CNBC 2015 GOP primary debate: on Immigration

Donald Trump: I can get Mexico to pay for border wall; politicians can't

TRUMP: Right. We're going to build the wall; we're going to create a border. We're going to let people in, but they're going to come in legally. They are going to come in legally. And it's something that can be done. They built The Great Wall of China. That's 13,000 miles. Here, we actually need 1,000, because we have natural barriers. We can do a wall. We're going to have a big, fat beautiful door right in the middle of the wall. We are going to have people come in, but they are coming in legally. And Mexico is going to pay for the wall, because Mexico--I love the Mexican people, I respect the Mexican leaders, but the leaders are much sharper, smarter and more cunning than our leaders. And people say, "Oh, how are you going to get Mexico to pay?" A politician cannot get them to pay. I can.

Donald Trump: I don't care how they come in, if they come in legally

TRUMP: I never said that.

Q: So this was an erroneous article the whole way around? My apologies.

Q [after commercial break]: I found where I read that before. It was from the donaldjtrump.com website and it says, "Mark Zuckerburg's personal senator, Marco Rubio has a bill to triple H-1Bs that would decimate women and minorities." Are you in favor of H-1Bs or are you opposed to them?

TRUMP: I'm in favor of people coming into this country legally. As far as the visas are concerned, if we need people they have--it's fine. They have to come into this country legally. We have a country of laws. It's fine if they come in, but they have to come in legally.

Lindsey Graham: Increase legal immigration because we need workers

Lindsey Graham: Those who stay will have to learn our language

Marco Rubio: Bar any company abusing H1 visas from future visas

RUBIO: If a company gets caught doing that, they should never be able to use the program again. But we also need to add reforms, not just increase the numbers. For example, before you hire anyone from abroad, you should have to advertise that job for 180 days. You also have to prove that you're not undercutting that you would pay [an American] by bringing in cheap labor.

Q: It sounds like you think Sen. Sessions is wrong to believe there is abuse in that program?

RUBIO: Well, I believe that there are abuses; those companies should be permanently barred from ever using the program again and we should put strict standards in place to ensure that they're not being abused, like the prevailing wage requirement and like the advertising requirement.

Marco Rubio: Change from family-based system to skills-based

But in 2015, we have a very different economy. Our legal immigration system from now on has to be merit-based. It has to be based on what skills you have, what you can contribute economically, & most important of all, on whether or not you're coming here to become an American, not just live in America, but be an American.

Rick Santorum: We're flooding the job market with low-wage workers