Serving Up. . .Immigration Reform?

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Today Obama is meeting with Senior GOP members over lunch where he is expected to ask Republicans to engage on comprehensive immigration reform. The meeting is timed right before GOP members are expected to introduce a wide range of border security amendments to the emergency supplemental bill. The amendments would provide financing for more miles on the border fence, unmanned aerial drones, and National Guard troops along the southern border. Votes are expected today or tomorrow.

During the hour and a half meeting President Obama and Senator McCain disagreed over border security with those in the room describing the exchange as “testy.” Politico reports that Senator McCain argued for security first and President Obama disagreed. No interviews were given afterwards but one can imagine that President Obama argued that comprehensive immigration reform is needed to ensure that our border security is effective. It is clear from the meeting that the President Obama strives to move forward on immigration reform as well as other pieces of an ambitious agenda. Applause reportedly broke out twice during the close door meeting—providing  hope for consensus and bipartisanship.

The White House released the following statement after the lunch meeting:

On immigration, the President noted that many in the conference have supported efforts before to fix a broken system and impose accountability at our borders, accountability for employers who undercut the law by hiring undocumented workers; and for the workers themselves, who are here illegally and must take responsibility. And he urged them to work with him across party lines to make progress on this issue.