{"id":213316,"date":"2019-05-08T04:22:52","date_gmt":"2019-05-08T08:22:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/?p=213316"},"modified":"2019-05-08T04:22:52","modified_gmt":"2019-05-08T08:22:52","slug":"white-house-launches-new-uphill-bid-to-overhaul-immigration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/canadianinquirer.net\/v1\/2019\/05\/08\/white-house-launches-new-uphill-bid-to-overhaul-immigration\/","title":{"rendered":"White House launches new uphill bid to overhaul immigration"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Though similar efforts have failed to garner anywhere near the support necessary, Trump hopefully invited a dozen Republican senators to the White House to preview the plan, which was spearheaded by senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner. (File Photo<\/a>: Diego Cambiaso\/Flickr<\/a>, CC BY-SA 2.0<\/a>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 Reviving a deeply contentious issue that has stymied both Congress and the administration, the White House launched a new bid Tuesday to overhaul a legal immigration system that President Donald Trump has long railed against.<\/p>\n

Though similar efforts have failed to garner anywhere near the support necessary, Trump hopefully invited a dozen Republican senators to the White House to preview the plan, which was spearheaded by senior adviser and presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner.<\/p>\n

It’s the result of an unusually methodical approach for an administration known for hastily written executive orders and Trump’s declarations by tweet. Kushner’s team has pulled in officials with experience in legislation-writing from outside the White House, including the Department of Homeland Security, to help with the drafting.<\/p>\n

Still, the road to passage remains uphill. Democrats are likely to strongly disapprove of parts of the plan without significant concessions.<\/p>\n

Kushner outlined two major ideas:<\/p>\n

\u2014 A border security bill that would focus, in part, on modernizing ports of entry to make sure all people, vehicles and packages are scanned.<\/p>\n

\u2014 A second package of immigration proposals that would create a more \u201cmerit-based\u201d system to give preference to those with job skills rather than relatives of immigrants already in the country.<\/p>\n

Under the plan, which does not address temporary visa categories, including for labourers, the same number of immigrants would be permitted to enter the country, but their composition would change.<\/p>\n

The White House is also working with Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina on additional legislation that would address the nation’s asylum system, in an effort to stem the flow of migrants across the border, according to a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to outline the plan.<\/p>\n

It’s just the latest effort by the Trump White House to push Congress to overhaul immigration laws that he has long complained compromise national security and depress American workers’ wages by allowing too many immigrants to compete for jobs. But Trump has also said the country needs more workers thanks to economic gains and has said that educated, skilled workers \u2014 especially those who graduate from American colleges \u2014 should be able to stay and work.<\/p>\n

While Trump had previously rejected an earlier version of Kushner’s proposal, asking him to incorporate more border security measures, the senior official told reporters after the meeting Tuesday that Trump had signed off on the effort last week and it should now be considered \u201cthe President Trump plan.\u201d<\/p>\n

The White House is now seeking feedback and pressing for support from Republican lawmakers.<\/p>\n

The official declined to say when more details would be unveiled or how the White House intended to get Democrats \u2014 who have yet to be briefed on the plan \u2014 on board.<\/p>\n

Several GOP senators who attended the meeting did compliment the effort.<\/p>\n

David Perdue of Georgia said Trump was \u201cdeveloping a platform for immigration that he can be for \u2014 and I was impressed.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe conversation was about border security and the immigration side \u2014 how to become much more effective at allowing the right kind,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Tom Cotton of Arkansas said he \u201cheard large areas of agreement from everyone in the room.\u201d He said he still needs to see details, but things are \u201cmoving in the right direction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kevin Cramer of North Dakota called it a \u201cgood starting point\u201d that could be appealing to Democrats in the right situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the environment right now with the booming economy, workforce demands, a crisis at the border that’s no longer deemed manufactured presents an opportunity for discussion,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But Democrats were skeptical of a Republican-only effort that fails to incorporate Democratic priorities on immigration, including protecting young immigrants who were brought to the country as children and are now living in the U.S. illegally.<\/p>\n

Rep. Pete Aguilar of California said he appreciated \u201cour Republican senators weighing in on this issue, but if their solution is to cut legal immigration it’s a nonstarter for us.\u201d He added, \u201cWe’ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n

And former Vice-President Joe Biden, who is running for the Democratic nomination to challenge Trump, accused the president Tuesday of using immigration \u201cto demonize people.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt isn’t who we are. We’re better than that,\u201d Biden said as he kicked off a rally.<\/p>\n

Any immigration plan is sure to face a challenge on Capitol Hill where lawmakers have struggled for decades to pass comprehensive immigration 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 for \u201cDreamer\u201d immigrants. Some Republicans, especially those from election swing states, would like to see protections for Dreamers as well, but that issue does not appear to be included in Kushner’s plan.<\/p>\n

There has also been skepticism about Kushner’s involvement, given he has no previous background on the complex and controversial subject. But Kushner has spent months meeting with various Republican groups, hoping to put together a proposal that can unite party members, following the playbook he used to help pass bipartisan criminal justice reform legislation last year.<\/p>\n

A previous attempt by Trump to reach a comprehensive immigration deal with Congress collapsed last year, and there is deep doubt in Washington that there is any appetite on Capitol Hill for a wide-ranging agreement.<\/p>\n

Trump put immigration at the centre 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.<\/p>\n

\u2014\u2014\u2014<\/p>\n

Associated Press writers Lisa Mascaro, Alan Fram and Darlene Superville contributed to this report.<\/p>\n

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