Earlier: McCain’s Immigration Views Weren't ”Honestly And Morally Held,” He'd Trim Them Every 6 Years To Get Re-Elected

[From tonight’s Radio Derb.]

The House Republican leadership has released a policy agenda, presumably in hopes it will influence the November midterms in the GOP’s favor. The agenda is called ”Commitment to America” and yes, it includes a section on immigration.

So what do Kevin McCarthy and his troops commit to? I downloaded the PDF to find out.

Heading: Secure the Border and Combat Illegal Immigration. Under that are two bullet points.

1. Fully fund effective border enforcement strategies, infrastructure, and advanced technology to prevent illegal crossings and trafficking by cartels.
   
   
2. End catch-and-release loopholes, require legal status to get a job, and eliminate welfare incentives.

Hoo-kay. All right, I understand this is just an outline, but even so this is thin stuff. Thin and vague. ”Advanced technology”? Is that shorthand for

Systematic border surveillance through more effective use of personnel and technology, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, ground-based sensors, satellites, radar coverage, and cameras?

We were promised that in the Secure Fence Act of 2006, from which I lifted those words. You mean we’re finally going to get it, sixteen years later? Yeah right.

Does ”require legal status to get a job” mean universal compulsory E-Verify? If it does, why not say so? ”Eliminate welfare incentives” Well, as federal legislators you can eliminate federal incentives; but can you stop those sanctuary cities spending their own money on the illegal aliens they so enthusiastically welcome?

And the word ”wall” is missing. It's not a very long word. Surely you could have made room for it somewhere.

Any commitment on birthright citizenship? Chain migration? The diversity lottery? Anything at all about legal immigration?

[Crickets.]