Rubio: Arizona Immigration Bill 'Concerns' Me

Arizona's tough new immigration law has created a variety of headaches for the national Republican Party, which recognizes its precarious standing with the Hispanic community but has traditionally supported enhanced law enforcement intervention.

Perhaps no major Republican figure is more challenged by the law than Marco Rubio, the upstart Senatorial candidate in Florida who is a descendant of immigrants but also the belle of the ball in conservative circles. In a statement offered on Tuesday, the former Florida House Speaker, who has been pressed in recent days to make his position known, came down against the statute. While saying he understood why -- in the absence of national action on immigration -- Arizona went forward with its bill, Rubio said the bill caused "concerns" and suggested it could lead to racial profiling.

"From what I have read in news reports, I do have concerns about this legislation," Rubio said. "While I don't believe Arizona's policy was based on anything other than trying to get a handle on our broken borders, I think aspects of the law, especially that dealing with 'reasonable suspicion,' are going to put our law enforcement officers in an incredibly difficult position. It could also unreasonably single out people who are here legally, including many American citizens."

Here is Rubio's statement in full:

"Our legal immigration system must continue to welcome those who seek to embrace America's blessings and abide by the legal and orderly system that is in place. The American people have every right to expect the federal government to secure our borders and prevent illegal immigration. It has become all too easy for some in Washington to ignore the desperation and urgency of those like the citizens of Arizona who are disproportionately wrestling with this problem as well as the violence, drug trafficking and lawlessness that spills over from across the border.

"States certainly have the right to enact policies to protect their citizens, but Arizona's policy shows the difficulty and limitations of states trying to act piecemeal to solve what is a serious federal problem. From what I have read in news reports, I do have concerns about this legislation. While I don't believe Arizona's policy was based on anything other than trying to get a handle on our broken borders, I think aspects of the law, especially that dealing with 'reasonable suspicion,' are going to put our law enforcement officers in an incredibly difficult position. It could also unreasonably single out people who are here legally, including many American citizens. Throughout American history and throughout this administration we have seen that when government is given an inch it takes a mile.

"I hope Congress and the Obama Administration will use the Arizona legislation not as an excuse to try and jam through amnesty legislation, but to finally act on border states' requests for help with security and fix the things about our immigration system that can be fixed right now - securing the border, reforming the visa and entry process, and cracking down on employers who exploit illegal immigrants."

Comments

[gimmeabreak444]

09:02 AM on 04/29/2010

rubio is a cuban from miami which has been overrun with illegal cuban immigrants. it's amazing how many opponents of the new law who dont even have to live in arizona which has a burdeoning $ 750 million dollar price tag caused by illegal mexican immigrants (and that's incarceration alone - there's still the unpaid medical and education that taxpayers have to foot the bill for) respond - just for the sake of sounding politically correct to their liberal cohorts.

[Raysand]

08:35 AM on 04/30/2010

Cuban Americans have refugee status, so your comment about Miami being overrun with "illegal Cuban immigrants" is factually wrong. That said, in the entire state of Florida there are not even one million Cuban Americans. To try and draw a parallel between what is happening in the Southwest with millions of Mexicans illegally crossing the border and the controlled migration of Cuban into Florida is misleading.

[lssbigdog]

07:56 AM on 04/28/2010

Shhhhhhhhhh Don't tell anybody.
Marco Rubio investigated by IRS, F.B.I., U.S. Attorney.
http://www.tampabay.com/news/politics/national/us-attorney-irs-and-fbi-investigating-florida-gop-credit-card-use/1088979
Rubio created a Political Action Committee to help potential political candidates, but funneled most of the funds to himself, spending nearly $150,000 on administrative and operating costs. Over an 18 month period

Marco Rubio spent big with little scrutiny
Marco Rubio's spending as his influence increased contrasts with his anti-establishment Senate campaign.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/03/13/1527321/rubio-spent-big-with-little-scrutiny.html#ixzz0mKalyKAe
For his last year as speaker, Rubio reported a net worth of less than $8,400. despite earning $69,000. from Florida International University, $45,000 from the state and $300,000 from Broad & Cassell. The father of four had more than $900,000 in debts, including two mortgages on properties in Miami and Tallahassee, a home equity loan and a student loan.
Rubio calls himself a Jeb Bush Republican, Scarey very very Scarey

[thepoliticalcat]

05:14 PM on 04/28/2010

Does this include the $200,000 of credit card debt he racked up in two years? Paid with a GOP credit card?

[emma richmond]

02:37 AM on 04/28/2010

Well Rubio welcome to the Real world, as long as this Bashing and hate was against the President you was OK, Oh but when it hit home it's a difference story, These people who is throwing money at you really are not your Friend you are just a Token for the Tea Baggersa and the Republicans, just like the rest of non-white, they used you to attack the President, you are just they tool, even the Man that endorsed you, Yes Mitt Romney have deep connection with these same people, we have been giving you the Web Site that give information that would make a person sick, it's not just about immigration, it's hate, for any race that's not white. We don't what deal Romney offered you but he offered Joseph Arpaio his Campaign Chairman and slated him a Homeland Director,what did he promise McCain? Look at how there are doing Michael Steele.

