The immigration reform plans put forth by a bipartisan group of senators and the White House garnered mixed reviews from politicians, activists and Twitter users.
The Senate proposals include a path to citizenship for many undocumented immigrants, though that is contingent upon increased border security.
Obama's plan would also provide a path to citizenship but without tying it to border enforcement. In addition, he would continue his deportation deferment programs for young undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children, as well as accelerate the immigration process for family members of Americans, including same-sex partners.
Obama supports the Senate plan, and the authors of the bill are attempting to build a larger coalition, a task that seems to be succeeding.
"Extremely pleased that a bipartisan group of Senators has agreed on what basic principles must be included in #ImmigrationReform legislation," tweeted Sen. Robert Menendez, a New Jersey Democrat.
"I support immigration reform with tough border security," tweeted Florida Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson. "We simply can't deport 11 million people. For one thing, it would ruin our economy."
Nelson's fellow senator from Florida, Republican Marco Rubio, is one of the authors of the bill. Rubio is a rising star in the party whose support of immigration reform and a path to citizenship is one of the few positions where he diverges from the traditional Republican platform.
He has been vocal in his support of the bipartisan plan. "We can reform #immigration in a responsible & reasonable way. https://shar.es/CYLJx," tweeted Rubio.
Reasonable Republicans fear that if the bipartisan plan doesn't pass, President Obama will be able to present a more progressive proposal. Then Republicans will either need to pass it or appear anti-immigrant, likely ruining their chances of capturing more than a quarter of the Hispanic vote in 2016, a growing constituency that voted overwhelmingly -- 71 percent -- for Obama in last year's presidential election.
Immigration activists on both sides of the aisle also weighed in, and most -- progressive and conservative -- weren't entirely happy.
"Is this bipartisan #immigration Senate deal the best they can come up with? cc @whitehouse," tweeted Jose Antonio Vargas, a vocal supporter of the DREAM Act, a previous attempt at a path to citizenship that has been held up for years amid Republican opposition.
"We've been here b4! DreamAct was originally proposed in 2001. Many legislators turned their back. Now they claim to care. #Immigration," tweeted Johanna Calle, a Colombian artist.
"CC @RepPaulRyan "@michellemalkin: Illegal alien amnesty plus Obamacare = fiscal nightmare ==>https://michellemalkin.com/2013/01/28/amnesty-plus-obamacare-fiscal-nightmare/ ..."#immigration," tweeted the Federation for American Immigration Reform, an organization that supports tougher border enforcement and penalties for undocumented immigrants.
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