Cotton: The DREAM Act Is ‘the Single Biggest Amnesty in the History of the U.S.’

Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R- AR) said passing the DREAM Act, which includes a pathway to citizenship, would “be the single biggest amnesty in the history of the United States.” Cotton said, “Well if you pass the so-called DREAM Act it will be the single biggest amnesty in the history of the United States. Even bigger than the 1986 amnesty which Ronald Reagan said was his biggest mistake in office. The core debate has never been legal status it’s been how are we going to control the side effects. Which is undercutting jobs and wages — which my legislation the RAISE Act would do — and deterring more illegal immigration.” “Put yourself in the shoes of the parent in El Salvador,” he continued. “If you have the promise of American citizenship for your child trying to get away from the poverty and violence in that country and we pass a straight amnesty with no effort to increase enforcement or change Green Cards, would you take the very dangerous risk to get your child in America for the next amnesty? That’s why we can’t simply codify DACA. We also have to deal with the negative side