Lawmakers try to move immigration issue forward

Senators offer bill as talks launched behind the scenes

WASHINGTON — Even as congressional Republicans are launching efforts to pass narrow immigration bills in the lame-duck session, negotiations have begun behind closed doors over how to push through a much broader overhaul next year.

Three Republican senators Tuesday introduced an alternative to the DREAM Act that would give legal status to some immigrants brought to the U.S. unlawfully as children.

Later this week, the House is expected to vote on a bill that would increase the number of visas for technology jobs, while cutting back on other types of legal immigration. But these efforts are considered unlikely to become law.

In the background, however, a group of House members is preparing to reconvene after two years of inaction. The group, which brought together members from both parties — including Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif.; Rep. Xavier Becerra, D-Calif.; and Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla. — drafted parts of immigration reform as recently as 2010, but had disbanded because political head winds were too strong.

“There are confidential discussions that are occurring,” Lofgren said, adding that she is “cautiously optimistic” about the chances for a broad immigration bill coming to a vote next year.

The two camps are far apart at the moment. Republicans are reluctant to support an effort that guarantees a path to citizenship for those in the country unlawfully. On Wednesday, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus is set to lay Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, and Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., propose student visas for some immigrants.

Meanwhile, retiring Sens. Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., and Kay Bailey Hutchison, RTexas, introduced the Achieve Act on Tuesday. The bill was supported by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

Fewer young immigrants would qualify under the proposal than would have been eligible under earlier versions of the DREAM Act, which was designed to provide immigrants who arrived in the country illegally as children a path to citizenship if they attend college or serve in the military. The GOP bill would not guarantee a pathway to citizenship.

Under the proposal, applicants who were brought to the U.S. before age 14 could apply for student visas if they are younger than 29 and enrolled in a college degree program in the U.S. Applicants younger than 32 would qualify if they already hold a degree from an American college.

After graduation, applicants could apply for work visas that would be renewable every four years for the rest of their lives and would not prevent them from getting in line for a green card and, eventually, applying for citizenship.

But majority Democrats said they will block the bill.

Support offered

WASHINGTON— Mexico’s incoming president told President Barack Obama on Tuesday that he hopes to help him pass a comprehensive overhaul of U.S. immigration policy.

“We fully support your proposal,” President-elect Enrique Pena Nieto told Obama at the White House, part of a visit to the U.S. ahead of his inauguration Saturday. “Wewon’t be demanding what you should do or shouldn’t do. Wewant to participate. We want to contribute.” out a plan that includes steps to keep families together, create a legal status for a majority of the estimated 11 million undocumented people in the country and a special avenue to citizenship for young immigrants brought to the U.S. as children.

“Piecemeal parts are better than nothing, but it doesn’t solve the overall problem,” said Diaz-Balart, who says he has had “dozens” of conversations with Democrats and Republicans about how to push a comprehensive immigration bill through the GOPcontrolled House.