As my colleague, Julia Preston reports, a bipartisan group of senators announced on Monday that they have agreed to work towards overhauling the immigration system with the aim of providing a pathway to American citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants.
Under the set of principles, unveiled one day before President Obama is scheduled to outline his immigration proposals, the agreement hinges on stronger border and interior enforcement, including requiring foeigners to leave the country once their visas expire.
Extremely pleased that a bipartisan group of Senators has agreed on what basic principles must be included in #ImmigrationReform legislation
The online reaction to the first significant bipartisan Congressional effort on immigration in recent years was a mix of cautious optimism, elation and concern among some conservatives that Republicans were not demanding tougher enforcement.
In some posts on Twitter, mostly conservatives referred to the eight Senators who hammered out the agreement as the “Gang of 8.â€
Both Senator Robert Menendez, Democrat from New Jersey and Senator John McCain, Republican of Arizona, spoke about the plan on television news shows on Sunday. They were joined on Monday afternoon by the six other Senators ,who joined them hammering out an agreement. They included Democrats Charles Schumer, Dick Durbin and Republicans Lindsey Graham and Marco Rubio.
We can reform #immigration in a responsible & reasonable way. http://t.co/ly2vo6rq
In a post on Twitter, Jose Antonio Vargas, a fomer Washigton Post reporter who has become one of the most vocal leaders among young immigrant activists who call themselves #Dreamers, after the Dream Act, asked:
Is this bipartisan #immigration Senate deal the best they can come up with cc @whitehouse
Others worried that the bipartisan agreement would not succeed.
We’ve been here b4! DreamAct was originally proposed in 2001. Many legislators turned their back. Now they claim to care. #Immigration
For many in the bu! rgeoning ! online and offline movement of young activists who call themselves the Dreamers, a path to citizenship is key.
There must be a direct and clear way for DREAMers, our families, and members of our community to become citizens #immigration
.@SenatorDurbin: #DREAMAct will be major part of bipartisan #immigration reform
On the other side of the debate, the Federation for American Immigration Reform, which has long argued for tougher borders and enforcement, predicted a “iscal nightmare†if the bipartisan approach were to be adopted.
26M in the US are unemployed or underemployed. America needs a system that frees up & ensures jobs for its workforce #immigration #everify
CC @RepPaulRyan “@michellemalkin: Illegal alien amnesty plus Obamacare = fiscal nightmare ==> http://t.co/S4G76H4l†#immigration
At the news conference, several of the senators spoke in Spanish. And the Twitter account for Mayor Bloomberg posted a tweet in Spanish, in support of the l! aw.
Yo me gusta grande buttos y yo no que can lie. Los otros hermanos no can puede deny.
â€" Miguel Bloombito (@ElBloombito) 28 Jan 13
But some people on Twitter were annoyed about the focus on Latinos, when they noted it was an issue that affected people who came to this country from other parts of the world, as well.
Immigration isn’t a Latino issue I really find the simplicity w/ which leaders speak to this insulting to my Hispanic heritage. #immigration
#Immigration is about family; abut economic/cultural future of our country; about more than the Mexican border @DefineAmerican
At the news conference, Senator McCain indicated there was support in the House of Representatives for considering change.
McCain: I’m “encouraged†that Speaker Boehner thinks comprehensive immigration reform should be taken up in the House.
In the Senate, several other Senators, including Florida’s Senator Bill Nelson posted their support for the approach on Twitter.
I ! support immigration reform with tough border security. We simply can’t deport 11 million people. For one thing, it would ruin our economy.
I commend my colleagues for forging bipartisan framework for comp immigration reform. Lk fwd to seeing details of bill http://t.co/tHFxU4Lv
Encouraged by bipartisan consensus on comprehensive #immigration reform. Looking forward to POTUS speech tomorrow.
In Texas, and other border states, there remained considerable skepticism.
Texas, with an estimated 1.7 million undocumented immigrants, (600,000 in #Houston alone) has no leadership in Washington on #immigration.
But the plan, while still a framework, seeks to put the state front and center of the immigration overhaul.
Under Senate immigration framework, governors and AG would have a say in when pathway to citizenship begins. #txlege http://t.co/jfo7WdRN
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