A year ago this month, Republicans were smarting after the 2012 election, in which President Obama triumphed over Mitt Romney in a reelection bid supported by 75% of Latino voters. And one year ago today, Speaker John Boehner sat down and talked about the need for immigration reform, saying:
It’s an important issue that I think ought to be dealt with. This issue has been around far too long…I think a comprehensive approach is long overdue.
One year later, immigration reform has not been dealt with. Republicans have done worse than nothing: instead of passing immigration reform with a path to citizenship, as the Senate did with a bipartisan supermajority in June, House GOPers instead gave Steve King a vote on his amendment to deport DREAMers. There still have been no Republican bills introduced that address the 11 million. The House continues to stall on passing reform, appearing ready to punt the issue, despite there being session days left in the calendar.
But two can play that game: as the House gestures vaguely toward immigration reform in 2014, advocates are looking toward next year and the next election as well. SEIU and AFL-CIO have launched ads slamming Republicans for their opposition to reform and their inability to govern, and America’s Voice yesterday launched a new website identifying the 40 GOP members of Congress most susceptible to Latino and Asian voters in 2014.
Pass immigration reform or perish electorally, GOP. The move is yours.
