Comprehensive Immigration Reform (CIR) is on the minds of millions of U.S. citizens and foreign nationals alike. Currently, the bill is in a somewhat compromising situation. At this point currently, the legislation in question will fall to the House of Representatives where the Republican party holds a slight majority. Although the Republican house is internally divided by differences between the GOP and Tea party members, it would seem that they have the ability to block passage of this monumental bill.
A possible scenario for CIR in the Senate will be a “piecemeal” approach. This would mean that that comprehensive reform could be divided into smaller sections, making voting easier in a sense. However, this approach would also mean that voting on a a bill which includes the topic of a pathway to citizenship could be avoided.
Although the republican general party is seen to be blocking CIR, some leading party members have voiced their support. Grover Norquist, the president of Americans for Tax Reform has been in the spotlight promoting this position in recent months. Norquist, an outspoken anti-tax Republican representative has recently been promoting a study focused on the “economic effects of comprehensive immigration reform”. This study could help conservatives who support CIR by giving them positive validating data. [See: Key Components of Immigration Reform, prepared by Regional Economic Models, Inc. (REMI), 17.Jul.2013.] http://www.remi.com/immigration-report; Key points in the study include:
• Pathway to citizenship
• H1B program expansion
• W-1 visa program
It appears that Norquist hopes that House GOP representatives currently in opposition to CIR, will be persuaded to support it. For all supporters of CIR, let’s hope it does just that. Otherwise, the argument could lean towards Senate Reoublicans who could in turn bolster their conditions for additional border security spending. If this were to happen, CIR lobby supporters would in turn be forced to lower economic benefits of CIR by billions.
