The leader of the US Senate vowed Wednesday to put a top priority on reforming the immigration system after President Barack Obama’s Democrats stormed back to power with strong Hispanic support.
“It’s very, very high on my list,” said Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the leader of the chamber’s re-elected Democratic majority, who vowed “to have some votes” on immigration.
Calling the Democrats “the party of diversity,” Reid said he would seek Republican votes on immigration and singled out Senator John McCain of Arizona, who earlier supported reform measures but later faced a conservative backlash.
“The only thing we need to get immigration reform done are a few Republican votes. I get 90 percent of the Democrats — couldn’t we get a few Republicans to join us?” Reid told reporters in Washington.
“If the Republicans continue, it’s at their peril. Not for political reasons — because it’s the wrong thing to do to not have comprehensive immigration reform. The system’s broken and needs to be fixed,” Reid said.
Faced with Republican opposition, the Senate has repeatedly failed to pass the so-called Dream act, a bill backed by Reid and President Barack Obama that would pave a way to permanent residency for some of the estimated 11.5 million undocumented residents in the United States.
In August, Obama declared that the United States would not deport immigrants who were brought into the country as minors and who were in good standing — either enrolled in school or graduated from high school or who have served in the military.
Republicans accused Obama of circumventing Congress with an “amnesty” for undocumented residents. Failed Republican White House hopeful Mitt Romney criticized Obama’s order and, in the primary election for his party’s nomination, vowed a tough line on immigration.
Surveys found that more than two-thirds of Hispanics voted for Obama on Tuesday, providing a critical boost.
Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican from Florida of Cuban origin, said after the election that he would work to ensure “upward mobility” for “people who work hard and play by the rules.”
“The conservative movement should have particular appeal to people in minority and immigrant communities who are trying to make it, and Republicans need to work harder than ever to communicate our beliefs to them,” Rubio said in a statement.
Rubio, often seen as a rising Republican star, has offered his own proposal that would allow temporary visas for undocumented immigrants.
US Senate leader says immigration a top priority
