Florida Democratic gubernatorial candidate David Jolly recently made an appearance on the Charlie Sykes podcast where he clearly stated his support for amnesty for illegal aliens in the United States. A clip of the interview between Sykes and Jolly is now going viral on social media, showcasing the far-left policies of the Democrat and his controversial stance on immigration.
In the clip, Jolly says, “We need to welcome people who want to come to the United States and be a part of American opportunity. I also think fundamentally we need to create a pathway for people here who are here without documentation.” While this might be the most clearly Jolly has articulated his views on amnesty for illegal migrants, it’s not the first time he’s talked about the subject.
In another interview with podcast host Tom Hudson, Jolly said that Florida needs to be a state that values immigrants. “I think we need to be a state that values our immigrant community, that recognizes their contribution to our economy and to our culture. And if you are here and not breaking laws, you’re to be celebrated and invested in and lifted up.”
Many conservatives have pointed out that if an individual is here legally and are abiding by the law, they are welcome in the country, a message that runs contrary to claims recently made by Jolly that the GOP and Gov. Ron DeSantis have conflated immigration with crime. “It’s gross, it’s immoral, it’s wrong. Statistically, it’s not true either,” Jolly told Hudson.
In the same interview, Jolly said that he doesn’t believe that crossing over the border without legal permission is a crime if you are seeking asylum or economic opportunities. “My spirit of immigration is true at the federal level and at the state level. If you’re coming here because you want to contribute to our economy, we should have wide gates,” the Florida Democrat said.
He also told Hudson he’s a big supporter of creating a more streamlined process to become a documented immigrant, but doesn’t think the GOP will support that. “Instead of fighting crime, they’re fighting communities,” he said. Jolly has also stated in the past that he would not require officials at the state and local levels to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
One person commented on the video clip, “Fundamentally, there is a pathway. That pathway starts with following the existing law.” Another individual wrote on Facebook, “What you mean to say is that you need the voters. Actual Americans don’t want what the Democratic Party is pushing, so you have to import a voter base.”
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Someone else replied, “If we let anyone who wanted to come here in without a process, our population would be over 5 billion.” Another user posted a meme featuring a cartoon thumbs up with the slogan, “Deport Them All” written on it. Someone else pointed out, “There is a pathway, it is called doing it the legal way.”
Featured Image: screenshot from embedded video