Marco Rubio defends immigration proposals at Hilton Head campaign stop

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio defended his proposal to combat illegal immigration and his support of a 2013 immigration reform bill during his first presidential campaign stop on Hilton Head Island on Thursday morning.

Instead of mass-deportation plans or walls the length of the border with Mexico, lawmakers must first prove they can enforce existing immigration codes, the Florida Republican told hundreds of members of the S.C. Chamber of Commerce at its annual meeting.

Only then will lawmakers be able to craft a practical reform plan that is palatable to the American public, he said.

"The American people do not trust the federal government to enforce our immigration laws," Rubio said. "If you want to fix the mess we have on immigration in this country, it begins with a very concrete step -- proving to the American people that illegal immigration is under control. Actually doing it and proving it to people."

Rubio's policies on illegal immigration have come under fire repeatedly in recent days, including in Tuesday night's GOP debate in Wisconsin.

On a conservative radio show Thursday morning, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz took aim at Rubio's policies for his role promoting a 2013 bill that would have granted a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants that ultimately failed.

Rubio fired back at those comments with the local and national media after the event, saying Cruz shares "almost all the same views on immigration."

"Everybody on that stage has supported the legalization of people who are in the country illegally," Rubio said. "Some of them define that as amnesty. I don't. I think amnesty is forgiveness without consequence of a violation. I'm just trying to fix a problem. For 30 years we've been debating this, and it's only gotten worse."

Pressed to respond to Donald Trump's vow to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, Rubio said only that existing immigration must be enforced.

"Suffice it to say, there are going to be deportations," he said. "There are deportations in America now, and there are going to be people who will have to be deported. Criminals will have to be deported, people that have not been here long enough will have to be deported.

"That being said, I don't think it's reasonable to say you're going to round up and deport 11 million people."

Rubio arrived in South Carolina on Wednesday, where he opened a state campaign headquarters office, on a new wave of momentum following two standout performances at the recent GOP debates.

The stops in Columbia and The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa were his first in the Palmetto State this campaign season.

During his hour-long speech and question-and-answer session, Rubio also reiterated his call for expanded vocational training, repealing the Affordable Care Act and stabilizing Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Next on the trail

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz will be the next presidential candidate to stop in Beaufort County.

Cruz will visit with Sun City voters at 9 a.m. Monday at the pavilion at 114B Sun City Lane. It will be the Texas senator's first stop here since the 2016 race began this summer.

The event is free but limited to Sun City residents only. A ticket is required.

To register, go to http://bit.ly/1iFiAuk.

Follow reporter Zach Murdock on Twitter at twitter.com/IPBG_Zach and on Facebook at facebook.com/IPBGZach.

Related content:

• Kasich rides the center line during Hilton Head forum, Nov. 11, 2015
• Ted Cruz to speak in Sun City on Nov. 16

This story was originally published November 12, 2015 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Marco Rubio defends immigration proposals at Hilton Head campaign stop."