Immigration Reform 2013: Rubio, Villaraigosa Weigh In Two Different Views on Immigration Reform

With the immigration debate taking shape amid a new plan from the Obama administration to fix the immigration system, two high-profile Hispanic politicians have come forward speaking on both sides of the argument on immigration overhaul.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke before the National Press Club in Washington D.C., on Monday, calling for comprehensive immigration reform from Capitol Hill legislators including providing a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.

Bringing undocumented immigrants into the fold, Villaraigosa said, was economically vital for the nation.

"No human being is illegal. No human being should be illegal. We must enshrine this principle into the heart and soul of this country's immigration policy. That is our moral imperative," Villaraigosa, of Mexican heritage, said during his speech.

The Los Angeles mayor's remarks come shortly after reports earlier this week that President Obama would be proposing broad comprehensive immigration changes soon in new legislation that would propose creating such a pathway for many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants in the U.S. That pathway would be offered on conditional provisions that include paying back taxes and fines, among other stipulations.

An employment verification system to check background statuses of immigrant workers would also be included in the new proposal.

Villaraigosa, who has been behind the new laws in his city granted immigrants special city ID cards allowing them access to ATMs and libraries, said that immigration needed be earned by immigrants, but reform could be achieved that could protect U.S. interests while offering immigrants the opportunity to be a part of the nation.

"The goal of our immigration enforcement policy should be to remove real threats to our borders and inside our country," Villaraigosa said. "We should deport serious offenders. We should not deport people whose most serious crime is a lack of papers."

However, there are some Republicans who think that immigration should be addressed one issue at a time rather than one comprehensive bill. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is one of them.

Rubio, a Cuban American, is working on his own separate immigration proposals. Those proposals would include strengthening workplace enforcement and border security, creating instant access for skilled workers, a guest worker program for low-skilled workers such as farm workers.

As far as applying for citizenship, Rubio proposes having millions of immigrants apply through challenging requirements, but being allowed to stay in the country while doing so.

The length of time immigrants would have to wait for permanent visas "would have to be long enough to ensure that it's not easier to do it this way than it would be the legal way," he told the Wall Street Journal this past week. "But it can't be indefinite either. I mean it can't be unrealistic, because then you're not really accomplishing anything. It's not good for our country to have people trapped in this status forever. It's been a disaster for Europe."

Sen. Paul Ryan, R-Wisc., who was the vice-presidential pick of GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney in the November election, endorsed Rubio's plan on Facebook.

"Senator Rubio is exactly right on the need to fix our broken immigration system," Ryan posted. "I support the principles he's outlined: modernization of our immigration laws; stronger security to curb illegal immigration; and respect for the rule of law in addressing the complex challenge of the undocumented population. Our future depends on an immigration system that works."

However, the Obama administration has indicated this week that they would resist any idea to break up immigration reform into smaller bills.

Villaraigosa, noting that the Republicans got crushed in the polls by Latino voters during the election, said that it would be in the GOP's best interests to be more flexible on the subject of an immigration overhaul.

"If the Republicans don't go to the center - they continue to be, you know, dominated by the far right - you're going to see them lose more and more," he said.