Republican plan gains steam in Senate debate
But Democrats call for narrow solution focused mostly on Dreamers
WASHINGTON» The Senate’s top Republican endorsed a plan Monday that would revamp immigration policy the way President Donald Trump wants to, as senators began debating whether to grant permanent legal status to some young undocumented immigrants and bolster the nation’s southern border security.
The showdown began with no sense of what ultimately might pass the closely divided Senate and could be sent to the House before reaching Trump for his signature. The only thing senators agreed on with near unanimity was to start the discussion, voting 97-1 on Monday night.
“The American people have heard no shortage of rhetoric on this issue. They have heard many of my colleagues across the aisle insist this issue requires swift action,” said Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. “Now is the time to back up the talk with the hard work of finding a workable solution.”
McConnell endorsed a sweeping GOP plan that fulfills Trump’s calls to legalize the status of 1.8 million “dreamers,” spends at least $25 billion to bolster defenses along the U.S.-Mexico border, makes changes to family-based legal migration programs, and ends a diversity lottery system used by immigrants from smaller countries.
The measure is “the only piece of legislation that can get through the Senate, through the House of Representatives, most importantly signed by the president” said its lead sponsor, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
But no Democrats are believed to back the plan — and Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill. described it as “an all-Republican measure.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called for a modest solution focused mostly on protecting people whose permanent legal status is set to expire when the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, or DACA, ends March 5.
“This is the moment for a narrow bill, and every ounce of energy is going into finding one that can pass,” Schumer said.