House Republicans held a closed-door session on Wednesday to discuss immigration reform as House GOP leaders try to map a way forward for a difficult immigration overhaul effort, which promises to be a long and complex process. House Republicans have already made it clear that the comprehensive bill approved by the Senate last month would be a nonstarter in the House and will not be brought up for a vote.
The Senate bill earned about one-third of Republican votes in the Senate, and it would need the support of half of House Republicans to even get to a vote, according to the rules agreed by House Speaker John Boehner.
Divisions over how to proceed run deep amoung House Republicans with some believing it is critical for Congress to establish ways for the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants to acheive a more permanent legal status. Others, however, would prefer to focus primarily on fortifying the southern U.S.-Mexican border, law enforcement, and employment issues.
On the House side, one of the most contentious issues that remains to be resolved is whether immigration reform should include a pathway to citizenship or not. The Senate bill includes a 13-year path to permanent residency status or citizenship for illegal immigrants after they pay fines and back taxes. The House announced no plans to hold votes on five separate immigration proposals that have already advanced out of committee. None of those bills include a pathway to citizenship.
