Immigration Reform 2014: House Republicans to Release Principles for Piecemeal Immigration Reform

In a few weeks, House Republicans will release their principles for immigration reform, which will outline step-by-step measures from border security to legal status. The GOP's release of reform principles is renewing hope that immigration reform could pass in 2014. 

The document, which was kept secret until now, will call for increased border-security and interior enforcement, a worker verification system for employers and earned legal status for undocumented immigrants. It will also outline reforms for visa programs and a system to track those who are in the country legally, according to Politico. 

The principles will also include a promise that immigration reform will be done on a piecemeal basis, which will prevent the possibility of entering into negotiations using the Senate's comprehensive reform package. The GOP has been staunchly opposed to the Senate's comprehensive reform bill, so ensuring a step-by-step passage is more likely to get Republicans to come to the negotiating table. 

Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, who is leading the reform process, says he wants the principles released before President Barack Obama's State of the Union address, which will take place on Jan. 28. 

The New York Times reports that Speaker Boehner will be guided by the policy ideas put forth by Republican Rep. Robert Goodlatte. Goodlatte, who is the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, opposes a direct pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants.

Instead, he put forth a piecemeal approach, which includes a measure that would offer provisional legal status to undocumented immigrants, then immigrants will show they are eligible for permanent residency or a green card through sponsorship by a family member or employer. With that provision, as many as 600,000 undocumented immigrants could gain permanent residency status as spouses of citizens and legal residents, and 45,000 could get green cards within two decades as low-skilled workers. 

While many political leaders are still doubtful that intransigent House Republicans will bend on reform, Republicans believe that stating their positions on the issue could jumpstart a reform process that will begin in 2015, after the midterm elections. 

However, there are some indicators that suggest Republicans are serious about reform. Some top Republicans have been trying to trade some form of legalization for increased state and local enforcement of immigration laws, which is a measure that will most likely be opposed by Democrats. Senior members of the Judiciary Committee and pro-immigration reform Republicans like Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart of Florida and Paul Ryan of Wisconsin have been involved in the discussions. 

While the majority of the country supports the passage of immigration reform, some Republicans still doubt that it will pass this year. Oregon Rep. Greg Walden, who is the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, believes it will be even tougher to pass immigration reform laws in 2014. 

"I think so," he said, when asked whether it will be more difficult to pass reform this year. "It doesn't mean there aren't things we need to do, but I think it's been made more problematic because now people can say the president waives parts of laws he doesn't like. And he has."

Yet others Republicans, like Rep. Diaz-Balart, believes passage is still possible this year. 

"Politically, it has always been a very difficult issue - very difficult, very controversial, very emotional, very difficult issue," Diaz-Balart said. "So it's a big ask, but I think there's a lot of people here who are willing to do what they believe is right for the country even above personal, political considerations."