House Republicans Clash Over Immigration

House Republicans knew their thin majority would make it hard to pass their agenda during this session of Congress, and a slate of immigration bills is the latest example.
Members didn’t appear any closer Monday night to reaching consensus on a slate of measures leaders had initially planned to bring to the floor earlier this year. Despite the months-long delay, GOP leaders hope they can forge a path forward in April. Republicans are expected to consider the immigration bills in a committee markup after the chamber returns from a two-week Easter recess, Rep. Chip Roy told The Dispatch Monday night.
Roy’s bill, H.R. 29, is at the center of the controversy. It would grant the homeland security secretary the power to block all undocumented immigrants from coming into the United States through any points of entry if the secretary decides it is necessary to regain “operational control” of the U.S.-Mexico border. Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales of Texas’s 23rd District has called it un-Christian and said he won’t support it.
But on Monday night, Gonzales added that he has “a lot” of other issues with the immigration bills beyond Roy’s measure, declining to elaborate further.