WASHINGTON — The unmasking of the two foreign-born suspects in the Boston Marathon bombing is already upsetting the debate over immigration reform.
Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, seized on the tragedy yesterday as his panel took up the controversial bill to legalize up to 11 million immigrants and beef up the border.
“Given the events of this week, it’s important for us to understand the gaps and loopholes in our immigration system,” said Grassley, who opposes easing laws for illegal residents to obtain citizenship.
But Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) cautioned that lawmakers “not jump to conclusions regarding the events in Boston, not conflate those events with this legislation.”