06/28/2018

House Rejects Compromise Immigration Bill

The bill offered young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship

On June 27, 2018, the U.S. House of Representatives rejected a Republican immigration bill that would have offered young undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship, fully funded President Donald Trump’s border wall and ceased family separations at the Mexican border.

Despite the backing of Republican leaders and Trump, the bill failed on a 301-121 vote. Trump had tweeted that passage “will show that we want strong borders and security while the Dems [sic] want open borders and crime.”

Instead, Congress will likely leave for a 10-day July 4th recess without addressing the family separation crisis that has dominated media coverage for weeks and given congressional Democrats an issue they can hammer Republicans on over the break.

“Democrats envision immigration policies that are smart, responsible and humane,” said House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD). “That's why we continue to be ready to work across the aisle to keep asylum-seeking families together and to solve the DACA crisis in a way that is fair and provides a pathway to citizenship for Dreamers. Both of these challenges were created by President Trump, and his actions are now making it harder for Congress to address them responsibly.”

While no Democrats voted for the GOP immigration bill, only 121 Republicans backed it and negotiations could not bridge the differences between moderate Republicans who wanted to solve the DACA and family separation crises, and hard-liners who saw the proposal as giving Dreamers “amnesty.”

This article was provided to OSAE by the Power of A and ASAE's Inroads.