Immigration: Ever Changing

We recently go an update from the office of the Senate Republican Leader, Senator Mitch McConnell on immigration.

Tuesday’s Update on Immigration

• This evening the Majority Leader and Republican Leader agreed to delay the cloture vote on the motion to proceed to S.1348, last years Senate passed immigration bill, until the evening of Monday, May 21^st (no earlier than 5:30 p.m.).
• This will allow negotiators more time to reach an agreement and to allow time for an agreement to be drafted. It will also allow Senators time to review the text of the agreement before the cloture vote on the motion to proceed on Monday occurs.
• Negotiations will continue tomorrow.

The White House and Republican Senators are excited about these developments as they continue to work on the details of the legislation.

Florida Senator Mel Martinez, the RNC Chairman, has been playing a vital role in the debate. He has been bringing both sides to the table to find a middle ground to make immigration reform happen this year. The Senate is the only real hope for the country to get reform. The Senator knows the GOP can not afford to stand in the way of passing immigration reform.

Immigration analyst Tamar Jacoby of the Manhattan Institute calls Martinez the "center of gravity" in the bipartisan talks.

"He exemplifies the dilemma of the party," said Jacoby. His "instinct -- not just because he's an immigrant, but because he knows what's good for the economy and what's good for the country -- is to say, 'Lets figure out a rational way to do this.' But like the party, he's got these yahoos riding his coattails -- a loud, vocal 25 percent of the party that doesn't want to do anything -- and he has to deal with them."