Will Paul Ryan go squishy on immigration reform?

Paul Ryan is scheduled to discuss immigration reform during a joint appearance in Chicago on Monday with Luis Gutierrez, a left-wing, pro-amnesty representative from Illinois. Gutierrez is part of the House’s “Gang of Eight” which is working on comprehensive immigration reform legislation along the same basic lines as its Senate counterpart.

I take the fact that Ryan is appearing in Chicago with Gutierrez to be a bad sign. So too are comments Ryan made during an interview last Thursday.

Ryan said that “what the Senate is doing [on immigration] is productive in that they’re getting us closer toward a solution.” He added:

We have to make sure we secure the border, we have to make sure we have an immigration system that helps promote a healthy U.S. economy, and we have to acknowledge the reality of the situation while respecting the rule of law, while respecting our laws. I think this compromise tries to do that. We’re trying to do the same thing in the House.

So, to answer the question that captions this post, Ryan may very well go squishy on immigration reform. By that I mean that he may very well back amnesty and a path to citizenship for illegal aliens. If he does, I think amnesty and a path to citizenship are done deals.

If Ryan rolls, Chuck Schumer and Luis Gutierrez can share a good laugh at the softness of what passes as the cream of the next generation of Republican leadership. Gutierrez is known to his supporters as El Gallito – the little fighting rooster. I don’t even want to speculate about the appropriate Spanish nickname for the conservatives with whom Schumer and Gutierrez are having their way on immigration reform.

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