What Do The GOP Immigration Talking Points Really Mean?
Talking Point
We need to secure the border first.
Reality
We’re never going to do immigration.
Who Says This?
Scott Walker
"I look at the problems we've experienced for the last few years. I've talked to governors on the border and others out there. I've talked to people all across America," Walker said. "And the concerns I have is that we need to secure the border. I look at the problems we've experienced for the last few years. I've talked to governors on the border and others out there. I've talked to people all across America," Walker said. "And the concerns I have is that we need to secure the border."
Marco Rubio
"What I've learned is that you can't even have a conversation about that until people believe and know — not believe, but know — that future illegal immigration can be controlled and brought under control."
Ted Cruz
"The insecurity of our borders is causing human tragedies in our country, many, many of which are occurring in my home state of Texas. Central to any debate over immigration is the need to secure our borders."
Rand Paul
"I will be voting no on the Senate's Gang of Eight immigration bill for one simple reason: because the legislation does not secure the border first."
Ben Carson
"All of this is irrelevant unless we have secure borders. There is much that can be learned from security personnel in prisons and other secured facilities, and there is a great deal of smart technology that can be employed to achieve secure borders. It is a matter of will rather than ability."
Bobby Jindal
"I can hear the critics now: They will say we can’t secure the border, it’s too hard. But that’s a straw man — the people who say we can’t secure the border are really saying that they don’t want to secure the border."
Jeb Bush
"First and foremost we need to control our border…The 40 percent of the people that have come here illegally came with a legal visa and overstayed their bounds. We outta be able to figure out where they are and politely ask them to leave."
[{"id":7,"talking_point":"We need to secure the border first.","reality":"We\u2019re never going to do immigration.","opeds":[{"ID":"13","title":"Scott Walker","content":"\"I look at the problems we've experienced for the last few years. I've talked to governors on the border and others out there. I've talked to people all across America,\" Walker said. \"And the concerns I have is that we need to secure the border.\u00a0I look at the problems we've experienced for the last few years. I've talked to governors on the border and others out there. I've talked to people all across America,\" Walker said. \"And the concerns I have is that we need to secure the border.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-ScottWalker.jpg","source":"The Slate","source_link":"http:\/\/www.slate.com\/blogs\/the_slatest\/2015\/03\/01\/scott_walker_says_his_mind_has_changed_on_immigration.html","source_date":"03\/01\/2015"},{"ID":"14","title":"Marco Rubio","content":"\"What I've learned is that you can't even have a conversation about that until people believe and know\u00a0\u2014 not believe, but know \u2014\u00a0that future illegal immigration can be controlled and brought under control.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Marco_Rubio_Official_Portrait_112th_Congress.jpg","source":"Huffington Post","source_link":"http:\/\/www.huffingtonpost.com\/2015\/02\/27\/marco-rubio-cpac_n_6756806.html","source_date":"02\/27\/2015"},{"ID":"15","title":"Ted Cruz","content":"\"The insecurity of our borders is causing human tragedies in our country, many, many of which are occurring in my home state of Texas. Central to any debate over immigration is the need to secure our borders.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Ted_Cruz_official_portrait_113th_Congress.jpg","source":"C-Span","source_link":"http:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?c4456669\/senator-ted-cruz-june-19-2013","source_date":"06\/19\/2014"},{"ID":"16","title":"Rand Paul","content":"\"I will be voting no on the Senate's Gang of Eight immigration bill for one simple reason: because the legislation does not secure the border first.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Rand_Paul_official_portrait_112th_Congress_alternate.jpg","source":"Politico","source_link":"http:\/\/www.politico.com\/story\/2013\/06\/why-im-voting-no-on-immigration-reform-93340.html","source_date":"06\/25\/2013"},{"ID":"21","title":"Ben Carson","content":"\"All of this is irrelevant unless we have secure borders. There is much that can be learned from security personnel in prisons and other secured facilities, and there is a great deal of smart technology that can be employed to achieve secure borders. It is a matter of will rather than ability.