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Subscribe to RSSWashington is bracing for a fight in 2013 over immigration reform, a battle that could improve upon -- or threaten to exacerbate -- Republicans’ standing among Latino voters.
Gov. Bob McDonnell, R-Va., explains how the GOP can rebrand beginning with its policies on immigration and other issues.
White House and Democratic leaders have begun signaling that they might pursue the type of comprehensive immigration reform deal that has eluded President Barack Obama during his first term in office.
Related -- Hispanics to Obama: We helped you, now you help us
Their renewed push coincides with a fresh round of soul-searching among Republicans after Hispanic and Latino voters, who made up 10 percent of the electorate, broke for Obama over GOP nominee Mitt Romney by a 44-point margin.
An immigration reform debate next year in Congress could offer Republicans an opportunity to improve upon their 2012 performance, or further push Latino voters into the “firmly Democratic” category.
David Mcnew / Getty Images
A sign points to a polling place inside El Mercado de Los Angeles, a Mexico-style marketplace in the heavily Latino East L.A. area, on Tuesday.
Wider battle
Undergirding this inflection point for Republicans is a broader battle for the soul of the Republican Party. It pits the GOP's conservative wing, which speaks vocally against immigration reform, against leaders who urge the party to adapt for the sake of future electability.
“Republicans should approach it as the party of Reagan and Bush -- the party that has historically been pro-immigration,” said Grover Norquist, the anti-tax activist who is also spearheading an effort to sway fellow Republicans toward embracing immigration reform.
“We’re up against a president who introduced nothing legislatively. The idea that Obama and Democrats are good on this is all optics and no reality,” he said.
The party is a far cry from the days of George W. Bush's presidency, when he urged Congress to pass an immigration reform bill that offered undocumented immigrants a pathway to citizenship.
Republican leaders like Arizona Sen. John McCain were vocal proponents of those sorts of reforms, but the party has drifted rightward since conservatives balked at Bush’s 2007 immigration push -- and it has bled Latino voters ever since.
RELATED: The last days of Romneyland
“The best thing about Republicans losing is that it will likely force them to cut an immigration deal,” said former Bush aide Mark McKinnon.
McCain, one of the party’s centrist figures on immigration, cut an ad during his 2010 re-election campaign urging the government to “build the danged fence” -- that is, a fence sealing the border between the United States and Mexico.
NBC's Tamron Hall breaks down the results of the NBC News national exit poll, which shows a gender gap that worked in President Obama's favor as well as a boost from the Latino community, from which he received more votes than four years ago.
Republican senators who had supported the DREAM Act -- a piece of legislation offering a pathway to citizenship for children brought to the U.S. illegally -- withdrew their support and voted against the proposal in the last lame-duck Congress, fearing the backlash of the Tea Party at its apex of power.
Republican Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer spearheaded one of the most far-reaching immigration laws in the country, which allowed law enforcement officials to ask anyone whom they suspected of illegally being in the United States for proof of their residence.
The party’s shift was even more vividly illustrated during the 2012 Republican presidential primary. In that race, Mitt Romney positioned himself to the right of his opponents, going so far as to characterize his policy as favoring “self-deportation” by making life in the United States so difficult for undocumented immigrants that they would voluntarily choose to leave.
“Should I win a second term, a big reason I will win a second term is because the Republican nominee and the Republican Party have so alienated the fastest-growing demographic group in the country, the Latino community,” Obama told the editors of the Des Moines Register in October, adding that it would facilitate a “deep interest” in the GOP to get immigration reform done.
Complete coverage on NBCPolitics.com
Added David Axelrod, the senior adviser to the president’s campaign, two days after the election: “I think the Republican Party has some soul-searching to do after this election, and all you have to do is look at the nature of our coalition.”
The political timing for Democrats is ripe, and they have sent every signal in the aftermath of the election that they intend to seize the moment.
Texas Congressman-elect Joaquin Castro joins NBC's Andrea Mitchell to discuss his election, immigration reform and minorities in Congress.
Vice President Joe Biden told reporters on Wednesday that he was “very optimistic” about the prospects for immigration reform because the election had served as a “wake-up call” for his GOP colleagues.
