Immigration Reform: The Political Piñata

Immigration reform continues to be treated as a political piñata, the prospects seemingly close at hand in one instance and then suddenly being pulled away in the next. Last week served as the latest example. Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner (OH) and his leadership team announced that they had distilled “Standards for Immigration Reform,” which included legalization (although not a path to citizenship) for undocumented persons. This, coupled with Boehner’s recent hiring of a respected immigration expert to his staff, seemed to indicate that immigration reform might actually be moving forward. Three days later–after President Obama indicated openness to the plan, Boehner pulled the piñata away again, stating that he did not believe immigration reform would happen in 2014 because Republicans did not trust the President. Republican Senate leader Mitch McConnell (KY) stated that immigration was “irresolvable” in 2014. So, despite all the rhetoric, the prospects for immigration reform remain the same as it ever was: unlikely as long as Republicans hold the majority in the House of Representatives.