In essence, this is almost the same as the Gang Of Eight amnesty bill, in that “Dreamers” are given a pathway to citizenship in exchange for almost nothing when it comes to border security. Thanks, squishy Republicans
Senators Strike Bipartisan Deal on Immigration Despite Veto Threat
A broad bipartisan group of senators reached agreement Wednesday on a narrow rewrite of the nation’s immigration laws that would bolster border security and resolve the fate of the so-called Dreamers, even as President Trump suggested he would veto any plan that does not adhere to his harder-line approach.
Their compromise legislation sets up a clash pitting the political center of the Senate against Mr. Trump and the Republican congressional leadership.
Senators in both parties have been racing against a self-imposed end-of-the-week deadline to write legislation that could win wide support by increasing border security while at the same time offering a path to citizenship for young immigrants brought to the United States illegally as children.
Members of the bipartisan group, which calls itself the Common Sense Coalition, said their deal does just that. They were working Wednesday evening to determine whether their bill could garner the 60 votes necessary to break a filibuster.
As you can imagine, Lindsay Graham is involved.
The bipartisan measure, sponsored by eight Democrats, eight Republicans and one independent, would appropriate $25 billion for border security, including construction of the president’s proposed wall at the Mexican border, over a 10-year period — not immediately, as Mr. Trump demands.
It would also offer an eventual path to citizenship, over 10 to 12 years, for 1.8 million of the young undocumented immigrants, but would preclude them from sponsoring their parents to become citizens. It would make no changes to the diversity visa lottery system, which Mr. Trump wants to end.
According to Marco Rubio, it could end up being way more than 1.8 million, since the cut off date was moved from 2007 to 2012. Regardless, the money for the border wall would be doled out slowly, meaning that it would never really get built. Nothing will happen to the parents who committed the “sin” of bringing the kids illegally, except they can’t get citizenship.
The proof will be in the details, which are rather light at this time. You’re finding the same info at Fox News and The Washington Post, as well all the other outlets. What will be the exact terms of amnesty for the Dreamers? Will it really take 10-12 years? Are there any measures that will knock them out, such as criminal activity, in the same way that people doing it the right way to gain citizenship had to follow?
At the end of the day, this benefits the Democrats and gives nothing to Republicans. And Trump has stated that he won’t sign a bill like this, which most likely wouldn’t pass the House even if it managed to pass the Senate. So, what’s the point? To show citizens that Republicans are as squishy on protecting the nation from foreign invaders as the Democrats?
