Give Undocumented Immigrants a Path to Citizenship 

There were two arguments made by the con side of this debate that I found convincing: 1) Accepting the motion would be unfair because it provides those that came to America illegally citizenship, while those trying to pass through the legal channels are not so fortunate. In short, it rewards criminality and punishes the legally compliant. 2) Accepting the motion would lead to a never-ending cycle where those who come into the country illegally are given citizenship. This would also incentivize more to come here in that manner. Can anybody on the pro-side of this debate provide cogent rebuttals to these arguments?

if the current law is not fair to those illegal immigrants, change the law! but, before the law is changed, we all need to follow the law, not break it. illegal immigrants should go back to where they came from first, then come back, legally.

This really was a great debate the opposing side did a very good job arguing their point.

JUST DON'T BREAK OUR LAWS THEN EXPECT TO BE REWARDED WITH CITIZENSHIP. THERE SHOULD NOT AND CAN NOT BE A REWARD FOR BREAKING OUR IMMIGRATION LAWS.

Last I checked being a legal worker from abroad doesn’t make you a “second class citizen”.....

How about I go steal your car and then I use it to drive my kids to school? Oh what, you're going to take the car back now, depriving me of my way to educate my kids? There should be a pathway to ownership of your car. If I keep it for a year, it's mine. OH I KNOW WHAT YOU'LL SAY. What about you, who paid for your car? Isn't this unfair? YOU SEE, what you forget here is that.. hum... children and... families..and..American at heart.

Its really a shame those vids dont get more views here on YT. Really enjoying those discussions, thanks for uploading them.

How is this even a debate!? They are here illegally! What in the fuck do we even have a border and laws for!?

Never citizenship.

I love the “it’s our fault for confusing messaging” last I checked it is the 1% who want cheap nannies, and massive corporations and industries putting out the “help wanted” signs, not Average Americans.

He even got that one girl to admit she would deport LMFAO god bless them all but our country is in to much pain economically to worry about other country's people!

Give these people a way to become legal ,so they can live normal lives .

I GREW UP HERE AND NEVER CONSIDERED MYSELF AN AMERICAN

"forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us;" -Matt. 6

One of the best and most intense debates, although there were some distasteful strawmen from both sides.

The biggest argument the against side left out (which is moot now since they rightly won the debate anyway) is the Constitutional argument. the 14th Amendment DOES NOT say that we have to grant citizenship to every child born on American soil. It says "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States." What this means is that there are TWO conditions which must BOTH be met for citizenship to be granted. Being born here is only one of those conditions. Being subject to our jurisdiction is another condition entirely, and that has not been discussed at all in this presidential campaign, and I think it a tremendous failing of the Conservatives to not bring that up.

Yeah thats right. Give me, give me, give me.

There is a path to citizenship. It’s called staying in your own country and wait your turn to come in!

Our country is in the biggest economic debt & verge of a total collapse plus a dollar crisis and people are arguing to increase our population with immigrants that drain our economy even more threw government benefits and will also make our own poor citizens have to compete for jobs and also work at wages were they don't pay into income tax but actually receive money back threw tax credits plus even more for every kid they have? Is this really even a debate? God bless them all but our country is to much pain economically to be worried about the people of other country's!

I knew Steven Camarota was gonna be a badass in this debate.

You satisfy both sides of the debate by having ILLEGAL/UNDOCUMENTED in the title

No path for citizenship. No reward for breaking our immigration laws. Build The Wall Deport Them All! D eport A nchor C hildren from A merica

'They're all American at heart.' That's a hell of a claim to make. Her side lost (started losing) the debate as soon as that was stated. I doubt all Americans are American at heart. Apparently it's okay to define an entire race/gender/group as long as it's positive sounding and allows you to tell yourself you're being compassionate.

I listened to the debate while on the road. The good guys definitely won. The emotion-based argument of the "for" team was grating my nerves. It was especially disturbing to hear at the end that so many of the audience were "for" going in. I had missed that at the start. I was relieved that reason turned so many over to the "against" side.

What a show. Hard to believe this is even being considered.

America FIRST!!

Will we include mandatory prosecution of identity theft for anyone guilty of it as disqualifying for citizenship? Identity theft is a massive and serious problem with substantial and devastating consequences for Americans.

Give undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship in their home country.

Citizenship became legal once it was written! Having said that, I want citizens that feel three generations is being legal...to provide proof of that status. For those on the Panel pretentious lawyers... please define Federal Statute of Limitation.. Having said that, for Lowry, how about Enforceing said Statute of Limitations.. After, immigration became Law,many Europeans continued to come and disembark without registering... thus, Are NOT recognized citizens under Legal Citizenship and therefore Violates Statute of Limitations.... Federal does Not have said limitations... therefore Enforceable..

