The latest news, analysis and debates on immigration reform and policy.
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Senate immigration bill cleared the Judiciary Committee on a bipartisan vote Tuesday night, ducking — for now — big fights on guns, gay rights and how broadly the legalization is drawn, and leaving the 867-page overhaul mostly unscathed by conservative attacks. Published May 21, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a top Republican senator on Thursday told President Obama that he and his aides must meet with immigration law enforcement "whistleblowers" who can expose the flaws in the Senate immigration bill. Published May 24, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
House Speaker John A. Boehner on Thursday flatly ruled out chances of the House passing the Senate's immigration bill, saying his chamber will debate its own bill instead. Published May 23, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said Thursday he won't start to pick any big fights with Republicans because he's afraid of upsetting the momentum to pass an immigration bill — and that includes delaying President Obama's Labor Department nominee. Published May 23, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Less than 24 hours after senators powered their immigration bill through committee, the legislation came under fire in the House, where the former head of immigration enforcement testified that it has too many loopholes that could delay enforcement, let dangerous people in, and hamstring agents from fighting illegal immigration in the future. Published May 22, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Senate immigration bill's authors acknowledged Tuesday that their legislation does not require illegal immigrants to pay all back taxes, saying it would be too difficult to make them ante up everything they might owe. Published May 21, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
Sen. Chuck Schumer is facing increasing pressure from members of the gay community to make sure any immigration reform he puts his stamp on includes rights for same-sex couples. Published May 21, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Senate's immigration bill will raise national security risks and the Obama administration will do little more than "rubber-stamp" illegal immigrants into the program, endangering Americans, says the labor union representing the 12,000 employees who will have to approve the applications. Published May 20, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Two key senators said Thursday that Homeland Security officials should face discipline for their role earlier this year in releasing 622 criminal immigrants, including 32 with multiple felony convictions, in a move the Obama administration initially blamed on the budget sequester cuts. Published May 16, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Sen. Marco Rubio's office circulated a list this month of ways to toughen security in the immigration bill he helped negotiate, including potential amendments to cut down on chain migration, to require newly legal immigrants to show financial self-sufficiency and to build 700 miles of double-tier fencing along the border. Published May 15, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Senators fended off changes to the immigration bill in committee on Tuesday, but the first cracks emerged in the carefully crafted compromise between business groups and labor unions, leaving even some supporters frustrated at the defensive votes they had to cast. Published May 14, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The yardstick used in the immigration bill to determine border control may produce too rosy a picture of how well the Border Patrol is doing in cracking down on illegal crossings, according to an independent study released Monday that threatens to upend the immigration debate. Published May 13, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Immigration rights groups see such good prospects for legalizing illegal immigrants this year that President Obama should go ahead and halt deportations right now, saying it's unfair to kick people out just ahead of possible legalization. Published May 13, 2013
By Seth McLaughlin - The Washington Times
Sen. Marco Rubio on Thursday disputed the recently released study from the conservative Heritage Foundation that warned comprehensive immigration reform would cost taxpayers $6.3 trillion, saying the findings in the report are "deeply flawed." Published May 9, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Senate immigration bill survived its first tests Thursday as a core group of Republicans and Democrats held together, killing efforts to require full border security requirements before legalizing illegal immigrants. Published May 9, 2013
By Andrea Noble - The Washington Times
Illegal immigrants are being deported from Washington, D.C., at a lower rate than most states and other big cities under a federal program designed to remove illegal immigrants who have committed violent crimes. Published May 8, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Senate immigration bill would put about 8 million illegal immigrants on a path to citizenship, boost the economy and stop about 2 million would-be illegal immigrants — about half of the expected total over the next decade — from entering the U.S., according to the first government evaluation of the proposal released Wednesday. Published May 8, 2013
By Seth McLaughlin and Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
Border security is a key sticking point in this year's immigration debate, but only a little more than one-third of senators have been to the southwestern border during their time in office to get a firsthand look at the security situation, according to a survey of the chamber's members by The Washington Times. Published May 7, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee introduced amendments Tuesday to grant gay couples the same immigration rights as other married couples, setting up a key hurdle for the immigration bill. Published May 7, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The chief of the U.S. Border Patrol said Tuesday that his agents have a tough time ousting armed drug cartel spotters from the tops of U.S. mountains because the rules of engagement constrain them. Published May 7, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The Heritage Foundation said Monday that legalizing illegal immigrants would cost taxpayers a net $6.3 trillion over the next 50 years — releasing a report that ignited a venomous battle over an immigration bill and who is truly representing the conservative movement in the debate. Published May 6, 2013
