RNC Chair Priebus: Immigration Reform 'Still Alive' After Midterms

On Wednesday, RNC Chairman Reince Priebus said Tuesday’s midterm elections did not destroy the chances of amnesty legislation passing. 

Addressing reporters along with National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) Chairman Rep. Greg Walden (R-OR), National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) Chairman Sen. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and former Puerto Rico Governor Luis Fortuno, Priebus said Republicans from Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) to Rand Paul (R-KY) talked about the need for “serious immigration reform.” 

“The idea of serious immigration reform is still alive and is something that both parties need to look at,” Priebus said.

Priebus also said that since Obama has “continuously lied” to “many people in this country” about his intentions on immigration reform and threatened the country with an illegal action on executive amnesty that Obama does not have the power to enact, Obama has “unified the country” against anything Obama wants to do on immigration, because people do not trust him. 

He also added that Obama’s actions have “solidified the view that we can’t get very far unless we secure the border and ensure the American people that we’re not going to end up back in this place in ten to 14 years.”

Priebus made his remarks a day after Republicans won back Congress, largely because immigration was Obama’s worst issue heading into the midterms. He was responding to a question about the GOP’s “Growth and Opportunity” report after Mitt Romney’s defeat in 2012 that had comprehensive immigration reform as one of its only specific policy recommendations.

“We are not a policy committee, but among the steps Republicans take in the Hispanic community and beyond, we must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform,” The GOP’s “Growth and Opportunity” autopsy (terribly named) reported declared after 2012. “If we do not, our Party’s appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only. We also believe that comprehensive immigration reform is consistent with Republican economic policies that promote job growth and opportunity for all.”

Republicans grew their constituency in the midterms by not following the report’s advice on amnesty. But establishment Republicans like Mitt Romney and Jeb Bush have insisted that a GOP-led Congress work with Democrats on amnesty legislation.