Posted on 02/14/2018 9:17:32 AM PST by SeekAndFind
A bipartisan group of senators on Wednesday said they have reached an immigration deal as lawmakers try to break a logjam on the Senate's debate.
"It's going to be ready today. It's going to be ready today," Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told reporters after a closed-door meeting.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), who was also in the meeting, confirmed that they would be releasing an agreement on Wednesday saying members were working to "tidy up the language."
But members remained tight-lipped about the content of the deal and if it would line up with President Trump's demands that any agreement include a fix for the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), border security, and changes to family-based immigration and the State Department's Diversity Visa Lottery.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) said the agreement would be a "two pillar" proposal dealing only with undocumented immigrants and border security.
But several other members of the working group declined to discuss what was included, noting they were still working to finalize language.
"We're very optimistic about getting an agreement on a bill. Of course, it's never complete until everyone has a chance to see the language. ... [But] I believe our group has come together on an approach," GOP Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) told reporters.
The group of roughly 20 senators has been meeting in Collins's office for weeks to try to find an agreement ahead of the immigration fight.
But the Senate's immigration debate has stalled this week with Democrats blocking Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's (R-Ky.) efforts to set up votes, including an amendment from GOP Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) cracking down on cities that don't comply with federal immigration law.
The Senate formally started the immigration debate on Wednesday after a round of partisan fighting Tuesday.
(Excerpt) Read more at msn.com ...
If the “deal” does not include a wall, it likely won’t even pass the Senate, much less the House.
And even if it did include a wall, passes, and does not include an end to chain migration and visa lottery, it will be vetoed with zero chance of override.
This is nothing more than an opportunity for Senate Democrats to posture one last time for their base. After all, the election is but 9 months away and slaughter awaits them.
More than a dozen will soon “moderate”.
Well this scares me because if Graham is involved I am sure I will hate it
“Two pillar” means it’s DOA. The Trump plan has four pillars. They are leaving out chain migration and visa lottery.
A few RINOs and Democrats agree to try to pull a fast one on the American middle class.
That’s hardly news.
I’ve looked at Trump’s “four pillar” plan and it’s the best the DC crowd has proposed.
The only problem is with the 10-12 year path to citizenship. It should be 10-12 years:
1. without SNAP or Medicaid welfare benefits for the person or their offspring and
2. including at least five tax years in which “total tax” exceeded $1,000 on a 1040/1040A/1040EZ.
I’d add a fifth pillar, removal of the “anchor baby” clause from our Constitution.
Keane, Flake, Graham, Collins . . . not seeing anything good coming out of that.
“This is nothing more than an opportunity for Senate Democrats to posture one last time for their base. After all, the election is but 9 months away and slaughter awaits them.”
Absolutely!
Agree. The presence of population-replacement advocates like Flake, Graham, etc confirms that this is a deeply anti-American bill that seeks to accelerate our homeland’s transformation into a third world S-hole.
Flake & Graham involved, no deal.
No compromise on chain migration
No compromise on banning the lottery
No compromise on banning sanctuary cities and/or States.
Add in a Merit based system and E-Verify and you have a deal.
I don’t want this deal unless it says: Fund the Wall and build it quickly, deport all illegals without exception, and make E-Verify mandatory and functional.
GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) said
> dealing only with undocumented immigrants and border security.
Not enough. But if that’s what they are doing, I hope it’s “1 illegal gets amnesty AFTER each foot of wall is constructed”. Or 5280 amnesties/mile. This would get the Ds on board for removing environmental roadblocks and other delays as well as not playing budget tricks like authorizing but not appropriating (assuming Ds actually want to grant amnesty and not just talk about it for votes.)
Flake, Graham, Kaine??....how bad can it be???
I can only imagine. Especially if it’s the turtles idea.
Democrats and Democrats with Rs after their names.
And Crazy Kaine is involved.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.