Wall Street Journal
By Jared A. Favole
November 5, 2013
President Barack Obama wants to overhaul the immigration system this year and said that while some House Republicans seem reluctant to support changes he wants to make the vote as easy as he can.
“It’s my estimation that we actually have the votes to get comprehensive immigration reform done in the House right now,” Mr. Obama said at a meeting with chief executives from McDonald’s Corp., Blackstone Group LP and other companies. “The politics are challenging for the speaker and others, and we want to make it as easy for them as possible. This is not an issue where we’re looking for a political win; this is one where we’re looking for a substantive win.”
Overhauling the immigration system this year appears unlikely as Democrats and Republicans appear divided about how to do it. Democrats prefer changing the immigration system with a comprehensive bill, while Republicans have said they want to pass smaller immigration bills one at a time, but have not brought any to the floor, and leaders have offered no timetable for doing so.
Revamping the system this year also will be difficult because Congress has a tight legislative calendar before the end of the year and it still fighting over the budget, a farm bill and other issues.
Mr. Obama said he recognizes that some Republicans are reluctant to support a comprehensive bill, but pointed to the broad support for overhauling the system from the businesses community, faith leaders and his predecessor, former President George W. Bush.
When the president says he wants to make the vote easy for Republicans, it’s unclear what he means. In a speech a few weeks ago, Mr. Obama deployed tougher rhetoric when describing the politics surrounding immigration reform. “Anyone still standing in the way of this bipartisan reform should at least have to explain why,” Mr. Obama said. He added, “So now it’s up to Republicans in the House to decide whether reform becomes a reality or not.”
Some Republicans are reluctant to back a comprehensive bill because they fear their support could be interpreted as rewarding people with legal status who entered the U.S. illegally. And many House Republicans come from conservative districts where they could face tough primary challenges from the right if they back an overhaul.
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