A group of bipartisan senators struck a deal on an immigration compromise, but it’s unclear whether it will garner the 60 votes it needs to advance the legislation in the Senate.
The bill would offer nearly 2 million young undocumented immigrants who came to the US as children before 2012 a path to citizenship over 10 to 12 years.
The plan would also place $25 billion in a guarded trust for border security, would cut a small number of green cards each year for adult children current US green card holders, and would prevent parents from being sponsored for citizenship by their US citizen children if the children gained citizenship through the pathway created in the bill or if the parents brought the children to the US illegally.
Even with the fanfare of its release, the prospects of the bipartisan bill, with the lead sponsors being Sens. Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota, and Angus King, I-Maine, looked dim on Thursday.
To get 60 votes, the bill would need all 49 Democratic votes and 11 Republicans — plus more Republicans for any Democratic defections.
At its release, the bill had eight Republican co-sponsors, but among the small handful of remaining Republicans who had voted for immigration reform compromises in the past, some were already skeptical on the bill or outright no votes.
Democrats on the left were still reviewing the bill, with some vote counters believing at least a few would defect. California Democrat Kamala Harris, a 2020 prospect, was still reviewing the bill, her office said. New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez, a key member of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in the Senate, was likely to support this bill, his office said.
Here’s a look at the breakdown for the votes on the bill:
Republicans voting no
Sen. Bob Corker (Tennessee) — “Senator Corker does not plan to support Rounds-King,” according to his spokesperson.
Sen. James Lankford (Oklahoma) — Will not support the bill.
Sen. Chuck Grassley (Iowa) — Will not support the bill.
Sen. Thom Tillis (North Carolina) — Told supporters he will not support the bill.
Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (West Virginia) — Will not support the bill.
Republicans voting yes
Sen. Mike Rounds (South Dakota) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Susan Collins (Maine) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (South Carolina) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Jeff Flake (Arizona) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Cory Gardner (Colorado) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Lamar Alexander (Tennessee) — Will support the bill.
Sen. Johnny Isakson (Georgia) — Will support the bill.
Republicans leaning no
Sen. Orrin Hatch (Utah) — “Senator Hatch has spoken extensively about what he believes needs to be part of the path forward on immigration and is reviewing the current proposals. He wants to support a proposal that not only can pass the House, but that can be signed into law by the President,” his spokesperson said.
Republicans on the fence
Sen. Marco Rubio (Florida) — Said on Fox News he’s “open” to voting for the bill.
This story will be updated.