Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., should be commended for his honest and sincere efforts to engage conservatives about his bipartisan comprehensive immigration plan. Unlike past Republican immigration reformers, Rubio has declined to build his own moderate brand by accusing conservatives who oppose amnesty of being xenophobic. Instead, he has addressed their objections head on thereby advancing everyone’s understanding of a difficult issue.

His thoughtful response to Erick Erickson’s critique of his plan is instructive. Rubio writes: