Gonzalez: I'm confident we can pass comprehensive immigration reform
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez said he is confident the new Biden Administration can deliver on its promise to pass comprehensive immigration reform.
Success with such a bill would finally allow around 11 million undocumented residents to come out of the shadows and enter a pathway to citizenship that could take eight years to complete. The pathway would likely be limited to those without a criminal record.
Gonzalez was asked about the chances of passing such reform on a webinar he hosted on Wednesday, just hours after President Biden and Vice President Harris were sworn into office.
\u201cI think there is a great chance,\u201d Gonzalez said, in response to question about the comprehensive immigration reform being passed by Congress.
\u201cFirst of all there is a different aura in the room. But now, with both chambers being as close as they are\u2026 under Biden I think you are going to see a moderate Democrat presidency that is willing to work across party lines. Remember, President Biden is a creature of the Senate, that is where he spent most of his life. He knows how to negotiate across party lines. He knows how to get things done.\u201d
Gonzalez predicted Biden would be a \u201cgreat\u201d president because he understands the process.\xa0
\u201cHe understands the chamber works. He knows how to make friends. He knows how to get things done. It is a matter of getting both sides together and figuring out what we need to do to continue progressing our democracy.\u201d
Gonzalez is one of 112 Democratic lawmakers who sent a letter led by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to Biden to express their commitment to addressing immigration reform.
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