House Republicans are on the verge of an agreement to bring up an immigration reform bill this month, but first they must overcome different outlooks on how to legalize “Dreamers” who came to the U.S. illegally as children.
“We have a big swath of view within our conference,” House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., said. “I really do believe we have a sweet spot here.”
A key GOP meeting Thursday, one Ryan said would last “two to three hours,” will be a deciding factor. The party’s different factions would have to come to an agreement on a potential immigration reform proposal, if one is proposed.
âThere is not one right now,â Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., who heads the House Freedom Caucus, said when asked about a deal following a closed-door GOP session Wednesday morning. “But there is the potential for one. We are negotiating around the clock, trying to get there.â
Meadows will meet Wednesday afternoon with GOP leaders who are working to stop a procedural move that will force the House to hold votes on four different immigration reform measures, including two that are favored by Democrats.
Republican leaders are also working with moderate GOP lawmakers, who authored the procedural measure, on a discharge petition, which could force the votes on the four immigration bills.
On Thursday, all House Republicans will meet in a closed-door session to presumably decide whether to support whatever deal GOP leaders can craft by then.
âThey are going to wait until tomorrow to have the conversations,â Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., told the Washington Examiner. âThe leadership is trying to say that they are listening, that they are trying to put interested parties with ideas together, and that we can have a conversation tomorrow.”
According to Republican lawmakers, the fate of the Dreamers remains a significant sticking point, with some GOP members refusing to back a bill that would provide a pathway to citizenship for the group, who are now protected from deportation under an Obama-era action.
Gosar, for example, does not support giving Dreamers a pathway that puts them ahead of legal immigrants.
âI am not willing to take and victimizing other people by putting them at the front of the line,â Gosar said. âI want to see a solution that maybe gives them a step in the right direction. Long-term visitor status would maybe be a solution so maybe they donât have to worry about being deported, but citizenship is not on the table.â
Other GOP lawmakers are open to citizenship.
âSome of them are for it, some of them are against it,â Rep. Scott DesJarlais, R-Tenn., said.
DesJarlais is undecided. âIâd have to see the details,â he said.
Ryan was asked if the potential proposal leaders are now working on will include a pathway to citizenship for the Dreamers. “You’ll see,” Ryan answered.
