Republicans Starting to Change Their Tune on Immigration Reform

Via The New York Times:

A bipartisan group of senators has agreed on a set of principles for a sweeping overhaul of the immigration system, including a pathway to American citizenship for 11 million illegal immigrants that would hinge on progress in securing the borders and ensuring that foreigners leave the country when their visas expire.  ***

“Look at the last election,” Mr. McCain said Sunday morning on ABC’s “This Week With George Stephanopoulos.” “We are losing dramatically the Hispanic vote, which we think should be ours.” The senator also said he had seen “significant improvements” in border enforcement, although “we’ve still got a ways to go.”
      

He added, “We can’t go on forever with 11 million people living in this country in the shadows in an illegal status.”

Wow -- I remember the time when Republican talking points on this issue included ideas such as anchor babies, self-deportation, and an electrified border fence topped with razor wire and coupled with a moat full of either acid or alligators.  Indeed, I have no doubt we'll be hearing those phrases and ideas again very soon from the Tea-Bagging Wing of the GOP.

 

But I don't think the Baggers are going to be able to stop this one in the House.  No doubt a lot of GOP House members will vote against this bipartisan effort -- perhaps even a majority of them -- but the Democrat votes will put it over the top.