Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who was a key member of the “Group of Eight” that crafted a bipartisan immigration bill in the Senate now says he favors the piecemeal approach favored by the leadership in the House of Representatives. The sticking point in the Senate bill is the proposed change in immigration law that would allow a pathway to citizenship for the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants in the United States.
Rubio, who is the son of Cuban immigrants, said he still supports comprehensive reform, but he’s trying to be realistic about what can be achieved given the stance of many members of the Republican caucus in the House. Many Tea Party activists view amnesty for undocumented immigrants as unacceptable. Rubio says he wants to work on items he feels everyone can agree upon.
Currently, it appears the only bills that will pass in the House deal with boarder security or pro-business issues that would expand the number of high tech and agricultural visas. Immigration activists object to this idea and wonder how immigration reform happens when roughly 11 million people, which is equal to the population of Ohio, are ignored.
Immigration reform is a hot button issue in the United States with strong viewpoints on both sides of the political spectrum. People who are attempting to gain visa or citizenship should be aware that there are likely to be changes in the law that will have a bearing on their status. It may be possible for an attorney to help individuals through the process if they are confused by all the paperwork requirements.
Source: Florida Today, “Rubio switches strategy on immigration”, November 04, 2013
