House Republican leaders issued a set of principles today on immigration reform, and the consensus seems to be that they offer enough wiggle room to get a deal done this year. Some highlights:
- Legal status: Many of the 11 million undocumented immigrants now in the country would be able to attain legal status, though not citizenship.
- No 'special path': They would attain that legal status not through a "special path"—Republicans say that would be unfair to those who have followed the rules—but only after they "admit their culpability, pass rigorous background checks, pay significant fines and back taxes, develop proficiency in English and American civics, and be able to support themselves and their families (without access to public benefits)."
- Citizenship for 'dreamers': Kids brought here illegally by their parents—often referred to collectively as the "dreamers"—would get a path to citizenship.
- Border security: None of the above takes place until enforcement is beefed up.