Senate Democrats highlighted an amnesty proposal in their $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill during their weekly Tuesday lunch that would give $105 billion to illegal immigrants in the U.S., a slideshow obtained by the Daily Caller shows.
Democrats presented a slideshow during their lunch that explained what is in their package. One of the slides highlighted their effort to “provide permanent resident status to immigrant workers and families.” The slide says that the $105 billion will go to “eligible immigrants” who will no longer have to worry about being deported.
“This bill will provide $105 billion or more so that eligible immigrants can have access to federal benefits and the ability to live and work in the United States without the fear of deportation,” the slide reads.
“The CBO [Congressional Budget Office] has estimated our proposal as having a $140 billion direct impact on the federal budget, which we believe makes it permissible in Reconciliation. This proposal is currently in the middle of the ‘Byrd Bath’ process with the Senate Parliamentarian,” the slide continues. (RELATED: Democrats Are Going All-In On The Largest Budget In History. Even With Congressional Majorities, Its Passage Is Far From Certain)
READ THE SLIDE HERE:
Reconciliation is a parliamentary procedure that allows the Senate to pass legislation affecting the budget with only a simple majority of 50 votes. Democratic Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin mentioned how important immigration is for reconciliation during a Tuesday press conference after the weekly lunch. (RELATED: Sinema, Manchin Meeting With Biden Amid Concerns Over Hefty Reconciliation Package)
“We believe immigration is a critical element in reconciliation for three reasons,” Durbin said. “First reason: How many years have we all complained that the immigration system in America is broken and needs to be fixed?” Durbin then said that the bill will bring $10 back to the U.S. economy for every dollar spent on immigrants, Fox News reported.
Durbin also said the U.S. needs more workers and that giving illegal immigrants legal status “gives them a chance to be a functioning part of this economy.”
The House is currently working on text for a reconciliation bill. Democratic Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have both said they are against a $3.5 trillion reconciliation bill, which means Democrats would only have 48 votes, 2 short of the 50 needed for it to pass.
Democratic Florida Rep. Stephanie Murphy, the leader of a group of moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives, promised Thursday to vote against the $3.5 trillion reconciliation package in committee unless she sees the “bill in its entirety.” (RELATED: ‘An Impossible Position’: Moderate Democrat Won’t Vote For Reconciliation In Committee Unless She Sees Bill ‘In Its Entirety’)
The Daily Caller contacted Durbin’s office to ask how many illegal immigrants should be granted legal status in the U.S. to which they did not immediately respond.