President Biden’s plan to go through a comprehensive review of immigration is facing strong winds in Congress, which has emerged as a black legislative hole for reform efforts in recent years.
Biden, as one of his first legislative proposals, highlighted a large-scale bill that would provide citizenship to 11 million undocumented immigrants, increase refugee protection and include new technologies along the border.
Democrats acknowledge that a weak majority in the House and the need for GOP support in the Senate are likely to determine what immigration proposals, if any, can pass Congress and reach Biden’s office.
“There are some things that I think will be included and some things that will be too accessible,” Whip Majority Senate said. Dick Durbin
Dick Durbin Democrats weigh in on rising lower courts after Trump blitz Biden revived fight for immigration in Congress Biden immigration plans hit early MORE (D-Ill.), The incoming Chairman of the Judicial Committee, on Biden’s plan.
Instead, Durbin intends to start with a smaller issue, which already has bipartisan support – the so-called dreamers – when he and Sen. Lindsey Graham
Lindsey Olin Graham: Trump’s lawyer, Bowers, leaves the team: reports that Biden rekindles fight for immigration in Congress Biden’s immigration plans hit early MORE (RS.C.) reintroduces its DREAM Act legislation in the first week of February.
The bill is expected to reflect the legislation they previously provided, which extended permanent residence and possible citizenship to immigrants brought into the country illegally as children who meet certain work and education requirements.
Durbin said he sees the bipartisan measure as the starting point for broader negotiations on a bill that could get 60 votes in the Senate, the amount needed to overcome a filibuster. If every Democrat were to vote for an immigration bill, he would need the support of 10 GOP senators to move forward.
“This will be our starting point for building assistance, as well as for considering any additions to it. It’s difficult territory, “Durbin said.
Meanwhile, Sen. Robert Menendez
Robert (Bob) MenendezBiden rekindles fight against immigration in Congress Biden’s immigration plans hit early Senate confirms Antony Blinken to be Biden’s secretary of state MORE (DN.J.) takes the lead on the legislation that will reflect the Biden-Harris proposal, although he acknowledged that “there are no illusions” about the legislative path he is following.
“I know in advance in the Gang of Eight that passing immigration reform through the Senate in particular is a Herculean task,” said Menendez, who was part of a 2013 effort to pass a comprehensive overhaul during an event with immigration reform advocates.
Immigration agreements have averted Congress for years. Even though members on both sides of the aisle say they want a deal, they don’t agree on exactly what it should look like.
In 2013, the Senate passed a bill on immigration reform with 68 votes, which included a 13-year path to citizenship. The measure eventually stopped in the GOP-controlled House.
Of the GOP senators who supported this bill, only Sens. Susan Collins
Susan Margaret CollinsBiden renews fight against immigration in Congress Paul says Roberts’ absence has “crystallized” the argument against Trump’s accusation Democrats ready to bypass Republicans over COVID-19 aid bill MORE (Maine), Graham, John Hoeven
John Henry HoevenBiden renews fight against immigration in Congress McConnell on his way to schooling Trump on political power for the last time when the GOP opposition in the Senate opposes the results of the Electoral College MORE (ND), Lisa Murowksi (Alaska) and Marco Rubio
Marco Antonio RubioBiden renews fight against immigration in Peters Congress to lead arm of Senate Senate Democratic campaign The Hill’s Morning Report – Dems trial trial; January becomes the deadliest month of the MORE pandemic (Fla.) I remain in office.
Obtaining an immigration agreement has become more politically charged since then, largely due to former President Trump
Donald Trump Kelli Ward Rejects Arizona GOP Race Audit Request Gun Sales Rise on Pandemic Uncertainty Biden’s Oath to Weapons Reform Top Prosecution Lawyer Trump Bowers Leaves Team: Reports MORErising to power and its continued capture on the basis of the GOP. Trump accepted immigration and poured billions of dollars into the controversial US-Mexico border wall.
In 2018, Trump briefly opened the door to a path to citizenship for dreamers in exchange for $ 25 billion for his border wall. But this quickly unfolded when his administration revised the offer by adding reductions to legal immigration. The Senate finally rejected four immigration plans in mid-February of that year.
After Democrats took control of the House in 2019, they passed immigration legislation dealing with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and beneficiaries of Temporary Protected Status (TPS), but it hit a dead end in the Senate controlled by GOP.
Republicans have looked at Biden’s immigration proposal, pointing out that without removing the 60-vote legislative filibuster, which Democrats currently have no votes to make, it probably won’t go anywhere fast in a 50-50 Senate.
“The new administration has also drafted a general amnesty proposal that would prevent the application of US laws, while creating huge new incentives for people to rush here illegally at the same time. This kind of failed approach will invite another crisis. humanitarian movement at our border, “said the GOP Senate leader Mitch McConnell
Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnell Lou Dobbs beats “petty” Republicans who criticize Trump Biden rekindle immigration fight in Congress Louise Linton plays a sex-obsessed hedge fund manager in her MORE writer-director debut (R-Ky).
Asked about Biden’s proposal, Graham said in a telephone interview with The Hill that he would need a comprehensive and comprehensive immigration reform and “I just don’t see the space to do that.”
The Biden administration and immigration lawyers have approved breaking the package, if that makes it easier to get it through a narrow-margin Congress.
Marielena Hincapie, executive director of the National Center for Immigration Law and former co-chair of the Biden-Sanders working group, said she supported the adoption of Biden legislation in part and suggested that a bill to protect key workers would be could advance through the reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority for passage.
“We are in favor of obtaining as much relief as possible for immigrant families at this time. If that means the best and fastest way to do this is through various legislative vehicles, then yes, I absolutely support that, “she said.
But the decline is still full of potential Republicans.
Graham said he saw his DREAM Act bill with Durbin as a starting point for negotiations that should ultimately include border security and address the underlying causes of immigration. If he couldn’t get a bigger deal, Graham said, he wouldn’t support the adoption of an independent DREAM law, nor do I think 10 Republicans will support it.
“I am sympathetic to the dream population,” Graham said, adding that the legislation must be made in a way that also “does not increase incentives for more illegal immigration.”
He added that his bill with Durbin “is a good place to start the discussion and build a compromise that will benefit the dream population and not stimulate a third wave of illegal immigration.”
Other Republicans are warning Durbin against trying to go too far, predicting that it would only lead to a stalemate in legislation that is already facing steep passages. Durbin indicated DACA and TPS as its main priorities.
“It would be better to start with something smaller than IF,” Sen said. Chuck Grassley
Chuck GrassleyBiden renews fight against immigration in Congress Psaki expects DHS Mayorkas candidate to lead working group to reunite separated families Biden DHS chooses advances in Senate, removing Republican obstacle MORE (R-Iowa), Member of the Judicial Committee, on the question of Durbin seeking to address immigration law.
Asked about combining DACA with TPS, Grassley said he would prefer to focus only on the first issue, but even combining the two would have “a much better chance of doing so than if it were comprehensive.”
It is. John Cornyn
John Cornyn Democrats weigh up lower courts after Trump blitz Biden revives immigration fight in Congress Trump’s censorship faces tough odds in Senate MORE (R-Texas), another member of the Judiciary Committee, said it had “given up” comprehensive reform, but wanted to “find a solution” for DACA beneficiaries through legislation.
However, Cornyn was skeptical about combining it with temporary protections.
“Well, now, you’re going to start adding other things,” he said. “I think that’s the problem; you have to take it once. ”
Morgan Chalfant contributed.