Gearing up for vote
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said Wednesday as well that the Senate should expect to vote on immigration reform this year.
RELATED: Why the I-4 corridor is no longer a swing area
“The only thing we need to get immigration reform done is a few Republican votes,” he said at a post-election press conference. “It’s high on my list, and we’re going to have a few votes on it.”
Mark Wilson / Getty Images
Latinos and immigrants rallied in front of the White House on Thursday, calling on President Obama to fulfill his promise of passing comprehensive immigration reform.
Democrats’ biggest ally in gathering Republican support, might be the specter of further Republican marginalization among Latinos.
“As a 14-year elected Republican official, I have to say that I'm very concerned about the Republican Party -- not that I didn't see it coming,” Republican Utah Attorney General Mark Shurtleff said on a conference call Thursday to address immigration.
RELATED: Down-ballot races showed deep divides across America
He called on his fellow Republicans to reject the “extreme right,” and move forward with some kind of immigration reform.
Norquist said he believes Republicans in Congress can be swayed toward immigration reform -- and even seize the initiative on it -- within a year.
“We need our Paul Ryan on the subject,” he said, “the person who understands this issue better than anyone else, and walk colleagues through, step-by-step.”
More election coverage from NBCNews.com:
- Victorious Obama 'more determined' in face of challenges
- Now that he's won, six splitting headaches waiting for Obama
- Democrats retain control of Senate with series of hard-fought wins
- One big winner in Tuesday's vote: health reform
- Romney's English cousin sad he lost, sort of
- Rape remarks sink two Republican Senate hopefuls
- In costliest-ever Senate race, Warren beats Brown for Mass. seat
- Maine's Harley-riding King vowed to 'shake up' D.C.
- Republicans easily maintain control of House
- Colorado, Washington approve recreational marijuana use
- Wisconsin's Baldwin becomes 1st openly gay senator
- Pence in as governor of Indiana; Hassan wins in N.H.
- World welcomes Obama's 2nd term - but many challenges loom
- Majority of voters see American on wrong track
- Top 10 foreign policy issues facing Obama
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Some Republicans' flips to support for Latino immigration reminds one of a quip by the late Sen. Everett Dirksen. "When I feel the heat, I see the light".
And herein lies the current problem with America. People only view their personal desires as important...not what is actually best for America. This is why the election went as it did. You are a fool if you honestly believe Obama is better for our economy and National Defense than Romney. Neither candidate was perfect, but Romney was head and shoulders above Obama on these two important issues. With unemployment of AMERICAN CITIZENS nearing 10%....a huge number...too many people want to allow illegal immigrants to be legalized.... Anyone should be able to show up and be considered a citizen. OK, if that is your opinion and you voted for Obama then stop complaining about the jobless rate, reimbursement of your tuition because you cannot find a job, the crime rate of non-Americans, Shia Law established in Muslim communities, and any other effect of allowing anyone to come to this country and stay without regard to the laws we have in place. You can't have both...it's just a fact. Remember that you heard this here...unemployment will rise above 12% with Obama....possibly reach 15%. He may not have raised income taxes YET...but he has raised federal taxes on fuel, luxury taxes (tobacco, alcohol, car sales, etc), and multiple other industries...which drive the price we pay higher. I'm astonished that so many people do not realize this. Your taxes and mine will pay for health care, schooling, etc of these soon-to-be "legal" immigrants while they get large tax refunds each year. They will not put this money back into our economy, it will go back to their families in the country they came from. Don't believe me? Go to your local Wesern Union locations on payday...then tell me I'm wrong. Enjoy your choice...and don't complain.
Interesting how racism has sharply increased under Obama. Not surprising. The way Obama and the Dems stress identity politics is highly divisive. Obama has made it clear that he is beholden to American minorities. As Latinos told him this week "You owe us."
Many people, me included, who never gave race a thought, now think about it a lot more. I am a white male but not old and not blue collar. I am under 40, have 4 university degrees, and I own a smallish, but growing tech company. I normally would never consider the race or gender of a person when hiring or socializing. One of my best old friends in an African American lady (call her Pat). Lovely woman, who has been a great friend.
