How Dems Could Push Immigration “Reform” Through a GOP House

According to senior Republican aides, and left-wing immigration activists, a weak Republican majority and a Speaker in the House could make it easier for Democrats to pass immigration reform this year. Washington Free Beacon.

House Democrats could force a vote for a bill granting citizenship “dreamers”—illegal immigrants who arrived in the United States as children—residency to millions of illegal immigrants, an expansion of work visas for foreigners, and other wish-list items using a parliamentary maneuver called a discharge petition. House Democrats could join forces with just five moderate Republicans to pass major immigration reform.

This would be a nightmare scenario for border hawks and Republicans who campaigned against President Joe Biden’s immigration policies, which they blame for the millions of illegal crossings on the southern border since he took office. Left-wing activists are pushing for such a scenario and see the discharge petition as a way to get a more radical bill than should be possible in a Republican-controlled House. Senior Republican staffers and border hawks see this outcome as possible, citing anger from the Democratic base.

“It’s totally possible. Current House GOP immigration plans don’t have broad buy-in from the rest of the party right now anyway,” According to a senior Republican aide, the Free Beacon. “The chances only increase if the Supreme Court rules against Biden on Title 42 and [the DREAMer program].”

Should the House pass an immigration reform bill, Senate Democrats, who hold a majority, could change filibuster rules—or find nine Republicans who support the law as they did with a number of bills since 2021, including the Respect for Marriage Act and the infrastructure law—and send it to Biden’s desk.

The House Republicans are split on how to tackle immigration reform. In December, Texas Republicans presented a framework that focused on building a wall at the border and strengthening domestic enforcement. According to Republican sources, the plan was designed to strengthen domestic enforcement and build a border wall. Free BeaconThis is not likely to happen.

To pass an amnesty law through the House, five House Republicans would need to agree. A few dozen moderate Republicans are open to working with Democrats to reform immigration by signing on to 2021 amnesty legislations that are more narrowly tailored. A discharge petition would allow a bill move to the ground for a vote after 218 supporters sign on. This would bypass the traditional route, where the Rules Committee and House leadership control when and what legislation goes up for a vote.

This was the case in 2018, when more than a dozen Republican moderates signed a discharge petition to override Republican leadership to force votes on immigration including bills to stop the deportation illegal immigrants who came to the United States as children.

Paul Ryan (R.-Wis.), then-speaker of Congress, managed to quell the rebellion by promising a ballot on compromise legislation that was negotiated within the party. The bill was rejected. voted down Half of the Republican caucus, and all House Democrats. Compromise legislation would be more difficult for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), who has less control over which bills make it to a floor vote after giving immigration hardliners on the House Freedom Caucus seats on the House Rules Committee, where they can effectively block bills from being considered.

A number of House Republicans have been open to working alongside Democrats on issues related to immigration amnesty. In 2021, nine Republicans voted for American Dream and Promise Act and thirty for Farm Workforce Modernization Act. These were both Democratic-sponsored bills, which offered pathways to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Both bills died in the Senate.

It was the immigration activists who spoke to the Free Beacon Supported the idea of using a discharge petition in order to push through immigration reform. Lydia Guzman is the director of advocacy at League of United Latin American Citizens. She said that her organization will press both Republicans and Democrats to make a deal in the new Congress.

“[A discharge petition] is on our radar, and we’re glad to see that Republicans are looking at immigration reform seriously. I think this is a golden opportunity for them to be leaders on this,” Guzman stated that Free Beacon. “We have been pushing and have been advocating for reforms for decades. We can accomplish this.”

If Senate Democrats are unable to convince enough Republicans to join them, they could also amend the filibuster in order for the bill to move forward. Sen. Joe Manchin (D.W. Va.), was one of the key votes to change the process. has said He’d be willing for senators to speak during the filibuster. This would allow bills to be passed with a simple majority, after all opposition lawmakers have finished their remarks.

Manchin stated that Republicans as well as Democrats need to work together in immigration reform, as recent as December. He stated this in an interview with CBS. “West Virginia needs more workers” And urged the Senate to consider a bill.

Several reports claimed that Senate Republicans were also working with Democrats on an immigration agreement at the same time. According to the Washington PostSenator Thom Tillis (Republican, N.C.), was working with Senator Kyrsten Sinema, D., Ariz., on a bill which would allow two million to apply for citizenship. “dreamers.”

RJ Hauman is the lead lobbyist for the Federation for American Immigration Reform. This group advocates for illegal immigration restrictions. “a bit concerned with the threat of amnesty due to a slim [Republican] majority and a more open floor process.”

He also said that “Democrat extremism on the immigration issue could be a saving grace,” Argument that many Democrats will object to a bill that contains border security provisions that are supported by Republicans.

“There is zero chance that the entire Democratic caucus would unite behind a discharge petition that contains any border security provisions—even if a mass amnesty is included,” said Hauman. “There are some Republicans like Rep. [Maria] Salazar [of Florida] who relish the idea of amnesty, but even they recognize that border security is the top priority right now.”

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