Immigration Reform 2013 News: Republicans Push for House GOP Members to Pass Bill

Republicans who support immigration reform are pushing for the House to introduce legislation, which may create a deeper divide within the already fragmented Republican Party. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that the group, Republicans for Immigration Reform, is ramping up its lobbying efforts. They released an online ad last week urging the House to act on immigration legislation, which has been viewed over 600,000 times. 

The New York Times confirms that about 600 Republican leaders in business and agriculture will lobby 80 GOP House members to push forward legislation. Some GOP donors are also withholding contributions from congressional members who oppose reform, according to Fox News. 

While some House members and House Speaker John Boehner are pushing for the House to pass its immigration reform before the year's end, some Republican lawmakers said they will not act on the legislation. 

"I care about the sovereignty of the United States of America and what it stands for, and not an open-door policy," said Rep. Ted Yoho, R-Fla., who is opposing the bills the House is considering.

Yet both President Obama and Speaker Boehner are optimistic that the House will pass immigration legislation. 

On Thursday, Obama told an audience of business, labor and community leaders that the time is right to pass the Senate-passed immigration reform bill. 

"Everybody knows our current immigration system is broken; across the political spectrum people understand that," he said. "We've known that for years it's not smart to invite some of the brightest minds in the world to study here and not start businesses here and we send them back to their home countries to create jobs, invent new products someplace else."

Afterwards, Boehner's press spokesman released a statement saying the speaker is opposed to the Senate's immigration bill.

"(Boehner) has been clear that the House will not consider any massive, ObamaCare-style legislation that no one understands," Brendan Buck said in a written statement. "Instead, the House is committed to a common sense, step-by-step approach that gives Americans confidence that reform is done the right way."

The Senate bill, which was passed over the summer, offers undocumented immigrants who came to the U.S. before 2012 a 13-year path to citizenship. The bill also has a strategy for reforming visa programs and increasing security at the U.S./Mexico border.