A deal on reforming immigration laws in a way that would provide a pathway to citizenship for millions of undocumented immigrants in the nation is close to being completed.
Two congressional aides told Yahoo! News this weekend that a deal was nearing completion, but the bipartisan panel that has been working on the bill is still working out a few issues.
One of the issues was how to handle temporary workers who are entering the nation's borders. That issue appears to be among the thorniest hurdles in the way of passing comprehensive immigration reform.
The AFL-CIO and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce have been divided on the matter, with the chamber requesting that 400,000 visas be issued annually, while the AFL-CIO wants to cap visas in figures within the very low fives.
However, both groups have agreed previously that a new temporary worker program can serve as a way for undocumented workers to eventually earn their permanent U.S. citizen's status.
Both entities are still working out details on the issue, but much of the negotiations have been sent to the "Gang of Eight" bipartisan panel, Randy Johnson, the chamber's senior vice president for labor, immigration and employee benefits, told the Yakima Herald Friday.
Other issues that have arisen in the negotiations are the questions of how to secure the border and strengthen workplace enforcement.
"Having been through this, I wouldn't say it's taking longer than expected, but it's been difficult," Johnson said of talks with labor. "The next week-and-a-half will tell the tale."
While House Speaker John Boehner's office has not commented on the details of the legislation, representatives say that Boehner has met with the panel and is pleased with the progress they have been making.
"The speaker had a good talk with the Republicans in the bipartisan immigration reform group. They've made real progress on a tough issue," said Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner.
According to leading senators, legislators working on the bill want to introduce a bill to Congress by early April, and possibly have a bill ready to be presented to the Senate for debate by June or July. If passed, all it would require is President Obama's approval, a timetable that he has strongly favored in his previous discussions on the bill.
While the details are still being figured out, groups with stakes in the immigration debate remain optimistic that the panel will eventually come to an agreement that will lead to long-awaited changes to the nation's immigration laws.
"We're confident that a deal is going to be reached," said Andrea Zuniga DiBitetto, a lobbyist for the AFL-CIO labor federation.
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