I wasn't an Obama supporter in 2008, but when he won, I was glad for Pat, who was overcome with emotion. Also wasn't a big John McCain fan.
But this time is different. Obama ran such an incredibly negative and hateful campaign. Pat is on Facebook all the time gloating, and ridiculing whites as irrelevant. Telling whites they need to "get out of the way."
Been very hard to take. For the first time in my life I started to develop a real us vs them attitude when it comes to race. It was kind of unsettling. Pat has called me a few times, since Tuesday, but I really don't want to have anything to do with her.
At this point I doubt I'll ever talk to her again, even though we have been friends for 19 years. I never realized that under her very sweet demeanor beat the heart of a stone cold racist. It was pretty shocking.
I am wondering if this feeling will wear off. Not sure it ever will.
Was wondering if any other young educated white males were going through the same thing? Anyone else been shocked and disturbed by the racist attitudes of their black friends this week?
I'm not stupid. If an African American is the best candidate I'd hire them. But at the same time I don't want anything to do them. Anyone else in the same boat.
Never shocked or disturbed. It happens between all races. Like it or not. Been in the military for over 20 years..seen it go both ways. The truth is..like your example clearly shows...most people bring it on themselves by commiting acts or saying things that are unacceptable. We are far to politically correct. Let em fight it out. White or black...you wanna run your mouth, then be prepared to face the consequences. Don't cry or bitch afterwards. Be a man or a woman and accept the results of your actions. That would make life much simpler.
That might be interesting.......Let's carry your suggestion even further.
Let's have a Battle Royal in the House and Senate with the last person standing fight the President for the right to determine if a bill passes or not.
What you say is 'To Hell with the Government of our Country"....you want mob rule.
Oh, by the way, I'm not a Republican or Democrat...I see that issue coming up. I wish there were enough competent Independents to vote for so we could get rid of this partisan crap we currently enjoy. Because of party disputes, our credit rating has dropped and our competence and professionalism as viewed by foreign leaders has deteriorated. Not good things.
America has its own talaban,the GOP,tea baggers. Ha he ho
The GOP have become irrelivent
Nice to see the the GOP spanked again
Lets hope not.
It is high time US citizens regained their rightful place at the top of the political agenda, particularly the 20 million or so who are unemployed /under-employed, they deserve much better.
So this election even has Sean Hannity calling for Amnesty for all illegal aliens. What's next? Is the NRA going to call for an assault weapons ban? Is the christian coalition going to lead the fight for homosexual marriage? How huge of a disaster was this election for republicans? Next we will be seeing the tea party calling themselves the pot party.
A couple of things bother me about the immigration issue. One, the first thing people without papers do when coming into this country is break the law. What a way to begin your new life! What kind of citizen will you be? And two, why do people who come here without papers have children? So they'll have a better chance of staying? This is one of the worst forms of emotional blackmail. When they're deported, they cry because their family is being torn in two. They're the ones putting their children through such an ordeal. They knew the risks. I feel bad for the kids, though, which is why I supported the DREAM Act.
In the case of people who come from Mexico, I can understand why they come here. It must be hell for the underclass living there--poverty, corruption, and now, amoral, murderous drug cartels. The only way to solve the problem is to create a better way of life there. I was persuaded that NAFTA was a good idea because it was suppose to improve the standard of living in Mexico and other places, but it hasn't worked.
Why is it we are even considering rolling out the red carpet for those who have no business even being in the country while totally ignoring those who have been undermined by their presence?
It is the 20+ million US citizens who are unemployed / under-employed who need help.
The most effective "Jobs Act" either party could support would be passing mandatory E-Verify legislation. It would open and estimated 8 Million jobs held by illegals to America's 23 Million unemployed and under employed.
It's more than immigration reform.
As long as the Republican party seems headed to become the Good Old Zealot Christian Party( GOZCP) it will no longer win a national election. The vast majority of people, especially young and women believe in separation of church and state. They will vote NO for a party dominated by one religion aimed at making this country into a theocracy.It it a "must" to remember that JFK had to make a speech stating that that his Catholic church would not have any effect on his policies if elected president. That should always be true.
