The Senate proposal to limit legal immigration, backed by President Donald Trump, has also been criticized by several Senators. But, despite his history of supporting immigration reform, Senator Marco Rubio is not among them. Rubio was one of the so-called ‘Gang of Eight’ who, in 2013, attempted to create a bill offering undocumented immigrants a pathway to US citizenship.
The bill successfully passed the Senate but the House of Representatives refused to even put it up for a vote, suggesting that the idea made Rubio lose some support among his conservative base. When asked for his view on the new Senate bill, which would cut down on legal immigration and prevent low-paid, low-skilled workers from entering the US, Rubio’s response suggests that he has changed his approach.
The bill from Republican Senators, David Perdue, and Tom Cotton would see legal immigration to the US halved within ten years in an attempt to change the focus of the nation’s immigration system by ending the favoritism to immigrants with family ties in the US and focusing more on those able to contribute to the economy.
Although the bill has not impressed most in the Senate, Rubio has given it cautious praise. He said that the immigration system needs to be modernized for the new century and in the best interests of the US and that he is happy to see Trump taking a step-by-step approach to improving the laws.