Immigration Reform Case Study

CON
Resolution------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Resolved: Immigration reform should include a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants currently living in the United States.
Contentions-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contention 1: A path to citizenship would incentivize more illegal immigration, creating more of the harms immigration reform seeks to solve. Warrants
This is not the first time we’ve considered a path to citizenship. In 1986, the Immigration Reform and Control Act (IRCA) included a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants, and was passed with the promise
There are two things to keep in mind regarding including a citizenship provision in legislation:
1. First, Republicans in the House of Representatives are opposed to it.
a. Journalist Jennifer Rubin writes in the Washington Post that:
i. A significant segment of House Republicans are adamantly anti-citizenship and call the Democratic position cynical, driven by their own self-interest in getting millions of new voters for their party. For Republicans, citizenship is the sticking point. The New York Times reported that most immigrants would settle for merely legalization, and that, correctly or not, has spurred hope among Republicans.
Thus, the more Democrats push for a path to citizenship, the less Republicans will be willing to compromise on reform legislation, and the lower the chances of getting reform completed this year or next.
b. Because of the Hastert rule, regardless of the merits of including a path to citizenship in immigration reform, John Boehner is not going to be willing to bring it to a vote, meaning that no reform would be passed at all.
i. Sahil Kapur explains in the Talking Points Memo journalist organization
Moreover, Aaron Blake writes in the Washington Post that:
1. Conservatives have consistently registered their dismay with John Boehner on the occasions that he has violated the Hastert Rule. Breaking the rule on such a high-profile piece of legislation as immigration reform would surely lead to a backlash within the GOP.
2. Second, even if Republicans in the House could be convinced of the merits of including a path to citizenship in immigration reform, their constituents are not.
a. According to Chris Cillizza and Sean Sullivan of the Washington Post:
i. In a Washington Post poll, just 35 percent of Republicans nationwide support the idea of a path to citizenship, while 60 percent oppose it. And, Republican support is waning—ticking down seven points since the same poll was taken in February. Those numbers make it clear that being involved in a comprehensive immigration reform deal that includes a path to citizenship might not be good politics for ambitious Republicans. Past attempts to do a “big” immigration package like the current Senate bill have been hamstrung by similar sentiments within the