Thread by @CIS_org

THREAD: We're hosting an Immigration Newsmaker conversation with @SenTomCotton today at 7:30a.m. EST.

The conversation, with CIS Executive Director @MarkSKrikorian, can be streamed on the link below, and we'll be live-tweeting the event here.

cis.org/Press-Release/…

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian .@MarkSKrikorian: "What attracted you to the immigration issue?"

@SenTomCotton: "It's a central issue for the US. It touches on so many concerns: prosperity, security, and community...I stopped that dreaded Gang of Eight bill in its tracks in the House in 2013."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Cotton on the RAISE Act: "There's been no lack of people in Congress focused on immediate things like security and enforcement. But there weren't that many focused on legal immigration. To me, that's a cornerstone. Right now it's just a mishmash of random quotas and set-asides."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian .@SenTomCotton on immigration levels: "We are at historically high numbers of immigration--nearly as high as before 1924--and most are unskilled or low-skilled workers. That's one reason Americans have seen wages suffer, so I think a gradual decline over time is beneficial."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Sen. Cotton: "If you're a rich ex president living in Chappaqua or a lobbyist in Bethesda, mass migration is a good bargain for you. Immigrants aren't taking your job lobbying or giving $200,000 speeches. And it drives down the price of services you depend on."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Cotton on TPS for Venezuela: "The problem is that in practice, the "T" in TPS stands for temporary. But there are few things more permanent than Temporary Protected Status. We have foreign nationals in our country today who got TPS from a war that ended 20 years ago."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "You have left-wing judges practicing a form of resistance laws who aren't letting Pres. Trump withdraw it when he decides to which is his prerogative. So in normal situations, I'm open to TPS. But right now we can't be granting even more discretion to those judges." -Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian .@SenTomCotton on #HR1044, which would end per-country caps for employment green cards (Cotton is a co-sponsor): "It moves us away from the current immigration system to one I want: One that doesn't care where you come from, but what you bring here."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Cotton on #HR1044: "It would also probably reduce the number of people coming here because many of the Indian guestworkers who'd receive green cards are people already in the country. I tell the tech companies, I don't want to give you more visas. I'd rather give you citizens."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "Some of the very people Democrats say they want to give a fair shake--minority workers, ex-cons, teenagers--these are people we need to get off the sidelines. It's better to hire those Americans in jobs, whether tech or landscaping, than import foreign workers." -@SenTomCotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Cotton: "We designed our asylum laws for people like Jews from the Soviet Union, or Christians from Iran... We didn't pass these laws to alleviate the whole world's suffering. If living in a poor country were grounds for asylum, we'd have to admit six billion people" -Sen. Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Cotton on investing in Central America to stop the crisis: "Countries in Central America are not going to become Norway in the next year or decade. So there are good long-term proposals to fix those countries, but right now we need immediate fixes to this border crisis."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "If you say what Democrats said in the last debate--"We're going to decriminalize illegal border crossings, not deport anyone unless they commit a serious crime, and give you healthcare once you arrive"--that's just sending a message of open borders." -Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "Let's not be naive here. The Chinese Communist Party purposely liberates America's universities to try to steal secrets...It's not every Chinese student, we should always err on the side of national security" -Sen. Cotton on his bill to bar Chinese scientists from American labs

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Krikorian: Is there a realistic scenario for a RAISE Act under this Congress?

Cotton: "We've added two new co-sponsors, and we have growing House support. I have measured expectations with Pelosi....But, I suspect another loss to Trump in 2020 could cause Democrats to change."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian Krikorian: What are the prospects of passing mandatory E-Verify? Why hasn't it happened even though everyone says they want it?

@SenTomCotton: "This is an example of the silent conspiracy between the Left and Republicans who reflexively favor the interests of big business."

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "The left's devotion to identity politics means they don't want to do anything related to interior enforcement. Not only do they not want to enforce the law for those in the country, they don't even want to enforce the borders either." -Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "For a long time Republicans have focused more on illegal immigration than on legal because it's easiest to talk to voters about. It lets them keep a system that rewards employers and big business but not American workers" - Senator Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "People keep talking about 'comprehensive immigration reform.' That's a codeword for mass amnesty up front, and enforcement later. But now Democrats admit they don't want any enforcement anyway, so I don't know how you can even trust them to negotiate on the issue." -Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "Democrats said up front illegal aliens wouldn't be eligible for Obamacare, but now you've got Joe Biden getting attacked on the debate stage for deporting too many illegal immigrants under Obama. It shows how far Democrats have moved on this issue" -Sen. Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian "There is zero role for a federal judge to enjoin a decision between the US and Mexican government about whether Mexico will keep migrants on Mexican soil awaiting asylum. I'd like to see Congress roll back district court judges from enjoining laws nationwide." -Sen. Cotton

@SenTomCotton @MarkSKrikorian That concludes our conversation with Senator Cotton. This event's videos and transcript will be posted to our website later this week.