Comprehensive immigration reform will not happen this year, according to House Speaker John Boehner, R-Oh.
On Wednesday, Boehner repeated his opposition to a bill that the Senate passed earlier this year, saying “I’ll make clear we have no intention ever of going to conference on the Senate bill.” Last week, the third-ranking Republican in the House, Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy of California, told immigration reform advocates that there was not enough time for the House to take up the issue this year. There are 13 days of session left this year.
This comes despite Boehner’s previous statements that it was time for Congress to pass major reforms. President Barack Obama won re-election in part due to overwhelming support from Hispanic voters. However, despite the growing Hispanic voter bloc in the U.S., there are sharp splits within Boehner’s party on immigration.
Many conservative oppose any legislation that would provide a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants or any sort of legal status for undocumented workers. But even bills on less controversial aspects of immigration reform — border security and enforcement — have not been called to floor votes after leaving the House Judiciary Committee.
During a naturalization ceremony yesterday in Atlanta, Vice President Joe Biden called out Boehner for his comments, calling the move a “step backward in the history of the country.”
The opinions contained in this column are solely those of the writer.
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