The Parliamentarian, the Senate ‘referee,’ rejected the Democrats’ latest attempt at including an immigration proposal in the Build Back Better bill. The Democrats have submitted three different immigration proposals to the Parliamentarian to put immigration reform through a process called “budget reconciliation.” Bills that go through budget reconciliation only need a simple majority to bypass filibuster, rather than the 60 votes typically required via Senate rules.
In other words, in order to pass any immigration reform with solely Democratic votes, the Parliamentarian has to approve it for budget reconciliation.
The Parliamentarian has rejected three proposals in a row:
- A proposal to offer a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants
- A proposal to offer permanent residency to undocumented immigrants
- A proposal to offer work authorization and deportation protection to undocumented immigrants
The Parliamentarian’s reasoning for rejecting the Democrat proposals is that the immigration reforms aren’t just spending issues, but substantial policy changes.
White House Is ‘Disappointed’ with Decision
Shortly after the Senate referee rejected the proposal, the White House expressed its disapproval. “The decision by the parliamentarian is deeply disappointing and relegates millions to an uncertain and frightening future,” Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Friday.
However, while immigration activists call for lawmakers to overrule the Senate Parliamentarian’s decision, the White House was noncommittal about whether it would support such a decision.
Our firm will continue reporting on the efforts to win immigration reform. In the meantime, speak with us in a confidential consultation if you have questions about your immigration matter: Call (800) 909-8129. Se Habla Español.
