MIAMI – Former Florida governor Jeb Bush announced publicly today that he does not support a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants living in the U.S., a key element of immigration reform plans being considered by Congress, in a dramatic reversal from his previous stance. (Read more background on the announcement below.)
In response to Bush’s statement, Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chair and Florida Democratic Party Vice Chair Annette Taddeo-Goldstein said, “It is deeply troubling that Governor Jeb Bush has reversed his position on a pathway to citizenship and sided with Tea Party extremists in order to advance his political ambitions. As a Hispanic-American from Florida, it is sad to lose one of the few pro-immigration Republicans left. Unfortunately, this reversal proves that there will never be enough border security or a big enough fence to satisfy the Republican base.”
The President has put forward an immigration reform proposal that is both fair and practical. The Miami-Dade Democratic Party believes we need an immigration solution that is just, effective, and embraces our country’s heritage as a nation of immigrants — and the leadership to make criticallyreform happen now.
BACKGROUND
Today’s announcement marks a notable reversal from Bush’s previous stance on immigration. Less than a year ago, Bush declared his public support for a plan that would provide a path to citizenship or legal residency for illegal immigrants. He was quoted as saying that a hard-line Republican tone toward on immigration “sends a signal [that] we want your support, but you can’t join our team.”
In today’s announcement, Bush said his proposed plan is not about “taking away rights.” But immigrant-rights groups have long championed a path to citizenship as vital for immigrants to compete fairly in society. Frank Sharry, executive director of one such group, America’s Voice, said Bush’s approach would lead to the formation of a “permanent underclass” for a mostly Latino group of workers.
Immigrants also make up an increasingly vital piece of the U.S. economy locally and nationally. 18% of all small business owners in the U.S. are immigrants higher than the immigrant share of the total population (13%) — according to a June 2012 report from the Fiscal Policy Institute. Of the country’s 25 largest metropolitan areas, Miami has the largest single share of immigrant small business owners — 45% of all small business owners here are immigrants.
