Not an Encouragement For Illegal Immigration

65. I understand that you are also against earned citizenship, because you believe it encourages others to enter the country illegally. Is this correct?

66. This argument makes a good "sound bite," but on closer examination it doesn't hold up.

67. Earned citizenship was first proposed by President Bush in his 2007 State of the Union Address and, therefore, it could not have been an incentive for the 12 million people who illegally entered this country before 2007.

68. Earned citizenship is a one-time offer only to those undocumented immigrants now living in the U.S. Because it is a one-time offer it will not be an incentive for future immigrants to enter this country illegally.

69. Hence, arguing that earned citizenship encourages others to enter the country illegally is an emotional "red herring."