Tagged: illegal immigration

Appearing on MSNBC Wednesday, Congressman John Yarmuth, D-Ky., says he is optimistic comprehensive immigration reform will pass in Congress this year despite an undertone of setbacks.

The "gang of eight" in the Senate are trying to gain a super-majority as Democrats and Republicans continue to negotiate. Among the issues being hashed out are provisions dealing with a pathway to citizenship that are linked to tighter enforcement of the U.S. borders.

Recently, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky. warned that conservatives would be pulling back from the plan if stricter rules to protect borders are not added to the bill.

But Yarmuth, who is part of a bipartisan "gang of eight" in the House, says lawmakers remains motivated to pass an overhaul of the immigration system due to an unprecedented group of diverse interests.

Watch:

Democratic Congressman John Yarmuth is joining a bipartisan group of eight House members who are voicing support for fixing the country's immigration system.

Efforts for comprehensive reform in the Senate was backed by President Obama this week after a group of eight senators reached an agreement and unveiled their legislative package.

Among the notable compromises in the measure is giving the estimated 11 million undocumented immigrants a pathway to U.S. citizenship, but only after stricter border security standards are made. The legislation would also crack down on American employers who hire illegal immigrants.

The statement from Yarmuth's office says lawmakers in the House are also working on drafting a similar bill with Democratic and Republican support.

From Yarmuth's office:

"Americans want to see the nation’s broken immigration system fixed, and they know it will take bipartisanship to solve this problem in a sensible and rational way. This week, a bipartisan group of Senators stepped forward to introduce their proposal, and we applaud their effort.

The latest blackout by Time Warner has struck CBS affiliate WLKY, but unlike the battle with FOX affiliate WDRB the cable giant has been much more shrewd in this instance.

Local television viewers can still watch CBS programming but Time Warner has taken the local newscasts off the air by switching to an affiliate in Rochester, New York. WFPL News Director Gabe Bullard and University of Louisville communications professor Ralph Merkel ignited an insightful conservation about that and other media happenings.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., is waiting on presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to take the lead on President Obama's decision to stop deporting the children of illegal immigrants.

McConnell is one of the president's strongest and quickest critics, but the GOP leader is being unusually quiet until Romney makes his position clear. He says members of his caucus are "withholding judgment" until the former Massachusetts governor takes the lead.

From The Washington Post:

“I think we’re going to wait and see what governor Romney has to say, and we’re going to be discussing his views on this,” McConnell told reporters at the Capitol Tuesday. “I think many of us may have similar views. Others may not.”

McConnell said he was deferring to Romney because the former Massachusetts governor is “the leader of our party from now until November — and, we hope, beyond.”