--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We went 60 years or more with no…" description: "\"We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. It can be done. The only reason that it started up again, Ted Kennedy started bellyaching about it..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg" --- # We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. It… ![“We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. It can be done. The only reason that it started up again, Ted Kennedy started bellyaching about it in the mid-sixties, and then that led to Simpson-Mazzoli 20 years later, 1986, amnesty for about 3.9 million, and we were told that would be it…” quote by Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg) > “We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. It can be done. The only reason that it started up again, Ted Kennedy started bellyaching about it in the mid-sixties, and then that led to Simpson-Mazzoli 20 years later, 1986, amnesty for about 3.9 million, and we were told that would be it, never again, and of course now we're where we are.” [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Historical cycles of immigration restriction and liberalization, noting that past amnesty did not end immigration, implying future policy will repeat patterns. **In simple terms:** Immigration cycles repeat despite past amnesty. Key Takeaway Expect future immigration regardless of past policies. Themes immigration policy cycles political rhetoric Mood cautious analytical Type political historical When to use this quote - policy debates - legislative planning - media analysis Key Concepts historical precedent legislation impact public opinion Questions to Reflect On - What lessons can policymakers learn from past immigration reforms? - How do public attitudes shape immigration law? A Different Perspective Past amnesty didn’t stop immigration; future restrictions may be temporary. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [1986 Amnesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/1986-amnesty-2137735/) [60 Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/60-years-345014/) [Amnesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesty/) [Amnesty Million](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesty-million-3621987/) [Courses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/courses/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Folks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/folks/) [Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/immigration/) [Millions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/millions/) [Reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reason/) [Sixty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sixty/) [Ted kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ted-kennedy/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Years Immigration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-immigration-3621986/) ## Related quotes > [ No one believed \[the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens\] was tough enough on illegal immigration, and it didn't give enough flexibility on future legal immigration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/no-one-believed-the-1986-amnesty-for-illegal-aliens-was-tough-enough/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [You want to trace California's move to the far left, you go back to the 1986 Simpson-Mazzoli bill. Simpson-Mazzoli was where we granted amnesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-want-to-trace-california-s-move-to-the-far-left-you-go-back-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Within just a few years immigration as a share of national population is set to break all historical records. The time has come for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/within-just-a-few-years-immigration-as-a-share-of-national-population/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Why do we start immigration in 1965? Guess whose idea it was? Ted Kennedy. Ted Kennedy, 1965, we needed to reinstitute the immigration laws.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/why-do-we-start-immigration-in-1965-guess-whose-idea-it-was-ted/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Barak Obama said as much today talking about immigration. (imitating Obama) "I don't care what happens today. It is gonna happen. We are going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barak-obama-said-as-much-today-talking-about-immigration-imitating/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ \[Barak\] Obama's immigration behavior, executive amnesty, this DREAMer stuff - everything he's doing - is outside the law. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barak-obama-s-immigration-behavior-executive-amnesty-this-dreamer/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Trump is popular, Trump is big precisely because Republican voters are angry at establishment Republicans. And establishment Republicans keep giving these people reason to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/trump-is-popular-trump-is-big-precisely-because-republican-voters-are/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ \[Barack\] Obama's executive amnesty has been frozen via a stay by a judge on the appellate court. You remember, this is the judge that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/barack-obama-s-executive-amnesty-has-been-frozen-via-a-stay-by-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ This is what everybody's forgetting about \[Barak\] Obama and his immigration law and his executive action and his amnesty on it, the Supreme Court… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/this-is-what-everybody-s-forgetting-about-barak-obama-and-his/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [You will agree that the Duke Lacrosse team raped and damaged or whatever, even though it didn't happen. You will be made to agree.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-will-agree-that-the-duke-lacrosse-team-raped-and-damaged-or/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I think there's something remarkable happening here that nobody is talking about. They're skirting the issue. For the longest time, the Republican Party has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-think-there-s-something-remarkable-happening-here-that-nobody-is/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ We already have immigration law, and it is being violated. Obama's executive amnesty is not the settled law. \[Barak \] Obama's executive amnesty is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-already-have-immigration-law-and-it-is-being-violated-obama-s/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [In the case of immigration, there has never been a majority for any of the proposals put forth by either party - executive amnesty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/in-the-case-of-immigration-there-has-never-been-a-majority-for-any-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [This is exactly the kind of thing that Trump supporters are fed up with about the Republican Party, how easy it is for so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/this-is-exactly-the-kind-of-thing-that-trump-supporters-are-fed-up/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We try it practically every time it comes up, be it amnesty, be it any other issue they want. We try and it gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-try-it-practically-every-time-it-comes-up-be-it-amnesty-be-it-any/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More by Rush Limbaugh > [You can criticize Trump and his wealth all day long, but you can't say he hasn't worked. You can say that about the Clintons.