In reaction to President Obama’s recent vow to fight for immigration reform in the next legislative session, Republican’s have pronounced immigration reform dead on arrival.
Wednesday, the President identified the failure of the DREAM Act to pass as his “biggest regret” and vowed to continue advocating for comprehensive immigration reform as early as January, when he will discuss it in his State of the Union.
Yesterday, Congressional Republicans responded by saying they would fight any effort to legalize any of the estimated 11 million undocumented in the country, including DREAM Act beneficiaries. Many Republicans want to deal with the “massive illegality at the border” and completely ignore the DREAM Act.
“It is pointless to talk about any new immigration bills that grant amnesty until we secure the border, since such bills will only encourage more illegal immigration,” incoming House Judiciary Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Tex.) said in a statement.
Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa), head of the House immigration subcommittee said: “It is extraordinarily unlikely that any version of comprehensive immigration reform that includes amnesty will go through the House of Representatives.”
