At least 104 House Republicans may be open to some type of pathway to legal status for the country’s illegal immigrants.
According to a Weekly Standard report, “84 House Republicans have publicly voiced support for granting some type of legal status to the 11 million immigrants here in the country illegally, and 20 others have said they would be willing to consider it–many more than what most media reports suggest.”
Other groups in favor of comprehensive immigration reform, like America’s voice, reportedly have identified 26 House Republicans who support “immigration reform and citizenship,” but, as the Weekly Standard notes, that leaves out the others “who would support giving undocumented workers legal status short of citizenship.”
Many House Republicans–like Reps. Bob Goodlatte (R-VA) and Paul Ryan (R-WI)–have said they do not want a “special” pathway to citizenship but indicated they are in favor of some type of path to eventual citizenship. Goodlatte and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) are reportedly discussing legislation that would give citizenship to children of illegal immigrants who came to the country by a certain age.
Other House Republicans have reportedly expressed an interest in giving illegal immigrants a pathway to a green card, which would fall short of citizenship. Others are speaking of “earned legalization” or “reconciliation” as House Republicans work on immigration legislation “beneath the radar” while the country is focused on Obamacare, the government shutdown and the debate over raising the debt ceiling.
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