Democrats are joining Republicans to take a major step toward Senate passage of GOP-led immigration bill

Washington
CNN
—

A significant number of Senate Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to advance a GOP-led bill to require the detention of undocumented migrants accused of certain crimes — a key step that puts the legislation on the verge of passage.

The bill drew steady support from Senate Democrats, including from battleground states that President-elect Donald Trump won last fall after he walked out of the House earlier this week.

Democrats are under pressure to show they will act on immigration in the wake of an election cycle in which Republicans attacked the party as weak on the border. In the wake of Trump’s victory, some Democrats have said the party needs to do more to address voters’ concerns over the issue.

If the bill ultimately passes the Senate, it would hand an early victory to Republicans, who chose to bring the legislation up as their first bill for the new Congress now that they control both chambers.

The bill would require the detention of undocumented migrants charged with theft or burglary. The legislation is named after a Georgia student who was killed last year while out jogging. An undocumented migrant from Venezuela was convicted and sentenced to life without parole in the case that sparked a national debate about immigration and crime.

The legislation still faces hurdles ahead, and it is uncertain whether it will cross the finish line in the Senate.

While some Democrats have said they support the bill outright, others have said they want to make changes to it and are seeking a robust amendment process that presents an early leadership test for Senate GOP Leader John Thune.

The Senate’s new GOP leader faces a delicate balance. Republicans support the bill in its current form and are likely to reject it if Democrats push for sweeping changes. The Senate GOP majority also has a packed to-do list of agenda items competing for floor time and will not drag out consideration of the bill.

But if Democrats aren’t satisfied with the outcome of their push for changes, the measure could still stall and fail to make final passage in the House.

“Democrats want to have a robust debate where we can offer amendments and improve the bill,” Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor ahead of the vote. “This is an important issue. We should have a debate and amendments, and that is why I am voting yes on the motion to proceed. To remind my colleagues, this is not a vote on the bill itself. It is a motion to continue, a vote saying we must have a debate and have amendments.”

GOP Sen. John Barrasso, the Senate majority whip, said in the floor: “There are some Democratic senators who say they support the Laken Riley Act, but they want to weaken it. To be clear, Senate Republicans are not weakening this life-saving legislation. We will not allow that to happen.”

Republicans in the Senate control 53 seats. Typically, that would mean at least seven Democrats must vote with Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance a bill subject to a filibuster. But incoming GOP Sen. Jim Justice of West Virginia, who chose to delay his inauguration to finish his term as governor, is not expected to take his place until next week, which meant Republicans needed at least eight Democrats to support the bill to move forward.

The House vote to pass the legislation Tuesday was 264 to 159, with 48 Democrats voting with Republicans in support.