Once the GOP agrees to amnesty, they will self-emasculate their base's favorite moral argument: "What part of 'illegal' don't you understand?"
But that won't get the media to stop telling Hispanics that Republicans are evil white men who hate Latinos because look how they didn't give the undocumented the vote! That campaign of anti-white agitation will then go on for years until the GOP gives in on The Path to Citizenship, too.
Thus, the New York Times prepares Phase 2 of the immigration campaign:
![All In for Citizenship rally]()
Immigration activists last spring called for a special path to citizenship. Alex Wong/Getty ImagesOne of the contentious points in negotiations over comprehensive immigration reform is a House Republican
proposal that would allow for a form of legal status to immigrants who are in the United States illegally, but would not include a clear path to citizenship.
But is it sensible to make citizenship hard to obtain for someone who is allowed to live and work here after years of residence? Would it be in the national interest for them to have the rights and responsibilities of citizenship?
READ THE DISCUSSION »
![Lisa García Bedolla]()
LISA GARCÍA BEDOLLA, CENTER FOR LATINO POLICY RESEARCH
Being free of the fear of deportation will make a significant difference in the lives of millions of our nation’s immigrants. But that is not sufficient.
![Jessica Vaughan]()
JESSICA VAUGHAN, CENTER FOR IMMIGRATION STUDIES.
House Republicans are rightfully skeptical of legalization proposals that will disadvantage the citizens who are already here.
![Cesar Vargas]()
CESAR VARGAS, DREAM ACTION COALITION
The scourge of deportation needs to be stopped. If legal status can be obtained now, we can try for a special path to citizenship later.
![Dan Tichenor]()
DAN TICHENOR, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
Few democratic principles are more elemental than that those subject to government authority have rights to influence the exercise of that authority.