[Mrs Pink]

09:28 AM on 05/02/2010

Mark Rubio isn't a tool... If anyone is a tool it is you. I am a Republican, and I am also very concerned about this new law. I identify with the "Tea Baggers" as some like to call them. I believe government is way too large, and people's freedoms are being squashed. I actually relate more to the Capitalist party, but since they don't have a lot of followers I, by default, belong to the Republican party. Anyway, I have not hate... I love people, even the ones I don't like. I just think the left has it wrong a lot of the time, but I am willing to point out when I think the right has it wrong and they are moving too far left Like this National ID card, what the heck is that all about? Hell no.

[jonjon66]

01:39 AM on 04/28/2010

Yo Marco Rubio you say the AZ law "concerns you", well lets see how you feel when you visit AZ and they ask you to prove your citizenship on some Nazi jumpoff. Then remember how you voted.

[BigHound1]

12:31 AM on 04/28/2010

So, I guess that he disagrees with Senator McCain? You can call it what you like but the fact is "It is racial profiling!!!"

[lizerdmonk]

11:06 PM on 04/27/2010

Typical Republican Hispanic willing to say and do whatever to be elected even try to hide his own truly feeling so it could cost him votes in Florida. Cubans don't give a dwat about any other Hispanic groups in the US because they don't see themselves as same type of immigrants which is why most of them can't have any support either way so they don't piss off there fellow Republicans or other Hispanic groups they may need to win votes.

[Caromia]

12:22 AM on 04/28/2010

Halleluia; You are on target. Cuban-American politicians tend to run very right. Also, they tend to be very hypocritical.

Example: Why do they support a Terrorist who bombs passenger planes...and on the other hand condemn terrorism?

[Jayjaybe]

12:31 AM on 04/28/2010

Actually, he faces a dichotomy with his Cuban/Cuban-American constituencies. The generations are divided in their attitudes toward US-Cuba relations. He can't bank on holding them together as a voting block for him, especially when touchy issues flare. This may give Crist some breathing room.

[Xarnego]

10:55 PM on 04/27/2010

Given that the author of the bill is a white supremacist with known ties to skinheads, why would Rubio believe the law was drafted in good faith?

http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/bastard/2008/01/nuremburg_redux_russell_pearce.php

[Zapatista]

11:15 PM on 04/27/2010

Rubio hasn't recieved his marching orders from the Anti-Castro goons in Miami yet on how to respond.

[Caromia]

12:24 AM on 04/28/2010

Zapa, go for it...Hey why can't other immigrants just 'touch the soil' and become residents?

[SensibleJoe]

09:54 PM on 04/27/2010

Hey Marco, at least when you get arrested, it'll be for credit card fraud and misuse of donor funds, with a paper trail attached! Honest, ordinary Hispanics in Arizona now face arrest for simply not having proof of citizenship on them if a cop just stops them and asks for it!

[jimfl]

09:33 PM on 04/27/2010

He is concerned about his own election and nothing or anyone else.
All people should remember how he turned on his own.

[runfastandwin]

09:13 PM on 04/27/2010

SUCK IT RUBIO! YOU OWN THIS!

[MultipleOrigins]

10:18 PM on 04/27/2010

nutfastanddwin, thank you for saying that, apparently Rubio just discovered that he's Mexican. I wonder if he would go to Arizona and talk as tough has he does in Florida.

[johnr49]

10:45 PM on 04/27/2010

Not Mexican, Cuban - which still makes him Hispanic

[strangequarkflavor]

08:42 PM on 04/27/2010

Cuban's get a free pass...most of em pass for "white" and can claim political refugee....it's those people with strong indigenous looking faces that will feel the brunt of this racist law...you know the first people that inhabited this side of the world.

[rh654]

08:17 PM on 04/27/2010

Has anyone see Rubio's birth certificate? He sure doesn't look like an American - he sorta looks Mexican to me. Perhaps that is why he doesn't like this new law?

Funny how such a good Conservative suddenly doesn't like a Conservative law when it takes aim at people that look like him and he may have to prove his citizenship should he visit Arizona...

[Raysand]

08:28 AM on 04/30/2010

Marco Rubio's birth certificate? He was born in the USA. And if by "looking American" you mean someone who looks European, Marco Rubio looks American. There is nothing even remotely indigenous looking about him. If he were walking down the street and I did not know who he was, I would never confuse him for a Mexican. So all of this nonsense about him going to Arizona and having to prove his citizenship is absurd.

[usappa00]

08:15 PM on 04/27/2010

I wonder how this law would play in Florida. I'm sure all those right wing Cuban Americans would get pretty pissed off if they were asked for their papers

[raleigh1997]

08:14 PM on 04/27/2010

Marc Rubio, as a fellow Hispanic, I can honestly say that you leave a bad taste in my mouth.

Concerned of the Arizona law should be "Appauled by the new Arizona legislation."

[Clevelandinwi]

08:08 PM on 04/27/2010

Concerns him? Wow there's a solid statement! That's the kind of Senator you're going to get, Florida - happy now?