Republicans stepping in own way on immigration

Published November 29, 2012 11:24pm ET



WASHINGTON (AP) — After Mitt Romney’s loss in the presidential election, Republicans quickly identified one of their mistakes as the party’s dysfunctional relationship with Hispanic voters, who overwhelmingly voted for President Barack Obama. But the earliest efforts by GOP lawmakers to tackle immigration policy on Capitol Hill aren’t likely to win them new support among Hispanics.

The first immigration-related bills offered by Republicans this week would provide legal status for hundreds of thousands of young immigrants — but no way for them to become U.S. citizens — and would eliminate the popular diversity lottery that randomly awards green cards to would-be immigrants from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. The two bills have virtually no chance in the lame-duck session, but they are significant because they are the first on the legislative agenda since the election.

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