House Immigration Reform Thorny Issue: Citizenship
House Republicans will be dealing with immigration reform Wednesday, weeks after the Senate passed a measure that some conservative members have vowed not to rubber-stamp.
As the House GOP prepares to meet Wednesday to debate the way forward on immigration, many lawmakers seem to be gravitating toward offering legal status of some kind for millions here illegally. But exactly what and how are far from clear.
For some, a guest worker status would be as far as it goes, while others are leaving open the possibility that once they’re in the country legally, immigrants eventually could attain citizenship through existing channels of family or employer sponsorship. Still others are focused on citizenship for people brought to the country as youths, military veterans and perhaps others who’ve lived in the country for years and proven their contributions to society.
But with Democrats demanding nothing less than a straightforward if lengthy path to citizenship, like the provision in the Senate-passed immigration bill, it’s questionable whether a compromise could get to President Barack Obama’s desk.
Follow Us
