Senators reach border deal, smoothing path to immigration overhaul

Oscar CS · 12:25 PM

Quote:

A bipartisan group of senators have reached an agreement to strengthen border security in the Senate's immigration bill, a breakthrough that could pave the way for a significant number of GOP senators to support the comprehensive legislation.

Sen. John Cornyn, pushing for his border security amendment Wednesday, compares the Gang of Eight's immigration plan to an illegal immigrant amnesty ruling from 1986.

Senate aides from both parties tell NBC News that the agreement would double the size of the border patrol and require 700 miles of border fencing. The group has also compromised on a series of other issues, including the E-Verify program for businesses and benefits.

The senators involved -- Republicans John Hoeven and Bob Corker, who have been working with Gang of Eight members Sens. Chuck Schumer, Bob Menendez, John McCain and Lindsey Graham -- have dubbed it the "border surge" plan; they're preparing a Thursday announcement.

"For people who are concerned about security, once they see what is in this bill, it’s almost overkill,” Tennessee Republican Sen. Bob Corker said on MSNBC's "The Daily Rundown" Thursday.

Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, a key Republican on the Gang of Eight who has been pushing for more border security additions to the legislation he helped draft, backed the amendment in an interview on FOX News, calling it "a dramatic expansion and improvement in border security that I hope will allow finally for this legislation to have the support it needs."

The additional provisions will come with a price tag. Aides estimate that the doubling of the border patrol agents -- just one piece of the "border surge" -- will add about $30 billion to the overall cost of the bill.

The compromise talks have been aimed at winning over enough Republican votes to pass a comprehensive immigration reform bill with an overwhelming majority of senators -- without angering Democrats who want to make sure that the path to citizenship included for undocumented immigrants isn't affected.

Gregory Bull / AP

A U.S. Border Patrol agent monitors the border structures separating Tijuana, Mexico, from San Diego. Illegal immigration into the United States would decrease by only 25 percent under a far-reaching Senate immigration bill, according to an analysis by the Congressional Budget Office that also finds the measure reduces federal deficits by billions.

"We have some people in our caucus that are never going to vote for an immigration bill, OK, I don't care if you -- it's just never going to happen," Corker told reporters Wednesday. "And so we realize that. And yet there are people who, with the right provisions, would."

There are signs that the strategy is working. Sen. Mark Kirk, an Illinois Republican who voted against an initial measure to bring the bill to the Senate floor, said Thursday that he is now prepared to support the immigration bill if the border security amendment is included.

"This bipartisan compromise will restore the people's trust in our ability to control the border and bring 525,000 people in Illinois out of the shadows.," he said in a statement. "Once the Senate adopts our amendment, I will be proud to vote for a bill that secures our border and respects our heritage as an immigrant nation."

There's a small universe of Republicans that have also given early indications that they'll support the bill -- the four Republicans in the Gang of 8; New Hamsphire Sen. Kelly Ayotte; and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Republicans including Corker, Sen. Lamar Alexander and Georgia Sens. Johnny Isakson and Saxby Chambliss have also been considered possible supporters.

But Senate leaders and the Gang of Eight negotiators have been hoping to draw half the Republican conference to support the comprehensive legislation.

The most vigorous opponents of the compromise bill maintain that the Hoeven-Corker measure still does not do enough to prevent illegal immigration. The political arm of the Heritage Foundation, led by former Sen. Jim DeMint, says it opposes the amendment because it "fails to take a security-first approach," and immigration limitation group NumbersUSA is urging its members to lobby against the measure.

http://firstread.nbcnews.com/_news/2...-overhaul?lite

AlexanderMQ · 06-20-2013, 12:37 PM

That's great news

pavpatel · 06-20-2013, 12:41 PM

no, does this mean it was voted on and it passed? i was watching cspan and missed the vote, did it pass or fail? did anybody see it

RS22 · 06-20-2013, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavpatel

no, does this mean it was voted on and it passed? i was watching cspan and missed the vote, did it pass or fail? did anybody see it

It hasn't come up for a vote yet, and I believe Corker has said that it may not come to a vote until Monday.

pavpatel · 06-20-2013, 01:00 PM

I def saw it up for a vote just earlier...maybe like 40 mins ago.

moto · 06-20-2013, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavpatel

I def saw it up for a vote just earlier...maybe like 40 mins ago.

I believe that was vote for motion to table Cornyn amendment

CIR_DREAM2009 · 06-20-2013, 01:57 PM

700 miles of border fencing?

It's either going to be expensive to maintain or it's going to fall apart the second it's built. Either way, it's a money pit. Think of all the other things like infrastructure that could be bought with that money or be saved and not add to the deficit.

j83 · 06-20-2013, 02:15 PM

Guess who's gonna build the dang fence?! Lol

Seriously tho, this is a major step to the finish line.. I hope Boehner does the right thing.

dtrt09 · 06-20-2013, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CIR_DREAM2009

700 miles of border fencing?

It's either going to be expensive to maintain or it's going to fall apart the second it's built. Either way, it's a money pit. Think of all the other things like infrastructure that could be bought with that money or be saved and not add to the deficit.

+1. I, as a taxpayer, will have to pay for all of these thousands of union employees who really hate immigrants, when my taxes can go to further education, universal child care and healh coverage. I will gladly pay for those and with a smile, but as usual, until citizenship, I have no say in it.

desice · 06-20-2013, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pavpatel

I def saw it up for a vote just earlier...maybe like 40 mins ago.

Refer to: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/113/s744

If you click on "Show Vote(s)..." you can see what was voted on, who voted what, etc.

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1	2	3	4	5	6	7
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Senators reach border deal, smoothing path to immigration overhaul