On June 27, 2013 the Senate, in a 68-32 vote, successfully passed S. 744, the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act,” which would provide a pathway to citizenship for many long-term immigrants in the United States. To become law, however, the House of Representatives must also vote on and pass the law, which has not happened yet. There is still hope, however, as House of Representatives have until the end of 2014 to pass immigration reform bill S. 744.
Importantly, the House Judiciary Committee passed four piecemeal bills, which many immigration lawyers oppose that amp up enforcement and limits on immigration, such as the Legal Workforce Act, which creates mandatory E-Verify, as well as a border security bill. The “Group of Seven” in the House has fallen apart, with no legislative language ever being introduced by the group. Other bills have since been introduced in the House, but have not received any hearings or votes in committee, including H.R. 15, a comprehensive immigration reform bill introduced by Democratic leadership that encompasses the successful Senate bill, but replaces the controversial “border-surge” amendment with the House bipartisan border security bill.
