The Democratic senator who leads efforts to pass Biden’s Senate immigration bill said it will be a “Herculean” effort to pass comprehensive legislation amid significant Republican opposition to the bill, which includes a path to citizenship for millions. of illegal immigrants.
“As someone who has been in these battles for almost two decades, I have no illusions. I know from my time in the Gang of Eight that passing Senate immigration reform is a Herculean task,” Sen. Bob Mendendez, DN .J., Said in a virtual briefing presenting the legislation.
BIDEN IMMIGRATION ACCOUNT CHANGES ‘ALIEN’ TO ‘NOT CITIZEN’ AS PART OF THE REVIEW
The 2021 Citizenship Law would provide protection status and an eight-year path to citizenship for illegal immigrants in the country as of January 1. In addition, it would make rural workers and beneficiaries of Temporary Protection Status (TPS) and Deferred Action for Arrivals to Children (DACA) immediately eligible for green cards.
Although it includes some border security provisions, including increased technology in ports, it is less vigorous in these areas than in previous attempts at immigration reform. It would also establish refugee processing sites in Central America and increase the number of immigration judges.
The project would also open up a number of avenues for legal immigration, including “recapturing” unused family and work visas in recent years, cleaning up the visa portfolio and increasing the number of annual diversity lottery visas from 55,000 to 80,000.
Menendez is leading the pressure to pass legislation in the Senate, the chamber where approval will be most difficult. Menendez was part of the bipartisan Gang of Eight that in 2013 worked on an immigration reform pledge. This bill passed the Senate, but was never passed in the House, then controlled by Republicans.
Democrats now have a small majority in the House and will have control of the Senate, but with a 50-50 split of legislators. The bill will need 60 votes to overcome the obstruction in the House – meaning that 10 Republicans would need to enter the bill.
BIDEN ADMINISTRATION IMPORTS ‘PAUSE’ OF 100 DAYS ON DEPORTATIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS
Menéndez noted that the 2013 legislation was passed with bipartisan support and said he had a history of brokering bipartisan agreements in the Senate and was ultimately optimistic about the chances of doing the same here.
“I believe we can do that in immigration reform,” he said.
But so far, there are few signs that Republicans are playing ball. Senate Republican Party leader Mitch McConnell said on Thursday that the Biden government “drafted a huge general amnesty proposal that would destroy American law enforcement and create huge new incentives for people to run here illegally at the same time. .
“This type of failed approach will invite another humanitarian crisis on our border and privilege powerful interests ahead of American workers,” said McConnell.
Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Who was in the 2013 Eight Gang with Menendez, called the amnesty a “non-start” this week.
“The United States must always receive immigrants who want to become Americans. But we need laws that decide who and how many people can come here, and those laws must be followed and applied,” said Rubio in a statement.
“There are many issues that I think we can work on in cooperation with President-elect Biden, but a general amnesty for people who are here illegally will not be one of them,” he said.
Democrats are asking business groups and activists to come together for approval and put pressure on Republicans. Menendez said those in the business community need to “give everything you have”, while saying to advocacy and work groups, “We have a lot of work for us.”
Separately, the George W. Bush Institute issued a statement on Thursday saying it was “pleased to see President Biden prioritize immigration actions and recognize the essential role of Congress in enacting meaningful and lasting reforms”.
THE BIDEN IMMIGRATION PROJECT WOULD PUT MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS INTO THE 8 YEARS RAPID PATH TO CITIZENSHIP
But Republicans will face pressure from conservative groups and those calling for lower levels of immigration in general, who want Republicans not to support any form of the bill.
“President Biden and Democrats in Congress are sending an unmistakable signal that they will do nothing to protect the interests or security of the American people when it comes to immigration – even in the midst of a global pandemic and economic crisis,” RJ Hauman, director government relations of the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), he told Fox News. “Republicans in the Senate must stand firm and reject this blatant, amnesty-focused charade.”
Menendez himself previously acknowledged to The Washington Post that the text is “definitely” more liberal than the 2013 effort and on Thursday called it a “bold and forward-looking bill” that would be difficult to attract the Republican support and said it may require some negotiation to obtain that support.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
But while it is difficult to recognize the way ahead, he said he believed the initiative would be successful – and cited the support of Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“As I prepare to introduce the US Citizenship Act 2021 in the Senate, I know that President Biden and Vice President Harris will be strong partners,” he said. “They want to do this and we are going to do this.”