Texas Tea Party & Conservative Leaders Call For Passage Of Meaningful Immigration Reform This Year

Austin— Conservative and Tea Party leaders in Texas held a media call today to call on the Texas Congressional delegation to work toward passing substantive immigration reform legislation this year. Also today, Tea Party Express Co-Founder Sal Russo announced his support for fixing the broken immigration system on a national call hosted by the Partnership for a New American Economy and moderated by Grover Norquist, President of Americans for Tax Reform.

“Our economy, our security, and our citizens deserve a system that works,” said Sal Russo, Co-founder of the Tea Party Express. “Tea Party voters want solutions to the real problems facing America and immigration is no exception. We encourage Congress to take action this year and provide conservative, free-market, common sense solutions to the problems in our immigration system.”

The following Texas leaders announced their support for the passage of substantive reform this year:

Texas Land Commissioner, Jerry Patterson Texas Catholic Conference Executive Director, Jeff Patterson Texas Immigration Solution Co-Founder, Brad Bailey Bill Hammond, President and CEO, Texas Association of Business

“We can't have immigration reform without border security, and ‎we can't have border security without immigration reform,” said Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson

“First and foremost I believe this is a humanitarian issue, to have fair treatment for those who are already here,” said Bill Hammond, Texas Association of Business President and CEO. “We must create some way for those immigrants to be legally employed. I believe that is what most of them want and that is what business wants.”

In conjunction with Russo’s announcement today, the Partnership for a New American Economy, Americans for Tax Reform, and the Tea Party Express released a new national survey of 400 Republican Primary voters who identify strongly (65%) or somewhat (35%) with the Tea Party movement.

Key Findings:

• Voters want Congress to act on immigration reform this year: 71 percent said it is important that Congress act on immigration reform this year.
• Voters support a plan in line with Speaker Boehner’s standards: 76 percent support a plan that would include both improved border security and enforcement as well as a way for undocumented immigrants who are already in this country to stay if they pay penalties, pay back taxes, pass a criminal background check, and learn English and American civics.
• Voters support a way for undocumented immigrants to attain legal status or U.S. citizenship: 70 percent support a plan that provides legal status or U.S. citizenship for undocumented immigrants who pay penalties, pay back taxes, pass a criminal background check, and learn English and American civics.
• Voters would elect a candidate who supports broad reform: 69 percent would vote for a candidate who supports broad reform over one who supports border security only.

This national survey was conducted by Alexandria, Virginia based McLaughlin & Associates on May 9-12, 2014 and surveyed 400 Republican Primary voters who identify with the Tea Party (65% strongly/35% somewhat). The total sample has a margin of error of +/- 4.9 percent.