By Jessica Chasmar - The Washington Times
Former South Carolina Sen. Jim DeMint argued on Sunday that implementing immigration reform as proposed by the "Gang of Eight" would "cost Americans trillions of dollars." Published May 5, 2013
By Andrea Noble - The Washington Times
Activists and labor groups representing the District's immigrant population applauded D.C. Mayor Vincent C. Gray on Thursday as he introduced legislation to allow illegal immigrants to obtain driver's licenses. But after the cheers stopped, even they criticized the bill. Published May 2, 2013
By Jerry Seper - The Washington Times
A federal judge in Texas is expected to rule next week on a request by rank-and-file U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents for an injunction to block President Obama's deferred-deportation initiative. Published May 2, 2013
By Elliot Spagat and Raquel Maria Dillon - Associated Press
Demonstrators demanded an overhaul of immigration laws Wednesday in an annual, nationwide ritual that carried a special sense of urgency as Congress considers sweeping legislation that would bring many of the estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. illegally out of the shadows. Published May 1, 2013
Moving to quell concerns, the newest version of the Senate's immigration bill keeps the E-Verify electronic check system in place so that states that already require its use can continue to do so, even while the rest of the country is getting up to speed. Published April 30, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The debate is raging over whether the latest immigration bill is an amnesty for illegal immigrants, but one part is clear: The legislation would forgive businesses that have employed those immigrants illegally. Published April 29, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
A federal judge said this week that the Obama administration is likely violating the law by telling immigration agents and officers not to arrest illegal immigrants they deem low priority, in a case that could upend President Obama's enforcement policy. Published April 24, 2013
By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times
The administration has approved 99.5 percent of applications of those who have applied for legal status under President Obama's nondeportation policy for young adults, granting legal status to more than 250,000 formerly illegal immigrants. Published April 22, 2013
By Cheryl K. Chumley - The Washington Times
A sport utility vehicle carrying at least 18 people crashed and killed five after the driver tried to flee from Border Patrol agents in Arizona on Monday. Published April 22, 2013
By Guy Taylor - The Washington Times
Secretary of State John F. Kerry and his Mexican counterpart touted the growing economic connection between Mexico and the U.S. on Friday, with Mr. Kerry saying that while the security relationship between the two nations remains vital, economic ties are ultimately more important. Published April 19, 2013
By Gary Shapiro
For the last several years the immigration debate in Washington has been much like America’s immigration system itself – disorganized, vague and without clear borders. Fortunately, it seems like we’re starting to make progress. Thanks in part to President Obama’s State of the Union address and the Senate Judiciary Committee’s hearings on Feb. 13, more Americans and lawmakers are becoming aware of our broken immigration system and are evaluating ways to enact change. Published February 24, 2013
I am in favor of immigration reform. I am also wary of reforms granted now for a promise of border security later. Published February 8, 2013
By Mathew Staver
Americans are ready for just immigration reform that keeps our borders secure, respects the rule of law and creates a pathway to earned legal status for our hardworking neighbors who lack documentation. Published February 5, 2013
In June, Homeland Security Secretary Janet A. Napolitano announced the Obama administration's "deferred-action" policy for children who were brought to the country illegally but are a low priority for law enforcement because they are not considered a security risk. On Tuesday, President Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden met with three such persons in the White House. Published May 23 2013
A new poll finds that support for comprehensive immigration has dipped ever so slightly and that the vast majority of voters don't think the border will be secured if Congress passes an immigration fix. Published May 7 2013
Sen. John McCain and members of the bipartisan "Gang of Eight" tasked with carving out a comprehensive immigration package got a firsthand look at the difficulty involved in securing the U.S.-Mexican border when a woman literally climbed over the border right in front of them. Published March 27 2013
By Dave Boyer
President Obama will use a naturalization ceremony Monday to prod Congress to introduce an immigration reform bill as soon as possible, a White House official said. Published March 25 2013
The Sunlight Foundation says that over the last five years more than 3,100 lobbyists registered to work members of Congress on immigration — a figure that underscores the big stakes involved both ideologically and economically. Published March 21 2013
By Sean Lengell
Rep. Chris Van Hollen said he's cautiously optimistic Congress can pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation but worries House Republicans could quash a deal. Published March 19 2013
Jose Antonio Vargas, an illegal immigrant and former reporter, scolded a congressional panel on Wednesday, saying that he should not be called illegal, and saying it is an insult to his family who brought him here. Published February 13 2013
Opening the first immigration hearing of the new Congress, the top Democrat on the Judiciary Committee warned his colleagues not to use the term "illegal immigrant" as the debate goes on. Published February 5 2013
By Joseph Cotto, TWT Communities
Amnesty isn't the solution for America's illegal immigration problem, or for the GOP's political staleness. Published Jan. 29, 2013
By William Kelly, TWT Communities
Illinois' pro-amnesty sheriff should apologize for comparing U.S. immigration law to the Nazis. Published Jan. 16, 2013
