Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
GOP Senators to Be Briefed on Kushner's Immigration Plan
gvw_ap_news
By Associated Press
Published 5 years ago on
May 7, 2019

Share

WASHINGTON — Looking for feedback and support, the White House invited Republican senators Tuesday to discuss a “fairly comprehensive” new immigration plan being spearheaded by senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Kushner is finalizing a plan that is expected to include two major components: Border security measures that would include efforts to secure ports of entry and a package of legal immigration proposals that would create a more “merit-based” system giving preference to those with job skills rather than relatives of immigrants already in the country.

The group was expected to include lawmakers who have been in discussion with Kushner’s team about the plan, as well as more conservative members who could be more resistant to it. Among those expected to attend were David Perdue of Georgia, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee and Chuck Grassley of Iowa.

The meeting comes as Kushner is finalizing a plan that is expected to include two major components: Border security measures that would include efforts to secure ports of entry and a package of legal immigration proposals that would create a more “merit-based” system giving preference to those with job skills rather than relatives of immigrants already in the country.

The plan is likely to be viewed with skepticism on Capitol Hill, which has struggled for decades to pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation. Conservative Republicans are likely to oppose a plan that does not cut rates of legal immigration, while Democrats have made clear they will not accept changes without new protections of “Dreamer” immigrants brought to the country as children and here illegally. Some Republicans, especially those from election swing states, would like to see protections for Dreamers as well.

Some have also reacted skeptically to Kushner’s involvement, given he has no previous background on the contentious subject. Kushner has nonetheless spent months meeting with various Republican groups, hoping to put together a proposal he believes can unite party members, following the playbook he used to help pass bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation last year.

Trump Put Immigration at the Center of His Presidential Campaign

Ahead of the White House meeting, Sen. Grassley, who favors stricter immigration enforcement, kept expectations in check.

“Well I think anything I’m looking for they probably won’t have any chance of getting passed,” Grassley told reporters.

“We’ll see. The president made very clear in January 2018 in the Cabinet Room that he was willing to do a deal on DACA and the Dreamers.” White House counselor Kellyanne Conway

Kushner said during an interview at the TIME 100 Summit two weeks ago that he would present a revised version to Trump “probably at the end of this week, next week” and that the president would then “make some changes, likely, and then he’ll decide what he wants to do with it when he wants to do with it.”

“My hope is that we can really do something that unifies people around what we’re for on immigration,” he said.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday described the plan as “fairly comprehensive” and said it could include changes to the diversity visa lottery, which Trump has long criticized.

She also told Fox News Channel that Trump might be open to a deal that would address the plight of hundreds of thousands of “Dreamer” immigrants who were brought to the country as children and are here illegally.

“We’ll see,” she said, later telling reporters, “The president made very clear in January 2018 in the Cabinet Room that he was willing to do a deal on DACA and the Dreamers.”

A previous attempt by Trump to reach a comprehensive immigration deal with Congress collapsed last year and there is deep skepticism in Washington that there is any appetite on Capitol Hill for a wide-ranging agreement.

Trump put immigration at the center of his presidential campaign, including a promise to build a wall along the U.S-Mexico border. He is expected to continue to hammer the issue in his re-election campaign as he tries to energize his base of supporters.

DON'T MISS

Man Dies After Rescuing His 2 Children in Mississippi River

DON'T MISS

Is Inflation Finally Corralled? Powell Says Federal Reserve Believes It’s Close

DON'T MISS

New Village Green Park Opens in Loma Vista as Clovis Community Hub

DON'T MISS

Gomez Guilty of Murdering Los Hooligans Bass Player

DON'T MISS

Biden Says It Was a Mistake to Say He Wanted to Put Trump in a ‘Bull’s-Eye’

DON'T MISS

Dealing Blow to Biden’s Reelection Bid, Teamsters Union May Withhold Endorsement

DON'T MISS

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Appears to Confirm Delay in Aug. 8 Robotaxi Unveil Event to Make Design Change

DON'T MISS

Smittcamp Asks Court to Drop His Lawsuit Against Controversial NW Fresno Project

DON'T MISS

Measure P Arts Grants Spark Debate and a Meeting Tonight

DON'T MISS

Tedford Exits Fresno State Football. Tim Skipper Is the Next Bulldog Up.

UP NEXT

Biden Says It Was a Mistake to Say He Wanted to Put Trump in a ‘Bull’s-Eye’

UP NEXT

Trump Receives Enough Delegate Votes to Officially be Republicans’ Nominee

UP NEXT

What to Know About the Attempt on Trump’s Life and Its Aftermath

UP NEXT

GOP Convention Protests on Despite Shooting at Trump Rally

UP NEXT

US Journalist Masha Gessen Is Convicted in Absentia in Russia for Criticizing the Military

UP NEXT

What We Know About the Trump Rally Shooting Victims So Far

UP NEXT

Federal Judge Dismisses Trump Classified Documents Case Over Prosecutor Appointment Concerns

UP NEXT

In Primetime Address, Biden Says Country Must Not Go Down Road of Political Violence

UP NEXT

Secret Service Under Scrutiny After Assassination Attempt on Trump

UP NEXT

Former Fire Chief Who Died at Trump Rally Used His Body to Shield Family From Gunfire

Gomez Guilty of Murdering Los Hooligans Bass Player

10 hours ago

Biden Says It Was a Mistake to Say He Wanted to Put Trump in a ‘Bull’s-Eye’

10 hours ago

Dealing Blow to Biden’s Reelection Bid, Teamsters Union May Withhold Endorsement

12 hours ago

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Appears to Confirm Delay in Aug. 8 Robotaxi Unveil Event to Make Design Change

13 hours ago

Smittcamp Asks Court to Drop His Lawsuit Against Controversial NW Fresno Project

14 hours ago

Measure P Arts Grants Spark Debate and a Meeting Tonight

14 hours ago

Tedford Exits Fresno State Football. Tim Skipper Is the Next Bulldog Up.

14 hours ago

Biden Orders Secret Service to Protect RFK Jr. After Attempt on Trump’s Life

14 hours ago

Trump Receives Enough Delegate Votes to Officially be Republicans’ Nominee

15 hours ago

Who is JD Vance? Things to Know About Donald Trump’s Pick for Vice President

15 hours ago

Man Dies After Rescuing His 2 Children in Mississippi River

A Minnesota man who disappeared Friday while rescuing his two young children from the rain-swollen Mississippi River was found dead by autho...

9 hours ago

9 hours ago

Man Dies After Rescuing His 2 Children in Mississippi River

10 hours ago

Is Inflation Finally Corralled? Powell Says Federal Reserve Believes It’s Close

10 hours ago

New Village Green Park Opens in Loma Vista as Clovis Community Hub

10 hours ago

Gomez Guilty of Murdering Los Hooligans Bass Player

10 hours ago

Biden Says It Was a Mistake to Say He Wanted to Put Trump in a ‘Bull’s-Eye’

12 hours ago

Dealing Blow to Biden’s Reelection Bid, Teamsters Union May Withhold Endorsement

13 hours ago

Tesla CEO Elon Musk Appears to Confirm Delay in Aug. 8 Robotaxi Unveil Event to Make Design Change

14 hours ago

Smittcamp Asks Court to Drop His Lawsuit Against Controversial NW Fresno Project

MENU

CONNECT WITH US

Search

Send this to a friend