Republican Lawmakers Unite to Oppose Prospective Immigration Amnesty

Prominent Republican lawmakers and conservative activists on Monday rejected any suggestion of a new immigration amnesty, saying reports of a large-scale legalization plan run counter to the mandate voters delivered in the 2024 elections. Their statements follow claims that an initiative for “mass amnesty” is being quietly advanced in Washington. “No amnesty. None at all,” Representative Matt Gaetz declared, a position echoed by Senator Mike Lee and the Republican majority on the House Judiciary Committee. They argue that President Ronald Reagan’s 1986 reform—which granted legal status to roughly three million undocumented immigrants—“failed miserably” and should not be repeated. The group contends that a fresh legalization effort would negate billions of dollars recently allocated to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and cement long-term Democratic dominance. The coordinated pushback underscores how immigration remains a galvanizing issue for the party. Republicans say their gains among Hispanic voters were driven by promises of stricter border enforcement and mass deportations, not pathways to citizenship, and they vow to block any legislation that shifts policy toward amnesty.