http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/po ... ome_t.html

Will immigration reform come to pass?

> Posted by William Gibson on January 29, 2010 02:47 PM

The White House and Senate leaders are preparing for a legislative struggle this spring to pass comprehensive immigration reforms, several advocates told reporters on Friday.


The package most likely would combine intense enforcement at the borders and workplaces with a path to legal status for millions of unauthorized immigrants.

Reformers see a flurry of activity behind closed doors while the Obama administration and key senators say little in public that might draw a backlash from the Right and scare off moderates in Congress.

The strategy, they think, is to unveil a bill in the Senate, pass it quickly, and create momentum that would carry over to the House.

The issue is especially important in Florida, home to big immigrant communities including a million unauthorized foreigners. Reform gets support from both parties in the state but stiff opposition from many conservatives.

Proponents in Washington acknowledge they’ve suffered setbacks because of the Republican victory in a Massachusetts Senate race, the dire economy and the slow and troubled path of health-care reform.

“You are hearing more and more scared Democrats saying, either publicly or privately, `Do we really want to talk about immigration? Do we want to just talk about jobs? And wouldn’t it be nice if that issue (immigration) would just go away this year?â€