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Ben_Carson_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg","source":"National Review","source_link":"http:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/article\/392540\/my-prescription-immigration-reform-ben-carson","source_date":"11\/12\/2014"},{"ID":"26","title":"Bobby Jindal","content":"\"I can hear the critics now: They will say we can\u2019t secure the border, it\u2019s too hard. But that\u2019s a straw man \u2014 the people who say we can\u2019t secure the border are really saying that they don\u2019t want to secure the border.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Bobby_Jindal_by_Gage_Skidmore.jpg","source":"National Review","source_link":"http:\/\/www.nationalreview.com\/article\/352983\/botching-immigration-again-gov-bobby-jindal","source_date":"07\/09\/2013"},{"ID":"67","title":"Jeb Bush","content":"\"First and foremost we need to control our border\u2026The 40 percent of the people that have come here illegally came with a legal visa and overstayed their bounds. We outta be able to figure out where they are and politely ask them to leave.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Jeb_Bush_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg","source":"Breitbart","source_link":"http:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/video\/2015\/01\/25\/jeb-bush-we-need-to-control-border-by-politely-asking-illegals-to-leave\/","source_date":"01\/25\/2015"}]},{"id":10,"talking_point":"We need to end Obama\u2019s lawless DAPA and DACA.","reality":"I think we should maximize the number of deportations.","opeds":[{"ID":"22","title":"Ted Cruz","content":"\"In January 2017, we will have a new president and if I am elected president, the very first thing I intend to do on the first day is rescind every single unconstitutional or illegal executive action from President Obama.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Ted_Cruz_official_portrait_113th_Congress.jpg","source":"Breitbart","source_link":"http:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/big-government\/2015\/04\/01\/exclusive-ted-cruz-my-first-act-as-president-will-be-to-undo-obamas-unconstitutional-executive-orders\/","source_date":"04\/01\/2015"},{"ID":"30","title":"Newt Gingrich","content":"\"We should have prepared executive orders replacing all of Obama\u2019s unconstitutional executive orders across the board. And on the first day the new president is sworn in, he should sign all of those orders so you could literally wipe out a wave of Obama executive orders in 24 hours.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Newt_Gingrich_by_Gage_Skidmore_7.jpg","source":"Townhall.com","source_link":"http:\/\/townhall.com\/tipsheet\/sarahjeanseman\/2015\/02\/01\/watch-n1950772","source_date":"02\/01\/2015"},{"ID":"32","title":"Rand Paul","content":"\u201cIt\u2019s been immigration, it\u2019s been healthcare reform as well as war powers. He thinks he can do anything. In frankly almost all of these areas he\u2019s usurped his authority. It\u2019s wrong from a constitutional perspective. I think with DACA [the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive amnesty], he has no authority to do DACA. Not only is it wrong from a constitutional perspective but then in doing so it becomes something that really messes up the border.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Rand_Paul_official_portrait_112th_Congress_alternate.jpg","source":"Breitbart","source_link":"http:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/big-government\/2014\/09\/11\/new-hampshire-rand-paul-vows-to-repeal-every-prior-executive-order-if-elected-president\/","source_date":"09\/01\/2014"},{"ID":"34","title":"Rick Perry","content":"\u201cThe president\u2019s decision tonight will lead to more illegal immigration, not less. It is time for the president and Congress to secure our border, followed by meaningful reforms.\u201d","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Rick_Perry_by_Gage_Skidmore_8.jpg","source":"RickPerry.org","source_link":"http:\/\/www.rickperry.org\/release\/statement-gov-perry-executive-action-president-obama","source_date":"\/\/"},{"ID":"68","title":"Jeb Bush","content":"\"President Obama\u2019s ill-advised unilateral action on illegal immigration undermines all efforts to forge a permanent solution to this crisis. Action must come in the form of bipartisan comprehensive reform passed through Congress.