Fox News host Bill O’Reilly signed off on the immigration proposal about to be debated in the Senate, telling Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) on Wednesday to let him know who ends up opposing the bipartisan legislation.
Rubio told O’Reilly that the prospects for the so-called Gang of Eight’s bill will ultimately be contingent with provisions on border security, a deal-breaker for many Republicans.
“It depends on border security, and it depends on ensuring that it doesn’t cost the American taxpayer,” Rubio said. “I think the bottom line is we can secure the border and ensure that this never happens again, and if we can ensure that it doesn’t cost the American taxpayer by people going on welfare and things like that, then I think it will pass. If it doesn’t do those things, it won’t.”
When O’Reilly insisted that the bill cannot include welfare, Rubio assuaged the pundit’s concern.
“We’ve identified ways to make it even tighter and we’ve offered amendments in that regard,” Rubio said. “And on the border security part of it, people have to know that this is never going to happen again. The border will finally be secured for national security and sovereignty purposes.”
That all sounded good to O’Reilly, and the tough-talking commentator made it clear that he wants to keep tabs on how lawmakers vote on the proposal.
“I don’t know who is going to oppose that but if anybody does, tell me,” O’Reilly told the Florida Republican.
