Former Secretary of State George Shultz told CBS Sacramento on Monday that Republicans could learn from President Ronald Reagan’s example on immigration and border security.
“I think people understand we have to do a lot of work on immigration policy, but they’re all hung up on securing our borders, but I don’t think people understand what that means,” Shultz told the local news affiliate. He participated in the unveiling of a statue of Reagan at the state Capitol.
Reagan signed the Simpson-Mazzoli Act in 1986, which granted amnesty to some 3 million illegal immigrants. The act was meant to solve the illegal immigration problem, but promises of stronger enforcement at the time were not fulfilled by later administrations.
Immigration promises to be a contentious issue in the 2016 presidential race, with likely Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton favoring amnesty, and Republican candidates adopting a wide variety of positions on the issue.