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Ronald Reagan on Immigration

Ronald Reagan on Immigration President of the U.S., 1981-1989; Republican Governor (CA)





1980: Illegal aliens attend public schools like citizens do

BUSH: Today, I would reluctantly say they would get whatever it is, what society is giving their neighbors. But the problem has to be solved.

REAGAN: I think the time has come that the United States and our neighbors--particularly our neighbor to the south--should have a better understanding and a better relationship than we've ever had. They have a problem of 40% to 50% unemployment. Now this cannot continue without the possibility arising of Cuba stirring up trouble below the border. And we could have a very hostile and strange neighbor on our border."

Source: Esquire on primary before Reagan-Carter Presidential Debate , Jan 7, 2016

1980: Work permits instead of a Mexico border fence

Work visas? Open borders? Understanding that migrant workers are responding to larger economic forces that play a defining role in where prosperity--or even a steady job--can be found? This is the kind of talk you'd expect from someone who'd grant amnesty to illegal immigrants already in the U.S., which, of course, Reagan did.

Source: Esquire on primary before Reagan-Carter Presidential Debate , Jan 7, 2016

1986 IRCA: amnesty in exchange for tough border & penalties

Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.133-134 , Mar 5, 2013

Latinos are Republicans; they just don't know it yet

Ronald Reagan once famously quipped that "Latinos are Republicans. They just don't know it yet." The Republican Party's overriding priority in the years ahead must be to expand and diversify its shrinking demographic base, embracing immigrants generally and Hispanics in particular.

Source: Immigration Wars, by Jeb Bush, p.206 , Mar 5, 2013

1986 reform legalized 3 million undocumented immigrants

1986: One-time amnesty for illegal aliens

The government would make a concerted effort to control the borders. An effective employer verification program would ensure that only legal workers were hired. One-time amnesty would be granted for people illegally in the United States.

OpEd: 1986 "adjustment" used as basis for 2006 amnesty

One question: "SEIU, in a coalition with employer groups, is working to update our laws. We support a legalization program that allows for adjustment of status for those workers & their families who have worked hard and steadily, paid taxes and contributed to their communities, and stayed out of trouble with law enforcement. It has been nearly 20 years since Reagan proposed a similar adjustment in 1986. It's time to do it again."

This seems to suggest that if a conservative like Reagan could pass an immigration law that involved an "adjustment," then surely dong so again would be acceptable. The "adjustment" that Reagan passed was an amnesty, a fact that SEIU carefully avoids. The idea here seems to be that illegal aliens qualify to become citizens because they have paid taxes and stayed out of trouble.

Allow free movement of people from Mexico & Canada

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Page last updated: Jan 30, 2020