Immigration bills near House OK; Senate prospects bleak
WASHINGTON — Democratic bills opening a gateway to citizenship for over 3 million young “Dreamers” and farm worker immigrants headed toward House passage Thursday, but Republican opposition means any legislation on the issue faces a steep climb before it can reach President Joe Biden’s desk.
The bills represent Democrats’ initial steps this year toward Biden’s goal of sweeping legislation making citizenship possible for all 11 million immigrants estimated to be in the U.S. illegally. But they ran into a wall of opposition by Republicans, who have been singularly focused on a rising wave of migrants trying to cross the border from Mexico, a surge they’ve blamed on Biden.
GOP resistance signaled that the issue, which has stymied major progress in Congress for years, has bleak prospects this year as well, especially
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., criticizes Democrats on immigration policy.
in the evenly divided Senate. That means immigration could well become a battlefield in next year’s elections, when Republicans hope to regain House and Senate control.
“Unfortunately, what we are hearing is as much fearmongering as possible by our Republican colleagues about immigrants,” said Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-Texas.
Although neither bill debated Thursday would affect those trying to cross the border in recent weeks, Republicans criticized both measures for lacking provisions
Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-Calif., discusses the upcoming vote on the American Dream and Promise Act.
that would strengthen border security.
“The tidal wave is here,” said Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio. “And the Democrats’ answer is amnesty.”
One measure would help roughly 2 million “Dreamers” — immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children — and migrants who have fled armed conflicts or natural disasters from a dozen countries stay in the U.S. and give them a chance for citizenship. The other would do the same for around 1 million farm workers in the U.S. illegally.