BY JOHN FEEHERY
JAN 21 | Reprinted from TheFeeheryTheory.com

Originally published in the Wall Street Journal’s Think Tank

I’m with Carlos Curbelo.

He gave the Spanish language version of the Republican response and in it he said, “We should work through the appropriate channels to create permanent solutions to our immigration system, modernize legal immigration, and strengthen our economy.”

That phrase was left out of Joni Ernst’s response, which went to a broader, non-Spanish speaking audience.

It’s no secret that there is a difference of opinion within Republican ranks about immigration reform.

Some people want to fix the system and some people don’t.

Ironically, the people who don’t want to fix the system are the ones who complain the loudest about the flood of illegal immigration in this country.

They are deathly afraid that any immigration bill that passes both the House and the Senate will include provisions that they brand amnesty.

So they would rather stick with a broken system than take the chance that reform might not be to their liking.

The Homeland Security Committee is marking up the toughest border bill ever considered by the Congress, and yet anti-immigration groups are urging its defeat, mostly because they are afraid of what might happen to it when it goes to the Senate.

The GOP should ignore their pleas and listen to members such as Mr. Curbelo, the freshman, newly elected from Miami. We should be the party that welcomes legal immigrants into this country and that works to fix our broken immigration system.

Editor’s Note: John Feehery worked for former House Speaker Dennis Hastert and other Republicans in Congress. Feehery is president of Quinn Gillespie Communications. He is a contributor to The Hill’s Pundits Blog and blogs at thefeeherytheory.com.