House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., predicted Wednesday that Republicans would be able to avoid votes on a series of immigration bills supported by Democrats, and instead should be able to agree on a GOP-supported bill.
Some moderate Republicans are working with Democrats to gather a majority and force a House vote on several immigration measures. But GOP leaders are working furiously to avoid that outcome, and McCarthy said letting it happen would essentially give control of the floor to Democrats.
“I never believed in what is called a discharge petition,” he said on Fox News of the effort to do an end run around GOP leaders. “If you go and sign that, which all the Democrats will and just a few Republicans, it turns the floor over to Nancy Pelosi.”
Republicans are split, as many conservatives say they support the bill proposed by President Trump. That bill would boost border security, create a new program for immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, end the diversity visa lottery, and end chain migration.
But moderate Republicans seem willing to accept a narrower deal that would create a new Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, in exchange for border funding.
McCarthy said he thinks leaders are “close” to reaching a deal that would settle on a single bill that most Republicans can support.
“We have been in the room, working together, conservatives, moderates and others, to be able to put an immigration plan together that protects our border, secures the border, end catch and release and deals with the DACA situation,” he said.
“I think we are very close to having an agreement that I think could go onto the floor … and put the Democrats in a place, see if they’re really serious about getting anything,” he added.
