We have been told throughout this debate that this is the best compromise that can be achieved and. after all. isnt compromise the essence of what the Senate is all about. is coming to a consensus after a long debate? The difference with this grand bargain is that the die was cast long before the debate began. The process whereby this bill came to the floor bypassed the regular order. and its outcome has been ordained by the grand bargainers to prevent amendments that might actually improve the bill from becoming part of the solution to Americas broken immigration system. Opposing the underlying bill or proposing amendments to improve it has led to labels such as antiimmigrant or nativist or xenophobic. I am none of the above. It is not antiimmigrant to be for the rule of law. It is not nativist to be for enforcing Americas laws. And it is not xenophobic to believe that those who come to America should come here legally. America has a long tradition as a welcoming nation. I am a product of that tradition. In 1906. two Norwegian brothers named Nicolai and Matthew Gjelsvik came to America from Norway. The only English they knew were the words "apple pie" and "coffee." which evidently they learned on the way over. When they arrived at Ellis Island. the immigration officials determined that their given name would be too difficult to spell and pronounce for people in this country so they asked them to change it. Gjelsvik was how they spelled it. They picked the name of the farm where they worked near Bergin.
Keywords matched
xenophobic antiimmigrant immigration