In a conference call a few minutes ago, John McCain challenged his Republican presidential primary opponents to propose their own immigration reform plan or else support his, and said he’s going to make a speech on the issue in Miami June 4.

“If you reject this proposal, as the other nine [opponents] have, then what’s your proposal and what have you got that will get the support of the president and a majority of the Senate, rather than have the status quo, which is totally unacceptable?” McCain said in a conference call with reporters.

He said immigration reform “is a national security issue, so the status quo is unacceptable,” noting that some of those arrested in the alleged Fort Dix, N.J. terrorist plot recently were illegal immigrants.

McCain said he’s the only candidate with a proposal that has been “forged with the president of the United States and conservatives and liberals.”

He also noted that the compromise is drawing opposition from both conservatives who think it’s too lenient for illegal immigrants, and pro-immigrant advocates who think it’s too harsh.

“But I think the great middle thinks this is probably the best solution.”

McCain acknowledged that people are emotional and angry about the issue. One reason, he said: “We promised them in the 1986 law that we would give amnesty and fix our borders. We gave amnesty and didn’t fix our borders,” which has resulted in mistrust of any reform proposal.

He said a new New York Times/CBS poll indicates that “Americans support a compromise approach along the lines of what we’re doing, and the status quo is unacceptable.”
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Update: McCain’s speech in Miami will be June 4. As initially posted, this blog entry erroneously gave a different date.

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