It's time for a Republican reset with Latinos

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.

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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.”

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