Texas to play key role on immigration
WASHINGTON — As the Senate moves toward passage of comprehensive immigration reform, Texas’ two senators have been bit players in the legislative theatrics, adding a handful of minor amendments to a plan that was crafted by others.
But Texans are likely to take center stage when the immigration drama reaches its denouement in the House of Representatives — on both sides of the leading wedge issue of modern American politics.
Two conservative Texas Republicans — Reps. John Carter of Round Rock and Sam Johnson of Plano — have been part of the House “Gang of 8” that reached agreement in principle Thursday on a bipartisan immigration proposal.
The House group, which also includes liberal Democrats such as Xavier Becerra of California and Luis Gutierrez of Illinois, hopes to formally draft legislation by early June.
On the other side of the debate, conservative Texas Republicans Lamar Smith of San Antonio, Louie Gohmert of Tyler and Steve Stockman of Friendswood have staked out leading positions among opponents of comprehensive reform.
“As the largest state delegation in the GOP House caucus and the state which also has the second-largest Hispanic population, Texas Republicans will have a Texas-sized influence on immigration reform in the House,” said Mark Jones, chairman of the political science department at Rice University.
For Republicans, that influence comes with significant political risk in Texas, where the Latino population is growing rapidly and Democraticleaning Hispanics could eventually threaten longstanding GOP dominance of Lone Star politics.
“Unlike the case for most House Republicans, the future of the Texas party’s grip on power at the state level will be profoundly affected by the failure of this reform legislation,” Jones added. “If the legislation fails to pass, the Republican Party will be blamed and its image among a majority of Hispanics will deteriorate even more.”
Texas’ GOP lawmakers are whipsawed politically. With the party’s staunchly conservative base unalterably opposed
to compromise, Texas Republicans could face primary challenges if they vote for comprehensive reform.
“If you look at the demographics, they can bet on the short-term (politics) or bet on the long-term,” said Rep. Joaquin Castro, a San Antonio Democrat. “And there are some long-term (Republican) thinkers out there trying to build coalitions.” Respect ‘rule of law’
Texas’ out-sized role on immigration legislation in the House reflects the high stakes for the state in the policy battles being fought. More than half of the nation’s border with Mexico runs along the Rio Grande in Texas. Nearly four of every ten Texans is of Mexican origin. More than 1.5 million undocumented immigrants live in Texas, 7 percent of the state’s population.
Local school districts, hospitals and law enforcement regularly grapple with the fallout from the nation’s failed immigration policies.
Members of the Texas congressional delegation agree that the current system is broken. But they divide sharply over the solution. Most Republican activists remain unalterably opposed to any plan that includes any form of a pathway to citizenship for any people currently living in the U.S. without proper legal documents.
“We must continue to respect the rule of law and appreciate that there are millions of people who are waiting in line to come here legally,” said Harris County Republican chair Jared Woodfill III.
Woodfill says Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, whose amendments to tighten border security were voted down last week by the Senate Judiciary Committee, “clearly has his finger on the pulse of the Republican base.”
In the House, Gohmert and Stockman are likely to reprise Cruz’s role as a leading critic of compromise.
Smith, the former House Judiciary Committee chairman, is more of an inside player, trying to push the House’s version of immigration reform to the right.
“I think it has to be done very carefully, methodically, and not quickly,” Smith said. “If it’s not done right it can do a lot of damage to American workers, to American taxpayers, and to our country.”
Because Republicans maintain a healthy majority in the House, no immigration legislation can emerge without the backing of a significant bloc of conservatives. If an immigration deal prevails, it will be because of lawmakers like Carter, a former Central Texas judge, and Johnson, a highly decorated former Vietnam prisoner of war. The two Texans have been involved in closed-door talks for more than four years in an attempt to craft a compromise.
“If anyone brings enough credibility to the debate to overcome divisions within the House, it is Sam Johnson,” said Cindy Rugeley, a Texas Tech University politi- cal science professor. “A person can disagree with Sam Johnson, but he is a very hard man to not like and to not respect. I believe he wants to get something done on immigration, and he understands that will require compromise.” ‘Looking at options’
Rep. Kevin Brady, a Republican from The Woodlands, said he is encouraged by the involvement of Texans in the House talks.
“We’re all looking forward to the House proposal because we have very strong conservatives like Sam Johnson and John Carter and bordersecurity leaders like (Texas Rep.) Ted Poe leading this,” said Brady, who remains critical of the bipartisan Senate plan.
Reform supporters are hoping to be able to attract the eventual support of a handful of pro-business Texas Republicans, including Brady, Poe, Roger Williams of Weatherford and Kenny Marchant of Carrollton, with a plan that assuages their concerns about border security and electronic verification of legal status.
Lawmakers from both parties point to Poe, a former state district judge from Humble, as a bellwether of Republican willingness to pass any immigration deal.
“Ted has changed to be more open,” said Rep. Gene Green, a Houston Democrat.
“I’m glad he’s looking at options instead of just saying no.”
While Democrats remain in the minority, a trio of Texas freshman — Castro, Pete Gallego of Alpine and Marc Veasey of Fort Worth — are expected to play high-profile supporting roles in building a bipartisan coalition.
“We have an extra responsibility as Texas Republicans and Democrats to be constructive,” said Castro.
Gallego, whose district has a large population of veterans, has been pushing hard for a provision that would create a path to citizenship for the undocumented spouses of U.S. military personnel killed in the line of duty.
“I’m frankly very optimistic,” said Gallego. “But it clearly is a process that is going to be very slow and methodical.” Also contributing to this report was Alison Sullivan of the Hearst Washington bureau. richard.dunham@chron. com