The Senate immigration bill: Do we finally have a deal?
The legislation is poised to receive overwhelming support in the Senate. The House is another matter


The Senate is one huge step closer to passing a comprehensive immigration reform bill, reaching an agreement on a border-security amendment that could convince a large number of Republicans to support the broader legislation.
Sens. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) and John Hoeven (R-N.D.) introduced the amendment to the Gang of Eight's bill on Thursday, which would double the number of federal agents patrolling the border, spend $3.2 billion on technology upgrades and drone equipment, and require 700 miles of new fencing. Corker predicted the new measure would win support from leery border hawks, saying the amendment was so tough it was "almost overkill."
Already on Thursday, there were signs the new measure could serve as a major breakthrough in the negotiations. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said the Senate had made "significant advances" in fine-tuning the bill. And in a sign of how far the new measure could go toward winning crucial Republican support, Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) said Thursday he now planned to back the bill should it include that amendment.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"This bipartisan compromise will restore the people's trust in our ability to control the border and bring 525,000 people in Illinois out of the shadows," he said in a statement. "Once the Senate adopts our amendment, I will be proud to vote for a bill that secures our border and respects our heritage as an immigrant nation."
The amendment's unveiling came days after a Congressional Budget Office report offered fiscal conservatives another reason to get behind the legislation. The report found that the immigration bill could pare the deficit by almost $200 billion over the next 10 years, and by another $700 billion over the following 10.
Supporters of the bill are giddy at the prospect of securing a super-majority of support in the Senate — upwards of 70 votes.
That would ostensibly put immense pressure on the GOP-led House to pass the bill, or at least let it come up for a vote. But any optimism has been curbed by the intransigence of the House's conservative wing. As Politico's Jake Sherman and Seung Min Kim put it, the House is operating in a "parallel universe" from the Senate.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
If 70 to 80 senators vote for the bipartisan bill — which some in the Senate are aiming for — the House would barely feel pressure to take up the bill. Most conservatives instead would see passing the legislation as an act of mass stupidity.
"I don't know, Mother always told me that if 70 people jump off a cliff, you shouldn't follow them," Rep. Tom McClintock (R-Calif.) said. Rep. Raul Labrador, an Idaho Republican respected on immigration issues, mocked fear of a large Senate vote, saying, "Oooh, I'm scared." [Politico]
Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), whose leadership is looking shakier by the day, has said he won't bring the bill for a vote unless he has the support of a majority of Republicans in the House. On Thursday, he reiterated that position, and stressed that for any bill to pass it would have to be "grounded in real border security."
However, he would not comment on whether the new amendment would reach that threshold, saying he and his fellow GOP House members would need to first take a closer look at that amendment's specifics.
Jon Terbush is an associate editor at TheWeek.com covering politics, sports, and other things he finds interesting. He has previously written for Talking Points Memo, Raw Story, and Business Insider.
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures A tomato fight, painting behind bars, and more
-
Mountainhead: Jesse Armstrong's tech bro satire sparkles with 'weapons-grade zingers'
The Week Recommends The Succession creator's first feature film lacks the hit TV show's 'dramatic richness' – but makes for a horribly gripping watch
-
Seeing Each Other: Portraits of Artists – a 'riveting' exhibition
The Week Recommends Pallant House exhibition offers fascinating instances of painterly reciprocity
-
The JFK files: the truth at last?
In The Spotlight More than 64,000 previously classified documents relating the 1963 assassination of John F. Kennedy have been released by the Trump administration
-
'Seriously, not literally': how should the world take Donald Trump?
Today's big question White House rhetoric and reality look likely to become increasingly blurred
-
Will Trump's 'madman' strategy pay off?
Today's Big Question Incoming US president likes to seem unpredictable but, this time round, world leaders could be wise to his playbook
-
Democrats vs. Republicans: who are the billionaires backing?
The Explainer Younger tech titans join 'boys' club throwing money and support' behind President Trump, while older plutocrats quietly rebuke new administration
-
US election: where things stand with one week to go
The Explainer Harris' lead in the polls has been narrowing in Trump's favour, but her campaign remains 'cautiously optimistic'
-
Is Trump okay?
Today's Big Question Former president's mental fitness and alleged cognitive decline firmly back in the spotlight after 'bizarre' town hall event
-
The life and times of Kamala Harris
The Explainer The vice-president is narrowly leading the race to become the next US president. How did she get to where she is now?
-
Will 'weirdly civil' VP debate move dial in US election?
Today's Big Question 'Diametrically opposed' candidates showed 'a lot of commonality' on some issues, but offered competing visions for America's future and democracy