We own the house and have 45 senators in the senate. Takes 41 to block judge appointments and legislation. Block the whole Obama agenda. Leftist judges- no. Card check- no. Cap and trade- no. Illegal immigration amnesty-hell no. Fiscal cliff- too bad. eat @!$%#. Want anything done. kiss our ass.
Bet you and your pathetic ilk own lots of Kleenex and Depends, too.
49.9% of the people voted for Romney. That means 1/2 of the people do not want Obamas' reform.
That means that any Republican worth his salt will fight harder to Stop Obama from giving the U.S. to the Mexicans just because they are here illegal and voted for him.
Obama has spit in the face of the law for 4 years to get their votes, and the 1/2 of the people that did not vote for him and are sick of his socialist liberal attitude with laws in this country.
Just because he won by a margin of a thread does not mean the 1/2 of legal Americans that did not voted for him have changed their minds about his liberal socialist ideology and will fight him every step of the way.
New Conservative right wing NUT mascots: Kleenex and Depends. Thanks from both companies for your increased consumption of cry baby, piss in your pants, products.
Republicans: the embodiment of LOSERS!
Jimee if all the dems are as smart as you we'll have no problem blocking all your idiocy.
Time for the old out dated partie of old,haters,tea bagger talaban to be shot into space
If you had an iq of 55-87,you voted for mitt.
Smart people went for the president,,ha he ho
It is utter and complete nonsense to sugggest smart people voted for Obama and that the TEA Party is the paty of the dumb. Tea party members are among the most inteliigent and concerned citizens of our nation. The others have no concern about our country and its slide into Socialism and Mexico Norte or Americo.
Song for the LOSERS in the last Presidential election:
Wing nut losers,
wee-wee wee-wee,
Wing nut losers,
wee-wee wee-wee,
Wing nut losers,
wee-wee wee-wee,
Wing nut LOSERS,
wee-wee wee-wee...
WEE-WEE!
Don't forget: Depends and Kleenex love ya even if nobody else does!
The fact is Romney wasn't "narrowly beaten." He was shellacked. The entire
Republican party was shellacked. The American people, except for the useful idiot pawn right wing NUTS, saw right through him! Americans saw through his anti-choice, anti-gay, anti-poor rhetoric. They saw
him for the opportunistic cynic that he really is, a man who set his sights on
the presidency and didn't care what he had to say to get there.
Republicans: the embodiment of LOSERS!
The electoral count was President Obama 332 to Romney 206. That is a pretty damned convincing victory. Anyone who tries to marginalize that is living in a dimly lit fantasy world. The GOP is taking notice, too, and they will ultimately realize they have to scrape off the right wing lunatic fringe and return to the center. We will also see the Republican Party start to court the Latino vote in order to remain relevant in American politics. That is a good thing for America, but a bad thing for teabaggers and other neo-fascists.
Libaturds already have the illegal alien invader vote. What more do they want?
The wing nuts brought in the Mexicans for cheap labor. Bit ya in the as.
I told you guys that W was an idiot. Then I told ya Iraq was a mistake. Then I told ya Palin was an idiot. Then I told ya Ryan was an idiot. Then I told ya you were loosing big to Obama.
Sometimes you just stupid be as stupid does.
Look you people; I'm no peace maker but you all need to stop all of this name calling, It's not helping anything. Is America going to be one nation of people working for the interest of the nation, or a bunch a little pockets trying to protect their views and ideology? Ideology is not going to put food on your table or get that TV for Christmas. We can't go on much longer with this partisan bickering or we will land up in the history books as one of the long list of cultures the fell into decay because the people lost site of what was important. What do you think is important without considering ideology? There are to many people only concerned about their on self interest, they would rather bring the country down than adjust their views.
It's NOT immigration, folks... It is ILLEGAL ENTRY.
Let's call it what it is, really.
Immigration was done by ME. A LEGAL immigrant, who filled out forms, sent in documents, photos, fingerprints, application fees, waited in line for years, and many years later, have now become a U.S. citizen. By the laws of this country.
All this other stuff going on can hardly be called immigration, let's not give the word "immigration" a bad name. It is ILLEGAL ENTRY, plain and simple.
