Today the U.S. Senate voted 68-32 to pass a sweeping immigration bill that would put the nation's 11 million unauthorized immigrants on the path to American citizenship and invest $46 billion to increase border security and overhaul the country's immigration system.
The bill, drafted by a bipartisan group of senators known as the Gang of Eight and backed by President Obama, would represent the biggest change in immigration laws since 1986. Among other things, it would increase H-1B visa numbers and would create several brand-new temporary work visa categories, including one for entrepreneurs. However, the bill faces strong opposition in the House of Representatives, where many Republicans oppose giving legal status and eventual citizenship to the undocumented immigrants living here illegally. Although the House of Representatives could adopt the Senate bill, it is more likely that the House will draft its own version of the bill.
We will update our readers regarding immigration reform–related developments in the House of Representatives as they unfold.
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