We need to have programs in South American to limit poor people to have 2 kids.

This debate was so good informative fun and friendly amazing.

#1 it's not 'fair'? I found it sad that the only defense was so defensive. We don't have to defend the 'fairness' of this action because life is not fair. For all of the things that are truly not fair in this world.... how could family reunification top the list? #2 regarding the inquiry about how to stem the flow of illegal immigration once we get current residence situated. There is a need for border security not just internally , but also on a global scale. It means we stop creating crisis in other countries that create mass migration.

1:16:01 -- Best part of the debate

What this means to American citizens is 11 million employment opportunities!! What it means to the American Government by deportation is 11 million American people paying taxes and off Welfare and section 8 housing.

The answer is no! Next question.

Why citizenship as opposed to legalization?

The 2013 "bipartisan" gang of eight.. was not so bipartisan in mark up .. it was a pretty one sided mark up.. and the democratic controlled senate didn't want to really meet in the middle, they were more my way or the highway. Yes, the republican house should have changed it make it more in favor or America, and Americans citizens, and not only to the benefit of immigrants who broke the laws and who clearly hurt American citizens.. its not good for American middle class, it causes income disparity. The number one thing that needs to be done to stop future illegal immigration is to end Birthright citizenship.

Since when do they Care about native americans not getting a Job ...? Or do americans don't remember who the Natives are....?

They have a path.it is following immigration law.

I don't really get the purpose of immigration.

Why reward people for breaking the law? These people are illegal and have broken the law.......whatever the reason, it doesn't matter!!! Everyone should be held to the standard of the law. We are a country of laws. The question we should be asking is, why are these people entitled?

Having been enlightened by this debate, as a progressive, I have to vote against this resolution. However, our legal immigrant system does desperately need to be updated. Especially enlightening was the benefit vs. cost analysis of illegal immigrants and their families, I had no idea the differential was nearly $50B among the 10-12M illegal/undocumented immigrants. However, the solution to costly illegal immigrants, and the state of poverty in the US, is simply to raise the minimum wage and increase taxes on the rich. These two economic changes would obviously decrease the need for welfare services for both the citizenry and illegal immigrants. Requiring an increase to mandatory minimum wage would be of huge benefit. Because small businesses would obviously have difficulty raising the wage to such a level immediately, there could be a gradual phase-in over ten years for those businesses with fewer than 500 employees. And perhaps a five year phase-in for businesses with 500-5000 employees. And it's absurd to say that wage increases would act only to hurt profit margins. Naturally, if the set of lowest earning worker gains increased dispensable income, then there should be little hesitation on the part of any company in raising the price of goods and services to a level that offsets the increased cost of labor. Furthermore, it is known that labor constitutes anywhere from 15 - 70% of business costs, therefore, a $1 increase in wages corresponds to, at most, an increase of 70 cents in the price of a good or service to retain profit margins. Thus, the set of lowest earning workers have a net gain of, at least 30 cents and at most 70 cents, assuming businesses keep their profit margins approximately similar to what they were originally. To justify increased taxes, it must be said that the top 1% take advantage of the U.S. economy more than anyone else. To say they deserve it denies the technological advancement humanity, as a whole, has made in the last 150 years. Why should the wealthiest benefit disproportionately from this? This is where conservatives fail in their thinking. They forget that it was NASA, NSF, the DoD, the DOE, and the United States citizenry that pushed the US to where is now, not a few entrepreneurs, by percentage, with good business ideas. What needs to be remembered here is that those were just business ideas, not technological innovation, not invention, simply a way to manipulate and apply technology. When will conservatives realize that demand-side economics has been woefully neglected and is the answer to prosperity? Sure, executives won't be able to afford themselves 1000x worker salaries and 10M bonuses and sure, corporate profits and the stock market won't have absurd short term gains through stock buybacks. Instead, we will have to settle for steady long term economic growth, reduced crime, a more educated and happy populace, and an overall vastly improved social fabric.

What is this a show for the 240 counties Hillary and not the ,2000+ Trump won.

i love seeing white women fighting for our causes. Thats very important. It is no wonder I as a Hispanic male have never had a problem getting a white girlfriend

The main issue with what a lot of people are saying in this comment feed is the fact that first if you leave the country and you have lived here illegally you won’t be able to come back. Second, it is VERY hard to stay here legally. As someone that has had to fight to stay in this country for only 5 years, it is an exhausting long, intensive process, I am proud and happy I have only been in the United States of America legally but never underestimate how difficult it is to build a life in this country as a legal immigrant. I love the USA but the process to live here is similar to winning the lottery, if you are lucky, you might stay, if you are not, you better start fighting to be able to stay as long as possible and make the best out of it. Furthermore, when the con sides states that someone could have came to the United States legally, under, lets say an F1 visa, told the embassy they would leave after 5 years. But what if they then were able to apply for an EB3 which granted them permanent residency. Did they lie? But they did do everything legally. They have never broken the law, they simply changed their mind and grabbed an amazing opportunity which was given to them. Does that mean they are not allowed to stay in the US because of that opportunity which was given to them? Does that mean immigrants are not allowed to change their minds?