Mr. Michael O'Brien: Please change the title of your article to this: GOP resistance to "ILLEGAL ENTRY" could be casualty of 2012 election.
Thanks
GOP resistance to immigration reform could be casualty of 2012 election
Bigotry?
SIMPLIFY3000
Do you have any suggestions on how to solve this problem?
@Sailcat... no, absolutely not, bigotry is intolerance of any creed or belief other than one's own. All I'm saying is "this is not immigration". Let's call it what it is, really, which is... ILLEGAL ENTRY.
@singleup... no suggestions, unfortunately. I just think it's unfair to use the word "immigration" for illegal entry. It's simply not fair to the rest of us who played by the rules.
simplify -Illegal entry of a home is called breaking and entering and those perpetrators are called burglers. Illegal entry of a country is called an invasion and those perpetrators are called invaders
No one denies that there is a problem with illegal immigration. But this is about GOP resistance to immigration reform to help resolve some of the illegal entry problems. There are a number of changes to immigration law that could be made that would fix some of those issues. That being said, that is only part of the problem. There needs to be harsher penalties for companies hiring undocumented workers, and there must be tighter security on the borders. I am not sure how that gets accomplished. If that doesn't happen, it won't matter how immigration laws are reformed, it will just be a waste of time.
TamL - Lamar Smith has drafted mandatory E-verify legislation that adresses some of the issues you raise on harsher penalties for companies hiring undocumented workers. He has 77 cosponsors to his H.R.2885 - 'Legal Workforce Act'
There are 22 million illegal alien invaders and dependents in the US. There are 14 million unemployed American citizens. If to collect unemployment our policy was "each one, catch one", we could put those 14 million to work and take a large bite out of the criminal alien invasion.
One thing Republicans need to keep in mind, they aren't going to win deep blue Mexifornia anyway. The racist La Raza reconquista has already taken over there. The important thing is to keep any more states from falling to the alien invasion.
Dontcha just love racists? Their ravings are so pointless and irrelevant.
1) Ideological purity
Proudly. If you have no principles, you're just another animal rutting in the muck.
2) Compromise as weakness
More than just weakness, it is cowardice. Lack of convictions is not meritorious.
3) A fundamentalist belief in scriptural literalism
Wrong boyo. Only the feeble minded believe in Sky Fairies.
4) Denying science
Firm supporter of science. Total disbeliever in left wing politics masquerading as science.
5) Unmoved by facts
Facts, actual verified facts, are very important. Leftist political posturing is not.
6) Undeterred by new information
I have an open mind, but not so open that I allow gutter trash to blow through it.
7) A hostile fear of progress
Progress, actual progress, of the sort that doubles the number of transistors on a chip every 18 months, is a very good thing. Progress, actual progress, that is making the United States once again the largest oil producer, is a good thing. Liberal "Progressives" who think penalizing success and rewarding failure is a good idea are a very bad thing.
8) Demonization of education
Education is fine. Education factories run by the unions for the unions, are not. Socrates told us that a school is a log, with a teacher on one end, and a student on the other. It isn't some homogenized social engineering assembly line making indoctrinated liberal robots out of our children.
9) A need to control women’s bodies
I like women's bodies, but I can not tolerate child murder. That crosses the line. Anyone who would murder an innocent child is totally beyond the pale.
10) Severe xenophobia
I don't fear foreigners, I just want them to stay in their foreign lands.
11) Tribal mentality
Cherokee. Come visit our casinos.
12) Intolerance of dissent
There is right, and there is wrong. I'm right, you're wrong.
13) Pathological hatred of the U.S. government
Frankly, I am highly suspicious of all governments, as was Thomas Jefferson. Governments are a necessary evil, but they should be kept beaten down to as small and limited as humanly possible.
yes sir you are a TEA bagger this the part where you take a bow
Actually, I'm a Ron Paul libertarian (small 'l'). I want government intrusions into our lives to be minimized, most especially I want their hands out of my pockets. I want sound money, fiscal prudence, a lack of intrusion into my affairs. As Jefferson said, the great object is for government to keep the peace while otherwise letting men pursue their own interests in their own ways.
BTW, for those who are confused, Hispanic is not a race. It is a cultural grouping marked by the use of the Spanish language.