Congressional Democrats are now considering a move to tackle immigration reform this year in order to energize their growing base of Hispanic supporters, but Republicans are warning against it.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said on Fox News Sunday Congress should be focusing on the economy and other pressing legislation.
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“I just don’t think this is the right time to take up this issue with the border security problems, the drug wars going on across the border, 10 percent unemployment, McConnell said. “It just strikes me that our time would be better spent at the federal level on other issues.”
News of a potential immigration bill prompted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., to back out of talks to produce a bipartisan environmental and energy reform bill. Graham, along with Sens. John Kerry, D-Mass., and Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., were to unveil their climate bill Monday but due to Graham’s withdrawal, it has been postponed.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he wants to try to bring up a bill this year and Democrats say the new Arizona law targeting illegal immigration gives them fresh impetus.
“This is demanding a national answer to immigration policy,” Sen. Christopher Dodd, D-Conn., said on Meet the Press. “So before this even gets further out of hand, we have to step up and do the job.”
Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., appearing on the same program, said legislation would have to first address border security.
“States are frustrated,” Shelby said. “People are frustrated because they believe that the federal government, the immigration people have not enforced the laws. We have 12, 15 million illegal immigrants in this country. You say why? I think that begets what’s going on in Arizona.”
