Immigration foes dig in amid expectations in House

[alp227]

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Conservatives and the nation's biggest business lobby sparred Wednesday over immigration overhaul, with advocates vowing a renewed effort to get the House to act this year and opponents digging in against anything that shifts the political spotlight from President Barack Obama's troubled health care law.

...

"We're determined to make 2014 the year that immigration reform is finally enacted," Tom Donohue, president of the Chamber of Commerce, said in his State of American Business address. He said the organization would engage in grassroots lobbying, communications and partnership with unions, similar to what it did to secure a bipartisan bill in the Senate last year.

...

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a chief foe of comprehensive immigration overhaul, said the issue would divide the GOP caucus and shift the focus from what he called the "calamity" of the health care law.

Republicans sense an election-year lift in the problem-plagued rollout of the health care law, highlighting reports of canceled policies, higher premiums and other troubles. Republicans are looking to tighten their grip on the House and seize control of the Senate in November's midterm elections.

"It would be a colossal mistake for us to take up anything that just ends up changing the subject and getting it off Obamacare and splitting the Republican Party," King said after the closed-door session.

Read more: http://bigstory.ap.org/article/immigration-foes-dig-amid-expectations

[FreakinDJ]

1. Now why would the Chamber of Commerce want immigration reform

[Drew2510]

3. Yeah, struck me as odd also. n/t

[pampango]

2. Surprise. Surprise. Tea party republicans don't like immigration reform.

Opposition remains steadfast in the House, with several Republicans unwilling to give Obama one of his top second-term priorities.

More than a dozen conservative House Republicans on Wednesday signed a letter to Obama arguing that the immigration overhaul he supports would increase the number of guest workers and give work permits and permanent residency to 30 million immigrants over the next 10 years, forcing a reduction in wages and hurting American workers.

"So-called comprehensive immigration reform may be a good deal for big businesses who want to reduce labor costs, and it may be a good deal for progressive labor unions seeking new workers from abroad, but it's an awful deal for U.S. workers - including African-American and Hispanic communities enduring chronically high unemployment," the letter states. It was spearheaded by Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala.

Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, a chief foe of comprehensive immigration overhaul, said the issue would divide the GOP caucus and shift the focus from what he called the "calamity" of the health care law.