Reagan relented and signed the bill on the promise that we would legalize roughly a million people in exchange for the enforcement of the law thereafter and that there would never be another amnesty again so long as this country would live. The 1 million became 3 million. and the amnesties that were added to that in smaller proportions added up to at least 6. perhaps 7. in addition to the 1986 amnesty. And here we are today. having fought off this amnesty these years for more than a decade that I have been directly involved in the immigration policy. and we are on the cusp of it again. The President of the United States stood up there in front of you where you are. Mr. Speaker. and he gave his State of the Union address here on the floor of the House of Representatives and essentially. and figuratively. he waved his ink pen at us and he said: Congress. you do what I tell you on immigration. I want comprehensive immigration reform. I want you to pass the Senate Gang of Eight amnesty act. Now I am speaking figuratively. of course. because that is not a direct quote of the President. but it is certainly the message that the President delivered: Do what I tell you to do. or I will use my. in one other setting. his cell phone. or his ink pen. to act in a unilateralhe didnt say it. but he knows itunconstitutional fashion.
Keywords matched
immigration