GOP Whip McCarthy: Secure Border Before We Talk About Amnesty

GOP Whip McCarthy: Secure Border Before We Talk About Amnesty

on Thu, 15 Aug 2013

House Majority Whip Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) states on his congressional website that no amnesty should be granted to any illegal immigrants.

“As a nation founded by immigrants, we should to continue embrace the individuals who wait in line and come to the United States legally to work hard and contribute to our society,” McCarthy writes on the page titled “Immigration” on his official House of Representatives website. 

“However, we should not provide any amnesty that would benefit those who defy our laws and enter the United States illegally," it continues. "In order to reduce the number of illegal immigrants in our country, we must enforce the laws that already exist. In order to do this, we must secure our border by using both physical as well as electronic barriers. We should also ensure that illegal immigrants are not receiving any of the benefits that are reserved for American Citizens.”

In a statement provided to Breitbart News, McCarthy’s spokesman Mike Long reiterated that statement on his website and said that only after the border is secure would McCarthy consider legal status for any illegal immigrants.

"Only after the border is secure, Whip McCarthy would consider earned legal status for individuals that were brought to the United States, such as proposals being discussed legislatively regarding kids or those who have served honorably in our armed services,” Long said, a promise that extends to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor’s forthcoming KIDS Act, a version of the DREAM Act.

He would only consider the KIDS Act "only after real border security legislation is passed,” Long said.

Despite McCarthy’s stated stance against any form of amnesty, left-wing activists targeted him on Wednesday. As Breitbart News editor-in-chief Joel Pollak reported, 400 activists showed up to protest, even though organizers—progressive activists and labor union leaders—had promised crowds in the thousands. The progressive activists and media storming McCarthy's Bakersfield office, seen in this video Breitbart News' Lee Stranahan obtained, seem to have had no effect on his stance on the issue.

McCarthy’s stated position seems to be in line with that of House Speaker John Boehner, who says no immigration bill will be brought to the floor for a vote unless a majority of House Republicans support it. As Breitbart News has reported, it appears no legalization bill that would provide amnesty to any illegal immigrants is going to have the support of the majority of Republicans, though there some members have joined Democrats to support it.

Boehner also said, according to local sheriffs who met with his staff recently, that no legal status for any illegal immigrants will be considered until the border is secured and the nation's interior immigration laws are enforced.