The Senate bill also places undue trust in the current administration, “which fails to enforce the laws already on the books,” Goodlatte said. “Real immigration reform needs to have mechanisms to ensure that the president cannot simply turn off the switch on immigration enforcement. The Senate bill contains no such mechanisms.” In sum, Goodlatte noted, the Senate proposal “falls far short” of the goal of reforming the nation’s immigration system.

It was a decisive vote of no-confidence in the Gang of Eight proposal. Goodlatte hinted that a reform bill, if one is to make it through Congress, will come from the House. “I look forward to continuing to work in the House to find solutions to reform our broken immigration system,” Goodlatte concluded, “including establishing effective mechanisms to make certain that our laws are indeed enforced going forward.” The bottom line: If the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee has any say over the matter, the Gang of Eight bill will face a very rough time in the House.