White House: Bill too narrow
Immigration
the legislation for eliminating a program that provided green cards to people with traditionally lower rates of immigration, particularly those from Africa.
The White House also opposed the bill, calling it too “narrowly tailored” and incompatible with President Barack Obama’s vision for a more comprehensive approach.
Looming over the House vote was a stark political reality: Republicans received a small portion of the Hispanic vote in the elections last month, and the party is divided over how best to improve its standing with such a large and growing demographic.
Some Republicans are eager to move forward with legislation that would tighten border controls but also start paving a path to citizenship for some of the estimated 11 million illegal immigrants now in the United States, a move that could help reverse impressions among Hispanics that the party is hostile to immigrants.
But many are also wary of the furor that could arise among conservative voters over any perceived softness on those who are here illegally.
Some leading Republicans have become more vocal about their desire to see immigration legislation pass. Rep. Eric Cantor of Virginia, the House majority leader, published an op-ed article in multiple newspapers this week making an economic argument to pass the House bill.
“Entrepreneurship and job creation won’t kick into high gear until businesses have the workers they need to drive growth and innovation,” he wrote, “and immigrants have always been a key part of the equation.”
The House bill, which would provide for 55,000 visas for foreign graduates of U.S. universities who have doctoral and master’s degrees in science, technology, engineering or mathematics, was an attempt to reconcile Rep. John Carter (R) yes; Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D) no; Rep. Michael McCaul (R) yes; Rep. Lamar Smith (R) did not vote the concerns within the party. And some Republicans acknowledged its shortcomings.
“It is not the panacea,” said Rep. Mario DiazBalart, who represents a stretch of south Florida west of Miami. “It does not solve all the problems. But it takes a huge step.”
Businesses, particularly technology and software companies, had pushed for the legislation as a way to help address the shortage of skilled U.S. workers.
“We should staple a green card to their diplomas,” said Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz. He cited a National Science Foundation study showing that foreign students receive nearly 60 percent of U.S. engineering doctorates and more than 50 percent of doctorates in mathematics and computer science.
But some Democrats said Friday that the bill set immigrant groups against one another by deepening demographic divides.
“That is not America,” said Rep. Luis V. Gutierrez of Chicago. “There was no special line for Ph.D.’s and master’s degree holders at Ellis Island.”
Rep. John Conyers Jr. of Michigan called the bill “a naked attempt to satisfy anti-immigrant groups.”
In the Senate, there are several different immigration proposals but no clear road to passage yet. One plan favored by Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., would start by providing a path to citizenship for children who were brought here illegally by their parents.
But more comprehensive efforts have languished in the Senate ever since bipartisan negotiations between Sen. Lindsey Graham, RS.C., and Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y., broke down in 2010.
Recently the two have restarted talks about a farreaching bill that would include the House plan as part of a package that would combine enhanced border security — a sweetener for conservatives — with ways for illegal immigrants to become citizens.
Senate Democrats expect hearings could begin in early 2013.