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“City Journal” Contributing Editor Heather MacDonald on the Senate immigration plan.
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And it's our first guest tonight says the gang of eight immigration plan is immediate unconditional outright amnesty.
But the Republicans after the last election will not oppose it any longer.
Joining us now is Manhattan institute fellows city journal contributing editor Heather McDonald have a good to have you here thank you -- Outright amnesty those used to be fighting words in this country they are no longer such.
Well it's called probationary status which is a euphemism for amnesty it immediately grants.
Probationary status to the illegal aliens in the country.
Which grants them the right to be here.
Until some future point when they borders -- declared secured but they basically it's functional.
Legalization.
Eight.
We have.
Is I believe just about every one of those senators use the expression de facto amnesty right now.
Because of what is happening across the country in various states some states.
In nearly every state one -- have if illegal.
Are illegally here -- checking account and get mortgages in many states and originating with a lot of banking institutions major institutions.
I mean it's it's -- facto amnesty it's a reality that is being recognized apparently now by both.
Part that's an excellent point Lou and it undercuts the notion that illegal aliens are living in the shadows in fact this is not.
So onerous to condition the problem within an official amnesty.
Is the moral hazard problem that is it acts as a -- To people who are considering coming in because they know that if they just get in the border at some point they will gain.
Official to jury legal status.
And an issue of bringing in attracting more illegal immigrants and the number eleven million which -- -- using here tonight or more.
-- that more rises to twenty million in some estimates.
It what is your assessment of the number of illegal immigrants in this country 40% of rumor presumed to be.
Overstays on pieces.
Also about 80% originating.
I'm from from Mexico Central America softener.
-- the vast majority of course the biggest bloc comes from Mexico and we have a very -- -- but it's also problem that we have a border that is very close it's unlike any.
Previous.
Immigration situation so called land bridge and what we're seeing a California is really the glimpse of the future.
Is a population that is not succeeding educationally California governor Jerry Brown recently declared that he -- -- -- We distribute state education funding from middle class schools to schools with high proportions of English learners.
Because they are not succeeding an English learner in California's somebody who's been here.
All -- life but his academic skills are so low that he is officially designated as a non English speaker so this is a population that.
Is very low educated.
It's that at the highest proportion of people without high school on diplomas in our country or illegals.
And it's not what we need to advance economically I was disappointed.
That.
Marco Rubio in his earlier famous interview in the Wall Street Journal.
Proposed as part of this package moving officially towards an immigration system that gives priority to skills.
Rather than family reunification.
That idea has dropped out completely of the gang of its plan which suggests to me.
-- it's a nonstarter and that what we're doing is confirming.
-- kerrobert in the existing status quo.
If it will be interesting to -- he'll be talking with the senator here or shortly.
And I will ask him about that in your behalf as Rollins the rest of us presents an important question.
The country has lost sight of how to deal to effectively.
Administer an immigration program.
Based on the nation's needs we have unemployment rate at 10%.
We bring in legally and illegally the same number of emigrants if the unemployment as it very complementary -- 5%.
We'll take them up with the senator's well.
Say -- your judgment then that this bipartisan effort this time unlike 2007.
Will succeed.
-- will the election has scared.
Republicans their Hispanic -- the term goes.
And I think that they believe that if they can.
Get the immigration issue off the public agenda.
They will win over large sections of the Hispanic population -- -- as Republican voters I'm skeptical of that but that is the motivation.
I'm skeptical.
It to the point that you think that the Republicans are consigned to -- perfidy.
If you will as a result of their policies or principles that are ground game and know.
A benefit of all been significant benefit with Hispanic American vote.
They should make the case for free markets as as vigorously as they possibly can but up -- now the overwhelming reason that.
Hispanics have been drawn to the Democratic Party is big government big taxes which they support.
Heather McDonald Manhattan institute thanks for being thank you and.
