Immigration reform legislation is “dead” in the Senate this year, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said. Graham, who’s sought to work with some Democrats on the controversial issues, said that healthcare efforts had “poisoned the well” for bipartisan cooperation going forward.
Graham had partnered with Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) to work on immigration legislation, and the pair had met with President Barack Obama earlier this month on the issue.
But Graham said that winning the support for any legislation was all but impossible in the wake of a divisive healthcare debate that’s wrapped up last week in Congress.
The Senator told the President:
If you want to deliver on your unwavering commitment to immigration reform, write a bill,” he said. “You write the bill, send it to the House. See what happens, because I don’t think you have much of a chance of getting it through the Senate.”