On Thursday, the U.S. Senate passed comprehensive immigration reform by a vote of 68-32.
The legislation, which now heads to an unreceptive House of Representatives, would be the broadest reform of U.S. immigration laws in a generation, creating a pathway for millions of illegal immigrants to gain citizenship.
Supporters of reform fell short of their 70-vote goal, but 14 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, which was drafted using the framework compromise of the Senate's "Gang of Eight".
Prospects of passage in the House are slim. Chief Deputy Whip Peter Roskam (R., Ill.) recently told the National Review that the House is unlikely to act. "It is a pipe dream to think that bill is going to go to the floor and be voted on.???
"Today, with a strong bipartisan vote, the United States Senate delivered for the American people, bringing us a critical step closer to fixing our broken immigration system once and for all," President Barack Obama said in a statement. "I thank Majority Leader Reid, Senator Leahy, Senator Schumer, and every member of the ???Gang of Eight??? for their leadership, and I commend all Senators who worked across party lines to get this done."
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