WASHINGTON, D.C. – By a strongly bipartisan 68-32 margin, S.744, The Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act, became the first commonsense immigration reform bill to clear the U.S. Senate in decades.
Since the Gang of Eight introduced its compromise plan April 17, the Senate has engaged in a transparent, thorough debate on the bill. Republican and Democratic senators have recognized the urgent need to reach agreement on a new and broad immigration process that benefits all Americans, and they have worked together to keep reform moving forward.
After the final vote tally, Ali Noorani, Executive Director at the National Immigration Forum, made the following statement:
“Today’s passage reminds us that immigration is about people not just fences. We’ve made real progress because our political leaders are finally realizing that this isn’t about politics; it’s about who we are as a country and how we fulfill our nation’s promise.
“The bill the Senate passed is a compromise. It calls for spending tens of billions to secure a border that already is as secure as it has ever been. Even so, it will be a net positive for our economy. It protects the road to citizenship and it reforms our legal immigration system for the long term. Not least, the momentum it creates gives us our best chance at immigration reform in more than 30 years.
“Attention now turns to the House of Representatives. House leaders must come together in the same bipartisan spirit that defined the Senate debate. We simply cannot replace broad, commonsense reform with a patchwork of piecemeal laws. House leaders will hear what Senate leaders took to heart: Americans want a new immigration process that respects the rule of law and fulfills our heritage as a nation of immigrants.”
