Governing Lawmakers: In the Senate, liberal-moderate Republicans are dinosaurs. There are, however, as many as a dozen Republicans who are periodically interested in bipartisan consensus and want to support an immigration bill. These include Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska; Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, Rob Portman of Ohio, Dean Heller of Nevada and Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire.

This group generally is sensitive to finding compromises that aren’t deal killers for Hispanics, and that can win broader Republican support.

“We’re not there, but I think we can find the sweet spot,” says Corker, declaring that he very much wants to vote for the legislation. Now the important negotiations are over a tougher border-security measure that, unlike the proposal by Texas Republican Senator John Cornyn, wouldn’t impede the creation of a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants who already are in the U.S.

A mischievous Rubio proposal would require immigrants to be proficient in English before becoming citizens. Graham, noting a list of criteria for citizenship that includes paying back-taxes, learning English, understanding civics and keeping a job, said, “Hell, half my family wouldn’t qualify.”