Immigration Reform 2013; Gang of Eight Members Say Bill Would Hinder Terrorism; Marco Rubio Criticized for Reform Efforts by Florida GOP

With the debate over the proposed immigration reform bill continuing with renewed vigor on Capitol Hill thanks to the Boston Marathon terror suspects, members of the bipartisan U.S. Senate say that the bill would make terrorism harder instead of easier thanks to the provisions in the bill.

U.S. Sens. Lindsay Graham, R-S.C. and John McCain, R-Ariz., have come forward defending the immigration bill that their panel crafted over several weeks as being tough on security measures and having the propensity for making the U.S. safer.

The comments come on the heels of comments and speculation as to whether the bill should be put on hold after it became known that the two Chechen suspects accused of carrying out the Boston Marathon bombings that killed four and injured nearly 200 people on April 16 were immigrants.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, suggested at the first immigration hearing last week that the timing of the bombings made passing the bill inappropriate until authorities could "understand the gaps and loopholes in our immigration system."

On April 17, as noted by the Huffington Post, Texas Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert the Senate against passing immigration reform because "radical Islamists" will pose as Hispanics and start doing "copycat things." 

Speaking at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Immigration Summit, Sen. Graham argued that the current plan, which would put millions of immigrants living illegally in the U.S. on a conditional pathway to citizenship, actually would help the U.S. track immigrants more easily.

"You'll never convince me leaving them in the shadows, some who may be here for terrorist purposes, is smart national security," Graham said, as ABC News reported.  "We can't shut America off. ... I think what we are doing is going to make situations like in Boston less likely to happen."

Sen. McCain, former presidential candidate, added that a new computer that tracks visa and passport information would help authorities keep track of those entering and leaving the U.S. on a better level.

"It's a compelling argument for better identifying people who leave and enter this country," McCain said. "I think that the whole system of better border enforcement, e-verify system, better help us account for people in this country and their activities."

As a potential presidential candidate in 2016, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., another panel member, has a great stake in the proposed immigration legislation, as well. However, the senator is facing criticism from fellow Republican party members in his own state of Florida who are opposing the bill.

Sarasota GOP chairman Joe Gruters said that while he has "great respect" for Rubio, the immigration proposal the senator is backing doesn't have securing the border fully as a demand prior to allowing immigrants living illegally in the U.S. a chance at citizenship, according to Herald Tribune Politics.com.

"As bad as the current situation is, it is better than any solution that involves giving legal status to the current crop of people here illegally before the borders are actually, physically secured," Gruters said in his piece sent to thousands of Republicans, politicians and reporters on his mailing list.

However, Gruters' comments run in contrast to Sen. Rubio's statements about wanting to have the border secured under an effective plan by the Department of Homeland Security prior to allowing undocumented immigrants a shot at citizenship.

"So, let's secure the border," Sen. Rubio said at a recent press conference. "Let's bring these people out of the shadows. They'll undergo a background check, they'll pay a fine, they'll start paying taxes, they won't qualify for federal benefits."

Sen. Rubio added that the current immigration system in place was flawed and was already allowing a kind of amnesty with millions of immigrants in the U.S. illegally living in secret.

"We all wish we didn't have this problem, but we do and we have to fix it," Rubio said last week. "Because leaving things the way they are, that's the real amnesty."