Marco Rubio Rules Out Joe Biden’s Amnesty Plan… For Now

Sahil Kapur, the National Political Reporter of NBC News, reports that Florida Senator Marco Rubio is pouring cold water on any plan to vote for mass amnesty. Recently installed president Joe Biden has already floated an expedited pathway to citizenship for over 11 million illegal aliens.

In a tweet Kapur published on January 19, he stated “Sen.@MarcoRubio says Biden’s immigration plan a nonstarter. “There are many issues I think we can work cooperatively with President-elect Biden, but a blanket amnesty for people who are here unlawfully isn’t going to be one of them.”

Rubio’s changing tone of amnesty is a reflection of where the winds are blowing inside of the Republican Party. Previously, Rubio gained notoriety for his support of Gang of 8 style amnesty during the Obama years. However, the game has changed ever since Donald Trump was elected in 2016. Although Joe Biden has been installed as president, Trump’s ideas will not be going away so easily. 

Rubio likely wants to avoid a primary from the Right in the case that he votes in favor of a mass amnesty. Hence, Rubio’s decision to rule out such a risky vote on amnesty. 

This by no means makes Rubio an immigration restriction champion. Like his pseudo-populist pivot, it’s a calculated move by the Florida Senator at a time when the GOP’s base is changing in terms of political priorities. To stay politically relevant, Rubio must adapt to new political circumstances. However, we cannot rely on the likes of Rubio to carry the populist torch.

Immigration is still a major issue which has the potential of transforming America’s political system in the long-term. The voting habits of migrant groups speak for themselves, pointing to a solid Democrat voter base for decades to come. To prevent America from going down the uniparty route, an immigration moratorium must be a major policy plank of any serious nationalist movement going forward.