Immigration overhaul unlikely in 2013

In news that may be of interest to people in Florida, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s top lobbyist has said he believes that a new immigration law has little or no chance of being considered by the U.S. House of Representatives until early next year. He stated that fiscal and other issues will likely force immigration matters to take a back seat as most lawmakers appear to be unwilling to take on a topic that has proven to be quite divisive.

Now that the latest budget crisis has been temporarily resolved, President Obama has announced plans for a renewed effort to address immigration and is continuing to treat it as a top domestic priority. He is receiving some support from both Democrats and Republicans in this regard. Although he has attempted to get the House to complete its work by the end of 2013, both houses of Congress would still need to work on resolving their differences before the bill could be ready for his signature.

Conservative Republicans in the House are hesitant to support any law that offers potential citizenship to approximately 11 million individuals who reside illegally in the United States. Although House Republicans had planned to take on immigration issues in the fall of 2013, they received pressure from conservatives on the issue of healthcare, ultimately resulting in a federal government shutdown that lasted 16 days and brought the country to the edge of default.

People facing immigration or deportation issues may benefit from speaking with an immigration and naturalization attorney. A lawyer may be able to offer options that might enable individuals and families to remain in the United States legally.

Source: Reuters, “Top business lobbyist: U.S. immigration law unlikely in 2013“, Andy Sullivan and Caren Bohan, October 21, 2013