Bipartisan Senate sentiment for moderate immigration reform

Going back to Senate votes in February, we see that about half of Senators want a moderate resolution of immigration issues including protection of Dreamers.

On January 17, 2018 a bipartisan group of Senators offered an immigration bill. The White House rejected the bill. \ Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, and Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, introduced their bill with Sens. Bob Menendez, D-New Jersey, Michael Bennet, D-Colorado, Jeff Flake, R-Arizona, Cory Gardner, R-Colorado, Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Lamar Alexander, R-Tennessee, Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Mike Rounds, R-South Dakota,

On February 14, the Senate began debating seven immigration proposals. All included protection for Dreamers, mostly estimated at 1.8 million persons. Three included border wall funding at $25 billion. Three included changes to family and/or lottery visa law. None of the bills passed, but at least one garnered a majority of votes.

On February 15, a vote was 54-45 in favor of the “Common Sense Coalition” plan, short of the 60 needed for approval. Eight Republicans bucked their party and supported the measure, and three Democrats abandoned their leaders and opposed it.

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