During a discussion today at the New Democrat Network (NDN) think tank, Frank Sharry, our executive director here at America’s Voice, dared House Republicans to present their plan for passing immigration reform that addresses the 11 million, if they’ve got one.
“If Republicans come forward on a proposal that can build a bridge to the Democrats,” Frank said, “I think we’ll get across the finish line” on immigration this year.
The discussion—billed as a bipartisan look at the prospects for immigration reform—featured Frank, Tamar Jacoby from ImmigrationWorksUSA, and NDN’s Simon Rosenberg as a moderator. Frank’s comments were in response to Tamar Jacoby’s prediction that the House GOP will address immigration reform via a series of piecemeal bills that legalizes the 11 million without creating a path to citizenship. Under such a plan, she said, some 7 million immigrants might eventually become citizens over a span of 20 years, after DREAMers who become citizens and US-born children sponsor their legalized parents.
“Bring it!” Frank said, noting that Republicans must offer a proposal before any deal could be considered.
Frank, Tamara Jacoby and Simon Rosenberg agreed that the prospects for immigration reform this year are much brighter than what current headlines might suggest. As Frank said, “Our fundamentals are stronger than the House Republican dysfunction,” adding that the need for immigration reform “is an argument that we’ve essentially won” on political, economic, as well as moral lines.
Watch the full discussion below: