Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said Sunday that any successful immigration-reform bill would exclude a path to citizenship, but voiced support for a path for people to stay and work.
“I think everyone needs to be for some form of immigration reform,” he said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “If we do nothing, another 11 million more people will be coming illegally.”
{mosads}Border security must be addressed first, Paul said, but then there should be something that allows “people who want to work in the country who are here to find a way to stay here and work” like an expanded visa-waiver program.
Asked if he supports a path to citizenship, Paul did not provide a clear answer, but said it’s “a more difficult goal.”
The “conundrum” right now, Paul said, is the “humanitarian disaster” on the border of tens of thousands of kids coming across the border from Central America.
On Friday, the White House announced it would send tens of millions of dollars to Central America to help nations there improve security and repatriate immigrants who have tried to enter the U.S.