‘Amnesty Is Amnesty’

Law enforcement and federal immigration officials joined Sens. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.) and David Vitter (R., La.) on Capitol Hill Thursday to blast the “Gang of Eight’s” immigration reform legislation, describing it as “amnesty” that would put public safety at risk.

“Amnesty is amnesty. You call it what you want to call it,” said Sam Page, the sheriff of Rockingham County, N.C.

National ICE council president Chris Crane said, “this bill will put the public at risk without a doubt” by failing to include tough border enforcement measures.

The Gang of Eight’s 844-page proposal includes a pathway to citizenship, which critics say would reward illegal immigrants and punish those who are attempting to immigrate to the United States legally. The bill’s supporters say it provides a difficult but achievable pathway to citizenship that will bring illegal immigrants out of the shadows.

“This bill is amnesty before enforcement,” said Sessions at the press conference. “The day the bill passes, illegal immigrants will have the presumption of amnesty.”

Read more from this story HERE.