February 6, 2018

McCain Sponsors Bipartisan Immigration Bill

The bipartisan bill immediately took heat from the President

US U.S. Capitol Washington DC The U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C.

A bill filed by Sens. John McCain, R-Ariz., and Chris Coons, D-Del., provides a pathway to legal status for participants in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

The proposal also requires the country to strengthen border security by 2020. It calls for more use of technology.

What it does not include is the $25 billion President Donald Trump wants for a wall along the southern border. President Trump called the bill a "waste of time" on Twitter because it did not include a wall.

Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., said the bill is not a bad idea.

"If that were to ever be considered by the Senate, I think I could support that," said Grijalva.

McCain was not at the Capitol for the filing of the bill. He is still in Arizona for cancer treatment.

McCain has a history of bipartisan immigration reform efforts. He was a member of the "Gang of Eight," which authored and passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill through the Senate in 2013. That effort failed in the House.

He also was a sponsor of the 2007 immigration reform effort.

Congress is facing a March 5 deadline to craft a legislative solution to DACA.

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