gang of Eight” bill be known in a speech on the House floor on Thursday afternoon and said the bill would expand welfare rolls.
“America suffers from four consecutive trillion dollar deficits and a $17-trillion debt that risk a debilitating American insolvency and bankruptcy,” Brooks said. “Financial responsibility is the key to minimizing America’s risk of economic disaster wrought by crippling debt. Yet, the Senate ‘Gang of Eight’ amnesty bill is the height of financial irresponsibility. It makes illegal aliens a bigger financial burden on America, racks up higher deficits, and increases America’s risk of insolvency and bankruptcy. The Senate ‘Gang of Eight’ amnesty bill immediately gives illegal aliens state and local welfare. That is in addition to the federal welfare illegal aliens already lawfully and unlawfully get.”
Brooks cited a report by the watchdog group Judicial Watch to point out that the corruption is already rampant within the food stamp program, with illegal immigrants receiving benefits from U.S. Department of Agriculture case workers. He also alluded to a Heritage Foundation study released last May by Robert Rector and Jason Richwine that spelled out the costs of immigration reform.
Thus he said the “Gang of Eight” effort must be defeated.
“The Senate Gang of 8 amnesty bill is reckless with the truth and misleads the American public,” Brooks argued. “Not only will illegal immigration increase American taxpayer burdens through welfare, Obamacare, and other pay-outs, but illegal immigration is already costing U.S. taxpayers more than $14,000 a year, per illegal alien household. All told, per the Federation of Americans for Immigration Reform, illegal aliens already cost American taxpayers roughly $100 billion per year in net tax losses.”
“The Senate ‘Gang of Eight’ amnesty bill does not properly manage welfare, does not give border security, mismanages tax dollars, thereby hammering already-stressed and overtaxed American families and taxpayers, and aggravates America’s already bad financial condition, thus increasing America’s risk of a debilitating insolvency and bankruptcy,” he continued. “Mr. Speaker, the Senate ‘Gang of Eight’ bill must be defeated at all cost. America’s future depends on it.”
Related:
1. Immigration bill passes, Senate gallery chants “YES WE CAN!”
2. Shelby says immigration bill is “mother of all amnesties”
3. Mike Rogers to Obama: Get serious on border security
4. Sessions: Can anyone explain how this immigration bill will help struggling Americans?
What else is going on?
1. Rogers: ‘Our constitutional rights have been taking a beating’
2. Sims: DOMA decision is a ‘loss for big government’
3. Shelby says immigration bill is “mother of all amnesties”
4. Rep. McClendon appears on MSNBC discussing SCOTUS ruling on Voting Rights Act
5. Flashback 2006: Jo Bonner, Terry Everett voted against Voting Rights Act of 1965 renewal
