Immigration Reform: The President’s Plan versus the Senate’s

| Posted: January 31st, 2013

Correction: An earlier version of this chart incorrectly labeled parts of the two proposals.The chart has been updated to reflect the two proposals accurately.

The president and Senate “gang of eight” introduced their proposals for comprehensive immigration reform this week. Both agree on key principles revolving around enforcement, employment, a path to citizenship for unauthorized immigrants, and solutions for problems plaguing the system. Several differences remain, however, as shown in the table below.

Surprisingly, a key sticking point is no longer the fate of the estimated 11 million plus undocumented immigrants, but that of lesbian and gay binational couples and their families, who number less than 30,000. Because of the Defense of Marriage Act, U.S. citizens and permanent residents are not able to sponsor their same-gender foreign-born partners and spouses, unlike their heterosexual counterparts. Conservatives in Congress warn against including an LGBT-inclusive provision in any comprehensive immigration legislation.

While the administration and GOP leadership appear committed to passing a bill this year, there are no guarantees about what form it will take.

6 Comments on “Immigration Reform: The President’s Plan versus the Senate’s”

1 Commentary: Comparing Immigration Reform Proposals | Feet in 2 Worlds said at 2:06 pm on February 1st, 2013:
[...] several differences between the president’s and senators’ frameworks however, as outlined by the Urban Institute. Surprisingly, a key sticking point is no longer the fate of the estimated 11 million plus [...]
2 Immigration Reform: The President’s Plan versus the Senate’s « OP-e said at 7:07 am on February 2nd, 2013:
[...] posted on Urban Institute’s MetroTrends and the Huffington [...]
3 Comparing Immigration Reform Proposals « OP-e said at 7:16 am on February 2nd, 2013:
[...] Infographic courtesy of the Urban Institute. [...]
4 Re-Posting Erwin de Leon’s Post on Immigration Reform Proposals – He and His Husband Are In My Book | Torn Apart said at 10:57 am on February 2nd, 2013:
[...] Infographic courtesy of the Urban Institute. [...]
5 Will LGBT Binational Couples Be Included in Immigration Reform? « OP-e said at 6:29 am on February 20th, 2013:
[...] It is highly unlikely that either legislation will gain enough support to pass through both chambers of Congress. Instead, the best solution for LGBT immigrant families might be their inclusion in any comprehensive immigration bill. President Barack Obama’s immigration plan includes LGBT families, but the Senate’s bipartisan plan does not. [...]
6 Immigration Reform Legislation Takes Shape said at 8:34 am on April 19th, 2013:
[...] of Eight” released details of its immigration reform legislation Tuesday, so we have updated our earlier infographic comparing the White House’s immigration blueprint to the Senate [...]