Ryan Makes Immigration Reform Deal With Freedom Caucus Member

Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. leaves a caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015. Ryan, seeking unity in a place it's rarely found, is telling House Republicans he will serve as their speaker on... Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. leaves a caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2015. Ryan, seeking unity in a place it's rarely found, is telling House Republicans he will serve as their speaker only if they embrace him by week's end as their consensus candidate. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) MORE LESS
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Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), a member of the conservative House Freedom Caucus, has received a pledge from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) that if he is elected speaker, he will not pass immigration reform while President Obama is in office or without majority support from House Republicans.

Brooks delivered a letter to Ryan last week asking him to agree to those terms, which Ryan verbally agreed to during a meeting with the House Freedom Caucus, according to Brooks.

“Struggling American families have lost more than 8 million job opportunities to illegal aliens. All lower and middle income American workers have suffered from suppressed wages caused by the surge in both illegal alien and lawful immigrant labor supply,” Brooks began in the letter. “Your past record and current stance on immigration conflicts with the values of the Americans I represent and causes great concern to me and the Americans I represent.”

Brooks then asked Ryan to confirm that he would not pass immigration legislation under Obama or without the support of Republicans.

The congressman said that if Ryan does not agree to the pledges in the letter, “it will be very difficult for me to vote for you for Speaker on the House Floor.”

Brooks will enter the letter into the Congressional Record on Tuesday, his office confirmed.

Brendan Buck, a spokesman for Ryan, told National Review that Ryan has made it “clear” that he will not push for immigration reform while Obama is president.

National Review first reported on Brooks’ letter.

Read the letter Brooks sent to Ryan:

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Notable Replies

  1. Maybe he should just pledge to everyone that he will do nothing about their little special interest. Then everyone could go home for a year and a half to spend time with their family.

  2. It will be promoted by the Koch’s dark money org: “Up with Brown People”

  3. Bad move by Ryan.

    Of course he isn’t going to be bringing up an immigration reform legislation anyway…that’s pretty much a given.

    The problem is, giving the appearance that he is “caving” into this guy will only emboldened the Freedom Caucus to make more demands earlier than later. From their perspective, it appears that Ryan is already dancing to their string tugs.

    And when Ryan decides he doesn’t want to be just their figurehead…the blow back will be huge.

  4. So this is the other bookend to the admission that the Benghazi Commissions were electioneering hit-squads for HRC. Hell, the Republicans can’t pass Immigration Reform if they tried, but their lame-ass excuse is not doing it under Obama.

    Keep it classy GOP, keep it classy!

  5. Avatar for dnl dnl says:

    He promised to NOT call ICE on them?

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