Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said the Department of Homeland Security’s move to extend amnesty to certain illegal immigrants was the wrong way to solve the problem.
“There is broad support for the idea that we should figure out a way to help kids who are undocumented through no fault of their own, but there is also broad consensus that it should be done in a way that does not encourage illegal immigration in the future,” said Rubio in a statement. “This is a difficult balance to strike, one that this new policy, imposed by executive order, will make harder to achieve in the long run.”
“Today’s announcement will be welcome news for many of these kids desperate for an answer, but it is a short-term answer to a long-term problem,” Rubio added. “And by once again ignoring the Constitution and going around Congress, this short term policy will make it harder to find a balanced and responsible long term one.”
Rubio has supported legislation meant to help illegal immigrants gain a path to citizenship. In May, he co-sponsored the START 2.0 act, which would allow illegal immigrants to get advanced degrees in science, math, technology or engineering and a route to citizenship. He is expected to introduce his own version of the DREAM Act.