Wow...up 27% that is really impressive!!!

My response to the title.. No.

The children brought here illegally should get a chance with no penalty to become u.s. citizens. For the parents that knowingly broke our laws they do not deserve to be rewarded for thier bad behavior that's like wiping before you shit it doesn't make sense... Ultimately, to what do we owe anyone who is not American especially those who intentionally disrespect us by breaking a federal law to come here nefariously.

I would like to see those two men meet undocumented families and see their lives here and how they're just like us, Americans shouldn't be heartless and instead should have welcome arms to people who want to be documented in this country and not make it such a difficult task that takes YEARS to do

Why must Rich Lowry start every comment with a joke or a wink to the audience? He's trying too hard to be likeable.

Fuck no.

Wasn't this debate suppose to be about people that entered this Country "ILLEGALLY" and are really ILLEGAL ALIENS not really an immigrant and still here?? How did this debate turn into invited immigrants over staying their "VISAS" who are now an "ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT FUGITIVE" still here?? Didn't she say for the FOR'S "the majority of "UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS" are growing numbers from china, and India who have over stayed their "VISAS",this DEBATE for her, had nothing to do about illegal aliens here but everything to do about immigrants that had "BEEN ON VISAS". Calling illegal aliens who were not invited by US Immigration "UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANT"is terribly wrong because they were never a immigrant. To really distinguish them apart if they want to call aliens immigrants it should be "INVITED IMMIGRANT" or "UNINVITED IMMIGRANT".

Wow lady... " The person who drove me here was probably a doctor in Nigeria... And he has to drive. Cab here. Yeah lady do you want a doctor from Nigeria operating on you having no American medical education? The reason he is not a doctor here is because he wouldn't pass the tests to be recognized as competent in America's standards....

My cousin had to wait 19 years before he could come in. His kids are nurses or technicians in the medical field. My cousin and wife are doing well too. Screw these guys who think it's okay to skip the line and be moochers off of our society.

If that illegal citizen from Nigeria in that lady's example really is a doctor, and doctors are needed, wouldn't he be able to immigrate legally, fairly easily? If he is an actual doctor, a bit of paperwork like that shouldn't faze him, really. And you d think that he was incentivised plenty to go the legal route, so that he will then be able to work as a doctor, instead of having to drive a taxi.

Just enforce the current laws and this shit won't happen! But, isn't that the American way nowadays (half-ass). That will be our demise.

Well, two white guys being against this motion while two women being for this doesn't surprise me.

Angela three legged solution on her closing arguments is the most thoughtfull thing on the whole debate. Yet to most ppl it just goes over their head that there is a solution to a complex problem just because it takes more than a straight bullet to take down this problem. God helps us all.

Stop calling them illega Mexican Americans or illegal Columbian Americans. Their just Mexican or Columbian. Not American

The legal term is illegal alien .... Words matter .... please don't try and change the Narrative by using undocumented immigrant. Immigrants are welcome Illegal aliens are law breakers they are not welcome. this is important to our country ... So Words matter illegal alien has already been settled in a federal court by a judge “Undocumented immigrant” is the term created by the Left and pushed by activist liberal organizations such as La Raza to obscure the illegal actions and conduct of those who violate our immigration laws. Khavich blames the editor-in-chief of the student newspaper, Dan Corey, who claimed that “illegal” was changed to “undocumented” for “stylistic purposes.” Corey apparently doesn’t care that the Daily Targum’s “stylistic change” is a refusal to use accurate legal terminology, which one would assume is the goal of all news organizations. Federal district court Judge Andrew Hanen of the Southern District of Texas dealt with this specific issue when he issued a preliminary injunction on Feb. 16, 2015, against President Barack Obama’s immigration amnesty plan. This was in U.S. v. Texas, the lawsuit filed by 26 states to stop the “Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents” program announced by Obama in November 2014. This case went all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court after the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction. The justices split four-to-four on the case, leaving the injunction in place and the president’s plan dead for the rest of his term. www.heritage.org/immigration/commentary/sorry-the-accurate-legal-term-illegal-alien

For the question of what happens when more undocumented/illegal aliens come, if you have updated laws that address those who are here so there isn't a backlog, you can deal with those newly undocumented/illegal aliens more efficiently. Right now they keep coming in because no one knows who they are and there are so many of them to deal with. You'll never outright stop illegal immigration and deportation also costs quite a bit of money. The debate was really interesting to listen to.