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/you-can-criticize-trump-and-his-wealth-all-day-long-but-you-can-t-say/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ I guarantee you \[Hillary Clinton\] is smoking in humiliation over the idea that she needs to heal and that \[Donald\] Trump's the guy to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-guarantee-you-hillary-clinton-is-smoking-in-humiliation-over-the/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [How do you, on the one hand, not object to Hillary Clinton being elected, and then, on the other hand, tell people, "Elect me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/how-do-you-on-the-one-hand-not-object-to-hillary-clinton-being/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ The real leadership of the opposition is never, ever gonna do anything but continue to ramp up efforts to stop \[Donald\] Trump or destroy… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-real-leadership-of-the-opposition-is-never-ever-gonna-do-anything/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can't see the Democrats working with Donald Trump on tax reform unless the rich get soaked. The thing about this that should be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/i-can-t-see-the-democrats-working-with-donald-trump-on-tax-reform/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We know from this book entitled... What is it? Surrendered? Succumbed? I can never remember the title perform. And we learn from this book…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-know-from-this-book-entitled-what-is-it-surrendered-succumbed-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Once you convince people that they're victims, you really own them because you've just told them that whatever problems they have in life, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/once-you-convince-people-that-they-re-victims-you-really-own-them/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [People from all over the world came to America and assimilated into a single culture rooted in the founding, which is rooted in individual…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/people-from-all-over-the-world-came-to-america-and-assimilated-into-a/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [The left wants to transform America away from founding ideals, and this is it. And they know it. And they're doing everything they, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/the-left-wants-to-transform-america-away-from-founding-ideals-and/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There's such cultural rot taking place, such a disintegration throughout our culture. Values, morality, you name it. Standards have been relaxed, and people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-s-such-cultural-rot-taking-place-such-a-disintegration/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [There is an all-out assault now on the Christian community in this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/there-is-an-all-out-assault-now-on-the-christian-community-in-this/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ Four states where \[Democrats\] have the governorship and both houses of the legislature. That's it. They have lost seats. They are not gonna win… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/four-states-where-democrats-have-the-governorship-and-both-houses-of/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) [Explore all 2,819 Rush Limbaugh quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) ## More Amnesty quotes > [I am strongly opposed to any form of amnesty, including, especially, executive amnesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-scalise/i-am-strongly-opposed-to-any-form-of-amnesty-including-especially/) [Steve Scalise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-scalise/) > [How arrogant - how very far from humility - would be the self-satisfied, smug assurance that God, a tidy-up-after-us God will come and clean…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheldon-whitehouse/how-arrogant-how-very-far-from-humility-would-be-the-self-satisfied/) [Sheldon Whitehouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheldon-whitehouse/) > [Hillary Clinton has pledged to keep both of these illegal amnesty programs, including the 2014 amnesty which has been blocked by the United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/hillary-clinton-has-pledged-to-keep-both-of-these-illegal-amnesty/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [3 "amnesty" didn't mean rewarding illegal behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/3-amnesty-didn-t-mean-rewarding-illegal-behavior/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Why don't Republicans spend all their airtime attacking the media for lying about what Obama's amnesty does and what the Democrats are doing? It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/why-don-t-republicans-spend-all-their-airtime-attacking-the-media-for/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [...we will not grant amnesty to illegal aliens in this Congress or, hopefully ever again. We did that once. Everybody said it was a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-gramm/we-will-not-grant-amnesty-to-illegal-aliens-in-this-congress-or/) [Phil Gramm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-gramm/) > [ I take the Constitution very seriously. The biggest problems that we're facing right now have to do with \[the president\] trying to bring more… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-take-the-constitution-very-seriously-the-biggest-problems-that-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I worked 30 years to try to restore respect for the rule of law because of Ronald Reagan's amnesty in 1986. And I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-king/i-worked-30-years-to-try-to-restore-respect-for-the-rule-of-law/) [Steve King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-king/) > [You are going to hear many things from Mr. Trump today in his speech on immigration. One, no amnesty. He is absolutely going to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellyanne-conway/you-are-going-to-hear-many-things-from-mr-trump-today-in-his-speech/) [Kellyanne Conway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellyanne-conway/) > [I supported this bill. I believe in the idea of amnesty for those who have put down roots and who have lived here even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-supported-this-bill-i-believe-in-the-idea-of-amnesty-for-those-who/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [Amnesty is a disaster, we need strong borders. We have no country if we have no border. In New Hampshire, the biggest complaint is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/amnesty-is-a-disaster-we-need-strong-borders-we-have-no-country-if-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [no study has brought out any solid evidence that the death penalty deters crime. In fact, Amnesty reports that 'the murder rate in states…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoinette-bosco/no-study-has-brought-out-any-solid-evidence-that-the-death-penalty/) [Antoinette Bosco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoinette-bosco/) > [We try it practically every time it comes up, be it amnesty, be it any other issue they want. We try and it gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-try-it-practically-every-time-it-comes-up-be-it-amnesty-be-it-any/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ This bill \[Immigration Reform and Control act of 1986\] is a gamble, a riverboat gamble. There is no guarantee that employer sanctions will work… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/this-bill-immigration-reform-and-control-act-of-1986-is-a-gamble-a/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) > [ No one believed \[the 1986 amnesty for illegal aliens\] was tough enough on illegal immigration, and it didn't give enough flexibility on future legal immigration. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-schumer/no-one-believed-the-1986-amnesty-for-illegal-aliens-was-tough-enough/) [Charles Schumer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-schumer/) [Browse all 195 Amnesty quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amnesty/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. It can be done. The only reason that it started up again, Ted Kennedy started bellyaching about it in the mid-sixties, and then that led to Simpson-Mazzoli 20 years later, 1986, amnesty for about 3.9 million, and we were told that would be it, never again, and of course now we're where we are.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rush Limbaugh" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigration-folks-it-can-be-done-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amnesty" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigration-folks-it-can-be-done-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cde/rush-limbaugh-28_amnesty_we-went-60-years-or-more-with-no-immigra_404814.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We went 60 years or more with no immigration, folks. 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