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Jeb_Bush_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg","source":"CNN","source_link":"http:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2014\/12\/16\/politics\/jeb-bush-on-immigration\/","source_date":"12\/17\/2014"},{"ID":"69","title":"Marco Rubio","content":"\u201cThe 2012 order has to come to end at some point. That executive order will expire at the end of this presidency \u2026 that cannot be the permanent policy of the United States. I think it was wrong to make that decision in the first place.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Marco_Rubio_Official_Portrait_112th_Congress.jpg","source":"Buzzfeed","source_link":"http:\/\/www.buzzfeed.com\/johnstanton\/rubio-obamas-dreamer-executive-action-was-the-wrong-decision#.qv9MODJ8M","source_date":"01\/21\/2015"}]},{"id":11,"talking_point":"I support legalization but not citizenship.","reality":"Immigrants can work for us, but never become \u2018one of us.'","opeds":[{"ID":"35","title":"Jeb Bush","content":"\"It must be a basic prerequisite for citizenship to respect the rule of law. But those who entered illegally, despite compelling reasons to do so in many instances, did so knowing that they were violating the law of the land. A grant of citizenship is an undeserving reward for conduct that we cannot afford to encourage.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Jeb_Bush_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg","source":"Immigration Wars Page 73","source_link":"http:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Immigration-Wars-Forging-American-Solution\/dp\/1476713464","source_date":"01\/02\/2014"}]},{"id":61,"talking_point":"Immigrants should return to home countries before getting legal status.","reality":"Translation: Immigrants should self-deport even though, because of few visas and harsh penalties, they\u2019ll never be able to come back.","opeds":[{"ID":"62","title":"Jeb Bush","content":"\"The 40 percent of the people that have come illegally came with a legal visa and overstayed their bounds. We ought to be able to find where they are and politely ask them to leave.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Jeb_Bush_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg","source":"Washington Post","source_link":"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/blogs\/the-fix\/wp\/2015\/01\/27\/jeb-bush-needs-a-better-answer-on-immigration\/ http:\/\/www.c-span.org\/video\/?c4525320\/jeb-immigratipn","source_date":"01\/23\/2015"},{"ID":"63","title":"Scott Walker","content":"\"We got to have a system that works, but then the onus is on the employers and the penalties have to be steep\u00a0that\u00a0they\u2019re only hiring people who are here, who are legal to be here. No amnesty, if someone wants to be a\u00a0citizen, they\u00a0have to go back to their country of origin and get in line behind everybody else who\u2019s waiting.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-ScottWalker.jpg","source":"Breitbart","source_link":"http:\/\/www.breitbart.com\/big-government\/2015\/04\/20\/scott-walker-lays-out-pro-american-worker-stance-on-immigration\/","source_date":"04\/20\/2015"},{"ID":"64","title":"Ben Carson","content":"\"Non-citizens would have to apply for guest-worker permits and have guaranteed jobs awaiting them. Taxes would be\u00a0paid at a rate commensurate with other U.S. workers, and special visas would allow for easy entry and egress across\u00a0borders. Guest-worker status would be granted to individuals and not to groups. People already here illegally could\u00a0apply for guest-worker status from outside of the country. This means they would have to leave first. They should in no\u00a0way be rewarded for having broken our laws, but if they are wise they will arrange with their employers before they leave\u00a0to immediately offer them legal jobs as soon as their applications are received. When they return, they still would not be\u00a0U.S. citizens, but they would be legal, and they would be paying taxes.\"","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/Ben_Carson_by_Gage_Skidmore_3.jpg","source":"Washington Times","source_link":"http:\/\/www.washingtontimes.com\/news\/2014\/nov\/18\/a-common-sense-prescription-for-immigration\/","source_date":"11\/18\/2014"},{"ID":"65","title":"Mike Huckabee","content":"\u201cThose who register and return to their home country will face no penalty if they later apply to immigrate or\u00a0visit; those who do not return home will be, when caught, barred from future re-entry for a period of 10 years.\u201d","img":"https:\/\/goptalkingpoints.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/04\/220px-Mike_Huckabee_by_Gage_Skidmore_2.jpg","source":"Washington Post","source_link":"http:\/\/www.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/article\/2008\/01\/11\/AR2008011103412.html","source_date":"01\/12\/2008"}]}]