Where does immigration reform stand today?

The November elections are far away now and yet a large portion of the American population is still waiting for Congress to settle its differences and pass comprehensive–as well as much needed–immigration reform. But while some skeptics feel the day will never come when the unauthorized migrants in the United States are given a pathway to citizenship, new support from members of Congress may suggest otherwise.

Recently, Republican House Representative Daniel Webster from our own state of Florida expressed his initial support for a way to allow undocumented immigrants a way to gain a path to citizenship. Other members of Congress are following suit, though some have not given the same full endorsement for full citizenship at this time.

While the majority of the nation focuses on whether Congress will reach a decision within the year, other people, such as those concerned citizens here in Florida, wonder what effect this prolonged wait has had on the immigrant families most anxious for a new bill to be passed. Some of our readers have likely heard about the number of deportations in the past few months that have resulted in the break-up of families across the nation. As more and more cases of deportation are reported in the news, and with little movement in Congress, some have begun to wonder if immigration reform has lost momentum.

While this appeared to be the case in June, the recent recess in Congress may have given lawmakers the breather they needed to tackle the topic once more. As some have already pointed out, new support from Republicans across the nation likely means that the bipartisan reform bill still has life. In order to pass, as we’ve said in the past, it will still need compromise and continued support in order to see if come to fruition.

Source: Themaddowblog.msnbc.com, “Immigration reform’s odds improve — a little,” Steve Benen, Aug. 9, 2013