Senate gang goes full steam ahead on immigration push
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
Senate gang goes full steam ahead on immigration push
EL PASO, Texas — A Republican-controlled House and historically grim odds aren’t stopping senators from pursuing a once-in-a-generation compromise on immigration reform.
A bipartisan group of senators traveled here Monday to chart a path for the 118th Congress on an issue that has eluded lawmakers for more than four decades.
This week’s CODEL to El Paso and Yuma, Ariz. — led by Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.) — is the largest and most bipartisan border visit in recent memory.
This particular cadre of lawmakers also played big roles in the Senate’s bipartisan achievements from the last two years, lending at least some credibility to their optimism that they can strike a deal.
We shadowed the group in El Paso amid a record-breaking surge in illegal border crossings. The senators toured a migrant care facility along the border and met with local law enforcement officials who described the cascading humanitarian, legal and national security crises in stark terms.
The case for a deal: The Senate just wrapped up a wildly productive two years in which a 50-50 body notched several bipartisan wins — infrastructure, same-sex marriage, CHIPS, gun safety and more. And despite the tricky politics of the immigration issue in particular, they see no reason to stop.
Plus, they actually have a framework — courtesy of Sinema and Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), who was also part of the CODEL — and a gang of senators eager to make a deal rather than a political point.
Here’s more from Cornyn:
“Most of the time when you come to the border it’s kind of shirts vs. skins. It’s all Republicans and everybody’s sort of egging each other on but not actually trying to fix the problem.
“I’m encouraged because I think Sen. Sinema and Sen. Murphy and others who are here with us have a history of doing bipartisan things and solving problems. So I think that’s a great place to start.”
House Republicans are already planning to pass a border security bill, and Cornyn and Sinema think it should serve as the foundation for the Senate’s effort.
“Having it start in the House is really practical. It allows them to put a handprint on it and say, ‘Here’s what we want.’ And we can kind of add to it and change it to get 60 votes,” Sinema told us. “We’re in a groove. We’re good at doing this.”
Not so fast: Their problem, of course, is that a GOP-controlled House isn’t likely to swallow even the most carefully crafted bipartisan Senate immigration deal, much like 2013. And this is especially true after all of the concessions Kevin McCarthy had to make to conservative hardliners to secure the speakership.
Even if the Senate can cobble together 60-plus votes, it might be political suicide for McCarthy to hold a vote on a bill that a large chunk of his conference will slam as “amnesty.”
The CODEL was put together with those dynamics in mind, the senators said. The group includes border-state lawmakers, appropriators, bipartisan dealmakers and border hawks — all of whom would be key for securing 60 votes from a variety of Senate factions.
“This group knows how to do big, important things. My hope is that we can get something done,” said Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.).
The GOP senators on the trip said that if House Republicans really want to solve the problems at the border, they’re going to have to accept some elements of a compromise that they might not like. This would be necessary to break a filibuster in the upper chamber.
“It’s not just about border security; it’s not just about a path to citizenship or some certainty for a population. It is both. It’s the only way it works in Washington,” said Tillis.
Tillis’ proposal with Sinema would provide a path to citizenship for Dreamers in exchange for robust border-related provisions. If that sounds familiar, it’s pretty much exactly what the Senate tried and failed to do in 2018 under then-President Donald Trump.
The conditions at the border are worsening, the Biden administration is crying out for congressional action and this group seems determined to fix it.
“The alternative is we do nothing,” Cornyn said. “And nobody believes the status quo is acceptable.”
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The Senate seeks bi-partisan legislative action on the immigration issue.
The far right Republican House will shoot compromise down.
Who is it that doesnt want to do anything?
Until Biden secures the border: NO DEALS!
If democrats actually support control over our borders, like I’m constantly told, why would compromise be necessary? Don’t both parties agree on the need for a secure border?
How can far right Republicans shut down bipartisan legislation in the House? The House doesn't have a filibuster. A bipartisan coalition of Republicans and Democrats can pass any sort of legislation in the House. But forming a bipartisan coalition would require Democrats to compromise, too. And convincing Democrats to compromise would be an uphill struggle.
We already know House Democrats will adamantly oppose any sort of compromise. We saw that with the votes for the Speaker's chair. Democrats could have voted for McCarthy, too. But they didn't. The Speaker vote wasn't only a Republican show. Democrats didn't prolong the stalemate because they are willing to work with Republicans.
Democrats had control of the House for 2 years and failed to anything on immigration and the border. NOW they decide to do something?
They need Republicans for political cover.
Democrats don't want to be held accountable when it doesn't work. The second they put amnesty into the bill the rush to the border will be unstoppable. They will never agree to secure the border first, enforce current immigration laws, and then once that is accomplished enact immigration reform including a pathway to citizenship. They plan on doing the exact same thing as with Reagan; get their amnesty and then renege on securing the border. Another ten or twenty years down the road the Democrats will be back at it again- needing another amnesty for all of the illegals in the country.
Only Republicans will be held accountable by their constituents; and Democrats know it. It will lead to even more extreme conservatives being elected in primaries.
Hopefully McCarthy will have the strength to tell the Senate to F'off on any bill that includes amnesty in any way, shape, or form. If not then it will be up to conservatives in the House to pull the plug on McCarthy as speaker. Better to have endless votes for a new speaker in the House; than get screwed again by Democrats.
At least until there is something actually happening to secure the border. Lip service isn't going to cut it any more.
Yep, shutting down the mad rush to the border has to be the first step. Until that happens no progress will be done towards amnesty.
Real results will have to wait until the '24 elections when, hopefully, the Republicans will be in full charge.
”Compromise” for the democrats means amnesty now and a promise of border security later. Ask joe manchin about whether his party has any integrity when it comes to keeping promises.
Remember, the border was secure. Well until illegals started showing up in Democrat run sanctuary cities. Then, and only then, did the border become an issue.
Anybody with a functioning brain knows that party's integrity is in the crapper.
Then I guess we'll never have a solution to the border problems.
The idea that the insurrectionist freedom caucus will get everything they want, ever, is laughable.
They dont want compromise, they want chaos .
I think polling on immigration has always reflected a broad desire for compromise legislation that both reflects the need to secure the border and legitimize immigrants that are already here.
But you seem to think that Democrats will compromise. They are just as bad as Republicans in that they really don't want to fix the border issue. It's better for both parties if left alone so that members can use it as a club against the "other side". And it will remain this way until we get politicians who actually work for the people or the country ceases to exist. Hell, the Democrats for the past two years held the majority in the House and they introduced NOTHING on immigration.
Damn, stop throwing all the blame on one political side.
Lets see what the bi partisan senators come up with.
But I guarantee it will not be the wish list from the freedom caucus.
Then start with the actual problem - securing the border. Nothing can be done until that is, at least, in the works.
Like I said in 2 above. Democrats had 2 years in control of the house and their only accomplishment when it comes to the border is gaslight their gullible voters into believing it's secure. There was no compromise. Because they had no intention of doing anything. They failed. They blew their chance and now want to try to cry foul? Pretty pathetic. But then it is the Democrats.
No Amnesty of any kind to illegals
That has to be the first provision of any immigration law. If you enter illegally, you can NEVER be a citizen and NEVER have the right to vote!
Then what are Democrats going to do for votes?
They'll be down to the blind voters that LBJ created