Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY), a member of the Senate’s so-called “gang of eight” that crafted the Senate comprehensive immigration reform bill that passed in June, said this week that he thought the House’s plan to approach immigration reform through piecemeal legislation is acceptable since the bills would be combined in a House-Senate conference.
“We would much prefer a big comprehensive bill but any way that the House can get there is okay by us,” Schumer told CNN on Wednesday. “I actually am optimistic that we will get this done. I’ve had a lot of discussions with members of both parties in the House. Things are moving in the right direction,” he said.
Schumer did say that “the bottom line, however, is some kind of pathway to citizenship.” The pathway to citizenship remains one of the most controversial issues in immigration reform among House Republicans.
