'Kate's Law' battle shifts to the Senate, testing Dems
The fight over immigration enforcement is moving to the Senate, where Democratic opposition will be tested.
The House passed a pair of immigration bills late last week: “Kate’s Law” to increase maximum penalties for criminal aliens who attempt to re-enter the country, and a second bill cutting funding to cities that refuse to comply with federal immigration laws.
Republicans got an unexpected boost when two-dozen House Democrats voted for “Kate’s Law,” viewed by GOP supporters as a first step toward implementing President Trump’s campaign promises on immigration.
The defections came after House Democratic leaders said they wouldn’t twist arms to get their members to oppose the legislation. But the outcome is raising questions about whether Democratic senators up for reelection in 2018 will similarly break rank as the fight shifts to the upper chamber.
Senate Democrats are expressing confidence that they’ll be able to block the bills if they are brought up for a vote.
"I will do whatever I can in order to stop them. These are only punitive in nature, they don't deal with the totality of the reality of our immigration challenge, and as a continuing part of the Republican saga that only looks at one element, and looks at it in a way that is totally disproportionate," Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) said.
Democrats previously blocked similar proposals in 2015 and 2016. But a renewed push could force the 10 senators running for reelection in purple and red states won by Trump to take a tough, politically controversial vote.
http://thehill.com/latino/340576-immigration-battle-shifts-to-senate-testing-dems
