On Tuesday, President Obama addressed the issues surrounding immigration reform and what he would like to see accomplished. The address came on the heels of a meeting of the bipartisan Senatorial “Gang of Eight,” which includes John McCain and Marco Rubio. There is bipartisan consensus on the need for reform, but policymakers have varying opinions on how to tackle the status of the immigrants themselves.
Obama proposes swift reform to lead the nation’s 11 million undocumented immigrants on a direct path to citizenship—placing the issue of immigrant status over border control. However, the Gang outlines a plan making any reform contingent upon strictly enforced border control measures. Reform supporter Rep. Raul Grijalva (D-AZ) believes that the standard set to first control the border is an impossible one. “At what point is it secure?” he asks.
Conservative and liberal media alike highlight the opposition of the president to any provision linking citizenship to a “secure” border. Despite bipartisan efforts, divisions between the two parties could hinder any resolution on future reform, with Republicans opting for border control legislation before anything else.
Sen. Marc Rubio (R-FL) spoke with Fox News Tuesday, clearly standing his ground: “If the [border enforcement] is not in place,” he said, “I won’t support it.” While his sentiment mirrors that of many conservatives, Obama stands just as firm in his position: “If Congress is unable to move forward in a timely fashion, I will send up a bill based on my proposal, and insist that they vote on it right away.”
Although the bipartisan efforts of these eight senators can be applauded, the likelihood of any swift legislation being passed is slim. Democrats and Republicans stand behind party lines—just as they have in the past—putting politics over people.
Renee Lott is an intern at Foreign Policy in Focus.