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| Marco Rubio supports migrant amnesty because he is Hispanic, says Trump | Marco Rubio supports migrant amnesty because he is Hispanic, says Trump |
| (about 14 hours later) | |
| Donald Trump has said Marco Rubio supports “amnesty” for millions of undocumented immigrants because he is Hispanic. | Donald Trump has said Marco Rubio supports “amnesty” for millions of undocumented immigrants because he is Hispanic. |
| During an interview with CNN, host Erin Burnett cited Rubio’s inspirational story as a Hispanic and the son of Cuban immigrants while discussing immigration reform with the real estate mogul. | |
| Related: Donald Trump likens Ben Carson's 'pathological' temper to child molesting | Related: Donald Trump likens Ben Carson's 'pathological' temper to child molesting |
| “That’s why he wants amnesty,” Trump, who is the Republican presidential frontrunner responded. | “That’s why he wants amnesty,” Trump, who is the Republican presidential frontrunner responded. |
| Earlier in the program, Trump said Rubio “was always in favor of amnesty”, in reference to the Florida senator’s work as the co-author of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2013 that included a pathway to citizenship for the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. | Earlier in the program, Trump said Rubio “was always in favor of amnesty”, in reference to the Florida senator’s work as the co-author of a comprehensive immigration reform bill in 2013 that included a pathway to citizenship for the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States. |
| “He was always in favor of letting people pour into the country,” Trump said. “Then what happened is, when people found that out, he sank like a rock in the water.” | |
| Trump has escalated his attacks on Rubio’s immigration record in recent weeks as the Florida senator has risen in the polls. But this is the first time Trump has injected Rubio’s family background into the debate. | |
| A spokesman for Rubio’s campaign did not immediately respond when reached for comment on Trump’s remarks. | A spokesman for Rubio’s campaign did not immediately respond when reached for comment on Trump’s remarks. |
| Rubio is one of two Republican presidential contenders of Hispanic descent. Texas senator Ted Cruz, like Rubio, is Cuban American. | Rubio is one of two Republican presidential contenders of Hispanic descent. Texas senator Ted Cruz, like Rubio, is Cuban American. |
| Rubio’s rivals have shown an eagerness this week to revisit his involvement in immigration reform efforts in the US Senate two years ago. Rubio’s role in crafting the immigration bill is well documented, as is his disavowal of the process after the legislation cleared the Senate but died in the House of Representatives amid steep conservative opposition. | Rubio’s rivals have shown an eagerness this week to revisit his involvement in immigration reform efforts in the US Senate two years ago. Rubio’s role in crafting the immigration bill is well documented, as is his disavowal of the process after the legislation cleared the Senate but died in the House of Representatives amid steep conservative opposition. |
| Trump has spent weeks berating Rubio over the issue and dubbing him as “pro-amnesty”. Rubio has maintained he “personally” supports undocumented immigrants eventually applying for green cards, but has laid out a step-by-step process that does not lay out a clear path to citizenship. | |
| As Rubio has grown in stature following strong debate performances, other Republican candidates have also piled on the criticism. | |
| Rubio and Cruz sparred over immigration on Thursday, after Cruz made a string of comments looking to contrast his position on immigration with that of Rubio’s. Both senators are looking to solidify their support among conservatives, the majority of whom remain opposed to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. | Rubio and Cruz sparred over immigration on Thursday, after Cruz made a string of comments looking to contrast his position on immigration with that of Rubio’s. Both senators are looking to solidify their support among conservatives, the majority of whom remain opposed to citizenship for undocumented immigrants. |
| “In my view, if Republicans nominate for president a candidate who supports amnesty, we will have given up one of the major distinctions with Hillary Clinton and we will lose the general election,” Cruz told reporters late Wednesday, after referring to Rubio’s bill as “the seminal fight over amnesty in Congress”. | “In my view, if Republicans nominate for president a candidate who supports amnesty, we will have given up one of the major distinctions with Hillary Clinton and we will lose the general election,” Cruz told reporters late Wednesday, after referring to Rubio’s bill as “the seminal fight over amnesty in Congress”. |
| Cruz elaborated on the issue on Thursday, telling conservative radio show host Laura Ingraham – a vocal opponent of immigration reform – that Rubio had stood against Cruz’s efforts to beef up the bill’s border security requirements before legalizing undocumented immigrants. | Cruz elaborated on the issue on Thursday, telling conservative radio show host Laura Ingraham – a vocal opponent of immigration reform – that Rubio had stood against Cruz’s efforts to beef up the bill’s border security requirements before legalizing undocumented immigrants. |
| “He opposed every single one of them. Every single amendment,” Cruz said. “The Gang of Eight voted as a gang against enforcing and securing the border.” | “He opposed every single one of them. Every single amendment,” Cruz said. “The Gang of Eight voted as a gang against enforcing and securing the border.” |
| Rubio hit back at Cruz by noting the Texas senator’s support for providing legal status to the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. | Rubio hit back at Cruz by noting the Texas senator’s support for providing legal status to the roughly 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States. |
| “Ted is a supporter of legalizing people that are in this country illegally,” Rubio told reporters while campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday. “In fact, when the Senate bill was proposed, he proposed giving them work permits. He’s also supported a massive expansion of the green cards. He’s supported a massive expansion of the HB-1 program, a 500% increase. | “Ted is a supporter of legalizing people that are in this country illegally,” Rubio told reporters while campaigning in South Carolina on Thursday. “In fact, when the Senate bill was proposed, he proposed giving them work permits. He’s also supported a massive expansion of the green cards. He’s supported a massive expansion of the HB-1 program, a 500% increase. |
| “I don’t think our positions are dramatically different.” | “I don’t think our positions are dramatically different.” |
| Related: Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric could lose Republicans the 2016 election | Related: Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric could lose Republicans the 2016 election |
| But Rubio was also on the receiving end of an attack by Kentucky senator Rand Paul, who tried to tie immigration to Rubio’s tax plan in his own appearance Thursday on Ingraham’s show. | But Rubio was also on the receiving end of an attack by Kentucky senator Rand Paul, who tried to tie immigration to Rubio’s tax plan in his own appearance Thursday on Ingraham’s show. |
| “I think Rubio’s tax plan would explode payments to illegal aliens and this a real problem until we fix the current tax credits. Do you really want to double and triple what we’re giving?” Paul said. “I mean really, $4bn to illegal aliens? I think Rubio’s tax plan will extend more tax credits to illegal aliens and I think there’s no way in the world we should be supporting something like this.” | “I think Rubio’s tax plan would explode payments to illegal aliens and this a real problem until we fix the current tax credits. Do you really want to double and triple what we’re giving?” Paul said. “I mean really, $4bn to illegal aliens? I think Rubio’s tax plan will extend more tax credits to illegal aliens and I think there’s no way in the world we should be supporting something like this.” |
| Rubio’s plan explicitly states that undocumented immigrants would not be eligible for any tax credits. | Rubio’s plan explicitly states that undocumented immigrants would not be eligible for any tax credits. |
| But Paul, whose campaign has struggled to break through, has also taken a more aggressive tack toward Rubio over the last week. In an interview with CNN last Sunday, the Kentucky senator said Rubio would have to explain his prior immigration efforts, while adding that Rubio’s bill “will be a big part of things.” | But Paul, whose campaign has struggled to break through, has also taken a more aggressive tack toward Rubio over the last week. In an interview with CNN last Sunday, the Kentucky senator said Rubio would have to explain his prior immigration efforts, while adding that Rubio’s bill “will be a big part of things.” |