Is there no in between ...? Between Citizen and Illegal ... Have they never heard of Residents ......!!!

At 46:00 she says they have paid into social security and won’t get to use it.....but if they become citizens, then they WILL get to use it.

Making the 'economic' argument for open door immigration means politicians can use an economic argument to enact policies that lead to the Windrush scandal in the UK - affecting people of / approaching pensionsble age . The way the Tory defines a successful economy - their model - is reprehensible . People can be critical of immigration without blaming people who immigrate No one should be forced to 'integrate ' - whatever thst means - or even learn to speak the lingo - but must accept the *self precluding * effect this will have on their opportunities - so SJWs must not simply blame the ' oppressive others' for discrepencies in circumstsnces between minority and predom cultural group. A division between groups is because 'birds of a feather' is the case : as long as its not legally enforced it * isnt * a problem . Refugees are too often conflated with economic migrants for dubious political purposes - PC ideology being complicit with capitalistic agenda. Advocating for open borders distracts from addrsssing *why* people leave their homelands and *why* a country needs migrant workers . Of course refugees are different from economic migrsnts : the former are desperate and dont choose but economic migrants are duped by the illusion of being better off : higher wages but higher cost of living . As much as native people dont want to *feel* they are in a foreign country , migrant people dont really want to *be* in a foreign country . People generally seek work elsewhere believing it's a honey pot NOT to be part of a melting pot . And , PC people - dont be prejudiced , hate crimes against sundry peoples can be perpetrated by immigrant people and native PoC - NOT only white natives. The system needs to STOP conning school leavers into uni to do studies with no job market value but sets them up for disappintment and debt - * therss * your workforce . Of course offer decent pay and ts n cs Curious how PC proponents deem the low skilled jobs ok for immigrant people to do . the PC attitude - romantacising immigrant people and - at least tacitly - demonising natives : RACISM - *enables* divide and rule exploitation. Immigration policy simply need to be fair and humane . PC people need to stop their talk that undermines Western interventions in other nations - that do not risk innocent lives - to help institute there the system we have enjoy here - which is under threat from the tory govt - so they don't have to migrate and it's a genuine choice if they do.

You could have put the content in the title "IQ"....

One thing that I wish was brought in the debate is asking how many of these undocumented illegal immigrants would be here legally if they knew or their employers told them about visa renewals by doing a quick trip to Canada or Mexico on a "Visa Run" where they leave the country and enter it again through the proper channel. If some of these undocumented immigrants had the money to book a round trip flight to Canada would they be US legally instead?

The motivations of greedy individuals to take advantage of Humans immigration status, seems to be what the debate is all about? Is the fact that humans can take advantage of other humans, an admirable quality? Greed seems to have become a political Party......

For those that want a better economical future, you should try working for it in your own home country. It's the 21st century, you don't need to travel thousands of kilometres to learn new skills to improve your life, you have Google for that. You should immigrate to another country only if there's a risk to your or/and your loved ones lives.

The two things that always get scant coverage in these discussions: 1) The benefit of low-wage labor to support business ventures (construction, agriculture, ...) which, if unsatisfied, would result in higher cost to consumers and/or lower profitability. 2) The drive to turn into citizens those who are assumed to vote for one political party (need I say which) over the other; and the resistance by the other party to let this happen because the demographics are already turning against them.

if i was in another country and had to come i would come fuck waiting for a visa. life is short and things have to get done

I think everyone who has never committed a crime should be able to buy a citizenship for $300.000 . Or maybe even get a citizenship if that person has paid that amount in taxes. I mean, why not accept someone like Cesar Milan? He is clearly making USA a better place and creating jobs.

Get in the effing queue.

55:29 and 1:08:48 This is why debates about immigration are so complicated. We want to artificially isolate immigration and ignore things like minimum wage, problems with the welfare system, our foreign policy, etc. We can't just pretend everything has been optimized to its highest potential except for immigration laws.

Did I get this Right...? You Illegal .... But you allowed to pay Taxes ...?

They already have a path. Scurry back home and apply legally. Two sentences and problem solved.

Viva México 🇲🇽 y Estados Unidos 🇺🇸 🇲🇽🇺🇸🇲🇽🇺🇸🇲🇽🇺🇸🇲🇽

not undocumented immigrants. .. Undocumented democrat voters

sjw's with their virtue signaling talking points with isolated instances to instill emotion vs facts and reality

Wow some of you people have such hate in your hearts

6:00

why do asian woman love white men so much