Immigration Reform Update: Immigration Bill "Going to Happen" if GOP Wins Senate, Says Mitt Romney
Former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said comprehensive immigration reform would pass in Washington, D.C., if Congress gets a Republican majority.
During an appearance on "Fox News Sunday," Romney said a GOP majority in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives would get immigration reform legislation passed for President Barack Obama to sign. According to Romney, the Republican-controlled Congress' immigration bill would also have support from Democrats, notably in the Senate as 60 votes will be required.
"You're going to see a provision, first of all, to secure the border, second of all, to deal with those who come here illegally, and third to make sure our immigration policies are more open and transparent to the many people who do want to come here illegally," Romney said. "That's going to happen. You're going to see a bill actually reach the desk of the president if we finally have someone besides Harry Reid sitting in the Senate.
"We're going to get it done."
The former Republican presidential candidate said Republicans in the House of Representatives could have seen the progress the Senate did on immigration reform, but thinks the GOP could do better if their political party gained seats in the Senate. Romney, however, said he could not guess if the Republicans could win the Senate, but the GOP has "better prospects" of passing immigration reform with ideas he mentioned.
Romney's comments come after he was told a statement made from the Republican National Committee in March 2013 about appealing to Latino voters. The comment stated, "[Republicans] must embrace and champion comprehensive immigration reform. If we do not, our party's appeal will continue to shrink to its core constituencies only."
The Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform legislation on a bipartisan basis in June 2013 with the bill titled "S.744 - Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act. The bill was co-sponsored by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Republicans in the House of Representatives have since blocked the Senate bill.
Romney's comments didn't sit well with 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin.
"Gov. Romney is busy promoting some decent policies; perhaps that's why he clearly hasn't followed today's races because every Republican is campaigning against amnesty and every Democrat gunning for the Senate is campaigning for it. With all due respect, Governor Romney is in 'Never Never Land' on this one," Palin said to Breitbart.
Citing inaction from Congress on not passing immigration reform, Obama said he will issue an executive action on the issue after the midterm Election Day. He has supported the Senate's version of the bill and has urged the House to pass it. Obama has not specified on details he would focus on, but said it will be based on recommendations set forth by the Department of Homeland Security and Justice Department.
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